KQ5 - Keeping Up Morale Flashcards
When was the Emergency Powers (Defence) Act passed?
24 August 1939
What was the Emergency Powers (Defence) Act?
Government had power to create regulations without consulting parliament. Aims: -secure public safety - defend the realm - maintain essential supplies + services - carry out war effectively
How many new ministries were created by Neville Chamberlain? Name them
5
- Home Security (attached to Home Office)
- Information
- Shipping
- Economic Welfare
- Food
What ways did the government keep up morale?
Radio Cinema Propaganda Posters Censorship Campaigns and Appeals
Describe the role of radio in keeping up morale
BBC closed TV transmission on 1 Sep 1939 which didn’t re-commence till 1946
Radio involved the population & kept them informed
Almost 9 million licence holders -> almost every family
Newsreaders gave name at start of broadcast to familiarise voices -> detect any impersonators
BBC war reports - Richard Dimbleby + Frank Gillard
Tom Handley’s comedy ‘It’s That Man Again’ joked at Hitler, the Germans and the ‘british way’ of dealing with war
‘Music While you Work’ raised morale + very popular
Describe the role of cinema in keeping up morale
Pre-war, already cheap + popular
1938, 980 million tickets sold. 1945, 1500 million sold
Ministry of Information produced short films about coping with war
Documentaries - e.g ‘Fires were started’ about firefighting in LDN
popular films: ‘Went the Day Well?’ and ‘Henry V’ - starring Laurence Oliver, created in 1943 and released just before D-day.
Describe the role of the Ministry of Information
Created within hours of outbreak of war, to ensure propaganda and censorship were used effectively.
By end of war, over 3000 people worked for the ministry.
What was the overall aim of propaganda?
Ensure that people support the war at all costs
Describe the use of propaganda posters in keeping up morale
Initially unsuccessful and campaigns failed to win support
Ranged from motivational images to simple information exchange
Aims:
- Encourage support
- Sell ideas
- Convince action and thinking in particular ways
- Education on key issues
What were the aims of censorship?
- Information not given away to enemy
- Control info that may damage morale
What things were censored?
Overseas Mail
Telephone Calls - even King George + Churchill had to abide
News
Describe the censorship of overseas mail
All letters going abroad examined
Could be blacked out, cut or returned to sender
Soldier’s letters censored to ensure military secrets not given by mistake
Describe the censorship of news
Ministry of information censored certain stories that might damage morale
Some photographs deemed too distressing and damaging to enthusiasm for war
Jan 1941, communist paper the ‘Daily Worker’ banned.
-supported Stalin
-criticised Govt. and its leaders
- rarely condemned Hitler
William Joyce, pro-Nazi Irish American, broadcast from Berlin to damage morale. Govt. considered ban until they realised most considered him a joke.
What Campaigns and Appeals were used by the government in keeping up morale?
Rationing Policy
‘Dig For Victory’ Camapign
The Spitfire Fund
(Make do and Mend)
Describe the country’s rationing policy?
Introduced as temporary but last till 1955
Lord Woolton - Minister of Food
National Registration day - 29 Sep 1939
- everyone to be given ration books and identity cards with coupons
Price Controls to ensure affordability of essentials
1941, Points system introduced
Govt, consulted nutritionists to regulate entitlement to balanced diet
Vitamin Welfare Scheme - gave children , pregnant and nursing mums special attention
Utility Scheme - shows, cloths + carpets etc. carried utility mark. Considered necessary so made affordable
