The Impact of the First World War, 1914–1918

This chapter is concerned with the impact of the Great War on Britain, rather than the actual military events of the conflict. It examines how well prepared Britain was for war in 1914 and the economic, social and political consequences of the decision to declare war on Germany. Historians have argued fiercely over how disruptive the war really was. Some believe that the war finally destroyed Victorian British society and ushered Britain into a modern age of democracy and egalitarianism. Others identify many of the ‘effects’ of the war as having begun long before 1914. It is possible to agree with both views, though, for some changes such as the move towards democracy had been prepared by the events of the nineteenth century, while others, such as the fall of the Liberals (who would never form a government again after 1918), were caused by the war itself.

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The opening phase

‘Total war’

Women at war

Ireland

The fall of Asquith

Lloyd George as war leader

The war at sea

The 1918 Representation of the People Act

Victory

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Preparation for war

The British economy in wartime

Wartime politics

Women’s wartime role

Opposition to the war

Overall assessment

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Votes for women

The impact of the war on labour

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Discussion of propaganda posters issued during the war

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