1. Boer War 1899-1902
1.1. Jingoism
1.1.1. Taking pride in british achievement and wanting britain to be strong.
1.2. Black week December 1899
1.2.1. 3 defeats in one week
1.3. 35,000 farmers compared to british qualified soldiers
1.4. 300 reporters sent over so the public were kept aware of brits performance
1.4.1. The recruits poor fitness was blamed for poor performance.
1.4.1.1. Due to this many joined campaigns seeking reform
2. Post Boer War
2.1. Due to poor performance in boer war there was public outcry for reforms to be made (jingoism came into play).
2.1.1. Due to this royal commisions were sent out which resulted in investigations into the armies performance. The results showed that change was needed so there were several military reforms.
2.1.1.1. 1905 - the dreadnaught is commisioned to assert british navy.
2.1.1.2. Haldane becomes secretary of state for war
2.1.1.2.1. Haldane reforms: BEF created to respond rapidly to foreign crisis. The territorial force, trained but part itme soldiers.
2.1.1.3. Boy scout movement set up; boasted 70% recruit to army rate
2.1.1.4. Commitee on physical deterioration set up - nurseries for working mothers children, ffree school meals, medical inspection in school, no tobbacco to kids, no more overcrowded slum housing.
2.1.2. Main reasons:
2.1.2.1. boer war suggested britain was losing military prowess
2.1.2.2. realisation that poor needed to be helped
2.1.2.3. if the poor were unfit so too was the bulk of the army
2.1.2.4. Govt. of time feared should they not change then the elections would decide a new party who promised change.
2.2. Reforms
2.2.1. Children
2.2.1.1. Free school meals. Juvenile courts set up which sent kids to borstals not prisons
2.2.1.1.1. 150,00 kids got free meals every day. Not compulsory so not all provided
2.2.2. Old
2.2.2.1. Pensions introduced in 1908
2.2.2.1.1. Kept old from working. people who never worked were refused.
2.2.3. Workers
2.2.3.1. 1909 labour exchanges set up to find people work
2.2.3.1.1. 1 million were emplyed through scheme. Temporary jobs mainly
2.2.3.2. 1911 insurance act - Free medical treatment and sick pay. Unemployment money for the unemployed
2.2.3.2.1. Safety for people in hard times and saved lifes. Only for worker not his family.
3. Women pre WW1
3.1. First female doctor was only qualified in 1865
3.2. Women were still viewed as victorians. They were deemed too stupid and emotional to partake in politics etc and due to this were left being lesser than men.
3.3. Women in politics
3.3.1. Local Politics
3.3.1.1. 1908 first women becomes an elected mayor.
3.3.1.2. 1907 qualification of women act makes it legal for women to be elected to town councils and as mayors.
3.3.1.3. Women were still not allowed in national politics. They were seen as too emotional, not fighters so shouldnt vote and even women deemed it stupid.
3.3.2. Campaigning
3.3.2.1. Suffragists
3.3.2.1.1. Peaceful campaign. Organised marches and civil propaganda. Demonstrated women were sensible so were often well respected.
3.3.2.2. Suffragettes
3.3.2.2.1. Used militant or extreme methods to try to get votes.
4. First World War
4.1. From Jan 1915 Zeppelins were used to make bombing raids on britain. 51 raids between 1915-16
4.1.1. This was stopped after brits became aware of how easy zeppelins were to destroy and so germans stopped using them.
4.1.1.1. May 1917 Gotha Bombers were used instead to raid
4.1.1.1.1. These were then stopped after brits again became aware and learned how to stop them effectively.
4.2. DORA
4.2.1. 1914 Dora is set up. This meant that:
4.2.1.1. News about war was controlled by Govt.
4.2.1.2. Anti-war newspapers no longer printed.
4.2.1.3. Letters from soldiers began to be censored,
4.2.2. More laws put in place by DPRA
4.2.2.1. no talking about war in public places, no church bell rining, no rumors of war, no bonfires, no binoculars
4.2.3. More measures from DORA as war went on
4.2.3.1. Brit summer time when clocks go forward, alchohol consumption limited, strikes made illegal in some workforces, miners and farmers not allowed to join army.
4.2.4. Further measuers
4.2.4.1. Govt could take control of key industries, allocate labour to industries, take over factories
4.3. Propaganda
4.3.1. Germans were contantly criticised and men were encouraged to join war effort.
4.3.1.1. Papers would publish stories of horrors germans did etc to gain support.
4.3.2. Posters were used for wide range of reasons e.g. to make people lower down on food eaten or to shame men into joining war effort.
4.4. 1916 - After battle of somme and all its casualties as well as the war drawing to a halt due to poor performance on western front many changed attitude to war and became more critical.
4.5. 1916 Military service act made all men liable for service. Meant men were conscripted to join army. Only expections were men in reserved occupations, ill health, family responsibilty and consientous objectors
4.5.1. Conscientous objectors were people who had to appeal to a tribunal to not be conscripted to join war. 9,500 were given jobs that werent on front but still war related and others were sent to the prison camps.
4.5.1.1. Camps were horrid conditions and the conchies were treated horribly due to people hating conchies.
4.6. Women in WW1
4.6.1. 800,000 women worked in enginerring in WW1
4.6.1.1. Worked hard shifts and often got illnesses from working with lead and sulfur. Risk of fires and explosions.
4.6.1.2. All these advancements made women work towards independence. People were amazed by women effort and so many people thought this was good.
4.6.2. By 1918 100,000 women joined
4.6.2.1. WAAC, took over office jobs. WRAF, office jobs in RAF, WRNS took over office jobs for navy.
5. Post WW1
5.1. Impact on medicine
5.1.1. Blood transfusions used more.
5.2. Education Act 1918
5.2.1. education was reqquired up to age of 14
5.3. Representation of people act 1918
5.3.1. gave vote to women property owners over 30 and all men over 21
5.3.1.1. Due to womens efforts in war. 1919 first women MP in parliament
5.3.2. 1928 women over 21 given vote.
5.3.2.1. 1925 women can own houses like men
5.4. Sex disqualification removal act 1919 meant single women werent barred from jobs based on sex
6. Second World War
6.1. Conscription
6.1.1. 1919 training act
6.1.1.1. men between 20 and 21 conscripted to six months service.
6.2. Conscientous Objectors
6.2.1. 60,000 men and women claimed exemption from service.
6.2.1.1. Better in WW2, 2/3 people were given non combat roles.
6.3. Bombing
6.3.1. Bombing raids were much worse in WW2
6.3.1.1. This was known as the blitz
6.3.1.1.1. Began 7 September 1940
6.3.1.1.2. Main target was london with aim of denting morale, stopping armaments production,
6.3.1.1.3. Despite the efforts the to dent morale morale was high due to germans being portrayed as evil and due to the social people banding together in the raids.
6.3.2. Air Raids precautions act.
6.3.2.1. gave councils ability to give out gas masks, build air raids shelters and to enforce blackout regulations.
6.4. Propaganda
6.4.1. Moved from glorifying and overexagerating to showing horror of war yet still to stop info spreading, lower food consumption etc.
6.4.1.1. Winston Churchil used in propaganda
6.5. Beveridge Report
6.5.1. want, ignorance, disease, squalor and idleness
6.5.1.1. 1944 education act - primary and secondary schools, leaving age now 15
6.5.1.2. insurance act made insurance compulosry - made benefits, rensions, grants all available due to your contribution.
6.5.1.3. NHS set up in 1946
6.5.1.4. By 1950 labour achieved almost full employment
6.6. After WW2 women
6.6.1. women gained more respect for work they did