Civilian Life during the War
The response of many societies in this difficult time was to limit individual freedoms and grant more control to military leaders. In response to the unprecedented economic struggles, planning boards stepped in and reorganized entire industries, set production quotas and priorities and determined what would be produced and used. In addition, the government also imposed wage and price controls, extended work hours and placed age regulations on workers. Unemployment decreased because so many men were taken out of the workforce to be put into military forces.
Women at War
With men at war, women became more active in the workforce. Behind battle lines, women were most often physicians, nurses and communication clerks, but when the war took men from the workforce, women took jobs managing farms, as postal workers or as police officers. Many women and children were also involved in the crucial, but dangerous jobs of creating shells for soldiers and working with TNT explosives. Many women died this way. The war increased women's wages and gave them more of a sense of importance in their society and homes.
Helen Fairchild: Being a Nurse during WWI
Helen Fairchild was nurse during the first world war. Her stories were told to her family in a series of letters sent to them while she was away. Her letters often described the gruesome sights of the war, the procedures she had to do and the horrifying conditions in the hospitals. She often described being knee deep in mud while operating and how tired she would be from working at the end of the day. She worked with the British Base Hospital for most of her brief career. It is unknown how she died, theories include: mustard gas, a stomach ulcer or accidental consumption of chloroform during one of her procedures.
Propaganda
Propaganda in the form of posters, pamphlets and "scientific studies" attempted to convince the public that military defeat would mean the destruction of everything good, or worth living for. These methods were used to discredit and dehumanize their enemies. The outcome of the propaganda was that people became, in a way, egged on to keep on fighting. The propaganda gave the forces a spark. Though later, the falsehood of the propaganda became exposed and people stopped believing them.
The two posters above were propaganda used by Britain (left) and the United States (right) to try and convince men to join the army.
The poster above was used as propaganda in Britain. The poster depicts Britain's view of Germany. It portrays Germany as a blood thirsty, savage nation.