"In What ways and to what extent were the lives of the British people affected by the first world war?"

"In What ways and to what extent were the lives of the British people affected by the first world war?"

The first world war began when Germany invaded Poland and during this war many things took place such as recruitment, conscription and objection, propaganda which is where people were influenced by the things around them, shortages and restrictions which was mainly rationing and women and the parts they played in the first world war.

There were many ways in which men were recruited into the army, such as voluntary recruitment. This is where men came forward without being forced to help with the war. Patriotism played a big part in getting people to voluntarily join the army. " in source a1 it says men felt a genuine pride and patriotism." This was at the beginning of recruitment, it was fairly successful as by 1916 two million five hundred had joined.

John T. Neufeld, World War I inmate.

English: Uncle Sam recruiting poster.

Rations

People volunteered for many reasons some being propaganda which was widely spread at this time. Source a3 shows an example of propaganda, this certain cartoon is aimed at the conscientious objectors implying that they were all lazy and did not have a genuine reason for not sighing up. People thought that joining the war would be easy and that they would all be remembered as heroes.

A lot of people realized that the war was not heroic or glamorous and did not sign up. However there were not nearly enough so conscription was introduced. Source a6 talks a lot about conscription George R.I says: " it necessary to enrol every able-bodied man between ages eighteen to forty one." Even though the liberal government were against this. It was the first military act, which was all single men over eighteen and under forty one were called to sign up. This was...