Era of the Great War Military recruitment

In today’s class I am learning to: Military recruitment In today’s class I am learning to: Describe the process of recruitment during the Great War Explain why Scottish men signed up to fight during the Great War

Military recruitment When the Great War began in 1914, Britain still had a volunteer army. Until 1916 men only fought if they signed up to do so.

Military recruitment In 1914, Britain’s army was known as the British Expeditionary Force (BEF). The BEF had around 250,000 soldiers, compared to more than two million in Germany. Britain’s military strength lay in its navy.

Military recruitment As World War One would involve a great deal of land fighting, Britain needed to quickly recruit more soldiers. The government started a nationwide campaign to persuade – or force – young men to fight.

Military recruitment Men that wanted to fight had to go to a local army recruitment office. In order to join the army men had to be 18 (and 19 to be sent abroad). Many boys lied about their age, meaning some 13 year olds joined up.

Military recruitment There was a huge surge in recruitment; around 500,000 men had signed by September 1914. By the end of 1914, around one million men had volunteered to fight, but this was still well below the amount that Britain needed.

There were many reasons Scottish men agreed to join the army. Military recruitment There were many reasons Scottish men agreed to join the army. Some believed it was a tradition; their fathers and grandfathers had been soldiers. Others believed the Scots had to keep their reputation as strong fighters.

Military recruitment Patriotism was a key reason that many men signed up to become soldiers. They believed that they were fighting to protect their country (and also their families), and were even prepared to die to achieve this.

Military recruitment Some people joined to improve their lives. Many men had boring, low paid jobs and wanted to do something more exciting. Others wanted to travel and see other countries, which they could not otherwise afford to do.

Many men joined up due to peer pressure. Military recruitment Many men joined up due to peer pressure. Family or friends – or even people in the street – would call men that did not fight cowards. Some women gave a white feather to men not wearing uniform.

Military recruitment Pals Battalions attracted men to join; these were groups which let men join up their friends. One famous example was the McCrae’s Battalion which took footballers from Hearts FC, seven of whom died during the war.

Military recruitment The government recruitment campaign used posters to persuade men to fight. These images painted a glamorous and exciting vision of war to attract soldiers, or they tried to belittle men that did not agree to fight.

Military recruitment

Military recruitment Other government propaganda focused on Germans actions, such as the 1915 sinking of the ocean liner Lusitania. British men were encouraged to fight to protect innocent people and stop the spread of evil around the world.