The Era Of The Great War #5: Defence Of The Realm Act (DORA) Flashcards

1
Q

What did DORA generally allow?

A

It authorised the government to do almost anything it thought necessary to Gelo the war effort and protect the country

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2
Q

What were the implications of the fact that DORA did not have to ask parliament about each new regulation?

A

They could essentially restrict peoples rights and freedoms as they could bypass parliament

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3
Q

Why was DORA introduced?

A

It was aimed at helping Britain to win the war : an emergency measure

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4
Q

Positives of DORA

A
  • drew attention to factories
  • encouraged industry in trade unions
  • introduced women
  • workers payed more
  • censorship DID potentially save many lives as enemies didn’t find out sensitive info
  • helped win war
  • brought parties together
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5
Q

Negatives of DORA

A
  • censorship
  • widened police power
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6
Q

DORA was testament to the liberal attitude at the time. Why?

A

People accepted it

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7
Q

What was the job of the War Press Office?

A

They made sure that any news, letters, etc or things coming to or from the trenches were censored to keep troop movements secret

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8
Q

In what 5 ways was information censored or altered?

A
  • casualty figures played down
  • misleading accounts of battles
  • exaggerated allied successes
  • accounts of German atrocities were widely broadcast
  • gruesome photos rarely published
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9
Q

What would happen to you if you broke a censorship law?

A
  • Governemnt could imprison you without a trial
  • Military could court martial you, meaning you would get a military and not a civilian trial
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10
Q

When was the defence of the realm act introduced?

A

8 August 1914

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11
Q

Why couldn’t people trespass on railway lines or bridges?

A
  • In case trains with resources were disrupted
  • Couldn’t loiter in/around bridges in case of attempted sabotage
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12
Q

Why couldn’t people light bonfires or fireworks?

A
  • In case it interfered with aeroplanes
  • could attract zeppelins
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13
Q

Why couldn’t people talk about naval or military matters in public?

A

In case spies were nearby

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14
Q

Why couldn’t people spread rumours about military matters?

A

Could make morale low if rumours of a loss

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15
Q

Why couldn’t people buy binoculars?

A

They were needed for soldiers so there was risk of a shortage

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16
Q

Why couldn’t people use invisible ink when writing abroad?

A

It was a method for spies so it would raise suspicion

17
Q

Why couldn’t people own homing pigeons without permission?

A

If they flew towards Europe, owners would come under suspicion as this was a spy method

18
Q

Why couldn’t people use cameras without a permit?

A

It could post a threat to surveillance + spy activity if this activity was caught on camera

19
Q

Why were crofters given the chance to farm on land and then it would be returned to the owner after the war?

A

To give people the chance to grow food on land that wasn’t used for war production

20
Q

Why was striking outlawed?

A

To protect the production of goods in the factories

21
Q

Why were wages either lowered or kept the same and why was BST introduced?

A

To increase production without increasing expense

22
Q

Why were:
- pub opening times limited
- beer watered down
- buying rounds was banned

A

Aimed to tackle lateness at loss of productivity at work

23
Q

Why were the government permitted to take any land they wanted?

A

Government worried that food was in short supply and there had been land disputes in the highlands

24
Q

Why was there a shortage of munitions in 1915?

A
  • companies were too small
  • a lack of materials such as metal and rubber
25
Q

How did the government tackle the shortage of munitions in 1915?

A
  • factories that were not already involved could be forcibly taken over and converted for war material production
  • DORA banned men in vital industries from leaving their jobs. Those in ‘unimportant’ jobs could be diverted against their will
26
Q

WHY did the government introduce interventions into munitions?

A

To increase production of munitions greatly which would in turn provide the British Army with a greater number of supplies to strengthen them

27
Q

How were people punished if they broke DORA laws?

A
  • classed as unpatriotic
  • new courts were set up to deal with any who broke new rules
  • military law was applied to them
28
Q

Examples of how military law was applied to people who broke DORA laws

A

Vandalism = long sentence
Arson = execution

29
Q

Who was the first to be punished for breaking DORA laws? What happened to them?

A

John Maclean.
Spoke out against WW1 + government, spent time in prison

30
Q

Why did some Brits support DORA?

A
  • patriotism
  • they accepted the need for the increased security and control over areas seen as vital to war effort
31
Q

Reasons Brits didn’t support DORA?

A
  • petty: eg needed pigeon permit
  • interfered with civil rights
  • too much interference in their life
  • genuine debate was stifled (eg anti-war debate)
32
Q

How many ‘German Spies’ were executed under the DORA regulations?

A

11

33
Q

Were there juries at DORA trials?

A

No

34
Q

How were protests reported in newspapers?

A

As being unpatriotic

35
Q

How were striking Glasgow shipyard workers in 1915 portrayed?

A

They were accused of threatening the lives of soldiers on the front line

36
Q

4 impacts of DORA?

A
  • info was censored
  • policies of secrecy
  • productivity in industry increased
  • people punished
37
Q

6 reasons people were unhappy with DORA

A
  • working payment worsened
  • land could be taken
  • livelihood could be threatened
  • media was censored
  • punishments were harsh
  • restrictions seemed trivial and unnecessary