Chapter 7-The social and cultural impacts of war Flashcards
What was the role of women in WW1?
Six million men were taken out of work and into the armed forced and around 1 million women moved into work. By 1918, women made up 1/3 of the workforce and 80% of the workers in shell factories were women. Women replaced men in transport, banking, shipbuilding and engineering.
What were the conditions like to work in for women?
Work in munitions factories was dirty and dangerous. Many workers were killed in shell factory explosions and more than 100 died from diseases due to handling poisonous chemicals. Women also worked long hours, sometimes at night.
What were the results of the war for women?
Many women became the main breadwinner and women were earning more than ever before. The 1919 Sex Disqualification act said women couldn’t be barred from a career in law based on their gender and there were shorter skirts and new hairstyles worn by women. However, there was still emphasis on traditional omens roles and there were still 1.2 million domestic servants in 1918. Where women did the same work as men, they didn’t receive the same pay and after the war, the percentage of women in the workforce was little different from in 1911.
What was the 1918 Representation of the People Act?
All men over 21 were able to vote and men over 19 who fought in the war could vote in the next general election. Women over 30 could vote if they were a member or were married to a member of the local government register.
What was the impact of the war on Trade Unions?
It created huge demand for extra workers and so the Trade Unions had extra bargaining power. However, the unions generally cooperated with the government, accepting dilution, conscription and the ban of strikes. The Labour constitution also gave unions a key role in the party.
What happened in 1921 when the government control of mines ended?
Mine owners cut wages and lengthened hours. The high levels of unemployment meant workers had to other jobs to go to and so on 1 April 1921 a national miners strike began. The railway men and transport workers backed the miners and it looked as if a General Strike might happen but Lloyd George intervened and split up the alliance. The miners went on strike alone but were forced to accept 20% pay cuts.
What was the impact of total war on people?
There was increased social mobility and changes in political and social positions during and after the war. Class divisions were not broken down as working-class women went into ammunitions whereas middle-class women went into nursing. The war also created a common bond of suffering.
How did the total war impact the Church?
It gave churches a greater public role. Thousands of chaplains were needed for the army and they were required for burial services. The Pope tried to promote peace and others preached that God was supporting the fighting.
How did the total war impact culture?
The war challenged ideas about the superiority of Western civilisation as for 4 years they were fighting wars against each other. Within the arts, it created a culture that rejected the war and the society that allowed it to happen. Many artists embraced modernism and rejected the old values that led to war.
How were people patriotic?
The outbreak of war created a wave of patriotism and this was shown in newspapers and in music halls. Propaganda was used to encourage men to join the army and it was also used to remind people of strength.
What were conscientious objectors?
They were men who refused to join the military and there were various reasons for this. Some had religious reasons and believed in pacificism and others felt that it was wrong to kill and so refused due to moral reasons. They had to go to trials to give reasons for not fighting and many were sent to prison.
How were the trenches used in the war?
The Western Front stretched for 800m from Belgium to the Swiss coast. They provided protection from machine guns and attacks would begin by going over the top. Soldiers had to walk or run into the direct firing line of the defenders.
What were the conditions of the trenches like?
They faced mud, lice, rats and rotting corpses that added to the horrors. They faced the dangers of poison gas, shrapnel and shells whilst in the trenches. Life in the trenches could be monotonous when they weren’t fighting and they spent days repairing trenches, writing letters, resting and keeping guard.
What were the consequences for those serving in the war?
Of the 6 million men serving, 750,000 were killed and 2 million were wounded. For those who survived, many suffered with shellshock or other mental trauma as well as with losses of limbs and burns. The psychological effects were felt for many years after.
What were war poems reflecting?
Many of them conveyed the horror of the war through their poems. This contradicted the glorification of war which was seen before 1914 and instead focused on the futility of mass slaughter. Some famous poets were Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon.
