Women's Role In World War One

World War One was a dreadful conflict that lasted four years (1914- 1918) and involved all major powers at the time. It was the first total war ever which means it affected all sections of the society, not only the soldiers fighting on the front. People of the belligerent countries felt the impact of the war through labor deficiency, food shortages and rations, government propaganda, censorship… Women played a vital role in keeping the war going. They convinced their husbands, sons, relatives to go to war; they worked instead of men, who went to the front; among other things they produced ammunition which directly affected the war effort.

Before World War One, women were regarded as less important than men. Their role was to give birth and
At the beginning of the conflict the governments of the countries involved thought it would soon be over. However it was quickly discovered that this would be a long war of attrition. More and more soldiers were needed for the battle. So governments introduced military conscription. Women were told to press the men to enlist for the war. This was a successful action because the armies increased in their size and the war could continue. But with all that men needed at the front, the industry began to suffer. The production rates, most importantly in the arms factories, decreased as a result of skilled workers going to war. There weren 't enough shells, munitions, and other supplies for the army. There was a serious shortage of labor in all fighting countries. Governments ' solution to this rising problem was to hire women in place of men. In Britain this policy caused much controversy. Many opposed the idea that women should be allowed to do 'men 's jobs '. The employers and the trade unions were against it. They thought women wouldn 't be able to accomplish the tasks like men could. The unions were afraid that hiring women would lower men 's wages, because women 's pay was 'half the male rate in more industries ' (Bourke). But the need for workers overcame their fears. And it was soon shown that women were just as capable as men even in the most demanding and dangerous work, such as arms industry. They showed enormous
' ' (Bourke)). Women could vote for the first time in history and the first female MP was elected. In Germany and the USA women were also given the right to vote. Women proved that they could do all the work as good as men. But when the soldiers came back from the front, unemployment rose considerably as many women worked in place of men. The soldiers felt betrayed and demanded their jobs back. Employers said it was agreed that 'women would only be employed 'for the duration of the war ' ' (Bourke) and decided to fire many women. Many women had to return to their previous housewife roles. 'By 1921, the percentage of women working was even slightly less than it had been in 1911. ' (Women in World War 1, PowerPoint Commentary