Defence of the Realm Act (1914) - Gave government wide ranging powers to run the war. Defence of the Realm Act (1914) - Gave government wide ranging powers to run the war. DORA was also used to control civilian behaviour. This included regulating alcohol consumption and food supplies. The legislation gave the government executive powers to suppress published criticism, imprison without trial, and to commandeer economic resources for the war effort. DORA was also used to control civilian behaviour. This included regulating alcohol consumption and food supplies.

What was the problem?  Planning clearly inadequate  Chronic shortage of shells and bullets  New soldiers trained with sticks!  Rumours that soldiers limited to three rounds of ammo a day  Publicised by the Daily Mail

What did the government do?  Coalition formed  Lloyd George made minister of munitions. In this role he:  Told essential workers to stay put rather than go where the pay was best  Brought women into the workforce  Opened up the government’s own munitions factories

  Crisis was alleviated, and army well supplied thereafter.  Equal pay established for women after Unions complained that paying them below the odds could lead to men being squeezed out of the market altogether. Evidence of success

  100,000 women registered for industrial work in 1915 – but only 5000 were given jobs!  Women were to be thrown out of their jobs once the boys came home.  Trade unions complained that the bosses weren’t subject to the same restrictions Evidence of failure

What was the problem?  In April 1917 German U- Boats were sinking 25% of British Merchant shipping  At one stage Britain had only 6 weeks supply of wheat left!  Prices almost doubled between and easily outstripped wages – strikes and demonstrations

  Women’s Land Army set up to in Feb 1917 to recruit women as farm workers  Wages of industrial workers raised after the strikes  May 1917: voluntary rationing system introduced - Royal family publicised the scheme  November: Price of bread restricted to the “ninepenny loaf”,  recipe books produced What did the government do?

  Rationing welcomed as a fair system  By the end of the war the diet of many poorer people had improved as a result of the system! Evidence of success

  None of the measures relieved the food shortage  Early 1918 – compulsory rationing introduced of sugar, butter, meat and beer  Coupon books distributed  Stiff penalties for anyone who broke the rules Evidence of failure

The WSPU and the NUWSS suspended their suffrage campaigns when the war began in They contributed to the war in a number of important ways, most importantly, they began volunteering to fill the gaps left by the men.

1. Recruitment

2. Employment A female conductor on a London bus

3. Red Cross Nurses

A Woman Ambulance Driver

Russian Women Soldiers

4. Women in the Army Auxiliary (W.A.A.C) The Women’s Royal Navy Service (W. R. N. S.) Women’s Royal Air Force (WRAF)

5. Working in the Fields Women’s Land Army 5. Working in the Fields Women’s Land Army

6. Munitions Workers

French Women Factory Workers

German Women Factory Workers

7. Spies e “Mata Hari” e Real Name: Margareetha Geertruide Zelle e German Spy! e “Mata Hari” e Real Name: Margareetha Geertruide Zelle e German Spy!