In what different ways
did total war impact
on civilians?
Home Front Project
In what different ways did total war impact on civilians?
Learning Objectives
To investigate the impact of
WW2 on civilians.
To make a judgement on the
extent of the impact.
Connect: Copy the key terms into your glossary.
Home Front: The actions of civilians of those away at war,
what was happening at home while the soldiers are at war.
Auxiliary: In addition to or extra, supporting something.
2. Think- pair- share: What do you already know about how
civilian lives were affected in World War Two.
Try to come up with a list of as many ways as you can think of
that civilian lives would be affected.
Extension: Do you think any of these impacts are more
crucial than another or are they all equally important?
In what different ways did total war impact on civilians?
Big picture research and home learning task:
Your home learning will be to complete a project. This means you need to produce a booklet or PowerPoint to answer the
question : In what different ways did total war impact on civilians? You will need to complete independent research to
complete this task as well as today’s lesson to help you prepare. The main areas you will be investigating are written You need
to produce as a minimum one page on at least five of the topics below (you chose). Make it as creative, detailed and colourful
as possible. Each of these impacts will make up at least one page of your project.
How will I organise my booklet or PowerPoint?
1. Title page : In what different ways did total war impact on civilians?
2. Contents page
3.
Air raids
4.
Dealing with destruction
5.
Coping with death and injury
6.
Conscription
7.
Rationing
8.
Travel
9.
Work and employment
10.
Evacuation
11.
Radio
12.
Conclusion to project:
13.
Bibliography - A list of the websites or books you have used to help your research
Submission rules
This homework is due on Tuesday 2nd July. All sections need to be completed. If you have chosen to complete a PowerPoint
presentation it needs to be emailed to history@canons.harrow.sch.uk by Monday 1st July.
Where should I start my research and what websites can I used to help me?
The powerpoint from the lesson is saved on www.canonshistory.weebly.com in the GCSE Controlled Assessment section.
www.homesweethomefront.co.uk
http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/homefront
Big picture task: Your homework will be to complete this
project. This means you need to produce a booklet or
PowerPoint to answer the question : In what different ways
did total war impact of civilians? You will need to complete
independent research to complete this task as well as
today’s lesson to help you prepare.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Air raids
Dealing with destruction
Coping with death and injury
Conscription
Rationing
Travel
Work and employment
Evacuation
Radio
We are going to investigate the impact of total war on
civilians through the main areas listed below. Each of these
impacts will make at at least one page of your Home Front
project. You need to choose at least 5 impacts.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Air raids
Dealing with destruction
Coping with death and injury
Conscription
Rationing
Travel
Work and employment
Evacuation
Radio
Impact One : Conscription in the Second World War
Military conscription was introduced in April 1939 before
the war had even begun, this was the first time
conscription had been introduced in peacetime. Between
May 1939 and the autumn of 1941, all men aged between
18 and 52 could be conscripted. In 1941, the
conscription of women was introduced.
Women in the armed forces
After conscription was introduced in 1941, women had to
register to work and could choose to join the auxiliary
(supporting) armed services.
The women’s armed forces included the WRNS, WAAF, and
the ATS. By 1944 there were 450,000 women in these
services.
What kind of jobs would you expect women to
do?
Women in the armed forces
Women did routine office, driving and domestic duties
and freed them men to do combat duty.
Despite not being involved in combat (actual fighting)
women did hard and often dangerous jobs too. They
worked as mechanics, non combatant pilots, even working
on anti aircraft guns although they could not fire them.
A total of 335 women were killed in the ATS and another
300 wounded.
Women in WW2 Clip
Impact 2: Air raids
During the Second World War, the German bombing raids
were more serious than the First World War because
advances in technology meant that more powerful
bombers and more destructive bombs could be used. The
attacks were known as the Blitz, in German this means
lightening war.
The German raids targeted British towns and cities with
the aim of destroying civilian morale forcing the British
into submission and undermining British armaments
production.
Impact 2: Air raids
British towns and cities suffered heavy bombing for the
autumn of 1940 to May 1941 with the targets usually
being military or industrial centres. From May 1941 the
attacks became less frequent as Hitler diverted resources
to the invasion of the Soviet Union.
What were the effects of the air raids?
Effects on industry
Bombing of industrial targets was generally not effective.
Some factories were isolated unlike housing areas and
they could be missed at night. Most factories were able to
resume production within a few days of being hit.
Effects on civilians
The effects o civilians were profound (huge). Estimates
vary but over 60,000 people were killed by bombing raid,
hundreds of thousands injured and millions were left
homeless. Everyday life was seriously affected, not to
mention the psychological impact of fear and worry.
Impact 3: Rationing
Rationing Clip
What impact did
rationing have on daily
life and routine during
the Second World War?
What impact did rationing have on daily life and routine
during the Second World War?
1. Which world war had a greater impact on people’s
lives? Explain why giving specific examples.
2. What is rationing and why was it introduced?
3. Did rationing only affect food? What other items were
rationed?
4. How successful do you think rationing was?
5. Essentially what is the government doing by rationing?
6. Alongside rationing what other policies did the
government introduce?
7. Could there be any advantage of rationing?
8. What might be the limitations of rationing?
Describe what you can see in
this poster?
Who is it aimed at?
What message does this poster
give?
Why do you think the
government would want to
give this message to civilians?
Extension: How successful do
you think this poster would
be in convincing people to
grow their own food? Why?
Ration book and an
adult’s weekly rations
of basic foodstuffs,
1942. Food rationing
began on 8th January
1940 and continued
until 30th June 1954.
Clothes, sweets and
soap were also
rationed, and almost
all other consumer
goods were in short
supply. © Imperial
War Museum
The government was very aware that there was a very real
risk of Britain being ‘starved out’ of the war. Compulsory
rationing was thus quickly introduced. In January 1940 the
Ministry of Food under Lord Woolton worked out fair
rations. Eventually almost all food was rationed.
Rationing soon went beyond food, almost every essential
item could be bough only with coupons. Everyone had the
same number of coupons.
The government used other methods to control food
supplies. These were:
• The ‘Dig for Victory’ campaign encouraged people to
grow vegetables and keep chickens. Private gardens were
turned into vegetable patches. Playing fields and railway
embankments were ploughed up.
• There were campaigns to avoid waste.
How far was rationing a success?
Which of these statements highlights the achievements of
rationing and which highlight their limitations?
It was a fair system that ensured the poorer people
were adequately fed with generally healthy food.
It helped to unite people as they were all,
whether rich or poor, sharing the same rations.
The quality of rationed clothes was
guaranteed by the government’s
utility mark, this meant they were of
a decent standard.
The rich could buy extra
rations on the black market.
Very large families with
several ration books were
better off than small
families with one or no
children.
Food supplies were more
plentiful in certain areas, for
example, vegetables in rural
areas were not rationed.
Impact 4: Travel
What is the message
of this poster?
Why might the
government be
trying to portray this
message?
How might the war
affect people’s
freedom of travel?
Impact 4: Travel
Travel was another area affected by the war. Getting
around day to day could be very difficult. There were
official travel restrictions put in place by the government.
These restrictions depended on where you were and where
you were trying to get to.
People travelling long distances needed special warrants
and had to explain their reasons for the journey before
they were granted. The Emergency Powers Act gave police
the power to stop and search anyone.
Impact 4: Travel
The government encouraged people not to travel unless
they really needed to. For those who did travel, they had
to consider the following factors:
• Lack of trains
• Blackout
• Destruction of transport
• Rationing
Impact 4: Travel
Lack of trains:
The railways were under government control and trains
were needed to transport troops and supplies for the war.
There were still some trains that were run for civilians but
these were often overcrowded and late.
Destruction of transport:
Bombing badly affected transport in some areas. Roads and
railway lines were destroyed. Travel on the underground
was even disrupted as some stations were flooded by burst
water pipes.
Impact 4: Travel
Blackout:
During the Blitz, travel within cities was reduced as people
were afraid of being hit by the bombs but also because
they could not see due to the blackout. Car accidents also
increased.
Rationing:
Petrol was increasingly rationed during the Second World
War, which meant that car travel was massively reduced
anyway.
Impact 5: Work and employment
There were a greater number of women workers than in
the First World War. This had a huge impact on the lives of
these women, many of whom were married and entered
work for the first time taking on traditional men’s jobs.
However when the war ended they had to leave their jobs
and make way for men.
Impact 5: Work and employment
Many men’s working days did not end with their paid
employment. Many joined organisations voluntarily such as
the Air Raid Precaution Service, the Fire Brigade and the
Home Guard.
Women also volunteered for various tasks which were not
paid. It was also women who did most of the work
regarding housing and looking after extra evacuees. This
was on top of running their own homes and looking after
their own children.
Why do you think people were willing
to do such jobs for nothing?
Could there have been any
advantages of doing such work?
Impact 5: Work and employment
Many people were willing to do these things for nothing as
they liked to think they were ‘doing their bit’ for Britain.
It was often exhausting but it could be enjoyable too and
frequently brought more freedom, especially women who
met many new people and did new things.
Impact 6: Coping with death
After the horrific shock of the number of deaths in the
First World War, Britain was perhaps more prepared . The
‘experiment’ of Pals battalions, which caused such
devastation to communities, was not repeated.
The number of military deaths in the Second World War
was less than in the First World War. Memorials sprang up
all over the UK, in villages. Towns ad cities, often next to
WW1 memorials.
Impact 6: Coping with death
Military deaths may have been fewer but the second
conflict brought death and destruction right onto the
streets of Britain. People had to cope, not just with the
deaths of soldiers but with the deaths of civilians including
women, children and the elderly.
Medical needs in Britain were also greater because of the
number of civilian casualties. The government set up a
national Emergency Medical Service which brought all
hospitals under the control of the Ministry of Health. New
hospitals were built and new equipment was provided by
the state. These hospitals provided free treatment and
helped to pave the way for the creation of the NHS once the
war was over.
Impact 6: Coping with death
The government realised that entertainment would play
an important role in keeping up the morale of the British
people. The cinema was popular and between 25-30
million seats were sold every week in Britain.
The Ministry of Information set up the Crown Film Unit to
make official propaganda films. It made information
documentaries which all showed the heroic action of the
British people.
Impact 7: Dealing with destruction
There was an expectation that civilians would be targeted
by bombing raids. Therefore, local councils started
building air- raid shelters as early as 1935. The Air Raids
Precaution Service (ARP) was set up in 1937 and air raid
wardens began volunteering.
Information about how to build shelters was distributed in
many ways including on cigarette cards. Despite these
precautions, few civilians would have predicted the extent
of the raids.
Impact 7: Dealing with destruction
Rest centres only provided a short term solution until
people could find alternative housing. Those who could not
afford it were given council housing with minimum
furniture. It wasn’t until the Blitz ended in May 1941 that
any rebuilding began at all. Rebuilding did not start
properly until the war was over.
Impact 7: Dealing with destruction
During the Second World War, bombs were dropped on the
same towns every night for weeks, sometimes moths.
Buildings were patched up as well as they could be but
little could be done while the raids were happening.
Many of the homeless found shelter with friends or
realties. Others went to rest centres where simple
accommodation was provided by the local council. They
were run by volunteers, often from the Women’s Voluntary
Services, who also ran clothing exchanges d canteens to
help those who had lost everything.
Impact 8: Radio
The most popular form of entertainment was the radio and
it became very important for many people. There was a
host of programmes featuring British and American artists
including dance programmes.
Humour was an important method of keeping up people’s
morale, especially humour that poked fun at the Home
Front and government rules and regulations. In particular,
It’s That Man Again enjoyed a massive following as at
poked fun at all the wartime bureaucracy (rules and
regulations).
Impact 8: Radio
BBC radio was a key method of government propaganda
during the Second World War. The news bulletins had
massive audiences and had a reputation for truth,
reporting both victories and reverses. Nevertheless, it was
subject to censorship, for example reports on the weather
were not allowed as they may prove useful to the enemy.
Impact 9: Evacuation
Evacuation was brought in just after the German invasion
of Poland in September 1939 this was due to the fear of an
attack by air. About 1.5 million people were evacuated
from towns or cities to live with families in the safer
countryside.
The British government believed that the Germans would
bomb British towns and cities in order to destroy the morale
of the people and force Britain to surrender. Therefore
evacuation measures were put in place to protect civilians
from bombing and attacks. Children were to be protected by
being moved from the likeliest targets, the cities, to the
countryside where it was thought they’d be safer.
Consolidate:
In what kinds of ways did total war impact on civilians?
Give some specific examples of how ordinary people’s lives
were affected.
How much of an impact do you think it had? Explain ypur
answer.
Home learning task.
In what kinds of ways did total war impact on civilians?
Give some specific examples of how ordinary people’s lives
were affected.
How much of an impact do you think it had? Explain ypur
answer.