Women in the war

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  • Women in the war
    • Recruiting men to fight
      • In 1914 images of women were used in recruitment posters to persuade men to join up
      • Persuaded men that fighting was the right thing to do to protect their family
      • Women were encouraged to pressure men who hadn't joined up
        • Presented them with white flowers (a sign of cowardice)
    • Food shortage problem
      • Women's land army was promoted
        • 100,000 women joined in 1917
      • 250,000 women worked as farm labourers by 1918
      • 1916: a lot of grain ships were being sunk so needed to make Britain more sufficient
      • 1918: 3 million new acres were being farmed for wheat
      • A lot of farmers had gone off to fight
    • Helping with the war effort
      • Joined traditional male areas: transport & metal production
        • 600,000 in metal production by 1918
        • New jobs paid better, were more interesting and gave them more personal freedom
          • Previously were not allowed as it was considered un-feminine or too tough
      • Put health at risk in dangerous industries like munitions or front-line nursing
        • 900,000 in munitions by 1918
      • Women were needed as replacement workers for men
        • New jobs paid better, were more interesting and gave them more personal freedom
          • Previously were not allowed as it was considered un-feminine or too tough
      • Politicians were very impressed with their contribution
        • Asquith: "Deserved the vote and Britain would not have won the war without them."
          • Vote was given to 30s+ but most of the war work had been done by the under 30s
      • Suffragettes abandoned their illegal & shocking tactics and began to work closely with the government

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