Describe the ways in which women's work in the home contributed to the war effort.

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1) Describe the ways in which women’s work in the home contributed to the war effort.

        

Women’s role in the home played a large part in the war effort.  They did this by ways such as rationing, evacuation and participating in campaigns like “Dig for Victory”.  Rationing was limiting the amount of food each household received during a shortage.  It was first introduced at the end of world 1 and the government rationed food and essential supplies.  From November 1941 the British adopted the German point system, where each food was assigned a points value and each person had 20 points to spend every week.  Rationed goods included butter, bacon, sugar, meat, tea, margarine, petrol, cosmetics (except lipstick), clothes eggs and milk.  Bread, potatoes, fruit, fish and fresh vegetables were not.  Paper was also rationed and people had to use newspaper for toilet paper.  Silk stockings were banned, as the silk was needed to make parachutes.  This ban could be combated in to different ways.  People could either pay 3d to get their legs painted with gravy browning or wear a utility suit.  The utility symbol showed goods were made cheaply but to a good standard.  They could be bought with ration books (which everyone was given) and the styles were very basic.  Women were encouraged to wear utility suits (one-piece trouser suits) which were especially encouraged for use in shelters.  Rationing helped the war effort because it meant less food had to be imported as less was being eaten so ships could be used for other things.

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        Another way they helped was the ‘Dig for Victory’ campaign.  This was introduced as food became more and more difficult to import and was made more appealing by rationing.  The ‘Dig for Victory’ campaign encouraged the digging up of every available piece of land, park land and playing fields to grow food crops to support Britain.  Even roadside verges were used to plant rows of potatoes.  This campaign helped in the same way rationing did.  It meant that less food needed to be imported and ensured more food for the British. It was also put across that a meal made ...

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