1
Q
What were the reasons for supporting the war when it first broke out?
A
- hostility towards the Germans as many knew of their disregard for rights of independent nations and the atrocities comitted by Germany in belgium
- the war might unite british people behind a shared cause
- many believed this would be a short war given the shortness of the 1904-5 russo japanese war and the shortness of wars in europe in 1800s
2
Q
Why did people stay supporting the war even when it was clear it would be long?
A
they felt that the committment had already been made and they had sacrificed so much they didn’t want it to be in vain
3
Q
What was the attitude of volunteers in the war in the early months ?
A
- had a sense of duty similar to duty of those who worked in the empire
- sense of adventure and testing oneself linked to upper and middle class education
- clubs and societies had been very popular and many saw the army as an extension of this
- there was a lot of social pressure/ expectation for youn men to sign up
4
Q
How did people hope the war would bring a brighter future?
A
- thoughtit would heal wounds and bring progress
- divisions in ireland ceased as many volunteerd as soldiers
- suffragettes cooperated with government ot prove women could be helpful
5
Q
Where did opposition to the war come from?
A
- socialists - wanted workers across the world to unite against war
- pacifists - such as quakers opposed war on principle
6
Q
How had warfare changed from previous wars?
A
- death became impersonal due to the use of machine guns and heavy artillery
- no fighting in person
- war poets spoke about the reality of the trenches
7
Q
what was the impact of total war on the home front?
A
- expanded industrious workforce
- brought women into work
- expanded trade unions and increased bargaining power of labour
8
Q
why was the war welcomed by those concerned with national efficiency?
A
it would unite people and give britain a chance to show moral superiority
9
Q
What were the key war events of 1914?
A
Aug 4th - britain enters war
october - november - 1st battle of ypres britain helped prevent german advance but BEF wiped out and western front no longer war of movement
10
Q
What was the attitude towards the war in 1914?
A
- initial euphoria - seen as great adventure
- followed by slight concern over wars developemet
- some opposed the war effort such as Lloyd george or RMD
- LG chooses to stay and work for his country whilst RMD resigns
11
Q
What were the key war events of 1915?
A
Feb - start of disastrous gallipolli campaign which causes WC to resign
German UBoats begin targetting all shipping in British waters
April - 2nd battle of Ypres - chlorine gas used against british
May-June - shell crisis
July - british and allied naval blockade of German ports secured
12
Q
What was the general attitude towards the war in 1915?
A
shock at nature of war, high casualties and modern warfare such as chemical weapons
13
Q
What were the key war events of 1916?
A
January : conscription
May - June : battle of Jutland - only major sea battle of the war
July : somme offensive began - 60k casualties on first day (worst day of fighting for britain ever)
14
Q
What was the attitude towards the war in 1916?
A
- criticism mounts at conduct of the war
- beginning of mass casualties especially in somme, ypres and paschandael
15
Q
What were the key war events of 1917?
A
January - April : peak of German U Boat successes against british and allied shipping causing severe food shortages
phosphene and mustard gas used on western front for the first time
April : USA entered the war
July : 3rd Ypres begins (passchendaele) at cost of 250k british lives , armed convoys introduced at sea causing drop in ships sunk
October : russia left the war
16
Q
What was the attitude towards the war in 1917?
A
- grim determination to see it through to the end and make sure no one died in vain
- lowest point
17
Q
What were the key war events of 1918?
A
March : final german offensive on the western front - intial success
Novemeber: German cease fire- de facto end of the war
18
Q
What was the attitude towards the war in 1918?
A
idea that ww1 must be war to end all wars and never be repeated
19
Q
When was the defense of the realm act released?
A
aug 8th 1914 and finalised november
20
Q
What did the DORA initially allow?
A
the governement considerable powers to maximise the production of goods, keep military secrets and maintain public morale
21
Q
What did the government take over for the duration of the war?
A
railways and mines
22
Q
What did the ministry of munitions do in 1915?
A
take over arms factories and create its own factories
23
Q
What restrictions were placed on alcohol?
A
- pub opening hours were restricted
- strength of beer was reduced
- buying rounds of drinks became illegal
24
Q
What was introduced in May 1916?
A
british summer time
25
How did the government try and reduce industrial discontent?
- improved conditions in munitions factories
- negotiated directly with trade unions
26
What happened to land use under the DORA?
- it was regulated
- county agricultural committees were set up to ensure land was not left uncultivated
27
How and when was conscription introduced?
Jan 1916 - conscription first introduced for signle men 18-41 unless theyw ere widowers with children or religious ministers
May 1916 - extended to married men
28
Why were there food shortages in 1917 and how did this impact children?
- german submarines sank merchant ships during 2 periods of unrestricted submarine warfare
- loss of manpower on farms as farm labourers were conscripted
- families had to cope without male breadwinner
- many children had to work on farms or factories
29
How many children withdrew from school 1914-17?
600,000
30
What was the social impact of the war?
- fall in death rates for the poorest
- working classes were often physically unfit for fighting and so exempt
- well fed middle classes died in greater number especially the private school junior oficers
31
How did working class living standards improve during the war?
- labour shortages meant icnreased wages and bargaining power for the men left behind
- many women now worked in higher paid jobs eg munitions
-less mouths to feed in households where men were fighting
- price controls
32
why did the health of working class people not necessarily improve?
- more work for longer hours in factories led to higher risk of disease and accidents eg lung disease
- housing was neglected
33
why did the price of food increase during the war?
- less produced in britain and supplies disrupted by u boats
- working class spending on food increased by 60% over the war
34
How did increased demand and governement spending help low income famileis?
- increased demand for labour generally but especially for skilled labour which was higher paid
- recruitment affected skilled labourers more so unskilled workers could move up to these jobs
- factories willing to take on younger workers thuse improving household incomes
35
what key payments did the state make to help workers?
- munitions canteens with subsidised meals
- school meals for needy children during and beyond term time
- OAPs could draw pensions and work at same time
- NI extended to war workers ie many women and children
36
What 2 key changes helped young people during the war?
- 1915 young children act gave care of pregnant women and babies to local authorities and increased midwives and health visitors and free milk for children
- 1918 fisher education act - compulsory education till 14
37
what are two voluntary organisations that sprung up during the war?
- volunteer corps
- charities to assist belgian refugees
38
why did serious industrial unrest break out in 1917?
- dilution was applied to all trades without restriction
- workers began to require leaving certificates from their employers
- conscription was being badly handled
39
what were shop stewards?
- shopfloor trade union activists who played an important role in local organisation
- they played key parts in the strikes on the clyde in 1915 and 1916
40
How did the governemnt respond to industrial action?
with a comission , with the result that controls on prices and profits were strengthened and key foodstuffs were subsidised
41
how much did the war cost and how was it paid for?
£4 m a day
increasing national debt, bank borrowing, increased tax
42
How did the government mobilise economic resources?
- placed railways under government control
- set up committee of railways executives
- shareholders had profits fixed at 1913 rates
- reserves of wheat were built up and meat was purchased overseas in bulk
- royal comission was established in 1914 to oversee supplies
43
what was the impact of the war on the labour force and industrial relations?
- by 1915 labour shortages became apparent
- apparatus of exemptions put in place too late
- women were soon drafted in to replace skilled workers
- womens employment increased from 3m to 5m over the war
- wage rates weren't keeping pace with rises in cost of living
- 1915 - welsh miners struck
44
what was the impact of the war on finance and economic planning?
income tax rose from 4p per pund in 1914 to 72p
death duties rose sharply and excess profits taxes were imposed
45
How much did shell production rise between may 1915 and july 1916?
from 20 000 a month to 1m a month
46
what was the purpose of the 1917 and 18 national wage agreements?
trying to avoid industrial action
47
What was the shell crisis?
Lord Northcliffe and some back bench tories tried to whip up a campaign against a supposed shortage of shells which inreality was a wider attakc against government strategy and tactics
48
What did Asquith do in may 1915?
tried to widen the scope and responsibility of the government by creating a wartime coalition
49
what did LG become in may 1915 ?
minister for munitions
50
what did the tories do which upset many old liberals ?
pushed for conscription via the 1916 military services act
51
what three setbacks occured in 1916?
- battle of the somme
- defeat by the turks in the battle of kut
- the easter rising in dublin
52
what did LG become in 1916 ?
minister for war after kitchener died
53
what did LG propose in december 1916?
a three man war comittee to run the war away from cabinet interference
54
who crucially decided to back LGs war comittee?
ABL and unionist edward carson
55
what happened between dec 3rd and dec 7th which resulted in LG becoming PM?
- 3rd - asquith agrees to 3 man council
- 4th - Asquith withdraws acceptace
- 5th - LG resigns
- 6th - Asquith resigns believeing his support amongst leading ministers would mean that no other gov would be formed
- ABL asked to form a governemnt which Asquith refuses to join
- ABL agrees to work under LG as did labour
- Dec 7th LG becomes PM
56
why did LG become PM?
- as war and munitions minister LG had demonstrated new energy in mobilising the state to increase production and deal with workers
- the serious situation needed a new leader, more popular and less part of the establishment
- asquith made serious errors of judgement during the crisis
- backbench liberals and tories had grown apart from their leaders
- trade unions had good realtions with LG and labour trusted his leadrship
57
How were asquith and LG different as people?
lg was flamboyant, energetic and enthusiastic whilst asquith was more calm and traditional
58
what was the long term cause of the split?
lgs ambition and the increasingly lacklustre performance of asquith
59
what policies did LG introduce that put him at odds with other liberals?
- more state intervention and control
- introduced conscription to ireland in 1918
- supported extending the franchise
- pledged post war reconstruction to labour
60
what was the maurice debate?
- 1918
- high ranking officer Maurice wrote a letter complaining that the government had misled parliament about the state of the army in france
- he said they quoted incorrect figures to disguise the fact that the army was short of men
- asquith and his branch of liberals called for a comission of enquiry
- LG pointed out that Maurices department was the one to provide the figures
- nevertheless asquith went ahead with his enquiry and forced a vote in parliament which he was defeated in
61
apart from between LG and Asquith, where did the liberals also divide?
many didn't like the war and some even defected to labour as they hoped for a negotiated peace
62
how did the extension of the franchise further damage the liberal party?
many working class men could now vote and voted for labour, which meant that LGs coalition with the tories won as the liberals didn't get enough votes
63
What was the immediate impact of ww1 on the labour party?
- divided the party and RMD resigned due to his pacifist beliefs
- anti war members joined the union for democratic control which aimed for democratic foreign policy and an international peacekeeping body
- Henderson joined the cabinet in 1915 as part of asquiths coalition
64
what was the impact of continued losses, shortages and industrial disputes on the labour party?
- divided the party as ILP antiwar but trade unions more in favour
- Jan 1917 - the unions managed to alter the voting system to labours national executibe to increase their power
- new system of voting in blocks favoured unions
65
what was the impact of the russian revolution and stockholm conference on the labour party?
- labour pleased by february revolution
- LG was angered after henderson visited russia and returned urging peace
- henderson requested to attend the 1917 stockholm conference but LG refused and H resigned
- Henderson now planned to give labour a distinct foreign and domestic policy different from the liberals
66
What was the labour constitution of 1918 and what was its impact?
- drafted by Henderson and intellectual fabian sidney webb
- allowed individual membership of the party for the first time
- local branches of the party were guaranteed 5 of the 21 seats on labours national executive to be voted at a party conference
- policy had to be approved by vote at the national conference
67
what was clause 4 of the labour constitution of 1918
a more socialist policy calling for common ownership of the means of production
68
what was the 1918 labour and the new social order policy document?
- very socialist
- drafted by sidney webb
- max working hours of 48 per week
- minimum wage
- nationalised and democratically controlled industries
- tax the rich to pay for welfare provision
- surplus for the common good
69
What were the short term losses for labour as a result of divorcing from the coalition in 1918?
- gained only 57 seats in the 1918 election
70
what were the long term gains from the decision to divorce from the coalition in 1918 for labour?
- increased electorate benefitted labour - more working class voters
- labour now had experience in government
- expansion of union membership in ww1
- liberal split massively benefitted labour
71
what success did labour have in 1922 and 24?
- 142 seats in 1922 election
- 191 seats in 1924 election - win
- result of increased power of the unions, decline of liberals and more attractive policies
72
four reasons that ww1 did NOT lead to women gaining the vote?
- pre war womens suffrage had created so much agitation, publicity and fear of radical action that by 1914 they had to grant women the vote
- pre war bills to give women the vote had received considerable support and would have given women the vote had the war not intervened
- women had made significant progress before ww1 in terms of administrative and political powers and so were likely to get the vote at sme point anyway
-the women who did most of the war work were under thirty and did not get the vote in 1918
73
four reasons ww1 did lead to women gaining the vote?
- activities of the suffragettes before 1914 did more harm than good and confirmed views that women are hysterical and emotional
- women had a much higher profile before the war yet all they got was over thirties vots suggesting if it hadnt been for the war it would have taken much longer
- ww1 changed the minds of those who rpeviously opposed womens votes
- ww1 brough about general extension of the franchise and it wouldn't make sense not to include any women in this change
74
why did all men need to have the vote?
- voting was based on being resident at the same address for 12 months
- during the war many men were moving around and so couldn't vote
- it was proposed that all men should have the vote to make this easier
75
how could the war have hindered womens suffrage?
prevented them from being able to campaign meaning that they didn't secure votes for all women only for those over thrity - even LG agreed the age difference was nonsensical
History-Britain
flashcards
Decks in class (15)
# Cards
