How were Civilians affected by the war?- OCR GCSE History, Britain 1890-1918
- Created by: Saskia K
- Created on: 22-05-14 19:44
How were civilians affected by the war?
Recruiting
Ø At the start of the world war, volunteers rushed to join the armed forces
Reasons why people wanted to go to war:
· There was a surge of patriotism
· There was a widespread misunderstanding of war- people thought it an exciting adventure, that would be over by Christmas
Ø Over half a million men joined up in the first six weeks of war, worried that they might miss the ‘fun’
Ø By the end of November 1914, Parliament had authorised the recruitment of 2 million men
Ø This early enthusiasm faded, and the awareness of the reality of war began to sink in. By 1915, casualties mounted fast and a massive propaganda effort encouraged people to enlist.
The Defence of the Realm Act - (DORA)
Ø These acts gave the government more power than ever before to intervene in people’s lives.
· British Summertime was introduced to allow more daylight hours to work in
· The right to water down beer in pubs in order to reduce drunkenness and improve productivity.
· The government controlled the newspapers, and other communications such as radio, in order not to reveal the truth about casualties on the Western front.
· They could also force workers to stay in vital jobs and take control over mines and railways
Conscription
Ø Many of the soldiers that had joined up initially were killed or…
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