W: Impact on Civilians Flashcards
Homefronts and Women
Five sectors of society under the control of governmental control by legislation
- Families
- Health
- Rationing
- Women
- Industry
Total war
Definition and some features
When the government mobilises all of its systems and resouces toward the war effort.
Required contribution of civilian public - creation of the home front.
- Governmental control over production and distribution of resources
- Control over non-economic areas, media and communications, propaganda and conscription.
- Focus on producing mass no. of ammunition, weaponary etc.
- Loss of civil liberties (some homefront more than others)
The German Homefront
rationing, control, economy
Enemies were the French Empire, Russian Empire, British Empire, Italy - crippling blockage imposed
* 80% of Germany’s export market
* 50% of raw matierals, 33% of food imports.
However at the signing of the armstice, no German territory was lost, due to its capacity to organise for war.
Rationing: Establishments of Imperial Grain Office, Potato Office to manage supplies.
* Ezrat goods - substitute goods in times of shortage. E.g. coffee made of acorns, textiles from wood pulp, the “war sausage” (plant fibre, animal scraps)
Supreme War Office (1916): control of all war matters.
* 1918: 258 laws on restrictions, from restaurant opening hours to dress length.
* Auxiliary Service for the Fatherland: men 17-60 called for labour service.
* Control of the country’s coal, steel, iron
Economy:
Only 16% of war expenditure was covered by tax.
July 1914: Mark taken off the golden standard - vulnerable to inflation, which it did.
* Finance Minister Karl Helfernich printed money to finance the war - note circulation increased over 1000% 1913 - 1918
* Led to massive national debt, 6 times 1914-1918
The British Homefront
DLG, DORA, Economy, Rationing
Defense of the Realm Act (1914) - propaganda, censroship, control of food and resources, curfews, labour control.
David Lloyld George: necessity in creating a partnership between union and state for efficient production.
* Facilitated bargaining between unions and employers
* Rent restriction act - kept at 1914 levels
* Dilution - lower-skilled workers, including women
* Tightened working regulations: strict attendence, working hours increased (also Daylight savings).
Economy - they had to support loans of Allies being the financial power of Europe
* Selling war bonds.
* Increasing taxation - 30% of income by 1918
* Borrowing from the US
* Selling overseas investments.
Rationing:
* After encouragment of voluntary restraint, rationing introduced in 1918 (due to poor harvests, submarine campaing)
* Drinking habits restricted (alcohol related absenteeism) - pub hours restricted, prices increasing, alcohol content decreasing.
Impact on women
Labour shortage -> opportunities for women.
* E.g. in transport (ambulance drivers), hospitals, industry (munitions production), engineering
Germany: female labour was discouraged (<- Auxiliary Service for the Fatherland 1916)
Britian
* 2 million women
* Dilution: employing more women and undercutting their wages
Russia: women in industry increased 17%
Opposition on the British Homefront
Opposition and war-weariness developed 1916-1917 from the slaughters (e.g. Somme, Verdun, Passchendaele). However opposition was much smaller in Britain than Germany (regime disintegrated) and Russia (1917 Rev).
* Maintenance of living conditions - navy maintained adequate supplies, reducing economic strain.
* Lloyld David George’s leadership - cooperation with organised labour.
* Propaganda (cinema, news, billboards, posters, etc.) - maintaining genuine support.
* Discipline of the industrial labour force - foundation in a strongly class-based British society.
Why did women join the workforce
- Patriotic pride and sense of duty (propaganda)
- More intersting work (from clerical and domestic service)
- Fulfilling work that directly contributed to the war effort.
- Social mobility
- Necessity - higher wages, as government wages were insufficient.
Opposition on the German Homefront
War-weariness developed faster, stronger in Germany
- Longevity of a war that was supposed to be over by Christmas (lack of reporting)
- Endless casualties
- Standard of living decreased - inflation, shortages, ezrat goods.
- Working conditions decreased as demand increased. (<- German authorities paid little attention to worker welfare)
Opposition developed later in the war - resilience of the German people:
The Strike Movement
* Turnip Winter (severe food shortages) - 1917: 562 strikes.
* Imposition of martial law and jailing ringleaders.
This created a revolutionary environment that soon led to full-scale social revolution
* Ludendorff handed the power to a civilian government with a constitutional monarchy.
* Worker and soldier councils spread, like Russian soviets.
* 11 November, a republic was declared.
Compare the goals of Propaganda
Germany and Britain
Similarities:
1. Inspiring patriotism/nationalism and vilifying the enemy.
2. Encouraging people to be careful with goods (Britain: don’t be wasteful, Germany: intense shortages, ezrat goods)
3. War funding
Differences:
Britain: encouraging recruitment and joining the workforce.
Germany: less effective and prevalent propaganda
Forms of Propaganda
Germany and Britain
German propaganda was not as well organised as Britain:
* Images did not connect with common people. (ineffective)
* Newspapers did not publish posters, although reporting was very pre-war, and atrocity stories were published.
* Depiction of the enemy: a battle of the empires, Germany must defeat Britian to grow their own empire. Also noting the hypocrisy of Britain imperialism -> German culture morally superior.
Britain propaganda was effective - avoiding conscription until 1916.
* Film (The Battle of the Somme, stirring awe and support for frontline soldiers by depicting their lifestyle and hardships.)
* Depiction of the enemy: civilisation vs barbarity, as it had not instill terror but not minimise the power of the enemy.
Features
* Depictions of women - symbol of hope, protection, shame otherwise
* Direct address
