The Contribution of Women's Work to the War Effort

The Contribution of Women's Work to the War Effort

Women’s work at home contributed to the war effort, in many ways, but

they were also under a lot of pressure and stress, due to their

husband’s absence, as they had been sent to fight in the war. The

women had to play the man’s and women’s role at home and in society.

Their contribution to the war effort was partly their responsibility

to keep their houses and families safe.

Women had to deal with war time shortages by a method that was

introduced to them in January 1940, which was known as ‘rationing’.

Rationing was the limiting of items that was in shortage in the

country due to German ‘U’ boats destroying merchant ships and blocking

the goods coming in from Canada and the US, which were carrying foods

and essential supplies. The aim the Germans had, were to starve

Britain till it surrendered. Due to this crucial moment, Britain had

to encourage rationing into houses, put into practice by housewives.

So every woman was given a ration book which consisted of certain

number of coupons. These were used to make sure that everyone got the

same amount of the foods/essentials that were under shortage, like

meat, butter and milk. Women had to register with a grocer and butcher

in which they were only allowed to buy rationed foods at.

Rationing helped women to cooperate and to be very organised, as they

had to work out how to make limited rations last in a critical

situation of decisive scarcities.

Adding to the idea of rationing, the government introduced a new pet

project of ‘Digging for Victory’. Everyone had to use up all the

possible space there was in their gardens, as well as the lawns and

flowerbeds which had to be turned into vegetable patches. They had to

grow vegetables that were not rationed such as wheat, potatoes and

others.

‘Make do and Mend’ was encouraged to be a part of rationing. This

helped save up on rationed products, as it consisted of mending things