Home Front in WW1
Recruitment
Volunteers * At beginning army was only small with only 250 000 men, needed 1 mill at least * Germany and enemies armies already bigger * Used propaganda * “pals battalions” large groups encouraged to sign up together as guaranteed to fight together * Half a million signed up In the first month * March 1916-2.5 mill volunteers * Downside * Families and towns lost all men * Questioned their return * Why did they join? * Posters * Get away from dull everyday life * Share in the excitement * Thought it their duty
Conscription
* Clear war not over by Christmas * Casualties had to be replaced, prepare from battle of the Somme November 1916 and replace thousands of dead after * Volunteers were running out – released harsh truths as people returned injured or not at all * Jan 1916 – unmarried men 18-40 * March 1916 – married men also * 1 in 3 conscripted between 1916 -18 * Meant gov had more control over work forces at home as the not conscripted were skilled workers that stayed to do jobs that couldn’t be replaced and helped the war effort
Contentious objectors * Object to war for religious or humanitarian reasons * Had to convince a tribunal if they were genuine or coward * If convinced then they would help on the front line eg drive ambulances or war work at home eg mining * If rejected then sent to army, if they refused they were shot * Little sympathy for them – cowards – called conchies, derivative

Propaganda
Posters, postcards and cartoons * Used initially for recruitment * Later – fuel hate for enemies and build British support * Postcards telling “story” of young soldiers army life – laughed at by soldiers as so unrealistic * Posters aimed at boosting morale to make each person feel involved in the war “ we want you” “your country needs you”
Films
* Aim to persuade people to contribute to the war effort (mocked Germans, Praised British) * “battle of the Somme” film- not actual battle, how they wanted it to be, keep up morale until truth was known
Propaganda for Children * Toys, books and money- German bad guy and British hero
Newspaper reports * Publics main source of information * Start of war, journalists not allowed on front line * No bad news sent home to keep morale high * Gov gave summeries- truth? * Specific language used to boost morale * Baptism of fire = heavy casualties * Rectification of the front line = retreat * Broken heroes = shell shocked soldiers * Wastage = death * Soldiers knew the truth but kept morale high by lying * But they felt abandoned by believers of the lies
Official photographs and paintings * Very few front line photographers * Artists and photographers expected to contribute to propaganda * 1917 lord beaverbrook became minister of info and wanted a war record which meant clear images and more artistic freedom

DORA
Controlling industry * Mining * Took control to help war effort * Miners not conscripted * National wage meant all miners got the same * Munitions * 1915 munitions crisis * Shortage of shells bullets and guns on the western front * Exposed by the daily mail * Production could not keep up with demand * DLG set up Ministry of munitions * State owned 20 000 factories and workers because of DORA and the ministry * Railways * Needed to move troops * Gov took over and used at one unified system * Shipping * 1916 DLG set up Ministry of shipping * They requisitioned merchant ships for vital imports * Coordinated docks and railways * Increased merchant ships construction rate * Convoy system * Merchant ships sailing together with Army boats to avoid german U-boats * U boats sunk 3.7 million tonnes in spring 1917
Controlling food distribution * Reliant on merchant ships for imports * 40% meat 80% wheat 100% sugar 50% milk, fruit and veg * Britain is an island so is reliant on sea imports * U-boats sunk 1 in 4 merchant ships in 1917 * April 1917 – down to 9 weeks supply of wheat and only 4 days’ supply of sugar * Solutions * Supply * Network of comitees persuaded farmers to give up land for the country * 1918 = 3 million privately owned acres where now merchant land * Potato production increased by half * Demand * Ministry of food set up * Lowered the bread price and then encouraged people to eat less bread including propaganda posters * Introduced voluntary rationing and even the royal family promoted their involvement * 1918= compulsory rationing on margarine, bread, meat, jam and sugar
Women in the war
Supporting men * Encouraged them to go * Only use for women at the start * Ran the family business
Filling in gaps * Munitions crisis 1915 meant workers were needed * Mean didn’t want women to take the jobs as it would bring down wages as women were paid less * Trade unions didn’t want women to take mens places * Came to an agreement that women gave back the jobs at the end of the war and wages wouldn’t change * Womens land army * +5 million women in work after the war
Recruiting women * All men and women registered to show availability in 1915 * Gov encouraged women to work * Would do any job available
Social freedom * Smoked in public, financial independence, went to pubs and restaurants without men * STIs – women to man = women imprisoned, man to women = no problem
Running family home * Food problem * Restaurants provided meals to be collected as women were too busy to cook for their families – helped with rationing * Rent strikes * Land lords increased rent because new workers meant new money * This lead to marches and strikes to cause the rent restriction act 1913 which set rent at a level price * Motherhood * Encouraged by media towards the end of the war * National baby week * 1916 introduced mother’s day * National council for unmarried mother and child – changing opinions on illegitimacy? * Separation allowance * Payment to women who were reliant on servicemen * Amount changed per rank and amount of children