world war one
Teacher’s Workshop Notes
Timeline
1914
28 Jun
1 Aug
3 Aug
4 Aug
6-12 Sept
19 Oct
22 Nov
16 Dec
1915
19 Jan
19 Feb
22 Apr
31 May
16 Aug
25 Sept
12 Oct
Archduke Franz Ferdinand assassinated
Germany declares war on Russia
Germany declares war on France
Germany declares war on Belgium.
Britain declares war on Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire
Battle of the Marne
First Battle of Ypres starts
‘Race to the Sea’ ends – trenches run from the North Sea to the Alps
German Navy bombard Whitby, Hartlepool and Scarborough
Zeppelins bomb Great Yarmouth and King’s Lynn
Battle for Gallipoli starts
Second Battle of Ypres starts
Zeppelins bomb London
German submarine bombards Whitehaven
Battle of Loos starts
British nurse Edith Cavell is executed by Germans
1916
24 Jan
21 Feb
3 Apr
8 June
1 July
2 Sept
Military Service Act passed
Battle of Verdun starts
Zeppelin raid on Edinburgh
Compulsory recruitment replaces voluntary enlistment
Battle of the Somme starts
First Zeppelin is shot down over Britain
1917
6 Apr
3 Jun
31 Jul
19 Oct
USA declares war on Germany
Gotha (Heavy) bomber raid on London
Battle of Passchendaele starts
Last Zeppelin raid on Britain
1918
2 Mar
19 May
3 Nov
11 Nov
German Spring Offensive begins
Largest air raid on London of the war
Austria-Hungary signs an armistice with the Allies
Germany signs an armistice with the Allies – the war is over
1919
28 Jun
Treaty of Versailles signed
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Outbreak of War
The assassination of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, is often cited as the cause
of the First World War. However, in reality it was the final straw in a long list of events that had led to growing tension
between the European great powers from the 1890s onwards.
Britain initially did not declare war at the same time as the other powers involved because we remained largely outwith
the complex web of alliances in Europe that drew France, Germany, Russia, Italy and the Austro-Hungarian Empire into
the war.
The German invasion of Belgium at the beginning of August 1914 allowed Britain to officially join the war as this action
was a contravention of the 1839 Treaty of London that guaranteed Belgium’s neutrality.
Overview of the Western Front
The British Expeditionary Force (BEF), essentially the British Army, was quickly involved in fighting in Belgium.
The BEF of 100,000 men and was badly outnumbered by the 2.2million-strong German armies they faced.
The Germans steamrollered through Belgium and northern France, coming within 30 miles of Paris (their objective)
before the French and British armies were able to halt them at the Battle of the Marne. This was a turning point in the
war; from this point onwards the war moved from a period of movement to the more familiar trench warfare that we
associate with the First World War.
The British and German armies tried a series of flanking manoeuvres, which has become known as ‘the race to the sea’.
Each time the armies tried to pass their opponents’ trenches were dug by the troops to protect themselves from the
machine-gun and artillery fire. By November 1914, the line of trenches stretched from the North Sea to the Alps.
Large-scale battles like the Somme and Passchendaele were part of a strategy to wear down the Germans and to try
and break through their lines. One of the main results of the trench warfare was the development of new technologies
to try and break the stalemate. However, it took a combination of new technology, tactics and time for the British and
French to develop ways that enabled them to start driving the Germans back.
The Germans tried one final massive attack in spring 1918 with fresh troops from their Eastern Army, which had been
freed up by the withdrawal of Russia from the war. The Spring Offensive broke the British lines and forced the British
and French to retreat nearly 60km.
However, this success was shortlived as Germany was exhausted and their troops were demoralised. The Allies now
included fresh US troops and the German High Command knew the war was lost by this point. However, they managed
to keep the war going until October 1918, when negotiations were opened. The Armistice, the ceasefire, came into
effect at 11 a.m. on 11 November 1918.
It took a further year for the peace treaties to be finalised and signed by all involved at Versailles in France.
The Home Front
Kitchener’s Volunteers
Lord Kitchener was the Minister for War in 1914 and believed that the only way to defeat the Germans was to raise a
large army to send to France. He initially called for an army of 100,000 volunteers and within four weeks this number
had been achieved. In the early days, they were told it would ‘all be over by Christmas’. Over 3 million men volunteered
to serve in the first two years of the war.
Conscription
However, by 1916 the losses on the Western Front were starting to mount and the numbers of men coming forward to
volunteer was no longer able to sustain the British war effort. A new, drastic measure was introduced to Britain for the
first time: conscription. The Military Service Act initially was limited to calling up single men between 18 and 41,
but was extended within six months to include all men. By 1918 conscription had been extended to 17–51 year olds.
Conscription brought another 2.3 million men into the armed forces by the end of the war.
Conscientious Objectors
Britain was the only one of the European powers to give people the option of refusing to join the armed forces for
reasons of conscience. There were around 15,000 conscientious objectors, who objected for either religious or political
reasons, or because they were pacifists. Tribunals decided whether or not these men had to go and fight at the Front,
and were staffed by local military officers and prominent men of the local district. They would question the objector
with the aim of discovering if they truly were objecting as a matter of conscience.
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Tribunals could make four decisions. Firstly, an exemption from all military duty. Secondly, a conditional exemption
which ordered them to undertake war work, but not in the armed forces. Thirdly, an exemption from combat, which
meant they would be in the armed forces, but not fighting the enemy. Finally, their objection could be rejected and they
would be forced to join the army.
Many of the claims were rejected and the objectors ended up at the Front. If they refused to follow orders they
were subject to military discipline and court marshalled, which could result in summary execution.
Air and Coastal Raids
The first air raid took place on January 15, 1915 by two Zeppelins over Great Yarmouth and King’s Lynn. It last ten
minutes and two people were left dead. Edinburgh was raided by two Zeppelins on April 4, 1916 resulting in thirteen
deaths. There were a total of 54 raids on Britain and 557 deaths.
It took some time for Britain to prepare adequate air defences, but eventually anti-aircraft guns, barrage balloons and
search lights were installed. These measures ended the threat from German airships. However, by 1917 new long-range
planes had been developed by Germany which were able to raid Britain 27 times by the end of the war, leading to more
than 95 deaths.
The German Navy also carried out daring raids in the face of the overwhelming superiority of the Royal Navy to shell
British coastal towns. The Imperial German Navy shelled Great Yarmouth, Lowestoft, Hartlepool, Whitby and
Scarborough in the early years of the war and left more than 100 people dead. These attacks badly damaged
British prestige and led to concern within Government of the possibility of a German invasion of Britain.
Defence of the Realm Act
The Defence of the Realm Act (DORA) gave the Government sweeping powers over civil liberties, the media, industry
and transport within Britain. Under DORA civilians could be arrested and tried in military courts for relatively trivial
matters, such as flying a kite or standing by a railway bridge.
DORA brought all railways and docks under military law, introduced censorship of the press and soldier’s letters, it band
strikes for workers in important industries and also banned some skilled workers from leaving their jobs or joining the
forces, while other workers could be redirected to more important jobs when the Government felt like it.
Foreign nationals were also affected by DORA regulations and many German and Austro-Hungarian citizens were kept
in internment camps for the duration of the war. Some were allowed to remain at home, but under strict supervision –
restrictions included not being able to travel more than a few miles from their house without first informing the local
police.
DORA also changed licensing laws, introduced regulated opening a closing times in public houses and also British
Summer Time – all of which are still with us today. DORA regulations were mostly ended at the close of the war.
Women
Women played a key role in World War One and their efforts on the Home Front led directly to their emancipation in
the 1918 Representation of the People Act. Before 1914, there were significant gender and class divides within Britain.
Middle- and upper-class women were expected to stay at home and tend to the house and family, while for the working
classes this remained only an aspiration, as they needed to work to maintain a decent standard of living. However, the
work available to them was limited to low-paid and unskilled jobs. Regardless of class, all women were thought to be
ill-suited to serious skilled labour and matters of politics and government. World War One changed all of this.
Women of all classes took on a range of jobs that helped keep the Home Front going. About 25,000 women joined
uniformed services, with most serving as nurses in France and hospitals in the UK. Women also took on many of the
administration jobs in the military for the duration of the war, freeing up vital soldiers for the front lines.
Women worked in all sectors of the economy, including agriculture, transport, service industries, commerce and
government. Some 7 million women were employed by 1918, nearly 25% more than in 1914. Girl Guides were even
given the job by MI5 of running errands transferring files between departments.
However, many women were dismissed at the end of the war and replaced by the returning men in an attempt to keep
skilled male workers happy and women back in their place.
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Follow-Up Activities: World War One
Suggested storylines for online activities
Case Studies / Life Stories
It could be possible with additional research to identify people from across East Lothian who could be the basis of case
studies that would help show the type of work undertaken in the area during World War One, as well as to understand
more about how the war changed their lives. This could be plotted through maps to locations that were important in the
area and in their lives and tied into newspaper clippings, photographs and/or other records held within East Lothian and
other national bodies.
Highers / Nationals
These qualifications now offer the ‘Impact of the First World War’ units – they are concerned largely with the impact
of the war on life in Scotland. There is opportunity here to show the impact on Scotland through the experience
of East Lothian.
Animations
Two short animations could be commissioned showing the life of a boy and a girl through the war years, based
on local people within the district for whom there are some official and personal records.
The boy could begin by being upset at not being old enough to join before becoming disillusioned with the war and then
to be scared as his conscription approaches. The girl would begin by encouraging people to join and then becoming
upset that these people are injured/die. She then could take on a job to help contribute to the war effort.
Pathé Archive Recreation
Pathé produced an animation showing the war and its development (10 minutes long). A modern interpretation could
be created by having a school group produce segments for the film before combining it together – possibly as part
of the centenary commemorations.
http://www.britishpathe.com/video/britains-effort/query/airship+world+war+one
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