Section 2: The British people in war

Transcription

1 Section 2: The British people in war Introduction to the topic The Key Questions for this topic are: 1. How did the First World War and the Second World War change the way of life of the people of Britain? 2. To what extent, and why, did the experience of the British people at war in the First World War differ from their experience in the Second World War? Different themes: Censorship and propaganda Recruitment and conscription Rationing and the effects of submarine warfare Air raids and precautions The dangers of attack and invasion Role of women Attitudes to war Stage 1: Breaking down the Key Questions Different events: Conscription Government propaganda Air raids Home Guard Rationing Submarine warfare Women s role Conscientious objectors The Blitz Cinema Evacuation of children Increased censorship Trade restrictions Reasons for change between the wars: Greater available technology to produce weapons Need for more fighting men at the beginning Development of more sophisticated U-boats Greater fear of invasion Greater resentment of the Nazis than Kaiser Wilhelm s Germany Different forms of media available Greater acceptance of the part which women were able to play The first question touches upon the issue of change. When you think about change you need to think about what progressed, what regressed and what stagnated. What do these terms mean? Fill in the definition boxes below: Progress means... Regress means... Stagnate means... 14

2 You might be asked about what changed and why. Have a go at the task below, by first describing what the fireman is wearing and then explaining why he has to wear a helmet. This will help you work out what the difference between an explanation and a description is. Describe what the fireman is wearing: Section 2: The British people in war Explain why the fireman wears a helmet: Now, practise these skills again by describing how each category changed between the wars and then explain why this change occurred: Type of change Was there much change between the wars? Reason for change between the wars: Physical change Psychological change Social change Economic change Cultural change 15

3 Stage 2: Understanding the topic To help you understand the topic and build an explanation, you can use a flow diagram to explain cause and effect. Have a go at this by filling in the boxes about the development of submarine warfare and rationing in both Wars. The First World War: Britain hugely reliant on imported food: Why was this? German U-boat campaign: Examples of U-boat attacks. Convoy system: When was this introduced? How effective was it? First government response persuade people to eat sensibly: Why did this not work? Effect on food: Quantity and prices? Second government response Rationing: What was rationed? How was it organised? End of the War: How much of the policy had been put into action? 16

4 The Second World War: Section 2: The British people in war Britain hugely reliant on imported food: Why was this? German U-boat campaign: Why did this not work? Anti U-boat measures: How effective were they? Government response 1 Rationing: What was rationed? How was it organised? Government response 2 Encouraged people to produce more of their own food: How was it organised? How useful was it? Unintended response Black Market: Why did it appear? 17

5 Another key part of understanding the topic is being able to make direct comparisons between the two World Wars. Complete this table on the effect of air raids in Britain and make a note of the sources which you used to gather this information. At which point during the war was the threat from the air most prevalent? The First World War The Second World War Sources used How many were killed in total by air raids? What was the material damage? What was the most destructive attack? What areas were targeted? Why were these areas targeted? 18

6 Another area of comparison between the wars relates to the organisation of Home Defense. Complete the table below. Section 2: The British people in war How serious was the threat of a land invasion? First World War Second World War Why did this change happen (if at all)? Sources used How serious was the threat from the air? First World War Second World War Why did this change happen (if at all)? Sources used Was there a formal Home Guard in both wars? First World War Second World War Why did this change happen (if at all)? Sources used What duties were undertaken by soldiers in Britain during the wars? First World War Second World War Why did this change happen (if at all)? Sources used How were those who performed Home Defense duties perceived in Britain? First World War Second World War Why did this change happen (if at all)? Sources used 19

7 Stage 3: Choosing sources Answer the questions about each of the three different types of source below to compare their propaganda value. What evidence is there that this is British propaganda? What type of audience is this propaganda intended to reach? What is both useful and limited about a source which reveals this propaganda technique? British newspaper article: written in April 1915 about the Battle of Ypres. In Champagne, at Beausejour, we demolished an enemy gun protected by a casemate which was enfilading our trenches. On the heights of the Meuse, the enemy essayed three attacks at the Calonne trench at Les Eparges and near Combre. These were immediately stopped. In the forest of Apremont, at the Cow s Head, our progress was continued. We found in the captured trenches about 200 German dead. Our artillery blew up two ammunition depots and a company of German infantry in the vicinity was almost entirely annihilated. We captured a trench mortar, a machine gun and some material. (Daily Mirror headlines: The Battle of Ypres, published 24 April 1915) What evidence is there that this is British propaganda? What evidence is there that this is British propaganda? What type of audience is this propaganda intended to reach? What type of audience is this propaganda intended to reach? What is both useful and limited about a source which reveals this propaganda technique? What is both useful and limited about a source which reveals this propaganda technique? 20

8 In this exercise, you have to find sources which give different perspectives about the evacuation programme. Find a source that can be used as evidence to prove how each of the characters would have felt about the evacuation programme. Use your chosen source to fill in the speech bubbles accordingly. Do not forget to write down the details of each of the sources you use. A rich evacuee A poor evacuee Source details: Source details: A host family who only took an evacuee because they felt that it was their duty to do so. A host family who were happy with having an evacuee to stay with them. Source details: Source details: 21

9 Stage 4: Analysing sources with reference to Utility The example below shows how to analyse a source by focusing on its message, related context and usefulness. Find your own source and do the same type of breakdown in the space provided. What is the message of the source? Its message to go forward is mainly illustrated by the airplanes in a victory formation. Churchill, the figure in the source, is shown as the leader of this movement. Is this supported by your own contextual knowledge? Yes it is since the notion of working together in 1940 is particularly fitting, given the spirit of Dunkirk. However, the use of planes at this stage of the war, at the start of the Battle of Britain, was very defensive (rather than going forward) in reaction to German attempts to attack Britain. How useful is this source? Given that it is a British propaganda poster, it is not useful in providing the historian with a true account of how the war was really going, as it only gives one side of the story. However, it is useful given that it shows us the positive message which the British government was trying to convey to the British people at the time. Things to look for when examining the usefulness of sources. Are its inferences (suggestions) useful? Is there enough information in the source to make it useful? Does the origin of the source affect its usefulness? Does the purpose of the source affect its usefulness? Does its accuracy affect its usefulness? Your source What is the message of the source? Is this supported by own contextual knowledge? How useful is this source? 22

10 It is important to be able to study sources in a structured way. You should begin by picking out quotes/observations and then you should use these to make inferences. What is the meaning of these quotes and observations? You can use your contextual knowledge or the details of the sources to support or challenge these inferences. Then you should come to an overall conclusion about whether the source is useful. In this example, there are three points to observe about this source. One has been fully analysed, which leaves the other two for you to do. Box 1: Observations 1. Little boy playing with soldiers. 2. Daughter reading from her book and asking her daddy what his role in the Great War was. 2. The father looking thoughtful and slightly regretful. Box 2: Making inferences from the observations 1. Shows that war is glorified and is considered worthy enough to receive the attention of the little boy. Also, the smartly dressed soldiers together with the cannon, although an unrealistic perception of modern warfare, nevertheless shows that war is seen as honourable. 2. Bx 3: Contextual explanation 1. The glorification of war is seen by the reference to the Great War along with the fact that many people thought it would be over quickly as the Battles of Somme and Passchendaele had not yet taken place Box 4: Overall comment about the usefulness of the source 23

11 Referring back to the cause and effect task on rationing and submarine warfare, which can be found on pages 16 17, your task is to select sources which provide a different perspective on rationing. Ideally, you should choose sources which focus on the anger which was felt, along with those that show understanding, in addition to a source from the British government about rationing. Afterwards, complete the table below in order to analyse the sources usefulness. Analysing the usefulness of sources which are concerned with rationing Details of the source selected. What is the message of this source? Is there enough information in the source to make it useful? How does the origin of the source affect its usefulness? How does the purpose of the source affect its usefulness? Is it accurate? How does this affect its usefulness? 24

12 Stage 5: Analysing sources with reference to Interpretation Section 2: The British people in war The second question which you have to answer demands that you analyse sources with reference to an interpretation. For this task, the interpretation is The evacuation programme was something which was greatly welcomed by all. Using the four sources you selected on page 21 as part of the task on evacuation, complete the table below by deciding whether each source supports or challenges the above interpretation. Interpretation: The evacuation programme was something which was greatly welcomed by all. Details of the source you have chosen. Does the source support or challenge the above interpretation? If so/not, explain your answer. Is the evidence reliable (e.g. can we trust the content?)? 25

13 This next task is very similar, except that it concerns the role of women during the war. Complete the table below by analysing these sources with reference to the following interpretation: Attitudes to women became more positive by the time of the Second World War. Following on from your analysis, you have to reach an overall decision about how far the sources support the given interpretation. Interpretation: Attitudes to women became more positive by the time of the Second World War. Details of the source you have chosen From Punch Magazine (June 1916) It is quite impossible to keep pace with all the new incarnations of women in war-time - bus-conductress, bank clerk, motor-driver, farm-labourer, guide, munition maker. Whenever he sees one of these new citizens, or hears fresh stories of their address and ability, Mr Punch is proud and delighted. Perhaps in the past, even in the present, he may have been, or even still is, a little given to chaff Englishwomen for some of their foibles, and even their aspirations. But he never for a moment supposed they would be anything but ready and keen when the hour of need struck. Support/challenge the interpretation? If so/not, explain your answer. Is the evidence reliable? From War Memoirs by David Lloyd George (1938) But the recruit to our agricultural labour force who attracted the liveliest interest was undoubtedly the land girl. Her aid, too, was at first pressed on the farmers in the teeth of a good deal of sluggish and bantering prejudice and opposition. When in 1915 the Board of Agriculture tried to induce the farming community to employ female labour - the lilac sunbonnet brigade, as they were jocularly hailed in some quarters - it met at first with very little success. From Women s History: Britain : An Introduction by June Purvis (1997) A dramatic equal pay strike took place at a Rolls Royce engineering factory near Glasgow, in Women and men, both lacking in experience, were recruited to the factory to work on new machines, but the men were paid at higher rates than the women. Women went on strike in October 1943, taking with them most of the men in plant. Overall, do the sources support or challenge the interpretation? 26