WWI - Why did men choose to fight? Flashcards
What is PROPAGANDA?
Government controlled all information about the war and sent out only messages they wanted people to hear.
How did the British use PROPAGANDA in newspapers?
In newspapers the government only allowed news of victories. Defeats were hardly mentioned.
Why did the Government use PROPAGANDA?
The government printed millions of propaganda posters aimed at making men love their country and king or feel guilty about not signing up.
How were Germans portrayed in British PROPAGANDA?
British soldiers were made to look like heroes and Germans cruel savages hoping this would persuade people to join the war effort.
What was the procedure for recruiting soldiers early in the war? What ages were the men?
When Britain declared war, they asked for volunteers aged between 19 and 30 to join the army.
How many men had enlisted by Christmas 1914?
Over a million men had enlisted by Christmas 1914.
How many men had enlisted by January 1916?
2.5 million men
What were “pals battalions”?
Another method used to get men to join the armed forces was the idea of fighting next to family, friends and neighbours rather than strangers.
Although this was very successful it did have tragic consequences: 584/720 Accrington pals were killed wounded or missing . Leeds pals lost 750 of their 900 men.
Give examples of different types of battalions.
Pals battalions = men from the same town
Football battalions
Battalions of bankers
Battalions of railway workers
What were the tragic consequences of “pals battalions”? Give examples of specific battalions.
This robbed communities of their young men.
584 out of 720 Accrington pals were killed wounded or missing.
Leeds pals lost 750 of their 900 men.
What year did they stop creating “pals battalions”?
1916
When was conscription introduced? What was it and why was it introduced?
1916
Volunteers had reduced by 1916, with many dead or injured and yet the government still needed more men to join the war, the solution was conscription.
Men ages 18-41 could be forced to join the army, an extra 2.5 million men were called up.
What were “conchies”?
‘Conscientious objectors’
Some men believed war was wrong due to political or religious beliefs.
How many “conchies” refused to fight but helped the war effort in different ways? What type of work did they do?
Around 16,000 conchies worked in factories or mines to help the war effort.
What happened to the “conchies” who refused to help the war effort?
1500 people objected the war out right and were sent to prison. Conditions were hard and 69 of these died in prison.
