How were civilians affected by World War 1?

1. How were civilians affected by World War 1? Aim: To revise key details about the British Home Front during the First World War A revision presentation from http://www.mrallsophistory.com/

2. Key points Before the war, the most common employment for a woman was as a domestic servant. However, women were also employed in what were seen to be suitable occupations e.g. teaching, nursing, office work.

3. Key points When war broke out in August 1914, thousands of women were sacked from jobs in dressmaking, millinery and jewelerymaking.They needed work – and they wanted to help the war effort.

4. Key points Suffragettes stopped all militant action in order to support the war effort.

5. Key points At first, there was much trade union opposition and the employment of women had not increased significantly before the summer of 1915. In July 1915, a ‘Right to Work’ ,march was organised by a leading suffragette, Christabel Pankhurst.

6. Key points The shell shortage crisis in 1915 began to change the situation. Women were taken on to work in munitions factories. The government did a deal with the trade unions, known as the Treasury Agreements. The unions agreed to accept female labour in place of men ‘for the duration of the war’.

7. Key points The introduction of conscription in 1916 led to an increase in the number of women employed in all sectors of the economy.

8. Key points Many women were paid good wages, especially in munitions factories, but in most cases they were paid lower rates than men. Improved wages did permit greater independence for some women.

9. Key points Women became more visible in the world of work. They were seen to be doing important jobs.

10. Key points The armed forces also employed women, but the jobs were mainly of a clerical and domestic nature.

13. Key points Women were in great demand for the ‘caring’ side of employment and became nurses in the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry, and drivers and clerks in Voluntary Aid Detachments. VAD’s

14. Recruitment • Women’s organisations tried to boost recruitment • White feathers were given to men as a sign of their “cowardice” • The Mother’s Union urged its members to get their sons to join up

15. Recruitment • Initial recruitment used posters, leaflets, etc. to build an army quickly • What is the message of this poster? • How would this poster encourage men to join the army?

16. Recruitment • Initial recruitment used posters, leaflets, etc. to build an army quickly • What is the message of this poster? • How would this poster encourage men to join the army?

17. Recruitment • Initial recruitment used posters, leaflets, etc. to build an army quickly • What is the message of this poster? • How would this poster encourage men to join the army?

18. Recruitment

19. Conscription • Voluntary recruitment was decreasing, but the demand for troops was increasing • Voluntary recruitment didn’t share the burden between all parts of society • Conscription introduced in 1916 • All men aged 18-40 had to register • They could be called up to fight at any time

20. Conscription • Conscientious objectors opposed the war for political or religious reasons • They refused to fight, and were imprisoned – or executed – for doing so • Others helped the war effort, but not through military action • Field hospitals • Stretched bearers

21. DORA • The Defence of the Realm Act • Introduced in 1914 • Gave the government powers to control many aspects of people’s daily lives • The priority was to keep industrial production high, but other things were affected too

23. DORA • Licensing hours were introduced • Pubs could only open for 2 hours at lunchtime and 3 hours in the evening • This made sure the workforce was awake and sober for factory work

24. DORA • Newspapers and radio broadcasts were censored • The government could control what people heard about the war • This made sure the public continued to support the war effort by only hearing good things

25. DORA • Food was rationed • The government took over land and used it for farm production • This ensured there was enough food to feed the public and the army, despite German U-Boat attacks

26. DORA • Beer was diluted • The government allowed publicans to make beer weaker • This ensured the workforce didn’t drink so much as to make them drunk or hung-over while at work

27. DORA • British Summer Time was introduced • The government move the clocks forward by an hour in the summer • This ensured factories had maximum daylight, meaning they could operate later

28. DORA • Mines and railways were taken over by the government • The government had ultimate control over them • This meant production of coal, and the movement of trains, would be prioritised for the war effort

29. Rationing • In April 1917, German U-Boats were sinking one in every four British merchant ships • Britain was running out of food

30. Rationing • In 1917 voluntary rationing began, led by the royal family • In 1918 compulsory rationing began • Sugar • Butter • Meat • Beer

31. Propaganda and Censorship • All news was tightly controlled (censorship) • Reports aimed to: • Maintain morale • Encourage civilians to support the war effort • Create hatred and suspicion of the enemy • Newspapers, radio broadcasts, films and even board games were used

32. Propaganda and Censorship • The film, The Battle of the Somme, was filmed in 1916 • The Battle was a disaster for the British Army • Failed objectives • Enormous causalities • What can the film tell an historian about the use of propaganda in WW1? • Watch the clip (will take a couple of minutes to download)

33. Propaganda and Censorship • The film, The Battle of the Somme, is seen by historians as a propaganda triumph • People at home felt they could see how their efforts were helping the troops • Although it showed some casualties, it also showed advancing troops, helping morale

34. Propaganda and Censorship • The film, Britain’s Effort, was created in 1917 • What was its purpose? • Watch the clip (will take a couple of minutes to download)

35. Propaganda and Censorship • It is hard to measure how effective propaganda was • BUT • Support for the war was reasonably constant • Only really changed with the enormous causalities at the Battle of the Somme in 1916 • People read lots of newspapers, and watched the films, so they were being exposed to it

36. The Brown Family’s Four War Christmas • What is happening in each frame? • Explain why these things are happening, based on what you know about life on the Home Front

39. The impact of the war on women Downloaded from www.SchoolHistory.co.uk

40. After the War 1 Women were expected to give way to men returning from the forces and return to pre-war ‘women’s work’. 2 The assumption that ‘a woman’s place is in the home’ returned. 3 The percentage of women at work returned to pre-war levels. 4 More women than before worked in offices.

41. After the War 5 Shorter skirts and hair became fashionable. 6 Women went out with men without a chaperone. 7 Women smoked and wore make-up in public for the first time. 8 In 1919: being female or married was no longer allowed to disqualify someone from holding a job in the professions or civil service.