The Home Front
- Created by: Former Member
- Created on: 11-04-13 19:09
View mindmap
- The Home Front
- Who were conscientious objectors?
- Had to appear before local tribunals to explain why they refused to fight
- Most 'conchies' joined up to do war work in the medical or support services
- About 1500 conchies were imprisoned
- Men who refused to join the army or fight for their country
- What changed for women in the war?
- Fashion changed: skirts were shortened, corset was abandoned, trousers worn - reflecting freedom and practicality
- Women began going to pubs by themselves and smoking
- Idea of motherhood encouraged: national Baby Week (July 1917), national council for the unmarried Mother and her Child founded, showing changing attitudes
- Government paid weekly amount to families of soldiers
- Decrease in domestic service and increase in munitions, banking and metal work for women workers whereas Land Army work were done by countryside women anyway
- Many servants left to work in factories as wages were higher and middle class were encouraged to let servants go
- By 1918 half a million women replaced men in office jobs
- Encouraged men to enlist: white feathers, mother's union persuasive propaganda and Active Service League took oaths to persuade men to join army
- Revolution in the working world, despite returning to domestic roles in 1918, the way to careers beyond the home had been opened
- Munitions: Government set example by employing women in the factories run by them
- Women faced sexism and resistance from trade unions
- Munitions work was dangerous: terrible accidents, breathing difficulties, rashes, blood poisoning, yellowing skin, digestive problems, brain damage and infertility
- How were men recruited for the Army?
- Between August 1914 and March 1916, 2.5 million men volunteered for the British Army
- The recruitment campaign launched by the Government in 1914 was more successful than expected
- 750,000 men joined up during first weeks
- The recruitment campaign launched by the Government in 1914 was more successful than expected
- Whole groups of friends joined up together as a Pal's Battalions
- However, high casualty rate meant more troops were needed and by late 1915 the Government were considering conscription
- Conscription was highly controversial but in May 1916 the Military Services Act gave Government the power to conscript all men aged 18-41
- Only men in 'reserved occupations' (e.g. munitions or mining) were exempt from military service
- Between August 1914 and March 1916, 2.5 million men volunteered for the British Army
- How were British civilians in danger?
- Civilian casualties were light compared with the military casualties; 1500 civilians were killed
- In December 1914, German warships shelled town in north-east England
- In January 1915, giant Zeppelin airships began bombing raids, making a total of 57 raids
- In May 1917, German Gotha bombers began the first of 27 raids on British towns
- What was conscription?
- Conscription was highly controversial but in May 1916 the Military Services Act gave Government the power to conscript all men aged 18-41
- Only men in 'reserved occupations' (e.g. munitions or mining) were exempt from military service
- When and why was rationing introduced?
- DORA allowed the Government to control food supplies; Britain didn't suffer shortages before 1916 but food prices rose dramatically (about 60%)
- Became a problem when German U-boats began to attack shipping on a large scale
- The Government tried to increase food production by bringing all available land into production (3 million extra acres of land by 1918)
- Voluntary rationing schemes were unsuccessful so Government introduced compulsory rationing in 1918
- Sugar, meat, butter, jam and margarine were all rationed
- In general, people felt rationing was fair and kept prices under control
- There were black markets in goods, but penalties under DORA were very severe
- DORA allowed the Government to control food supplies; Britain didn't suffer shortages before 1916 but food prices rose dramatically (about 60%)
- What was DORA?
- In August 1914, the Government passed the Defence of the Realm Act, which gave the Government more power in media, food production and industry
- Government took over coal mines; miners were not conscripted into the army and wages/profits were fixed
- Similar action was taken with the railways and shipping
- Early in 1915, private enterprise was unable to supply munitions army needed. David Lloyd George became Minister of Munitions, reorganising production and setting up new state-run factories
- By the end of the war, the Government controlled about 20,000 factories
- How did the Government use propaganda and censorship?
- DORA allowed Government to control media: The Tribunal was pacifist and shut down plus The Daily Herald (socialist) was closely monitored
- After the war, twelve newspaper owners were given knighthoods for their wartime services - circulation of patriotic newspapers went up dramatically
- Leading authors - Rudyard Kipling, Thomas Hardy and H.G. Wells - produced patriotic materials for free, which sold in their thousands
- Propaganda was aimed at children through books, games and toys
- 20 million saw Battle of the Somme at the cinema, which didn't show British deaths, and was highly successful
- "Good news only" news was controlled and public were told only of victories or heroic resistance
- When HMS Audacious sunk in October 1914 it was unreported
- Letters from soldiers were censored (sometimes personally) as they didn't want loved ones to know the brutality of war
- The Press Bureau and Intelligence Service analysed thousands of articles, telegrams and photographs to keep important information from the wrong hands
- Train spotters got into trouble for reading too much about the transport system
- Who were conscientious objectors?
Comments
No comments have yet been made