The war expanded the range and complexity of government activity and increased governmental involvement in many aspects of Canadian life. Show
From Voluntarism to InterventionCanada entered the war with a small public service, no income tax, and few forms of direct government involvement in the economy. The federal government had no experience in running a large war and assumed, as did most Canadians, that a “business as usual” attitude would suffice in organizing the country for the struggles ahead. But the war cost vast amounts of money, demanded enormous supplies of people, goods, and services, and placed great stress on wages, prices, and many areas of home front activity. In mobilizing support for the war abroad while attempting to ease or manage its effects at home, the federal government became increasingly involved in the lives of Canadians, usually with great reluctance and not always with success. The spirit of voluntarism and patriotic fervor that marked the war’s outbreak diminished only gradually, and contemporaries considered many later government initiatives, including personal income tax, temporary wartime measures that would be abolished when the war was over. Conscription in 1917, or compulsory military service, was the government’s most dramatic temporary wartime intervention, but there were many others, including corporate and personal taxation, the prohibition of alcohol, censorship, and propaganda. Censorship and PropagandaThe control of sensitive military information was a wartime necessity, but the government’s role in information management extended far beyond the surveillance and editing of soldiers’ letters from the front. An official censor in Canada monitored newspapers and other publications for material that might harm the war effort, while federal officials threatened editors and publishers with jail time if they failed to comply with warning notices. Large-scale propaganda campaigns became a part of everyday life. Posters urged enlistment and other forms of war support, and asked citizens to contribute to charitable campaigns, buy Victory Bonds, or ration scarce items such as meat or fuel. Their imagery relied on patriotic symbols, recognizable icons, and historical figures to identify the war with popular and worthy causes. Public parades, rallies, and charitable events encouraged voluntary contributions and the shaming or embarrassment of those who were not “doing their bit.” Legacy and Lessons LearnedThe unprecedented levels of government activity during the war had long-lasting effects. Some initiatives, including the nationalization of railways, completed in 1919, would shape Canadian business activity for decades to come. Others, including corporate and personal income taxes, have never been repealed. The lessons learned from managing, and not managing, the Canadian economy in 1914-1918 would have profound effects on government operations during the Second World War. Keep exploring with these topics:
Objects & Photos Souscrivez a l'Emprunt de la Victoire (Subscribe to the Victory Loan)Canada created the War Poster Service in 1916 to produce posters in both official languages. As the war progressed and the need for money and soldiers became more pressing, posters became more graphic and direct in their messages. In this poster, a Canadian soldier pointedly asks members of the public to buy war bonds in support of the war effort. The design was based loosely on the popular and mass-produced 1914 poster of Lord Kitchener, the British Secretary of State for War, exhorting Britons to join the British Army. In 1938, the government began to build new warships and increase its armaments. However, this war would not just involve soldiers. The government expected the war to disrupt and threaten the lives of civilians left at home. This happened in a variety of different ways, from cutting down railings to be melted down and used in munitions factories, to rationing and evacuation plans. Between 1938 and 1939, the government thought of all the possible dangers and difficulties the Home Front would face during war, and started to take precautions. People were needed on the home front to help with all sorts of things. They were encouraged to plant vegetables on any spare land they had to supplement the rationing, but people were also recruited into a variety of essential positions such as Air Raid Wardens and the Home Guard. People were also encouraged to think about their safety, and the government spent a great deal of time educating people on what to do in situations such as an air raid, or a gas attack, as well as providing information on how to make rations stretch further and how to keep yourself healthy. Use this lesson to work with original documents on how the British were encouraged to prepare for the Second World War. Tasks1. Look at Source 1. This is one of a series of posters designed to encourage people to grow their own food.
Source 1 2. Read Source 2. This is a government poster about evacuation.
Source 2 3. Look at Sources 3 a, b and c. These were leaflets produced during the war.
Source 3a Source 3b Source 3c 4. Look at Source 4. This poster shows a woman slapping Hitler in the face.
Source 4 5. Look at Sources 5 a and b. These are wartime warning posters.
Source 5a Source 5b 6. Read Source 6. This is a telephone conversation between Mr Cleave and Captain Denaro – a mine laying specialist – in 1940.
Source 6 7. Look at Source 7. This poster shows Hitler balancing on a telephone line.
Source 7 BackgroundEvacuationEvacuation plans had been in preparation well before the outbreak of war. Small-scale evacuation of women and children were carried out in September 1938 but the real evacuation began in September 1939. The government had planned to evacuate about three million people but in the end only one million left home. A few hours after the war was declared on 3 September 1939, almost all of them had been evacuated from the danger areas to the reception areas. Air raidsThe biggest danger came from air raids. Air raids meant both danger and disruption. 60,595 civilians died as a result of enemy action in the UK. Homes, workplaces and public buildings were destroyed. Streets were subject to the ‘blackout’ – lighting restrictions – and the ban on street lighting caused a huge rise in car accidents. Volunteers were needed to be trained in civil defence duties. These included fire-fighting, first aid and ambulance driving. Civilians were instructed in how to protect themselves against poison gas attacks and issued with gas masks, which they were encouraged to carry on all journeys. Fortunately, poison gas was never used as a weapon in Britain. They were also given materials to build air raid shelters in the backyards. Strong buildings were also prepared for use as air raid shelters. WorkersThe working lives of most of the adult population changed with the outbreak of war. To fight the war, men aged between 18 and 41 were needed in the navy and army. This would take them away from their jobs in factories and farms. To fill the shortage, women were recruited for jobs previously done by men. Women worked in the factories, constructing weapons and many others joined the Land Army to work on farms. RationingMuch of the food, clothes and fuel which Britain needed came from abroad. The war disrupted and prevented these supplies from arriving. This meant shortages of the essentials to keep life going. In 1940, rationing was introduced in Britain. The ration book became indispensable for every man, woman and child, ensuring a fair distribution of what meagre essentials were available. The government also tried to encourage people to grow food on every available piece of land. InvasionAnother danger was from invasion. When in 1940 the Channel Isles fell into German hands and it looked as though the RAF was loosing the Battle of Britain, the government called on volunteers to join the Home Guard – Dad’s Army – to help defend Britain from attack. Teachers' notesIn this lesson, students look at a series of posters, pictures and leaflets designed to persuade the public to support the war effort on the home front. Teachers may wish for the students to work in pairs or small groups on individual sources and report back to the group. The first source examined by the students is a ‘Dig for Plenty Poster’ to encourage people to grow their own vegetables to support the war effort. This would help to prevent food shortages as Britain could not import food easily during wartime. The second source is a poster warning against the danger of not evacuating children. The government started a policy of evacuation to send children away from the cities, ports and industrial areas which were bomb targets to safer rural areas. In the third source students study a series of leaflets about gas masks. These include instructions on how to put them on, why and when they must be carried and what to do if you are injured by different types of gas. Source 4 is a poster used to encourage women to work during the war because it will help to defeat Hitler. The fifth source concerns air precautions. There is an information leaflet which explains how to protect yourself during air raids, warning signals for air raids and information about where to get help. There is also a picture of a house and garage labelled with instructions on how to protect your house from bomb blasts. Source 6 is an extract of a telephone conversation between a member of the public, Mr Cleave and a mine laying specialist in 1940. Mines had been laid on the beach to protect the coastline very near his home and he felt that there was danger of his house exploding by accident. The final source is a reminder to the public that careless talk is dangerous. Conversations can be overheard. The lesson can also be used to support literacy for Key stage 2 on the concept of persuasive writing. Students can explore how the language of these government posters and leaflets is used to persuade. They can look in detail at persuasive devices such as slogans, humour and emotive language. They can consider how persuasive language is used to gain attention, influence and inform and can be adapted for different audiences and purposes. What happened on the homefront during ww1?The Home Front during World War One refers to life in Britain during the war itself. The Home Front saw a massive change in the role of women, rationing, the bombing of parts of Britain by the Germans (the first time civilians were targeted in war), conscientious objectors and strikes by discontented workers.
What was done on the home front to fight the war?Rationing on the Home Front
Many Americans supported the war effort by purchasing war bonds. Women replaced men in sports leagues, orchestras and community institutions. Americans grew 60% of the produce they consumed in “Victory Gardens”. The war effort on the United States Home Front was a total effort.
What was the homefront like during the war?Food, gas and clothing were rationed. Communities conducted scrap metal drives and planted “victory gardens.” To help build the armaments necessary to win the war, women and Blacks found employment as electricians, welders and riveters in defense plants.
How did the home front respond to World War 1?At home, buying war bonds or savings stamps was probably the most common way to support the war. When people bought a bond or a savings stamp, they were lending money to the government. Their money would be paid back with interest after the war.
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Which of the following occurred on the home front during the first world war?
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