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TOTAL WAR & the HOME FRONT. TOTAL WAR. ‘Total war’ was term coined to sum up a new kind of war involving a whole nation working together to win. Civilians had to produce masses of equipment, weapons, ammo, transport & food needed to allow fighting men to continue the struggle.
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TOTAL WAR ‘Total war’ was term coined to sum up a new kind of war involving a whole nation working together to win. Civilians had to produce masses of equipment, weapons, ammo, transport & food needed to allow fighting men to continue the struggle. Thus, success on home (economic) front was vital to victory in the trenches.
TOTAL WAR Increase in govt regulations tolerated because it was in the nation’s best interests. Other effects included: harsh treatment of enemy aliens limits on civil liberties & freedom changes in political structure (unofficial military dictatorship in Ger, coalition/war cabinet in GB) economic difficulties changes to status of women opposition to the war post-war expectations
TOTAL WAR GOVT REGULATIONS: BRITAIN Requisition of horses for army. 27/11/1914 – DORA passed nationalised coal mines govt-controlled railways censorship of mail & press daylight saving restricted alcohol consumption (strength & hours) national anthem played post-performances
TOTAL WAR GOVT REGULATIONS: BRITAIN Rents pegged at 1914 prices & some prices controlled. Numerous apparently harmless activities prohibited (eg. loiterimg, flying kites, owning binoculars). Curfew introduced. Taxes .
TOTAL WAR GOVT REGULATIONS: BRITAIN Ministry of Munitions created 1915 national factories established industrial controls put in place Rationing introduced 1916 for some staples. Workers in ‘reserved’ occupations exempt from conscription (eg. munitions).
TOTAL WAR GOVT REGULATIONS: GERMANY War Materials Dept (KRA) created Aug 1914 Directed labour introduced Supreme War Office (Kriegsamt) established to control civilian labour, manufacturing & transport men aged 17-60 not in army liable to be called for labour service Censorship was complete.
TOTAL WAR GOVT REGULATIONS: GERMANY Food rationing began under control of War Food Office 258 laws to control supply & distribution game exempt, thus city people worse off Political repression increased.
TOTAL WAR ECONOMY: BRITAIN Began as business as usual. Govt departments established to control areas of the economy. Working conditions & wages while hours of work . After Welsh coal miners’ strike in 1915, strikes banned.
TOTAL WAR ECONOMY: BRITAIN Food shortages & price increases (up to 200%) were major source of complaints. Labour shortages in agriculture & munitions resulted in govt intervention (eg. Women’s Land Army & reserved occupations) Queues formed to buy food.
TOTAL WAR ECONOMY: BRITAIN Board of Agriculture authorised use of commons & parks for growing food. Early 1918, prices fixed to stop profiteering & full rationing introduced. GB became a debtor to USA.
TOTAL WAR ECONOMY: GERMANY KRA aimed to centralise control of all raw materials. Since Ger. depended heavily on imports, KRA also organised the production of ersatz (substitutes) or synthetics. Some industries were reorganised to create cartels. Due to production priorities, workers in munitions designated as ‘reserved’. In 1916, Hindenburg Program made the error of taking too many men out of agriculture, which led to greater shortages. Problem worsened by poor harvests from 1916 on. By 1918, there was starvation amongst the working class.
TOTAL WAR ECONOMY: GERMANY Working conditions & wages (up to 66%, while hours of work . Prices rose by up to 400%. This led to in industrial unrest. War financed by loans rather than taxes. Allied blockade severely damaged the German economy. Black market thrived.
TOTAL WAR POLITICS: ENGLAND May 1915, PM Asquith created a war coalition. Shortage of artillery & ammo for the Somme Offensive created a scandal leading to Asquith’s resignation. He was replaced by David Lloyd George. Lloyd George was effective in dealing with unions & although there was discontent, his conciliatory approach worked. Lloyd George did not have a good relationship with his C-in-C in France, Douglas Haig.
TOTAL WAR POLITICS: GERMANY Initially, Reichstag supported the war. However, during the war, Germany became even less democratic. Army High Command wielded enormous power & was able to bypass the Chancellor & eventually the Kaiser. From mid-1917, Ludendorff was head of a virtual military dictatorship.
TOTAL WAR POLITICS: GERMANY Demands for political reform in line with disillusionment with the war. As things got worse, socialist extremists began to call for peace. They provided the revolutionary leadership in late 1918.
TOTAL WAR POLITICS: GERMANY The High Command was militarily efficient but not suited to dealing with political & economic challenges. food supply neglected discontented workers were dealt with harshly & forced to look towards socialist extremists decisions such resumption of unrestricted Uboat warfare & peace initiatives were poorly thought out.
TOTAL WAR SOCIAL CHANGES: ENGLAND Importance of women in the workforce grew. 1 million employed in munitions production, more in ‘male’ occupations (eg. clerks, conductors, etc). As recognition, women over age of 30 given the vote in 1918. Changes in clothing & social habits (eg. smoking). Holidays & social activities . Class barriers as middle class worked in factories. Anti-German feelings .
TOTAL WAR SOCIAL CHANGES: GERMANY Importance of women in the workforce grew. Germany made better use of them than other combatants. Discontent grew due to living standards severe food & fuel shortages peace demonstrations strikes Nov 1918, Kaiser forced to abdicate.
