How far did women contribute to the war effort?????

?

Women on the front line

-British aremy soon compied the french system and hospitals were staffed by women mainly

-Thousands of women worked for volountary organisations in france and belgium eg salvation army providing soup kitchens for soldiers

-The womens Auxiliry corps formed 1918 

Women worked mainly as drivers secutaries and officials on the western front 

1 of 6

Women and Recruitment

-Female members of active service league encouraged men to enlist

-Mothers union published posters criticising mothers who stopped their sons joining up 

2 of 6

Women and War work

-Government departments took on 200,000 women during the war 

-Around 260,000women worked on Britains farms in the womens land army 

-Women even kept some of the works football teams going during the war

-Bit more resistance to women working in industry 

-Trade unions feared women would work for less and wages for male workers would drop 

3 of 6

Women and Munitions

Women worked a lot in munitions factories during the war replacing the mens jobs as they had to fight in the war

Thousands of women worked in private government owned munition factories 

Munitions gave women a status and money 

However was dangerous work as the risk of explosions and adverse health effects

4 of 6

Why were some women given the vote in 1918????

Around 9 million women gained the vote usually better off and older women

-1914-15

When war began most differences between suffragettes and suffragists dissapeared 

They raised money for women left behind when their men went to fight

Pankhurst encouraged men to volunteer for the army 

-1916

Representation of people act gave all men the vote

Suffragettes and suffragists argued that women should obtain  the same law

They publicised the massive women war efforts and this helped david loyd george support them in december 1916

-1917-18

By june 1917 most government members accepted that some women would get the vote in the new act 

Millicent fawcet accpeted women over 30 would get the vote 

Act was approved by house of commons in 1917 

5 of 6

How important was the war in securing votes for wo

Women finally winning the vote in 1918

-some believe was a decisive factor 

-some believe war efforts by women put pressure on MPs to give women the vote 

-Some argue it was the pressure of suffragists and suffragettes campaigns that finally brought about the vote for women

6 of 6

Comments

No comments have yet been made

Similar History resources:

See all History resources »See all Women and the War resources »