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Total War (Britain and Germany) (PROPAGANDA (Britain (Recruitment:…
Total War (Britain and Germany)
GOVERNMENT REGULATION
Britain
Defence of the Realm Act (DORA)
Nationalised Coal Mines
Censorship of newspapers, books, letters
introduced daylight savings
restrictions on alcohol consumption
God Save the King
became mandatory after all theatre/cinema performances
Protective Measures
rents pegged to 1914 prices
Restrictions on everyday activities - prohibited loitering, flying kites, keeping pigeons, whistling for taxis, owning binoculars
10pm lights out curfew
national campaign to reduce alcohol consumption - drinking hours reduced
Germany
more authoritarian than Britain - conscription introduced
1916 - National Service Law introduced, gave the government ability to direct all men into any part of economy/military
Civilians tolerated/supported limitations on their freedoms and democratic rights in the interest of victory
THE ECONOMY
all production focused on war effort - created shortages that had to be managed through rationing
Britain
Ministry of Munitions established in 1914
Given power to requisition raw mateials
5 new departments established - shipping, labour, food, national service, food production - each had substantial power of the economy
food shortages - biggest cause of complaint for citizens, led to birth of the 'queue'
Government appointed a 'Food Controller', appealed for less consumption of meat, in 1918 prices were fixed to avoid profiteering
rationing greeted eagerly in 1918, royal families ration card publicised in newspaper
income tax increased from 2.5% to 12.5%
Germany
August 1914: Walter Rathenau placed in charge of
War Raw Materials Department (KRA)
- aim = centralise control of raw materials .
also set about synthesising materials to replace imported resources
neglect of food production led to shortages being more sever than those in Britain, made worse by Allied blockade
1916: 'turnip winter' - turnips one of few available products, bread rationed
government introduced mobile soup kitchens
By 1918 there was starvation in Germany
poor harvests worsened situation
1916 Hindenburg program led to many men being moved from agriculture to war industries/the military
RECRUITMENT AND CONSCRIPTION
Britain
did not have conscription prior to war, only had small BEF, as such recruitment was a major issue when war broke out
5 August '14: Kitchener appointed Secretary of State for War, became face of recruitment ("Your King and Country Need You"
called for 100,000 unmarried men, then widened age bracket and called for married men.
By late Sept 1914, 750,000 men had enlisted (shows support for war)
Still not enough to meet needs, women targeted to pressure men (white feathers symbolising cowardice)
Conscription introduced Jan 1916
in Military Service Bill
All single men and childless widowers 18-40 years called up for service
By May 1916 all men became liable for immediate conscription
Saw the emergence of
conscientious objectors
'special exemptions' awarded at tribunals to decide genuine conscientious objectors
13,000 sent to gaol
15,000 joined non-combatant corps
2,466,357 volunteers, 2,503,000 conscripts
Germany
conscription already a common practice, accepted even during peacetime
G had large, already trained standing army
need increased, meaning agriculture suffered
CENSORSHIP
Britain
1914 Defence of the Realm Consolidation Act: gave right to regulate reports likely to interfere with the success of the armed forces, made prosecution against persons committing such offences legal
Government funded paintings/films/cartoons were highly staged, excluded the bloodier/grimier details
headlines often lied (eg first day of Somme labelled 'A very satisfactory First Day')
By 1918 casualty figures no longer published
Germany
High Command maintained even tighter control on info
early victories (eg Russia) highlighted
Kaiser not told good news, misinformation fed to the people (eg when Leipzig blown up by allies it was reported it collapsed due to snow
control bred cynicism and concealed real state of affair from political leaders
PROPAGANDA
externally, focused largely on gaining US support for war, hope to bring them each side
Internally used to maintain morale, inspire patriotism, hatred of enemy, self-sacrifice, accpetance of losses and ecourage service
Britain
Recruitment
: targetted eligible young men and those who may influence them. By Sept 1915 54 million recruitment posters had been printed
War Funding
: encouraged investing in war bonds
Anti-German Propaganda
: atrocity stories spread (exploitation of sinking of the Lusitania), demonisation "Huns", the world contained human beings and Germans (acc Rudyard Kipling)
Practical Messages
ie not to waste food or go on strike
Morale Boosting
: as war continued the need to boost/maintain morale grew (eg pass on positive news from front)
Germany
War Funding
: needed desperately (eg Berliners paying to hammer nails into statue of Hindenburg
Anti-British Propaganda
: "Hymn of Hate", "God punish England" motto engraved on jewellery, knives etc
Morale Boosting
: Made national hero out of Hindenburg, soldiers depicted in heroic posers