British Public Attitudes to Conflict

Question 1

Initial enthusiasm as the war was predicted to be short - what common phrase was used

Answer 1

“war over by Christmas”

Question 2

Why did the war receive more public support than the Boer war had?

Answer 2

German was a geographically close enemy

unlike X2 independent Boer republics

Question 3

Political support for war was strong - which party had opposed the BW which supported this war

Answer 3

Irish National Party

Question 4

Womens Suffrage movements supported war, this was seen through what X3 actions

Answer 4

1. suspend all activity until war ceases
2. encourage young men to volunteer
3. The Suffragette (paper) replaced w patriotic paper Britannia

Question 5

Who did the Britannia paper criticise

Answer 5

Liberals - thought they were being soft on Germany

Question 6

Trade Unions support or oppose war

Answer 6

mainly support

Question 7

How did trade unions show their support for war

Answer 7

offered no-strike agreements

Question 8

Lord Northcliffe pro or anti war? What did he influence?

Answer 8

pro war

influence press as owned Times and Daily Mail

Question 9

Whose letter did the Times refuse to publish which criticised the war?

Answer 9

Lord Lansdowne’s

Question 10

What did Lord Lansdowne’s letter do?

Answer 10

said the war was causing “human suffering” and was spelling “ruin to the civilised world”

Question 11

Evidence of support for war seen also though (X4)

Answer 11

• noisy crowds demonstrating
• lack of substantial anti-war campaigns
• rise of anti-german sentiment
• pro-war songs and poetry

Question 12

derogatory name for Germans coined during war

Answer 12

“hun”

Question 13

How was Lord Lansdowne’s call for negotiated peace in 1916 responded too

Answer 13

little support

shows scale of support for war

Question 14

when did Lord Lansdowne propose a negotiated peace

Answer 14

1916

Question 15

who suggested that families of the dead see cause as a sacrifice not a slaughter

Answer 15

Todman (historian)

Question 16

according to Todman families of the dead didn’t see war as a ‘slaughter’ but a..

Answer 16

sacrifice

Question 17

Who song become regular at public entertainment and events which showed pro-war stance

Answer 17

God save the King

Question 18

what type of cartoons showed support for the war?

Answer 18

conscientious objectors seen as weak, selfish and effeminate

Question 19

Which Party leader was a pacifist and so opposed war

Answer 19

James MacDonald of the Labour Party

Question 20

What happened to James MacDonald after Labour decided to support war?

Answer 20

forced to resign

Question 21

Who was James MacDonald?

Answer 21

Labour party leader who was a pacifist, who was forced to resign after Labour began supporting war

Question 22

What was the name of the Independent Labour Journal

Answer 22

Labour Elector

Question 23

Who was the editor of the Independent Labour Journal

Answer 23

Brockway

Question 24

Who was Brockway?

Answer 24

editor of the Independent Labour Journal

arrested for refusing to fight in the armed services

Question 25

Which Irish party opposed war?

Answer 25

Irish National Brotherhood wanted German cooperation to distance themselves from British

Question 26

Which British party with only 6,500 members opposed war

Answer 26

British Socialist Party

Question 27

Which party saw their newspapers publication decline, which shows support for war?

Answer 27

British socialist party | since they opposed war

Question 28

Some Independent Labour Party members opposed war, name one

Answer 28

Kier Hardie

Question 29

Who was arrested for leading a munitions workers strike in Glasgow in 1917

Answer 29

Kirkwood

Question 30

Who was Kirkwood

Answer 30

ILP member opposed war led munitions workers strike in Glasgow (1917)

Question 31

How many conscientious objectors were there

Answer 31

16,500

Question 32

What did the No Conscription Fellowship membership peak at

Answer 32

5,500

Question 33

When did the No Conscription Fellowship membership peak

Answer 33

1917

Question 34

When was the No Conscription Fellowship formed

Answer 34

December 1914

Question 35

Some intelligentsia opposed war, name one

Answer 35

the philosopher Russell

Question 36

Who was imprisoned for 6months for publishing seditious material

Answer 36

Russell

Question 37

Sassoon originally had what opinion of war, and then converted

Answer 37

Positive and enthusiastic | later saw it as "evil and unjust" with "political errors"

Question 38

How many times was a negotiated called for in the House of Commons?

Answer 38

X3

Question 39

Where was Lord Lansdowne's letter eventually published?

Answer 39

Daily Telegraph

Question 40

In 1918 how many working days were lost via strike action

Answer 40

5.9 million

Question 41

What was the main cause of strike action seen to be?

Answer 41

economic issues not directly about war involvement

Question 42

Number of strikes in comparison to pre-war

Answer 42

substantially below pre-war level

Question 43

What did the government set up in response to more industrial stoppages

Answer 43

Commission of Inquiry into Industrial Unrest

Question 44

What did the Commission of Inquiry into Industrial Unrest find was the main cause of industrial strikes?

Answer 44

High food prices | as opposed to war

Question 45

One of the causes of high food prices

Answer 45

German U-Boat campaign from 1916 affecting British imports

Question 46

Which class benefitted most from war

Answer 46

``` working class regularity of work + higher wages ```

Question 47

Which class lost most from war

Answer 47

middle / upper | paid higher taxes + had to live w out certain luxuries

Question 48

Where was the only place revolutionary defeatism was a large threat?

Answer 48

Glasgow

Question 49

What was significant about Glasgow during German's 1918 Spring Offensive?

Answer 49

industrial action suspended | surge of patriotism to replace lost materiel

Question 50

Left-wing activism seen during war by shop stewards - where and how many met in 1917

Answer 50

1,100 socialists meet in Leeds to protest

Question 51

The renaming of German roads was an act of Germanophobia, give an example

Answer 51

Mecklenburg

Question 52

How many attended a "Peace Demonstration" in Glasgow 1914 organised by the ILP?

Answer 52

5,000

Question 53

Growth of ILP members 1914-1919?

Answer 53

3,000 to 10,000