3 Impact of World War 2 on British Society

Question 1

Rationing

How was Rationing organised

Answer 1

a ration book that was allocated points

Question 2

rationing

the national loaf

Answer 2

bread without white flour due to a shortage, incredibly unpopular

Question 3

rationing

restaurants

Answer 3

restricted from 1942 - limiting the upper class as well as the working class in order to combat the idea of a post war workers revolution

Question 4

rationing

what effect did it have on mortality?

Answer 4

lower infant mortality rate due to forced healthy eating

Question 5

the beveridge report

debates took place around the beveridge report and it launched the discussion of the NHS. Which white paper was produced? who was responsible for the vital compromise?

Answer 5

a white paper ‘a national health service’ was published in 1944. Henry WIllink was responsible for compronising the white paper enabling independent doctors to continue without becoming salaried state employees.

Question 6

a planned economy

1950s Labour and their manifesto: what did they accept? when were they defeated? why?

Answer 6

food and luxury shortage was inevitable. They were defeated in 1951 due to a failure to ensure food and energy distribution.

Question 7

austerity 1945-1951

rationing?

Answer 7

• continued
• clothing/wood was rationed until 1949
• ‘utility furniture’ which used minimal wood

Question 8

austerity 1945-1951

food imports: what was the problem?

Answer 8

• 55% of British food was imported, and Britain did not have the currency reserves to pay for it

Question 9

austerity 1945-1951

other problems with austerity?

(overseas, defence spending)

Answer 9

• parts of Germany under British Control + war in Greece meant extra spending required for food
• deefence spending was majorly prioritised over civilian spending, it was 23% of the GDP in 1950

Question 10

Housing

how was housing affected by World War 2?

Answer 10

• rebuilding opportunities in places like coventry
• 2m homes destroyed
• ‘tudor-walters report’ restricted land for new homes
• homelessness was fought with wooden prefrabricated houses that were cheap and easy to build.

Question 11

working conditions

how were working conditions affected by World War 2?

Answer 11

• increased pay on behalf of the trade union s
• ‘creches’ meant mothers could work in factories