The Effect of the First World War on the Well Being of British Civilians
When constructing an essay based upon the impact that the First World
War had upon the wellbeing of British civilians, we primarily have to
distinguish how, and with what criteria we will use to judge a Nations
health standard and wellbeing.
Throughout this essay, it is my aim to evaluate all of the different
primary and secondary material available on the topic. Hopefully,
this will provide me with enough data to make a subjective opinion of
my own.
Many historians over the years have bestowed upon us many conflicting
thesis and ideologies regarding the impact that the ‘Great War’ had on
the well being of British civilians.
In my opinion the most influential publication of the recent times is
the study collaborated by Jay Winter.
Winter has opted to move away from the orthodox historians view, that
the effects of the ‘Great War’ had detrimental consequences on the
health of the nation. Instead Winter states that, “ Working-class
standard of health actually improved markedly during the war.” (1)
This sweeping statement has been met with mixed reactions. A number of
Winter’s peers have been inclined to accept this argument and the
explanations he provides for it.
Alan Milward wrote, “ Winter is able to show that the ‘Great War’
produced significant improvements in the life expectancy of the
civilian population.” (2)
Other historians remain more sceptical towards Winter’s comments.
Bernard Harris for 1 disputes some of the empirical evidence used by
Winter to add weight to his thesis. In regard to infant mortality
rates Harris comment...
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(10) G, de Groot, Blighty: British Society in the Era of the Great War
(1996), p.
215.
Bibliography:
1. J. Winter, The Great War and the British People (1985).
2. J. Harris, ‘Bureaucrats and Businessmen in British food control,’
War and the State: The Transformation of British Government
(1982).
3. B. Harris, ‘The Demographic impact of the First World War: An
Anthropomorphic perspective’, Journal of the Society for the
Social History of Medicine (1993).
4. P. Dewey, ‘Food Production and Policy in the United Kingdom,
1914-18’, Transactions of the Royal Historical Society (1980).
5. G, de Groot, Blighty: British Society in the Era of the Great War
(1996).
6. L, Bryder, ‘First World War: Healthy or Hungry?’, History
Workshop Journal, 24 (1987).
Ward, Geoffrey C. and Burns, Ken, The War, An Intimate History 1941-1945. (New York: Knopf 2007)
Overall, I believe that the war was responsible for impacting four main social attitudes – the morale of the public, the class barriers, the crime rate and the status of women. Even though society attempted to go back to normal after the war, it could not go back completely. People had seen women work, they had felt what it was like to work together with the community, and although it took years and years after the war for it to happen, attitudes eventually changed for the better. The war, just happened to instigate this transformation of the views of society.
[4] From the memoirs of J.B Gent a Child in the war who lived on
Thesis: During World War 1, the amount of Australians enlisting decreased due to the realisation that war was not as it was portrayed to the public
The first world war saw a lot of refusal towards the war effort by men which made the government afraid due to the futile and indiscriminate slaughter of the British army at the battle of the Somme in 1916 where General Haig's tactics failed to show success which resulted in Britain losing a vast majority of soldiers by 1916. Therefore the government feared that they might lose World War one as well because there a lot of casualties which needed to be replaced and many men were becoming antisocial and refused to join the war, these people were known as conscientious objector or short for C.Os. Some C.Os did not want to fight in the war but were keen to do there bit in the war, so they were willing to help out in weapon factories and go to the trenches and became stretcher bearers theses types of C.Os were known as non commandant, however some C.Os were total refused to do any type of military work these were known as the absolutists. By 1916 volunteers to join the war started drying up,as their was many reasons why men refused, being that they pacifists who isolated themselves from a type of violences, political objector who went against the idea that Germany were their enemy, and religious objector who followed the words of the bible which says “thou shell not kill” so they were against the idea of shedding blood of their own kind. Consequently, Britain introduced conscription in 1916 where the law stated that you had to severe your country in the military for a certain time period this only went for unmarried mans. But in 1916 the military services act got introduced which widened conscription to married man as well. Conscription increased the power of the British army massively which was what the Government wanted as they neede...
Pat Barker's novel Regeneration explores the effects that World War I has on the human condition and more specifically on the condition of the British people. One particular area of exploration is the detrimental presence of class distinctions within the ranks of the British military. This issue of class distinction is addressed specifically on pages 66 and 67 of the novel through a conversation between Billy Prior and Dr. Rivers. The characters' discussion reinforces Barker's theme of the injustices of these class distinctions and the harm they produce on the war front.
The World Wars, World War I and II have influenced many medical advances and changes in a good way. Without These new medical and physiological advancements and studies help us, understand what is going on in our and other people’s minds and helps people with mental issues and treat and vaccinate different diseases. Thanks to the medical advancements from World War I and II , it has helped our longevity, health and mental health.
Civilians' Ignorance for Fighting During War The reality of the great war was appalling living conditions, disease,
Reasons Leading to the Evacuation of Children from Britain's Major Cities Early in World War Two
Morley, Joyce Anne Deane. "War Memories: Plotting the Battle of Britain." Letter. 9 Dec. 2003. N.p.: n.p., n.d. N. pag. BBC WW2 People's War. Web. 23 Apr. 2014.
“WW2 People’s War: An Archive of World War Two memories- written by the public, gathered by the BBC.” BBC. February 2012. http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar
O'Neill, William L. World War II: A Student Companion. New York: Oxford UP, 1999. Print.
As students of history in the 21st century, we have many comprehensive resources pertaining to the First World War that are readily available for study purposes. The origin of these primary, secondary and fictional sources affect the credibility, perspective and factual information resulting in varying strengths and weaknesses of these sources. These sources include propaganda, photographs, newspapers, journals, books, magazine articles and letters. These compilations allow individuals to better understand the facts, feeling and context of the home front and battlefield of World War One.
Social, Political and Economic Effects of WWI. Everywhere in the world heard the sound of things breaking." Advanced European societies could not support long wars or so many thought prior to World War I. They were right in the way.
Grayzel, Susan R. The First World War: A Brief History with Documents. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2013. Print.