Britain-The Home Front

By 5thompsonhe

  • Autumn- womens organisations established.

    Women's organisations were ste up as men went off to war. this gave women independence and responsibilty for the first time. organistions first set up included the Women's Police Volenteers and the Women's hospital corps.
    it is estimated that for every soldier on the Western Front, 3 workers were needed at home to make the necessary war supplies.

  • Britain declares war on Germany

    BECAUSE... Germany didn't respect the neutrality of Belgium (going back to Treaty of London in 1839)
  • Period: to

    home front

  • DORA

    The Defence of the Realm Act was introduced which gave the governemnt more power in order to aid the war effort. They could now-
    take over land/industry to help the war effort
    censor newspapers
    take mines and run railways (nationalism)
    the government also watered down beer and cut pub opening hours to ensure people's work capacity remained high after lunch times.
    they even banned feeding pigeons as it was said to be wasteful
    they changed the times/clocks (in 1916 the clock was moved forward)

  • volenteering- 500,000 enlist by mid-september

    In 1914- Britain was hit with "war fever", there was great enthusiasm for the war. The war minister, Lord Kitchener appealed for men to join the army. there was mass-propaganda to stir up feeling against Germany and to encourage patriosm. PALS ABTTALIONS- these were set up to encourage people to join the army with their friends, people lied about their age and in places recruiting offices saw queues reaching 2 miles long. everyone belived the war would be quicly won and "over by Christmas"

  • German warship bombing of eat coast

    German warships bombed the east coast of Britain at Scarborough and Hartlepoole. at scarborough-119 killed

  • first Zeppelin airship bombings on east anglian towns

  • london- Zeppelin bombing-1st

    Air raids by Zeppelins and later Gotha planes became a regular feature of the rest of the war. in total 1117 civillians were killed. on the front- an average of 1500 soldiers were killed every day-"lost generation of men"

  • Munitions Crisis

    Government set up ministry of munitions under Lloyd George. Mrs Pankurst and LG organised women's march for jobs to recruit women in factories.

  • Military Service Bill-1st

    Conscription introduced as a slump in recruitment is experienced. It applies for all single men aged 18-40.

  • Conscription extended to married men aged 18-40

    many conscienctious objectives have to go before a special courts and ask to be excused. many went to prison- some died here due to poor treatment. earlier in the war many had been sent white feathers (cowards)- pressure to join war effort. others did work such as ambulance driving or other indirect war contributions.

  • Women's land army formed

  • Third campaign of unrestrcited warfare on British Merchant Ships

    Germany launch third and most devestating campaign.

  • 6 WEEKS OF FOOD SUPPLY/WHEAT LEFT

    Germany sunk one quarter of all British ships leaving ports. Germans sunk 1 million tonnes of Merchant shipping- estimate- only 6 weeks away from effective vicitory/ British starvation

  • Voluntary rationing

    scheme introduced to save supply. however it was a failure: prices rose and food queues got longer.

  • Women's vote

    Parliament agree to pass a law which allowed all women over 30 to vote in General Elections

  • Compulsary rationing scheme introuduced in south

    later extended to rest of country in April.

  • Women vote for the first time