The Home Front and Social Change (Edexcel)

War and the transformation of British society c.1903- 1928 Topic 3

War and the transformation of British society c.1903- 1928

Topic 3: The Home Front and social change.

·        DORA, censorship and propaganda

·        Recruitment and rationing

·        The part played by women

DORA

The Defence Of the Realm Act

Introduced in August 1914

 This Act gave the British government more power than they’d ever had before

Censored what people heard and read

As the war progressed DORA became stronger

The government wanted people to think the war was going well

They wanted to keep morale up

Letters from the western front were censored

It became illegal to discuss naval and army matters in public

Newspapers were censored

The government also controlled the industry

Workers could not move jobs if they were vital to the war effort

The government took over the ammunition factories and coal mines

Women were recruited

RULES CREATED: You must not:

·        Buy binoculars

·        Melt down gold and silver

·        Light bonfires or fireworks

·        Give bread to horses or chickens

·        Ring church bells

·        Buy a round of drink

·        Keep homing pigeons without a permit

Recruitment

Men rushed to sign up in 1914

At the beginning of the war the German Army had far more men than the British

Pals battalions were introduced; these were battalions form areas in order to create a ‘brotherhood’ among neighbours or sports teams or work places.

The Derby Scheme was a list created of men asked to promise to join up if they were asked. Married men didn’t have to join…