How did the war affect people at home, and how did governments keep people fighting?

The Home Front and Propaganda in Britain during WWI

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Originated from revision presentation from http://www.mrallsophistory.com/

Total War

• Warfare that includes any and all civilian-associated resources and infrastructure as legitimate military targets, mobilizes all of the resources of society to fight the war, and gives priority to warfare over non-combatant needs.
• "A war that is unrestricted in terms of the weapons used, the territory or combatants involved, or the objectives pursued, especially one in which the laws of war are disregarded.“
• Oxford Living Dictionary

Recruitment

• Women’s organisations tried to boost recruitment
• White feathers were given to men as a sign of their “cowardice”
• The Mother’s Union urged its members to get their sons to join up

Recruitment

• Initial recruitment used posters, leaflets, etc. to build an army quickly
• What is the message of this poster?
• How would this poster encourage men to join the army?

Recruitment

• Initial recruitment used posters, leaflets, etc. to build an army quickly
• What is the message of this poster?
• How would this poster encourage men to join the army?

Recruitment

• Initial recruitment used posters, leaflets, etc. to build an army quickly
• What is the message of this poster?
• How would this poster encourage men to join the army?

Recruitment

Conscription

• Voluntary recruitment decreasing, demand for troops increasing
• Voluntary recruitment didn’t share burden between all parts of society
• Conscription introduced in 1916
• All men aged 18-40 had to register
• Could be called up to fight at any time

Conscription

• Conscientious objectors opposed war
• political or religious reasons
• Refused to fight
• Imprisoned or executed
• Others helped war effort, non-military
• Field hospitals
• Stretcher bearers

DORA

• The Defence of the Realm Act (1914)
• Gave government powers to control many aspects of daily life
• Goal to keep industrial production high
• many other aspects affected

DORA - Alcohol

• Pubs open 2 hours at lunchtime, 3 hours in evening
• Diluted beer
• Limit alcohol, increase productivity

DORA - Censorship

• Newspapers, letters, and radio censored
• Make sure public continued to support war effort by only hearing good things
• “…soldiers have died a beautiful death, in noble battle”

Rationing

• In April 1917, German U-Boats were sinking one in every four British merchant ships
• Britain was running out of food

DORA - Rationing

• Food rationed
• Government took over land
• used for farm production
• Enough food to feed the public and army
• Voluntary – 1917
• Mandatory – 1918

DORA – Time change

• British Summer Time
• Move clocks forward in summer
• Maximum daylight
• Maximize production

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DORA – Railways, Mines

• Mines, railways taken over by government
• Production of coal, movement of trains prioritised for war effort

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Propaganda and Censorship

• All news tightly controlled (censorship)
• Newspapers, radio, films, board games used
• Goals:
• Maintain morale
• Encourage civilians to support the war effort
• Create hatred and suspicion of the enemy

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How could the following quote be used as propaganda?

On the Germany treatment of the Belgians

• As the (four, drunken) German soldiers came along the street I saw a small child, whether boy or girl I could not see, come out of a house. The child was about two years of age. The child came into the middle of the street so as to be in the way of the soldiers. The soldiers were walking in twos. The first line of two passed the child; one of the second line, the man on the left, stepped aside and drove his bayonet with both hands into the child's stomach lifting the child into the air on his bayonet and carrying it away on his bayonet, he and his comrades still singing.
• From the Bryce Report, English Government, pub. May 1915

After the war

• What is the message of this poster?
• How might this poster impact British/German relations after the war?

Propaganda (other Allies)

• What is the message of this poster?
• How would this poster encourage men to join the army?

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Propaganda (other Allies)

• What is the message of this poster?
• How would this poster encourage men to join the army?
• What country produced the most propaganda in WWI?

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Limits of Propaganda

• Impossible to hide death
• Women in mourning
• Badly wounded soldiers returned home
• Opposition began to emerge

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