The impact of the war on women

By Mr. John By Mr. John Carlo Castillo-Carlo Castillo-

CabalitCabalit

AB HistoryAB History

The Impact of the The Impact of the War on WomenWar on Women

Outline:I. Introduction

A. Historical Background

a. Women’s role prior to World War 1

b. Women and WW1- Women at the Front

II. Impact of the War on Women

A. Woman Campaigning for Right to Vote

a. Right to Work

i. Christabel Pankhurst

B. Shell Shortage Crisis in 1915

b. Treasury Agreements

C. Compulsory Enrolment for National Service.

III. After the War

IV. Conclusion

Introduction: Historical Introduction: Historical BackgroundBackground

A. Women’s Role prior to World A. Women’s Role prior to World War 1War 1

Before the war, the most common Before the war, the most common employment for a woman was as aemployment for a woman was as adomestic servant. However, domestic servant. However,

womenwomenwere also employed in what werewere also employed in what wereseen to be suitable occupations seen to be suitable occupations

e.g.e.g.teaching, nursing, office work.teaching, nursing, office work.

Continue....Continue....

When war broke out in August When war broke out in August 1914,1914,

thousands of women were thousands of women were sackedsacked

from jobs in dressmaking, from jobs in dressmaking, millinerymillinery

and jewellery making. They and jewellery making. They neededneeded

work – and they wanted to help work – and they wanted to help thethe

war effort.war effort.

B. Women and WW1-Women at the B. Women and WW1-Women at the FrontFront

During the war women were to be During the war women were to be found mostly at the home front found mostly at the home front while a minority went close to while a minority went close to the actual fronts where the war the actual fronts where the war was being fought, some even was being fought, some even into combat.into combat.

B. Women and WW!-Women at the Front

Women were assumed to be far more Women were assumed to be far more helpless than they were and were also helpless than they were and were also forced to assume a helplessness they forced to assume a helplessness they didn't feel.  Besides, in plain military didn't feel.  Besides, in plain military terms, there's more sense in sending to terms, there's more sense in sending to the front the citizens physically most fit of the front the citizens physically most fit of any sex rather than only men.  There are any sex rather than only men.  There are abundant comments about the physical abundant comments about the physical unfitness of the last batches of conscripts, unfitness of the last batches of conscripts, many of them working-class men with many of them working-class men with bodies badly affected by the horrors of bodies badly affected by the horrors of industrial work or youths with very little industrial work or youths with very little capacity to endure the hardships of the capacity to endure the hardships of the front.  Meanwhile, thousands of women as front.  Meanwhile, thousands of women as capable as Sandes and Bochkareva were capable as Sandes and Bochkareva were kept away from the front out of sheer kept away from the front out of sheer sexist prejudice.sexist prejudice.

II. Impact of the War on WomenII. Impact of the War on WomenA. Woman campaigning for right A. Woman campaigning for right

to voteto vote

Suffragettes stopped all militantSuffragettes stopped all militantaction in order to support the action in order to support the

warwareffort.effort.

a. Right to Work:a. Right to Work:

At first, there was much trade At first, there was much trade unionunion

opposition and the employment opposition and the employment ofof

women had not increasedwomen had not increasedsignificantly before the summer significantly before the summer

ofof1915. In July 1915, a 1915. In July 1915, a ‘Right to‘Right toWork’Work’ ,march was organised by ,march was organised by

aaleading suffragette, Christabelleading suffragette, ChristabelPankhurst.Pankhurst.

B. Shell Shortage Crisis in 1915B. Shell Shortage Crisis in 1915

The shell shortage crisis in 1915 The shell shortage crisis in 1915 began to change the situation.began to change the situation.Women were taken on to work Women were taken on to work

ininmunitions factories. The munitions factories. The

governmentgovernmentdid a deal with the trade did a deal with the trade

unions,unions,known as the known as the Treasury Treasury

AgreementsAgreements..The unions agreed to accept The unions agreed to accept

femalefemalelabour in place of men labour in place of men ‘for the‘for theduration of the war’duration of the war’..

C. Compulsory enrolment for C. Compulsory enrolment for national service national service

The introduction of conscription The introduction of conscription in in

1916 led to an increase in the1916 led to an increase in thenumber of women employed in number of women employed in

allallsectors of the economy.sectors of the economy.

Key points...Key points...

Many women were paid good Many women were paid good wages, wages,

especially in munitions especially in munitions factories, but factories, but

in most cases they were paid in most cases they were paid lower lower

rates than men.rates than men.

Improved wages did permit Improved wages did permit greater greater

independence for some women.independence for some women.

Key points...Key points...

Women became more visible in Women became more visible in the the

world of work. They were seen world of work. They were seen to beto be

doing important jobs.doing important jobs.

Key pointsKey points

The armed forces also employed The armed forces also employed women, but the jobs were women, but the jobs were

mainly ofmainly ofa clerical and domestic nature.a clerical and domestic nature.

Key pointsKey points

Women were in great demand Women were in great demand for for

the ‘caring’ side of employment the ‘caring’ side of employment and and

became nurses in the First Aid became nurses in the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry, and drivers Nursing Yeomanry, and drivers

andandclerks in Voluntary Aid clerks in Voluntary Aid

Detachments.Detachments.

VAD’s

III. After the WarIII. After the War

11 Women were expected to give way to men Women were expected to give way to men returning from the forces and return to pre-returning from the forces and return to pre-war ‘women’s work’.war ‘women’s work’.

22 The assumption that ‘a woman’s place is in The assumption that ‘a woman’s place is in the home’ returned.the home’ returned.

33 The percentage of women at work returned to The percentage of women at work returned to pre-war levels.pre-war levels.

44 More women than before worked in offices.More women than before worked in offices.

After the WarAfter the War

55 Shorter skirts and hair became fashionable.Shorter skirts and hair became fashionable.

66 Women went out with men without a Women went out with men without a chaperone.chaperone.

77 Women smoked and wore make-up in public Women smoked and wore make-up in public for the first time.for the first time.

88 In 1919: being female or married was no In 1919: being female or married was no longer allowed to disqualify someone from longer allowed to disqualify someone from holding a job in the professions or civil holding a job in the professions or civil service.service.

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IV. ConclusionIV. Conclusion

Women's contribution to both Women's contribution to both wars was significant; though the wars was significant; though the attitudes towards their attitudes towards their contribution were typically contribution were typically paternalistic.paternalistic.

IV. ConclusionIV. Conclusion

Still today, when women are Still today, when women are employed as professional employed as professional soldiers by a number of state soldiers by a number of state armed forces, we tend to believe armed forces, we tend to believe that war is man's exclusive that war is man's exclusive business.  This is plainly untrue, business.  This is plainly untrue, and has always been so, since and has always been so, since war can't be reduced just to war can't be reduced just to combat and, anyway, combat is combat and, anyway, combat is no longer the sole province of no longer the sole province of man.man.

IV. ConclusionIV. ConclusionThe First World War is of capital The First World War is of capital

importance to understand the importance to understand the connection between women and war in connection between women and war in the wide sense of the word - not just the wide sense of the word - not just war as combat - because it intersects war as combat - because it intersects with crucial developments in the with crucial developments in the history of feminism.  Since women (and history of feminism.  Since women (and I'll refer here mainly to British women) I'll refer here mainly to British women) got the vote in 1918, though limited to got the vote in 1918, though limited to those over 30, apparently as a way to those over 30, apparently as a way to thank them for their immense thank them for their immense contribution to the war effort, WWI is contribution to the war effort, WWI is understood to have been a positive understood to have been a positive event for feminism, with all the event for feminism, with all the contradictions this entails.contradictions this entails.