1. How were civilians affected by World War 1?
Aim: To revise key details about the British Home Front during the First World War
A revision presentation from

2. 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

3. 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?

4. 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?

5. 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?

6. Recruitment

7. Conscription
Voluntary recruitment was decreasing, but the demand for troops was increasing
Voluntary recruitment didn’t share the burden between all parts of society
Conscription introduced in 1916
All men aged had to register
They could be called up to fight at any time

8. Conscription
Conscientious objectors opposed the war for political or religious reasons
They refused to fight, and were imprisoned – or executed – for doing so
Others helped the war effort, but not through military action
Field hospitals
Stretched bearers

9. DORA The Defence of the Realm Act Introduced in 1914
Gave the government powers to control many aspects of people’s daily lives
The priority was to keep industrial production high, but other things were affected too

11. DORA Licensing hours were introduced
Pubs could only open for 2 hours at lunchtime and 3 hours in the evening
This made sure the workforce was awake and sober for factory work

12. DORA Newspapers and radio broadcasts were censored
The government could control what people heard about the war
This made sure the public continued to support the war effort by only hearing good things

13. DORA
Food was rationed
The government took over land and used it for farm production
This ensured there was enough food to feed the public and the army, despite German U-Boat attacks

14. DORA
Beer was diluted
The government allowed publicans to make beer weaker
This ensured the workforce didn’t drink so much as to make them drunk or hung-over while at work

15. DORA British Summer Time was introduced
The government move the clocks forward by an hour in the summer
This ensured factories had maximum daylight, meaning they could operate later

16. DORA Mines and railways were taken over by the government
The government had ultimate control over them
This meant production of coal, and the movement of trains, would be prioritised for the war effort

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

18. Rationing In 1917 voluntary rationing began, led by the royal family
In 1918 compulsory rationing began
Sugar
Butter
Meat
Beer

19. Propaganda and Censorship
All news was tightly controlled (censorship)
Reports aimed to:
Maintain morale
Encourage civilians to support the war effort
Create hatred and suspicion of the enemy
Newspapers, radio broadcasts, films and even board games were used

20. Propaganda and Censorship
The film, The Battle of the Somme, was filmed in 1916
The Battle was a disaster for the British Army
Failed objectives
Enormous causalities
What can the film tell an historian about the use of propaganda in WW1?
Watch the clip (will take a couple of minutes to download)

21. Propaganda and Censorship
The film, The Battle of the Somme, is seen by historians as a propaganda triumph
People at home felt they could see how their efforts were helping the troops
Although it showed some casualties, it also showed advancing troops, helping morale

22. Propaganda and Censorship
The film, Britain’s Effort, was created in 1917
What was its purpose?
Watch the clip (will take a couple of minutes to download)

23. Propaganda and Censorship
It is hard to measure how effective propaganda was
BUT
Support for the war was reasonably constant
Only really changed with the enormous causalities at the Battle of the Somme in 1916
People read lots of newspapers, and watched the films, so they were being exposed to it

24. The Brown Family’s Four War Christmas
What is happening in each frame?
Explain why these things are happening, based on what you know about life on the Home Front