Essay 5.

• Essay Question - Compare/contrast impact of WWI on civilian populations in two countries up to 1918
• Germany -

  • War was a struggle for survival not only for soldiers on front lines but also its civilian population at home
• Germany - British Royal Navy blockade of German ports had effects on economy and society
• Germany - Blockade resulted in dramatic shortage of food and essential goods, leading to what is known as turnip winter 1916-17
• Germany - Scarcity of food and basic commodities led to sharp increase in prices making living conditions even harder
• Germany - Estimated approx 763k german civilians died due to malnutrition and disease caused by blockade by end of war 1918
• Germany - War caused significant societal changes, mobilisation of millions of men led a huge demand for labour in factories and fields
• Germany - Saw huge influx of women entering workforce a shift from traditional role of women
• Germany - Change was accompanied by societal unrest, increasingly clear that war was straining very fabric of german society
• Germany - Coupled with rising discontent due to economic and social condition set stage for political upheavals that would follow
• Br -

  • War brought significant hardships but not to the extent experience by german counterparts
  • Britain too saw mobilisation on a large scale, the country was better equipped to manage strain on civilian population
• Br - British gov introduced defence of realm act (DORA) 1914 gave it wide ranging powers to control resources, regulate economy and ensure smooth running of country
• Br - Included measures like rationing to prevent food shortages and price controls to counter inflation
• Br -

  • War was not without challenges a key point of hardship was german u-boat campaign sought to disrupt british supply lines
  • Campaign did cause shortages and price rises in 1917 yet impact was not severe or long lasting as situation in Germany
• Br -

  • British women also entered workforce in large numbers leading to shifts in societal norms
  • Most significant impacts of war was psychological 
  • Introduction of total war meant that civilians were no longer shielded from realities of conflict 
  • German Zeppelin raids though not causing material damage brought war to home front, causing fear and panic
• N.Ferguson argues that war acted as a catalyst for societal change in both countries
• N/ Ferguson - For germany he suggests war and its hardships expedited the process towards a more radical societal transformation that would culminate in Weimar republic and eventually rise of Nazism
• N/Ferguson -

  • For BR he suggests the war and subsequent changes it brought served to strengthen the existing societal structure rather than undermining it
• R. Chickering views war’s impact emphasises shared experiences of suffering and hardship that civilians underwent in both
• R. Chickering -

  • Arguing that war blurred the lines between homefront and battlefront, between combatants and non combatants
  • Blurring, R. Chickering argues led to a totalisation of war experience which had long lasting effects on civilian populations in both