Women During WWIWomen During WWI

Women and the War EffortWomen and the War Effort Look at the following primary Look at the following primary

sources and infer – what do they sources and infer – what do they tell us about what women did in tell us about what women did in the First World War? Identify an the First World War? Identify an activity or a role. activity or a role.

Interpret – categorize each sourceInterpret – categorize each sourcea)a) Shows women doing things they had Shows women doing things they had

traditionally done before the wartraditionally done before the warb)b) Shows women doing NEW things – a Shows women doing NEW things – a

result of the warresult of the warc)c) Shows women doing familiar things Shows women doing familiar things

but now changed by the but now changed by the requirements of the warrequirements of the war

Before the Before the WarWar

-Seen for “traditional” roles and duties.

-Recognized as objects of beauty, not for what they did. (yet they did a lot)

Before WWIBefore WWI

WWI Was a turning point For WWI Was a turning point For WomenWomen

Men left overseas Men left overseas for WWI, for WWI,

Women are forced/welcomed Women are forced/welcomed into the Workforceinto the Workforce

Women entered for 2 reasons,Women entered for 2 reasons,– 1, Their sole support was gone and they 1, Their sole support was gone and they

needed money to surviveneeded money to survive

– 2, Factories were in demand of labour 2, Factories were in demand of labour for the war effort. for the war effort.

Women’s New RolesWomen’s New Roles

Emergency war Emergency war jobs, phone jobs, phone operators, operators, telegraphers and telegraphers and stenographers, Rail stenographers, Rail Road Workers,Road Workers,

Factories, factories, Factories, factories, factories. factories.

Roles in the factoriesRoles in the factories

Over 30,000 Canadian women Over 30,000 Canadian women worked in factories during the war worked in factories during the war making military supplies (guns, making military supplies (guns, bullets, uniforms, ships, tanks etc). bullets, uniforms, ships, tanks etc).

Women also employed as welders, Women also employed as welders, fitters, machinists, riveters and fitters, machinists, riveters and numerous other jobs that before the numerous other jobs that before the war were considered to be “men’s war were considered to be “men’s work.”work.”

Not all good!Not all good! Workers or slaves ??Workers or slaves ?? Women paid ½ salary of men. Women paid ½ salary of men. (they had no union) and male unions (they had no union) and male unions

anti-losing their jobs.anti-losing their jobs. Near end of the war Women Unions Near end of the war Women Unions

did form, mostly working conditions did form, mostly working conditions not salaries raise.not salaries raise.

““Canaries” from sulfur.Canaries” from sulfur.

War At HomeWar At Home

New idea of war being fought on the New idea of war being fought on the home front, (this is perpetuated in home front, (this is perpetuated in WWII.)WWII.)

Woman can help fight the war at home;Woman can help fight the war at home;– Conserve coal, fuel, food, clothing, moneyConserve coal, fuel, food, clothing, money– Prepare items for war (cloths, blanket, etc)Prepare items for war (cloths, blanket, etc)

This is done through Peer and Media pressureThis is done through Peer and Media pressure

War at Home con’tWar at Home con’t

Children in blind schools in Canada Children in blind schools in Canada spent time knitting and sewing items spent time knitting and sewing items to be sent to Canadian soldiers to be sent to Canadian soldiers fighting overseas. fighting overseas.

Along with others women who could Along with others women who could not go overseas or work in a factory, not go overseas or work in a factory, they made things like socks, scarves, they made things like socks, scarves, balaclavas pillows sheets, flannel balaclavas pillows sheets, flannel shirts etc. shirts etc.

PropagandaPropaganda

Some more PropagandaSome more Propaganda

Power of PersuasionPower of Persuasion Posters in Canada urged women to give Posters in Canada urged women to give

their husbands and sons permission to their husbands and sons permission to join.join.

Canadian women walked the streets Canadian women walked the streets and encouraged fit young men to enlistand encouraged fit young men to enlist

White feather campaign. Women would White feather campaign. Women would handout white feathers to able body handout white feathers to able body men who were not willing to join (public men who were not willing to join (public humiliation).humiliation).

Their New DutiesTheir New Duties

-Keep soldiers equipped,

- and the nation moving.

Woman’s Land ArmyWoman’s Land Army

In Britain and USA as sons and In Britain and USA as sons and husbands off at war, women husbands off at war, women grouped together and were paid to grouped together and were paid to farm. farm.

Hard labour, as tractors and fuel Hard labour, as tractors and fuel were saved for the war effort. were saved for the war effort.

Women also would raise money for Women also would raise money for the war effort. the war effort.

Women did not have to stay Women did not have to stay away from the frontaway from the front

Nursing was the primary way to help Nursing was the primary way to help overseas. overseas. – VAD, Voluntary Aid Detachment, had $$VAD, Voluntary Aid Detachment, had $$– FANY, Fist aid nurses Yeomanry, less glamorous, FANY, Fist aid nurses Yeomanry, less glamorous,

drove ambulances, bathed patients, removed drove ambulances, bathed patients, removed bodies, as well as soup kitchensbodies, as well as soup kitchens

– 2000 women enlisted in Canadian Armed forces 2000 women enlisted in Canadian Armed forces as nursesas nurses

Reasons for going;Reasons for going;– need $$, adventure, get out of roles, need $$, adventure, get out of roles, – help war effort.help war effort.

1000 Canadian Women were employed by 1000 Canadian Women were employed by the Royal Air Force as truck drivers, the Royal Air Force as truck drivers, mechanics and ambulance drivers.mechanics and ambulance drivers.

Their propagandaTheir propaganda

Not all glamorousNot all glamorous

““We slept in our clothes and cut our We slept in our clothes and cut our hair short so that it would tuck inside hair short so that it would tuck inside our caps. Dressing simply meant our caps. Dressing simply meant putting on our boots. There were putting on our boots. There were times when we had to scrape the lice times when we had to scrape the lice off with the blunt edge of a knife and off with the blunt edge of a knife and our cloths stuck to us” Elizabeth de our cloths stuck to us” Elizabeth de T’Saecales, nurse on front lineT’Saecales, nurse on front line

Nurse were 16+, Nurse were 16+,

ConclusionConclusion

Women emerge from male-Women emerge from male-dominated society. (turning point for dominated society. (turning point for women).women).

This sets the stage for 1918 when This sets the stage for 1918 when women given political power, women given political power, Winnipeg,Winnipeg,