Women's Outlook on War in Britain

Women's Outlook on War in Britain

In August 1914, Lord Kitchener, Secretary of State for War, saw that

the conflict would be long and hard fought, and proposed a

revolutionary plan for new armies of millions of volunteers, as

Britainpreviously only relied on a small professional force. His own

grim face, over the slogan "Your Kind and Country Need You'', appeared

in the first poster appeal for recruits. Until conscription was

introduced in 1916, young men were subjected to relentless social

pressures, both official and unofficial, to join the army.

In 1915 a British newspaper printed a letter from a "Lady Reader" who

claimed "the women of Britain will tolerate no such cry as Peace."

This negative statement emphasizes that they would not be satisfied

with peace and wanted the war to continue. In the early years of the

war, this would not have been met with resistance among the young men

of Britain.

Pre-war propaganda and advertising led to the great excitement and

hype among Britain's young men ready to enlist. All young men wanted

to be involved in the war movement, believing it was their duty - as

many of the propaganda posters had emphasized. But many young

volunteers felt compelled to take up arms by the public. As one man

remembers "It is the feeling that you are wanted and being sent - it's

not your choice - it was decided on behalf of 'your King and

Country.''' The use of women and children took many forms in the

propaganda of this time as they were seen as the weak and vulnerable

who relied on these brave young men to defend them. This served as a

great incentive for many young men to join the army.

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... In hindsight, we can see that the opinions of the British young men

towards war changed between the year 1914 and 1918.

Although it is obvious that most of the men would have agreed with the

"Lady Reader" in 1914 as the war was met with excitement and

enthusiasm, this judgment may have been made in naivety and

immaturity.

It is only their mid-war and post-war opinions that most accurately

display the true feelings of war as their knowledge and experience has

culminated in this extensively considered decision.

Therefore, I conclude that the majority of Britain's young men would

have adamantly disagreed with the "Lady Reader's" statement of 1915,

as their desperation to get out of the primitive trench life which

they had been forced to endure for the best part of four years would

have been paramount to them.