Attitudes On The Home Front

Attitudes on the home front in Britain towards WW1 varied significantly throughout the war from 1914 to 1918. After Britain declared war, euphoria spread as it was welcomed and supported from Britain’s patriotic society

The euphoria at the start of the war led to the socialist and pacifist opponents having little voice until 1915, due to the welcoming and overwhelming support the war achieved from Britain's patriotic society. However, the casualties of the battle of the Somme and Verdun advanced war weariness as, the reality of modern warfare was seen to be different from the false hope the government gave the home front from propaganda and DORA. The 'Zeppelin' attacks changed attitudes after 28 civilians were killed in the first attack
When war was affirmed national enthusiasm culminated outside Buckingham Palace which exemplified the welcoming and overwhelming support for the war, while thousands of men lined up outside enlistment offices to swear their loyalty to the King and country. Men were inclined to volunteer due to "strong nationalism" and “enthusiasm" as well as a "love of adventure and ideals of masculinity". Historian G.L. Mosse said addressing the idea that the "generation no longer knew the reality of war", despite the Boer war only having ended in 1902. Britain believed that the war would be "quick and fast" and would be "over by Christmas" as they thought that a victory against Germany was certain. Enlistment was controlled through a national consensus and peer pressure because men who did not volunteer were seen as cowards. This grew well into 1915 as they were publicly ridiculed for their lack of 'manliness' and given white feathers from women which were seen a symbol of public shame. Thus, growing social pressure helped maintain the flow of volunteers. This was assisted through early warfare propaganda which was used to appeal to patriotism and to gain support and volunteers for the war. Kitchener's stern pointing finger and the message "Britons want you" poster is pro-war propaganda encouraging men to volunteer, Kitchener was the
The Battle of the Somme in 1916 was start of the turning point in British people’s attitudes towards the war effort as the reality of modern warfare was revealed. Britain and its allies lost over 600, 000 men for only 32km of territory, it was one of the bloodiest battle of the WW1. A drop in enlistment came soon after the movie ‘The Battle of the Somme’ was released as people questioned Haig’s tactics in the war after the British army was decimated. However, the zeppelin raids carried out on coastal cities and London in 1915 and 1916 dropped morale as the war was seen to be brought back to the home front. Britain was unexpectedly attacked for the first time in May 1915 by zeppelins, killing 9 people yet over the 2 years 52 zeppelin attacks claimed the life’s of over 500 people. The attacks caused chaos within the country as there was “smoke and flames all over” with “the screams of the dying and the wounded and mothers looking frantically for their kids” flooding the streets and eye witness recounted. The way of living at the home front changed dramatically as fear took over as the zeppelin attacks initiated a physiological terror at the home front. Total war came in in Britain after Germany’s submarine warfare campaign led to severe shortages of supplies on the home front, resulting in rationing. Germany