Study sources A and B how far do they support the view that there was a wave of enthusiasm with the outbreak of war?

1. Study sources A and B how far do they support the view that there was a wave of enthusiasm with the outbreak of war? Source A: a British Soldier writing in August 1914 ‘I adore war. It is like a big picnic. I have never been so well or so happy. Nobody grumbles at you for being dirty. I have only had my boots off once in the last ten days and only washed twice’. Source B: A British newspaper report, 4 August 1914 Whitehall was full of people highly excited......cries of ‘Down with Germany’ and ‘Berlin by Christmas’ were heard. Hundreds were buying Union Jacks. There was a deafening roar when the King appeared on the balcony of Buckingham Palace. A hostile crowd gathered outside the German embassy and smashed windows. What can you learn from source D and E about attitudes to war by 1917? Source D: Siegfried Sassoon, writing in 1917 I believe that the war is prolonged by those who have the power to end it. I believe that this war upon which I entered as a war of liberation and defence has now become a war of conquest and aggression. I have seen and endured the sufferings of those troops and I can no longer be a party to prolonging those Suffering or ends (aims) which I believe to be evil and unjust. Source E, The Military Service Act 1916 the Government introduced the Military Service Act on 27 January 1916. All voluntary enlistment was stopped. All British males were now deemed to have enlisted - that is, they were conscripted - if they were aged between 18 and 41 and resided in Great Britain (excluding Ireland) and were unmarried or a widower on 2 November 1915. Conscripted men were no longer given a choice of which service, regiment or unit they joined, although if a man preferred the navy it got priority to take him. This act was extended to married men on 25 May 1916. A system of appeals tribunals was established, to hear cases of men who believed they were disqualified on the grounds of ill-health, occupation or conscientious objection. Some trades were deemed to be vital to the war economy: the were called starred occupations The Act initially failed to deliver: only 43,000 of the men called up qualified for general service in the army. Another 93,000 failed to appear when called up, filling the courts. 748,587 men claimed some form of exemption, filling the tribunals. In addition were the 1,433,827 already starred as being in a war occupation, or those who were ill or who had already been discharged on these grounds. The manpower of the army never caught up with its planned establishment.

2. Do you think you can rely on Mallins’ account in Source F? Explain you answer using Sources F and G Source F: Extract from How I filmed the War by Geoffrey Malins, 1920 • The Somme film has caused a great sensation. I really thought that some of the dead scenes would offend the British public. And yet, why should they? They realised that it was their duty to see for themselves. They had been told by the press and Parliament what was happening, but no effect. They must be shown. They must see with their own eyes. Yes, the truth has at last dawned on the British public. Source G: from the diary of Henry Rider Haggard, 27 September 1916 • Today I went to see the Somme War Film. It is not a cheerful sight, but it does give a wonderful idea about the fighting on the front, especially of shelling and its effects. Also, it shows the marvellous courage and cheerfulness of our soldiers in every emergency. As usual, all the pictures move too fast, even wounded seem to fly along. The most impressive of them to my mind is that of a regiment scrambling out of a trench to charge and one man who slides back shot dead. The second world war really improved the lives of women in Britain. How far do you agree this statement? Use sources A, C and D and any own knowledge. Source A : Women in paid work (percentages) from N.DeMarco, The Second World War, Hodder 1997, page 54 Source D: An interview with Pat Parker, in the 1980’s, about her three and a half years in the Women's Land Army. Source C; An interview with Mona Marshall in the 1960’s. She worked in the steel industry during the war • Those years were absolutely fantastic. They were complete freedom, where I’d never known it before. Id always had my father standing on the corner of the street saying. ‘You should be indoors’ this was nine o clock at night. And that went on until I was sixteen. Whereas, being away I could do as I liked. All of a sudden nobody was bothering me and my life was my own. • To be honest, the war was the best thing that ever happened to us. I was green as grass and terrified if anyone spoke to me. I have been brought up not to argue. My generation of women has been taught to do as we were told. At work you did exactly as your boss told you and you went home and did exactly what your husband told you. The war changed all that. The war made me stand on my own two feet.

3. What is the message of this Poster? How does the poster get the Message across?

4. What can you learn from Source A about the organisation of evacuation? Source A – From a government leaflet Evacuation: Why and How? 1938 • The government has made plans for the removal of school children from what are ‘evacuable’ areas to safer places. Householders have offered homes where the children will be most welcome. The children will have their school teachers and helpers with them. The transport of 3 million children is an enormous undertaking. Of course it means heartache to be separated from your children, but you can be sure that they will be looked after. ‘Do you think we can rely on the impression Sylvia Collier gives of evacuation?’ Explain your answer using sources G and H. Source G – In 1995 Sylvia Collier wrote about her experiences for a local newspaper, which was commemorating the 50th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. She was evacuated from the East End of London to Wiltshire in 1939. • Our school near to Wormwood Scrubs, had forty classes so took most of the children in the area where we lived. On the morning of September 1st we assembled and made our way to East Acton Station to board the train for our unknown destination. My brother and I thought we were going for a fortnight, so unconcerned, waved goodbye to Mum as the train pulled away taking us to Wiltshire. All the children seemed happy enough to be evacuated. Source H – A photograph of children being evacuated, September 1939

5. How far do sources C,D and E suggest that conscientious objectors were badly treated? Explain your answer using each of the sources. Source C – Conscientious objectors at a prison camp Source D – A letter from the commander of the Military Detention Barracks at Wandsworth to the Daily Express, 1918. • I had them placed in special rooms, nude, but with their full army kit for them to put on as soon as they wished. There were no blankets left in the room, which were quite bare. Several of the men held out naked for several hours but they gradually accepted the inevitable. Forty of the conscientious objectors who passed through my hands are now quite willing soldiers. Source E – From an interview with a conscientious objector in 1928. • Our ankles were tied together and our arms were tied tightly at the wrists to the cross and we had to remain in that position for two hours. The second evening we were placed with our faces to the barbed wire fence. I found myself drawn so closely to the fence that when I wished o turn my head I did so very carefully to avoid my face being torn. To make matters worse, it came on to rain and a bitterly cold wind blew across the top of the hill. Another man, Jack Gray, was put into a sack, thrown into a pond eight times and pulled out by a rope round his body. “Conscientious objectors were not respected in WW1.” Use sources C, D and E, and your own knowledge to explain how far you agree with this statement.

6. What can you learn from Source D about the Dunkirk evacuation? Source D – from a broadcast by the popular playwright and broadcaster J.B Priestley 5th June 1940, the day after the Dunkirk evacuation ended. Among those paddle steamers that will never return was one I knew well, for it was the pride of our ferry service to the Isle of Wight.....And now never again will we board at Cowes. She has paddled and churched away forever. But now- look this little steamer, like all her brave and battered sisters, is immortal. She will go sailing proudly down the years in the epic of Dunkirk. And our great grandchildren, when they learn how we began this war by snatching glory out of defeat, then swept on to victory, may also learn how the little holiday steamers made an excursion to hell and came back glorious. Do you think you can rely on the evidence of Source C? Explain your answer, using sources C and D. Source D: An interview with Pat Parker, in the 1980’s, about her three and a half years in the Women's Land Army. Those years were absolutely fantastic. They were complete freedom, where I’d never known it before. Id always had my father standing on the corner of the street saying. ‘You should be indoors’ this was nine o clock at night. And that went on until I was sixteen. Whereas, being away I could do as I liked. All of a sudden nobody was bothering me and my life was my own. Source C; An interview with Mona Marshall in the 1960’s. She worked in the steel industry during the war • To be honest, the war was the best thing that ever happened to us. I was green as grass and terrified if anyone spoke to me. I have been brought up not to argue. My generation of women has been taught to do as we were told. At work you did exactly as your boss told you and you went home and did exactly what your husband told you. The war changed all that. The war made me stand on my own two feet.

7. How far do sources C and D support the impression of women’s work given in source A? Source A – A painting by an Official war artist. It shows a woman working in an engineering factory. Source C – A factory worker interviewed in 1942. Working in the factories is not fun. To be shut in for hours on end without even a window to see daylight is grim. The noise was terrific and at night when you shut you eyes to sleep all the noise would start again in your head. The work was often monotonous. I think boredom was our worst enemy. Source D – From an interview with Lily Halford who served in the Women’s Land Army. • I was called up in 1942. I did not mind being called up. I think all of us were eager to do some kind of war work. I chose the Land Army because I liked gardening and decided to apply for a job with the horticultural side of the Land Army. Which of Sources C or D is more useful to a historian studying womens’ war work? “WW2 was enjoyed by women who worked.” Use sources A, C and D and your own knowledge to explain how far you agree with this statement.