Shell Shortage led the Liberals to believe that state
intervention was more necessary if the war to be won This
led Asquith to the decision of forming a wartime coalition
War Coalition horrified many Liberals and IN
They didn't want the input of Labour and
especially not the Conservatives
Maurice Debate - Lloyd-George replaced Asquith 1918
False report that British Army was weak after the news
it was about to break the line Split Liberals
Weaknesses
Home Rule/Easter Rising
Failure of navy to defeat the German
in battle of Jutland Casualties in the
battle of Somme were extensive
Bad Leadership - Asquith was criticised for his
lack in decision making and leadership
Lloyd-George was applauded for his energy and
drive
War Cabinet set up by Lloyd-George to which
Asquith was not made present
Conservative Party
Although politically weak at the beginning
of the war their pro-war attitude gained
them more support over the war years
Labour Party
The Labour Party almost split in 1914
over whether they should support the
war or not Most decided that they would
Ramsay MacDonald was Mercilessly
criticised in the press over their
opposition to war and militarism
Cabinet and Trade Union success
Arthur Henderson, first Labour politician to be given
a place in the cabinet Cooperation of Trade Unions
also led to the Labour Parties war effort recognition.
Trade Union membership doubled to 8 million
The war brought about a wider franchise, more
working class men could vote and this meant that the
Labour party - the working class party- received more
support
War brought about the idea of equality after
rationing and industrialisation, points which the
Labour Party had always supported
Irish Nationalists
Home Rule on hold
Sinn Fein - Extreme Republicans Wanted independance
for whole of Ireland not just Ulster Easter Rising 'black
and tans' turned many people towards the Sinn Fein
Easter Rising - Over-taking of important buildings
Violent repression by the British Army 'Black and
tans' which many people opposed
Coupon Election
Lloyd George and Asquith were rivals
throughout the war Lloyd-George fought the
war coalition stating that he would keep the
coalition including the Conservatives
Those who supported the formation of the coalition were
issued a certificate signed by Lloyd-George and Bonar-Law
Lloyd George gained 133 seats
Liberals gained just 28 seats
Labour won 63 seats
State Intervention
Conscription - 2 million men had
volunteered between 1914-16
Military Service Act - Asquith resisted conscription until Jan
1916 Single Men 18-41 After battle of Somme it extended to
married men After Russia pulled out against Germany in
February 1918 it extended the age to 50
Censorship
Rationing
Trade Unions -Dilution Agreement Train
semi-skilled or unskilled women to do jobs that
men would usually take up from 1915 onwards
Demanded from Trade Unions in agreement to the Dilution
agreement - Fixed prices; wages, profits and rents also emanded
that men would return to their old jobs after the war and
highly-skilled workers would be exempt form conscription
Before 1918 - based on property, residence and gender Far from
mass democracy War brought change to the electoral system,
women were recognised for their war efforts in taking up the roles
of men Men were recognised in the role of war as many working
class men soldiers were fighting for Britain but unable to vote
State and the Economy
Armament - 2 million shells climbed to 187 million 270
machine guns in 1914 to 120,870 in 1918 Also supplied
war materials for Allies Huge demand for transport to
increase and protect the provision of food and fuel
Effects - Pushed up prices Caused
shortage Failure in Britain's first attack
on Germany due to shell shortage
DORA
Ministry of Munitions - Lloyd-George Oversaw the
purchase, production and supply of all war material
Encouraged factories to turn from peacetime to wartime
production
Effects - Huge wartime enterprises Leeds
employed 16,000 25million shells a year
Railways, Docks and Mines became
nationalised By 1918 LG controlled
250 state industries, 20,000 facotries
and 4 million employees
British Summer Time - long
hours in the day to
maximise work time
Pubs Reduced strength of alcohol
Limited open hours for public houses
Department of Food Production Encouraged home grown
foodstuffs subsidies for farmers to plough up waste land,
allocated scarce fertilisers, supplied prisoners of war with work on
the land and encouraged women to volunteer for farm work
Anotações:
Encouraged home grown foodstuffs
subsidies for farmers to plough up waste land, allocated scarce fertilisers, supplied prisoners of war with work on the land and encouraged women to volunteer for farm work
Balanced Budget - Had to be abandoned
£200million in 1913 £2600million in 1918
Taxation - Borrowed money from it's own people
through taxation increase and neutral countries
Trade Profits Exports blocked off by U-boats
Imports ceased to be available
Borrowed money and war material J.P.Morgan supplied a
loan form the bank of New York of $5 million per day Britain
faced bankruptcy and complete reliance upon USA