The British Government had to introduce many new ideas to rule effectively between 1914 and 1918, including restricting personal freedoms, considerable use of propaganda and rationing. Explain the effects of these policies on British People.

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Kayleigh Hay 11ms

The British Government had to introduce many new ideas to rule effectively between 1914 and 1918, including restricting personal freedoms, considerable use of  propaganda and rationing

Explain the effects of these policies on the lives of the people in Britain between 1914 and 1918

The first world war, was the first war which directly affected the lives of people living in Britain at the time. In this essay I will be exploring the effects of wartime policies on the lives of women, children and men, and their home lives. I will also be looking at policies such as  DORA, conscription and rationing.

The major changes made by the war would have been severest for women. Most of the women in 1914 would not have worked, they would be housewives and a small minority may have had jobs doing domestic work. When the war broke out this all changed. Women now had become a major key in society and the running of Britain. As more men left to fight in war, more women were needed to take their jobs. A register of women for national service was created, thousands of women joined and were put to work in the factories. This was a big step for women has they would never been allowed to do work of this nature before. Other women would have found it hard to adjust to the new changes as they might of had young children at home to care for. Women did may other jobs as well, they became plumbers, electricians while others joined the newly formed Women’s police service. Other women who were capable join the VAD, Voluntary Aid Detachments, these nurses looked after wounded soldiers when they arrived home, but also were sent to France and often worked just behind the front lines. These women would have witnessed terrible tragedies and would of worked in very stressful and dangerous situations., another major impact on their lives. There efforts did not go unnoticed and they were given the right to vote and no longer were second class citizens. When the war was over, women were no longer satisfied just being housewives, they carried on working and entered professional careers such as teachers and doctors, careers which once had excluded them.

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Women  had a lot to cope with during the war. Apart for the newly added pressure of work, many women would of had families to support. There was also the growing worry that there loved ones may never return from war. This all would have a major toll on women’s lives but they would have to overcome their worries and continue on with what they had to do.

Because of the growing shortage of food, rationing was introduced in 1918. Each family were only allowed small supplies of foods such as butter, bread and meat. Families were encouraged to have ...

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