Women and World War One

Lesson starter:1. Why did the Suffrage movement

stop during the war?

Example of propaganda encouraging women to work (USA)

Today we will understand the ways the lives of

women changed during world war one

• The Suffrage Movement was suspended so that everyone in Britain could help win the war

• Men and Women in Britain now had something in common – defeating Germany

Kaiser Wilhelm

• As most of the men were away at war, women had to fill their jobs

• Most women worked in munitions factories, making shells and weapons

• Most shells used on the Western Front were made by women

• Men made jokes about shells made by women

• Transport• Women also

worked as train and bus conductors, tram drivers and ambulance drivers

• Women also joined the Land Army

• They went out and worked the fields in the country

• They helped produce the food that Britain needed

• This helped with the shortage of farm workers

• The harvest of 1917 was the most successful of all time

Propaganda encouraging women to get out and work

• Women also took up jobs in the fire brigade and police force

• Women could also join the Women’s Royal Naval Service (WRNS) where they did mainly office jobs

• This led to the creation of a Womens’ Army division (WAAC) although they did not fight on the front line

• Women also joined the Voluntary Aid Detachment, helping those who were injured in France

Create a spider diagram ‘Women's’ work during WWI’ and add in these

occupations

• Munitions worker

• Factory worker• Land army• Shop worker• Office worker• Delivering coal

• Bus or tram driver• Police force• Fire service• Engineers• Nurses• Ambulance drivers• Voluntary Aid

Detachment

Copy this table into your jotter

TYPE OF WORK NEW WOMEN WORKERS 1914-1919

GOVERNMENT WORK (including munitions)

Up by 200,000

OFFICE WORK Up by 500,000

FARM WORK Up by 250,000

WOMEN’S ARMED FORCES

Up by 100,000

NURSING 100,000

ENGINEERING 800,000

Thinking time…

Would World War One improve Women's’ Lives?

Think about things such as work, money, husbands and attitudes

towards women.

Write down your ideas

What happened after the war?

• Most women lost their jobs to men coming back from war

• Many people believed that women had earned a lot of respect from their hard work during the war

• Married Women over 30 were given the vote in 1918

Women and World War Two

Lesson Starter

1. Why did women earn more respect from men following the first world war?

2. In what way were women “rewarded” for their efforts during the first world war?

Women and World War Two

Learning Intentions

• I will gain an understanding of the impact women had in World War Two

• I will gain an understanding of how the government encouraged women to work

World War Two

• During World War Two women did even more work

• They still worked in munitions, land army etc• Nurseries made it easier for women to get

out and work• Women were also encouraged to look after

neighbours’ children to allow women out to work

World War Two

• As in WW1, the government used propaganda posters to encourage women to fill in for men.

• Propaganda is:

The spreading of information in order to influence public opinion and to manipulate other people's beliefs.

• Women and the War - clips

Source A is the view of John Smith who fought in World War one

Women worked hard during the war. They produced food and weapons for Britain. However, it was the brave men on The Western Front who really won the war.

1. Do you agree with John Smith? Give reasons for your answer.

Source B is written by Anna Richard, who was part of the Women’s Land Army.

The Land Army was a proper army. We worked from dawn until the sun went down. I was from London and had never seen a farm in my life. My hands bled from the hard work each day.

2. How useful is Source C for investigating The Land Army? Give reasons for your answer.

Remember: Who, What, Why, When, However

World War Two propaganda

Extension Task

• Design a poster in your jotter which encourages women to work during WW1 or WW2.