Impact on Civilian Life
The impact of WW1 on civilians was astounding, leading to food shortages, money shortages, and sometimes targeting by militaries of other countries. Rations had t be given out in order for people to get food for their families, and living standards fell sharply. Propaganda stated that everything was going well, but in reality many lives were lost, with almost every family losing at least one member of their household. Eventually people began to see through the veil and understood what was really going on at the front lines.
Women's Roles during the War
Before the war, many women did not have to work, and instead stayed home and helped around the house and with the children. After the war began though, many women were forced into working for a living to keep themselves and their remaining family members alive. With almost all of the men out to war, women could not make any money unless they began to work for companies. The main jobs included fixing machinery, munition making, and sometimes even making food for the soldiers. The Women's Land Army was formed in 1917, striving to maximize the country's outcome, as well as feed the nation as best as possible.
Real-life Experience: Dr. Elsie Maud Inglis
Dr. Inglis qualified as a doctor in 1892; she was an influential supporter of women's rights and was very active in the women's suffrage movement located in Edenburgh, Scotland. When war broke out in 1914, she immediately offered her services to the War Office, but was refused with the famous words, "My good lady, go home and sit still." This only made her more determined to help out, so she raised the funds to set up her own independent hospital, who's staff were women. The hospital was named The Scottish Women's Hospitals for Foreign Service (SWH). The War Office shunned the SWH, but war allies were extremely grateful to the services given, with units going out to countries such as France and Serbia.
Propaganda: Definition and Role
Propaganda is defined as information, ideas, or rumors deliberately spread widely to help or harm a person, movement, institution, nation, etc. Propaganda was used in WW1 to spread the single idea that the enemy was 'the enemy,' and was to be hated and treated as such. Many posters showed the Germans and other enemy countries as 'monsters' or animals, such as gorillas for Germans. As well as spread hate, propaganda was also used to spread nationalism, encouraging young men to join the army and help their country win the war. To help with this cause, imaginary or a general representation of a whole group of people was used, such as "Uncle Sam," or "Rosie the Riveter," who both encouraged people to help out in any way they could.
Examples of Propaganda: Nationalism
This picture was used to represent the Germans as "beasts," stating that they would stop at nothing to hurt everyone. This picture shows a "German" kidnapping a young woman and snarling at the people looking at the picture. This caused many people to join the army in order to protect their families, whom this picture stated would not be safe unless done so. Pictures like this were extorted so largely as to make the Germans seem as if they were inhuman and would kill everyone in sight.
War Bonds
This poster encouraged citizens to buy war bonds in order to help the fighting troops. It states that war bonds would help stop the "Huns" (Germans) from winning the war. Many people bought these war bonds afterward in order to help give the army more supplies. War bonds were a sort of fund for the army's weapons and supplies. These posters were often accompanied with encouragement towards being patriotic and also touched people's consciences at times, stating that the war would be lost due to them not buying the bonds.