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1
Resource 1 – the eve of war
People
In 1900 Scotland’s population was about 4.5 million –
most of these lived in or near big cities like Glasgow,
Edinburgh, Dundee and Aberdeen.
Urbanisation was taking place, many people were leaving
rural areas for the big towns and cities to find regular
work or secure better wages.
Cities were hugely overcrowded, 90% of Glaswegians in 1901 shared a
toilet with another family. 70% lived in one or two roomed houses.
Most visitors to Scotland were appalled at the conditions.
The rural population in areas like the Highlands was falling – farming
industry was in decline. For those who stayed, conditions were poor.
In the Highlands, crofters (small farmers) had been evicted and
treated badly. The Crofters Act of 1886 stopped forced evictions.
Many Scots were emigrating to America, Canada or the USA but
around 1/3 came home eventually
Large numbers of Irish, Italian and Eastern European immigrants were
arriving in cities like Glasgow
The Catholic population of Glasgow increased by 100,000 between
1875 and 1900.
In conclusion, the majority of Scots lived in towns and cities and a
high number of Scots lived in dreadful conditions in 1914.
2
Economy
Pre 1914 the Central Belt (Glasgow/ Edinburgh) was a
powerhouse for shipbuilding, engineering and the production
of coal, iron and steel.
Glasgow was known as the ‘second city’ of the British Empire.
Scotland relied on international trade. Britain only produced
enough food at home to feed the population for 2 days a week. Food
for the other 5 came from abroad.
Coal was Scotland’s fastest growing industry and 150,000 people
worked in coal mines. Scottish mine owners were old fashioned, and
failed to modernise. Most coal was still cut by miners using picks and
shovels.
Steel was seen as a ‘wonder metal’ and towns like Coatbridge produced
millions of tons of it. Only one forge in Scotland could produce quality
steel – William Beardmore’s Parkhead Forge.
The company bought huge steam hammers and specialised in making
naval ships.
Shipbuilding depended on international trade and the Clyde took
orders from all over the world. There were 40 yards on the Clyde. 1 in
5 of the world’s ships in 1914 were made on the Clyde.
Fishing was boosted by the growth of railways as they could carry
fresh fish across the country. Fish such as Herring was caught in
Scotland and sold to Germany and Russia.
Textiles were a major employer. The Jute (like sack cloth) industry in
Dundee was huge and there were over 70 jute mills there alone.
Textiles like cotton were also manufactured in large numbers in
Scotland.
There was some industry in the Highlands such as tweed, aluminium
and whisky. Changing fashions meant industries like tweed couldn’t
always be relied upon.
In conclusion, Scotland was reliant on traditional heavy industry in
1914 and on foreign markets.
3
Politics
The Liberals were the most popular political party in
Scotland before 1914. Other parties like Labour, the
Conservatives and the Unionists were not very popular.
The Liberals were popular with the ordinary people
because they challenged the rich and middle classes. The
Liberals also campaigned to help Highland farmers have
land rights. The Liberals felt that the government should
interfere as little as possible in peoples’ lives (laissez-faire).
New Liberals started to argue that things like a minimum wage and
pensions were essential. They promised to improve housing. Therefore,
many ordinary men who had just gained the vote supported the
Liberals.
The Liberals also appealed to Young Scots through propaganda and the
Young Scots Society, who had 2500 members in 1910.
The Conservatives (or Tories) were associated with the rich and
wealthy landowners which made them unpopular with the majority. The
Tories wanted to put tariffs on foreign products which would make
food more expensive for Scots.
The Labour Party was started by Keir Hardie in 1888 after he was
rejected from standing for the Liberals. The party campaigned for
health & safety in the mining industry and votes for women. The party
was very new in 1914. The Labour party wasn’t yet ready to compete
with the popular Liberals.
In conclusion, the Liberals were by far the most popular Scottish
party in 1914 and for new parties like Labour it was very early days.
4
Scottish Identity
In 1914 most Scots saw themselves as British. Being
part of the British Empire was of great benefit. Most
Scots saw themselves as equal partners to the
English.
Scotland was also proud of its own identity, proud of
Highland dress, bagpipes, scenery etc.
Queen Victoria loved Scotland and this increased the
popularity of the country.
Scottish soldiers were seen as brave, loyal and trustworthy who would
fight to the end. Scots soldiers were also seen as aggressive types
who would terrify the enemy. They were also viewed as hardworking
and committed.
Even to other Scots, the Highlands seemed an intimidating place due
to the ancient Clan system. The British government had removed the
powers of clan chiefs and done away with clan tartan but they were
still keen to recruit Scots soldiers.
Highland soldiers wore the kilt as part of their uniform. They marched
to the sound of bagpipes wherever they were in the British Empire.
When war broke out in 1914 the British Government focussed on the
heroic deeds of past Scots soldiers to encourage men to enlist. The
government brought back the ideas of Highland clans to appeal to the
patriotism of Highlanders.
Scots signed up for war in huge numbers in 1914.
The Scots’ casualty rate far exceeded that of the UK.
In conclusion, Scots felt British as well as Scottish and were proud of
their heritage. The Scots army regiments were seen as brave and loyal
warriors.
5
Resource 2 – Voluntary Recruitment
1. All young men aged 19-35 were asked to volunteer via a massive
government propaganda campaign such as Kitchener’s ‘Your
Country Needs You’ poster and it was a huge success, by 1915
almost 1¼ million men volunteered.
2. More Scots volunteered in proportion to the population than
any other part of Britain e.g. by the end of August 1914 over
20,000 had volunteered to fight from Glasgow alone.
3. Many joined due to Patriotism/Belgian atrocities – doing your
duty for Scotland and Britain and the fact that the censored
media told horror stories of German troops raping women as
they invaded Belgium – increased hatred of ‘The Hun’
4. Peer pressure – friends volunteered, girlfriends etc – many men
didn’t want to miss out on an adventure that all their
workmates/ classmates/ brothers were going on. Fathers/
Grandfathers encouraged young boys. Wives and Girlfriends
often encouraged men to become war heroes – men didn’t want
to be the only one not going
5. Guilt, fear of white feather – many men felt that they were
letting their country down by not volunteering; they felt a duty
to ‘King and Country’ or to protect their town or village. The
White Feather movement humiliated men not uniform; no one
wanted to be a victim of it
6. Sense of adventure – get away from mundane lives. Many men
had boring manual labour jobs and no prospect of ever leaving
their town/ city. Joining up was a chance to see Europe and
have experiences that they never thought possible.
7. Money – many men worked in difficult jobs and worked long
hours for little money i.e. shipyards, therefore joining up was a
chance to make a living and enjoy a decent income
8. Scottish martial (fighting) tradition inspired many. Many grew
up hearing stories of the Scots regiments and bravery – many
men were inspired and wanted to become the next Scots war
hero
9. Scotland suffered higher unemployment and more widespread
poverty than most areas in Britain. The army was a chance for a
regular job and wage.
10. Over By Christmas – according to the Press, Britain would win
the war in a matter of months. Men didn’t want to miss their
chance to fight for their country and become a hero therefore
rushed to join up
6
Resource 3 – Battles
Loos
The Battle of Loos began on the
25th September 1915. French
and British forces worked
together to fight against the
German army. The British forces
were led by Field Marshal Sir
John French and Field Marshal
Douglas Haig. Loos was the first
major battle for many of the newly recruited soldiers of “Kitchener’s Army”.
(Soldiers who had volunteered when war was announced.) Many of the
soldiers involved in the battle were from Scottish regiments.
The area of Loos was considered to be very poor for an army offensive. The
German forces held the best areas surrounding the battleground. They had
taken control of old towers that had been used by coal miners. In addition
to this, ammunition supplies were low. This meant the artillery bombardment
that would have weakened the German forces before the soldiers attacked
was very poor.
Before the British attacked, chlorine gas was dropped on German troops for
the first time. However, it had limited impact. Much of the gas was blown
back into British trenches and soldiers were affected by the chemicals. As
gas masks were a relatively new invention, some soldiers couldn’t see out of
the eyepieces, whilst others took the masks off as they struggled to breath.
In many places British artillery had failed to cut the German barbed wire in
advance of the attack. Advancing over open fields within range of German
machine guns and artillery, British losses were devastating.
On the first day of the attack, the British did manage to take the French
town of Loos. However, on the second day the German forces were ready.
Out of 10,000 men, 8,000 had been killed or seriously injured within 4 hours.
The British retreated back to their starting position. Several attacks
continued over the following weeks. The battle finally came to an end on 13 th
October 1915. By the end of the battle, 50,000 men had been injured and at
least 20,000 were dead.
Many of the soldiers had signed up as part of “Pals Battalions”. As a result
some towns and villages in Scotland lost the majority of their male
inhabitants.
7
Somme
The Battle of the Somme began on 1st July 1916. The
battle involved both British and French troops
fighting against German forces. The British forces
were led by Field Marshal Douglas Haig and the
French were led by Commander in Chief, Joseph Joffre. Many of the
soldiers involved in the Battle of the Somme had signed up to the army as
part of “Pals Battalions”.
The British attack was simple. They blasted the Germans with artillery guns
for seven days and nights using shrapnel shells in an attempt to cut the
barbed wire. The noise of the guns could be heard in London. In places the
British had dug tunnels or ‘mines’ under the German lines and packed them
with up to thirty tons of high explosives. At 7.30am on 1st July, the artillery
stopped firing and the mines were blown up. This created huge craters filled
with toxic fumes. The generals thought that very few Germans could have
survived the attacks.
The generals didn’t really trust the new soldiers as they weren’t
professionals. The generals thought the soldiers would run across no-man’s
land and lose their formation. “Kitchener’s army” (men who had signed up
when war was first announced) were ordered to walk across no-man’s land
and occupy the remains of the German trenches.
However, the German trenches were much deeper than the British. When
the bombardment stopped the Germans quickly ran out of their trenches,
assembled their machine guns and mowed down the advancing British troops.
In the first 10 minutes 12,000 men were killed or badly wounded. There
were 60,000 casualties (20,000 of whom were killed) on the first day alone.
These were the heaviest losses of any army in one day during WWI.
The battle didn’t end there. Haig carried on stubbornly determined to beat
the Germans. In September, he used tanks for the first time. This was a
major error as the tanks had not been fully tested and the conditions at the
Somme meant that the tanks became stuck in the mud. Haig had exposed
the British forces secret weapon to the Germans.
When the battle ended on 13th November 1916, the British had suffered
420,000 casualties, the French 200,000 and the Germans 450,000. Many of
the soldiers had come from the same towns and villages which meant that
some communities lost almost all of their male inhabitants.
8
Resource 4
Role of Scottish military personnel
Douglas Haig – war hero or villain?
Year and Place of birth: Edinburgh, 1861
Appointments during WWI:
Field Marshall, Commander at Somme in 1916
Evidence to suggest Haig was a Evidence to suggest Haig was a
war hero
villain
 Led thousands of new
 Old fashioned –
recruits/ volunteers into
underestimated new
an army which won the
technology i.e. machine
war
gun – thought cavalry was
still important
 Started charities – Earl
 Responsible for many
Haig fund/ British legion
casualties & deaths but
few gains
 Wanted to prepare more
 In charge of worst ever
– but under pressure
battle in British military
from French/ politicians
history at Somme –
400,000 dead
 Eventually broke
 Historians have said he
deadlock in 1918 with so
was insensitive to
many German casualties
deaths/ casualties
 Request for 150 tanks at
 Middle class, privately
Somme denied – only 50
educated, privileged – out
arrived
of touch with his men
 Many claim that David
 ‘Butcher of the Somme’
Lloyd George was
nickname - ‘lions led by
responsible for
donkeys’
character assassination spoke out against Haig in
his autobiography
9
Resource 5
Role of Scottish military personnel
1. More Scots volunteered in proportion to the population than any
other part of Britain e.g. by the end of august 1914 over 20,000
had volunteered to fight from Glasgow alone.
2. Due to the nature of the war on the Western Front (e.g. so
many bodies were left in no man’s land) it proved impossible to
accurately calculate the number of war dead.
3. Over half a million Scots served in the war. Figures on Scottish
dead vary from 74,000 to 100,000.
4. The Scots had a casualty rate of 26%, roughly 1 in 4 Scots
soldiers were killed or wounded, among the highest of any
nation.
5. The Battle of Loos became the ‘Scottish Battle’ due to the
massive involvement of Scots regiments such as the Black
Watch, Cameron Highlanders, the Cameronians, the Scots
Fusiliers and Gordon Highlanders
6. The Battle of the Somme signalled the end of ‘Pals Battalions’
due to the devastation it caused for many Scots towns and
villages such as Cranston’s and McCrae’s Battalions of
Edinburgh. Many smaller villages lost most of their male
population.
7. Of the 16th Battalion of the HLI (who were mainly ex Boys
Brigade members), 500 alone were killed on the Somme
8. General Douglas Haig was a key leader at both Battles of the
Somme and Loos – born in Edinburgh, he had been in the army
for 30years when war broke out. He was old fashioned and
spoke highly of the use in cavalry in war but it was his decision
to use the Tank at the Somme
9. Critics have hit out at Haig’s leadership, saying he sent
hundreds of thousands of men out to their death in the Somme
– he is often known as the ‘Butcher of the Somme’
10. After the war Haig made efforts to see justice done for
veterans, helping create the British Legion and the Earl Haig
Fund to help ex servicemen
10
Resource 6
Conchies
Case 1
Jim Preece
When I got the letter through the door to report for service in
1916 I was devastated. I loved my country and I wanted to play my
part but I just couldn’t pull that trigger. I was a Quaker, you see,
and part of my religion was pacifism – never supporting war. We had
been taught at the meeting house as kids that only God had the
right to take someone’s life. I wrote a letter back explaining this to
the War Office. I had to attend a tribunal in October 1916 in
Edinburgh to have my case heard. There were four men on the panel
and I had to argue my case as to why I couldn’t fight. It was awful –
I had never felt under so much pressure and I burst into tears after it. I
could tell they were judging me and they made me out to be a traitor to
the country. They let me off with fighting as long as I went to the war as
a medic. If I didn’t agree I would have gone to jail.
Case 2
Archie Walsh
In my opinion, compulsory military service was wrong. I
wouldn’t do it. I was a pacifist. War is wrong and I
wasn’t willing to be part of it. I appealed to the War
Office and I had a tribunal. You could tell they didn’t
sympathise and I knew I wasn’t going to get the outcome
I needed. Eventually they said I could do other work of
national importance and told me I’d be working in a coal
mine up in Bellshill. I just couldn’t do that – the coal
from that mine fuelled the tanks and ships that took
the lives of the Germans. I was told I was an ‘absolutist’
– one who absolutely refused any involvement in the war.
In 1917 I was sent to a military prison in England. It was horrendous. I
don’t know how I kept my sanity. Many of my fellow prisoners died from
the hard labour and the terrible treatment from the guards – beatings
and kickings every day. I honestly don’t know how I survived. When I
eventually came back to Lanarkshire in 1920 I had to start a new life. My
old pals refused to speak to me and my brothers disowned me. My old job
was in a factory in Belshill – they told me never to show my face at their
door. It would have been easier to just go and fight I suppose.
11
Case 3
Claire Wood
My dad was a ‘conchie’. At first I thought it was great. I was glad
my dad wouldn’t go and fight like all the other dads. In our little
town, almost all my pals had their brothers and dads off in
France fighting the Germans and I got to keep mine close. That
was until a brick came through our window and hit my little
brother one night. After that, our lives were a living hell. I was
called names at school and no-one wanted to be my friend. My dad
lost his job and my mum wasn’t allowed to work at the big house
up the street anymore as a housemaid. I remember my mum
making me walk 7 miles to the next village to go to the shop and my feet
aching for days afterwards. I now know that was because our local
greengrocer refused to accept ration books from our family as we were
traitors. People called us ‘chickens’ outside church on a Sunday. I remember
women in green, white & purple on the high street giving my dad a white
feather and laughing while my dad’s face went beetroot. After the war, it
didn’t get better either. My dad stopped going out completely. He died a few
months after the war. I don’t think he ever recovered from his treatment as
a conchie
Case 4
Stephen Green
I’d always been political growing up. My dad worked in the
shipyards in Govan and he always told us we needed to stick up
for ourselves. We were working class and my dad rarely agreed
with the government. I was 20 when Conscription was
introduced. By that time I had joined a political organisation
called the UDC (Union of Democratic Control.) We believed
that the war was NOT an excuse to take away the rights of
individuals. We campaigned against censorship of the press. I
ignored my letter to sign up. We protested against
conscription because we believed that it is a man’s right to
decide whether or not to fight, not the government’s. I was unpopular as a
leader of these protests. I was targeted by the police on many occasions. One
night in January 1917, the police came to my house and arrested me under the
Defence of the Realm Act. I spent a few days in cells then was sent to Dyce
Camp in Aberdeen. I was sentenced to ‘hard labour’, breaking rocks for 14 hours
per day. I slept on a wooden bunk and our toilet was a shared hole in the ground.
The other inmates were not criminals – there were professors, teachers,
lawyers and some of the smartest folk I’d ever met. We set up a newspaper
called the Granite Echo and had it smuggled out of the camp to publicise the
conditions we were living in. I was sent there for inciting strikes and protests
apparently. The government thought without the leaders, protest would be
silenced.
12
Resource 7 – DORA
Defence of the Realm Act (DORA)
1.
It allowed the government to pass laws and avoid the drawn-out process
of having bills proposed, voted on and ratified in Parliament.
2. Censorship of newspapers and correspondence (letters) to and from the
trenches.
3. Striking was outlawed.
4. The working day was extended in many sectors and wages were either
lowered or kept at the same level.
5. Pub opening times were limited, as was the strength of drinks, which
were watered down. The buying of drinks for others was banned.
6. No-one was allowed to

talk about naval or military matters in public places

spread rumours about military matters

buy binoculars

trespass on railway lines or bridges

melt down gold or silver

light bonfires or fireworks

use invisible ink when writing abroad
13
Resource 8 - Women
The work of Scottish women
During the war, women stepped up to fill the
important roles. The biggest increase in female
employment was in factories, particularly in
munitions. Previously, fewer than 4,000 women
worked in heavy industry in Scotland.
By 1917 over 30,000 women were employed making
munitions in Scotland. Nationally, by late 1918, 90
per cent of the workers in the munitions industry
were female. Women also worked as conductors on
trams and buses, and as typists and secretaries in
offices and factories. Thousands worked on farms
in the ‘land army’, growing crops to feed the
British people. Others filled more traditional jobs
such as nursing, becoming important role models
for women eager to feel they were ‘doing their bit’
for the war effort.
These were not easy jobs. Hours were long and
wages were low.
Women in munitions had particularly dangerous
jobs. Explosions in munitions factories were
common and they were sometimes attacked by
German bombs. The chemical TNT that women
worked with was highly toxic and caused womens’
hair and skin to turn yellow. Many were left unable
to have children due to their exposure to
chemicals.
Famous Scottish Women
Elsie Inglis was a Scots doctor and suffragist.
She worked to set up the Scottish Women's
Hospitals.Elsie studied to become a doctor at
the Edinburgh School of Medicine for Women.
When Elsie first suggested teams of women
doctors and nurses be sent to the Western
Front during the Great War, the War Office
replied ‘My good lady, go home and sit still.'
Undaunted, Elsie raised thousands of pounds
and worked to set up the Scottish Women's
Hospitals Unit. It provided medical units
staffed by women in France, Russia, Corsica,
Romania and Serbia. Elsie went to work with
her teams of nurses in Serbia. She died of
cancer in 1917 and was buried in Dean
Cemetery, Edinburgh.
Reaction to women in the
workplace
Not everyone was pleased to see ‘women doing
their bit’ for the war effort.
Women were paid less to do the jobs that men had
done before the war. So many men worried that
women would drive down wages in industry and that
men would be paid less when they came back from
war. They also worried factory owners might
prefer the women workers and keep them after
the war, leading to male unemployment.
‘Dilution’ was the name given to the fear that
skilled workers jobs were being watered down or
diluted by women. For example, the job of a skilled
engineer could be broken down into four unskilled
jobs and given to low paid women. This made men
worry that they were losing their status in the
workforce.
Women had more freedom due to the absence of
men. Many women factory workers wore trousers,
smoked cigarettes and socialised with other women
during the war. Some thought this was disgraceful
behaviour for young ladies.
However men should not have worried as when the
war ended most women were sacked to allow men
to return to their jobs.
Rent Strikes
Rent strikes were the refusal of people to pay high
rents charged by landlords. In February 1915, Helen
Crawfurd, Mary Barbour, Agnes Dollan and Jessie
Stephens helped to form the Glasgow Women’s Housing
Association to resist rent rises and threatened
evictions.
In May 1915 the first rent strike began and soon about
25,000 tenants in Glasgow had joined the strike.
Eventually strikes spread to Aberdeen and Dundee.
Women protested by holding placards during protests,
blocking access to authorities trying to evict tenants. If
Sheriff Officers got the entrances of buildings, women
would pull their trousers down to embarrass them.
The main figure in the movement was Mary Barbour and
the protestors soon became known as “Mrs Barbour’s
Army”.
On 17 November 1915 a mass demonstration in George
Square worried the government. The government passed
the Rent Restriction Act. Rents were frozen to 1914
levels unless improvements had been made to the
property.
14
Resource 9 – Losses, Commemoration, Remembrance
Historical Source:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/guides/ztx66sg/revision/6
Person 1
The end of the war was marked by relief, but also great sadness, as few
families escaped the loss of a father, son, brother, husband, boyfriend,
neighbour or friend. The exact number of Scottish war dead is still a
matter for debate and will probably never be known:





Person 2
The official figure was initially 74,000 but others argue the dead
numbered 110,000.
Later, a higher figure of almost 150,000 was calculated by
including Scots from around the world 'killed in the service of the
crown’.
The problem with this was whether to count a Scot killed while
serving in the Australian forces as a Scottish or Australian
casualty.
Further difficulties arise when trying to calculate those who died
as a result of wounds received in the war, or because of their
experiences.
Scotland's casualty rate of 26 per cent of its fighting forces was
among the highest.
Remembering the dead
The poppy has become the symbol of Remembrance
In the years that followed the Great War, towns
and villages across Scotland built memorials to
remember the loss suffered during the war.
There was great sentiment that Scotland should
have its own national tribute to commemorate the
war dead. The Duke of Atholl said Scotland should
put up a memorial with its own hands, in its own
country and with its own money. His plan was for a monument to be built
in Edinburgh Castle and on 14 July 1927 Scotland's National War
Memorial was opened to the public.
15
Person 3
For those whose loved ones were never found, or lie in foreign fields, the
Imperial War Graves Commission created and cared for military
cemeteries around the world. Over 600 of these cemeteries were placed
near the line of the old Western Front in France and Belgium and they
became places of pilgrimage for Scottish families after the war.
All of these memorials had a common hope – that the dead had not died in
vain and that the Great War really would be the war to end all wars.
The holding of a moment of silence on the day of the armistice, 11th
November, started in 1919.
Support for those left behind
Person 4
In 1921, the British Legion was formed, as well as its Scottish
counterpart. The poppy is the symbol of Remembrance and forms part of
the logo of the Royal British Legion:
The first President of the charity was Douglas Haig, Commander of the
Battle of the Somme.
The Legion provided financial and emotional support for soldiers who had
returned but fallen into difficulty and their families.
16
Resource 10 – WWI & Industry
Person 1: Coal, iron, steel and textiles were all vital for war:
Without a constant supply of coal, Britain's rail network and the Royal
Navy would not be able to function.
Without iron and steel the munitions and engineering industries could not
produce the bullets, explosive shells, artillery, barbed
wire, tanks and ships needed to fight the war.
The naval race (race to build Navy ships) before the
outbreak of war had already saved the shipyards.
When war did break out, the main docks on the Clyde
were taken over by the Royal Navy to produce more
warships.
The Jute (sackcloth) Industry in Dundee benefitted greatly from the
war. Jute was used for sandbags in the trenches and Dundee was
producing over 6million a month for the war effort.
Person 2: The Shell Scandal
By 1915, the failure of British forces to break
the deadlock of the Western Front was being
blamed on insufficient and poor quality
artillery shells:
The ‘Shell Scandal’ was reported in the Times
newspaper as a barrier to British success.
The Shell Scandal became a political crisis, leading
to the collapse of the Liberal government.
It led to the formation of a coalition government, with David LloydGeorge as Minister for Munitions.
The Shell Scandal developed into a general concern about the supply of
munitions.
The government grew sensitive to any threat of disruption in Scotland's
heavy industries.
17
Person 3: The Munitions of War Act
In 1915, the government passed The Munitions of War
Act, preventing munitions workers from resigning and
moving to a new job without their employer's consent:
This recognized that the country's economy had
become a war economy, aimed at increasing production
and reducing disruption.
This was an emergency law, brought into place to ensure that Britain did
not lose the war due to a lack of war supplies
Person 4:Threat of strike action
The government was concerned about disruption to
wartime production, mainly because of the threat
of strike action by workers in the shipbuilding,
engineering or coal industries.
In 1915, the government had already given in to
the rent strikers and the factory workers who had
come out in support. Now the government took a
harder line.
At the heart of the trade union movement was the belief that workers:


should be able to join together to campaign for improvements in
working conditions and wages
had a right to withdraw their labour and strike if they did not get
these changes
From the employers’ point of view, trade unionists were a nuisance since
better workers' conditions were likely to reduce the profits of the
owners.
Scotland's traditional industries were vital to the war effort. If those
industries were disrupted, Britain ran the risk of losing the war. However,
the demand for increasing production led to changes that caused
difficulties for the future.
18
Resource 11 – Farming or Fishing?
This industry had to produce more during the war because meat
from Argentina, mutton and dairy produce from Australia and New
Zealand, and wheat from the USA and Canada was usually imported to
feed the population but German U-Boats (submarines) attacked all ships
heading for Britain. 900,000 tonnes of British shipping had been sunk by
1915.
This Industry was damaged as the Royal Navy took over the North Sea
and closed it due to the threat of mines in the water
This industry was damaged because it required thousands of horses to
work on the fields and horses were taken by the army to help with
fighting on the Western Front
The people who worked in this industry made a lot of money in the first
years of the war as demand for home grown food and crops soared as
Britain tried to become self-sufficient.
The recruitment of men and horse into the British army left this industry
with a shortage of workers, and women had to be recruited to do the
work. Conscientious objectors were also drafted in to work in this
industry.
This industry sold most of its produce i.e. herring to countries like Russia
and Germany before the war. When Britain went to war with German, it
lost a big overseas market and therefore demand decreased.
This industry was essential to the survival of Britain because it provided
food for people and fodder for animals
In 1917 the government bought all wool sheared from sheep in Britain to
produce uniforms and army blankets which helped this industry profit.
The wages of people in this industry doubled like shepherds and
ploughmen.
Vessels from this industry were recruited into the Royal Navy reserve to
help look for explosives (mines) in the sea. Many were damaged doing this
which affected this industry after the war.
19
Resource 12 – Rationing
SOURCE 1
SOURCE 2
In Britain various measures were taken to prevent
starvation. Prices were rising very quickly.
In December 1917 compulsory rationing
was finally introduced after voluntary
schemes had failed.
For wealthy people these price rises were an
inconvenience but for the poor they meant less
money to spend on other essentials like seeing a
doctor.
At first, the government made posters to encourage
people to eat less meat for example, by having
‘Meatless Mondays’. They encouraged people to
grow their own fruit and vegetables and not to
waste food. People were no longer allowed to feed
ducks or throw rice at weddings.
The government turned any free land, like football
pitches and parks, into crop growing land.
The aims of rationing were to;
o
o
o
Conserve (save) food supplies
ensure fair distribution (stop the rich
buying all the food)
control rising prices caused by
shortages (keep prices stable
Rationing was in full swing by April 1918
in Scotland. Sugar was rationed first,
then came meat.
SOURCE 4
Due to successful rationing, Britain was never
faced with food shortages on the same scale as
Germany.
There were some foods that were more difficult
to get your hands on, but no drastic shortages.
In Germany, in the winter of 1917-1918, over
500,000 German civilians died of starvation. No
British people died of starvation.
Some people actually found their diet improved
as they ate more unrationed foods like fish and
vegetables which were healthier.
The defeat of the U-boats and the surrender
of Germany in November 1918, meant that
Britain did not have to test the rationing system
to its limits.
Rationing is generally seen as a success during
the war as it meant food was distributed fairly
rather than on your ability to pay.
Source 3
20
Resource 13 – Post War Economic Difficulties
The SQA have asked you to write a source for the Higher History Paper on
post war economic difficulties. You should use the factsheet below to source
your information.
 The shipbuilding industry was temporarily boosted by the warships
but as soon as it ended, orders for warships ceased so shipyards
laid off workers or could only offer part time hours.
 By 1923, Scottish shipbuilding was only producing 1/3 of the
amount of warships it had produced in wartime, and 7 out of 10
workers spent some time in the 1920s unemployed.
 The reduction in orders for warships had a knock on effect on
steel and coal and many men were laid off from steel forges and
Coal mines.
 The Coal industry was badly affected by the introduction of new
fuels like oil, and by the 1920s the coal mining workforce was half
of what it had been in wartime.
 Textiles suffered too; the Dundee Jute industry was no longer
making sandbags for the trenches when the war ended, and it
became cheaper to import textiles from countries like India.
 In the face of foreign competition, over half of Scotland's iron
furnaces were dismantled by 1927.
 Scottish farming was no longer needed to make all the food for the
country, when the war ended Britain could go back to importing
food from abroad, such as grain from the USA.
 The Decline of Scottish heavy industry after the war led to mass
unemployment; the unemployment rate in Scotland in the 1920s was
10% which was higher than England.
 In the post war years, 80,000 men were unemployed in Glasgw
alone due to economic decline.
 Traditional export (selling) markets in Germany, Eastern Europe
and Russia were lost due to the Russian Revolution and post-war
changes.
 High unemployment and economic difficulties led to mass
emigration of Scots after the war; Scots made up 60% of British
emigrants in the post war years.
 Post war Emigration resulted in a ‘brain drain’ where skilled and
educated Scots left Scotland in search of better wages abroad.
21
Resource 13 - Emigration
THE GLASGOW
HERALD
23 September 1923
By reporter Paul Johnston
The terrible economic difficulties we
have faced since the end of the Great
War have left us with something of a
‘brain drain’. We are losing our finest
young Scots to other countries due to the
lack of opportunities we can provide
here. The British Government passed the
Empire Settlement Act last year which
gave people financial assistance to leave
our country and live in other parts of the
Empire such as Canada. This has just
helped more to go. Over 400,000 have
now received state subsidies which have
cost the government £6 million.
According to reports, female Scots are in
highest demand overseas as domestic
servants (maids) and as wives. A lot of
Scots have been encouraged to emigrate
by family who have already settled in
countries like Canada; these letters tell
people how wonderful life is in the
dominions.
Our Scottish workers have a very good
reputation for hard work and are highly
sought after abroad, particularly farm
workers are promised guaranteed work.
Many of those who have left are from
the big cities like Glasgow, where
unemployment is very high due to the
decline of our industries like
shipbuilding. Many are also from the
North East, like Peterhead, where the
decline of fishing has led to mass
unemployment. Prospects of earning a
living are now limited in these
industries.
The Overseas Settlement Committee has
been set up to provide assistance to those
who want to emigrate. They give free
passage (travel) to ex-servicemen and
women who served in the war. Charities
are also contributing, the Salvation Army
has provided assisted passages &
employment advice for single women,
unemployed men and young people and
Quarrier’s Orphan Homes has arranged
the migration of 7000 children to
Ontario between 1872 and 1930
Shortages of available farm land have
also caused many Highland dwellers to
leave for abroad. In addition, Canada
has two full time emigration agents who
are employed purely to encourage Scots
to leave our shores for Canada. They
often promise huge expanses of cheap or
free land for anyone willing to leave.
Some of our Scots of course have left and
gone closer to home, over the border to
England. Many Scots are working in the
town of Corby, Northampton in the
steelworks. The English economy seems
to be doing better than ours.
It is a sorry state of affairs. We are losing
our brightest and best young people,
who will likely never return. Many have
blamed the many thousands of Irish
immigrants in our cities for driving
down wages, taking our jobs and our
housing. But in reality, post war Scotland
has little to offer our young people.
22
Slide 1
Resource 13
‘The Land Issue’
Slide 2
Slide 3
Slide 4
23
Resource 14 – The Independent Labour Party
1. ‘Britain has no quarrel with any of its likely enemies
and the war will inevitable increase the poverty of
the poor’
2.
‘You have never been consulted
about this war’
3. ‘We call upon you to do the same here in Great
Britain upon an even more impressive scale. Hold
vast demonstrations against war, in London and in
every industrial centre’
4.
‘Workers!- stand together ,
therefore, for peace. Combine, and
conquer the militarist enemy and the
self-seeking imperialists today and for
all.’
5. “There is no time to lose. Down with the rule of brute
force! Down with war! Up with the peaceful rule of the
people!"
6. One supporter of the war asked Hardie: "Where are
your two boys?" Hardie replied that he would rather see
them put against a wall and shot than see them go to
war."
7. “Britain entered this war to safeguard freedom; so
said our masters, pastors, pressmen, and
politicians. We did not believe them a year ago;
still less do we credit them to-day when we see the
developments against the rights and privileges of
the wage earners”
8.
“We Socialists, who believe that
the only war worth fighting is the
class war against robbery and slavery
for the workers”
24
25
Resource 14 – Critical Events of Red Clydeside
Critical Event 1: The Clyde Workers Committee – Strikes 1915/16
What: During the war, the government exerted more control over
workers i.e. banning strikes and movement of workers.
The Clyde Workers Committee (CWC) were Trade Union members who
objected to this government control
They organised small strikes on the Clydeside to object to the removal of
rights from workers
In January 1916, there were strikes over government plans to enforce
dilution where work previously done only by skilled workers, was carried
out by semi and unskilled workers in the engineering factories
The CWC members felt that the government was endangering the jobs of
skilled workers who had trained for many years in a trade
Who: The Leaders of the new Clyde Workers' Committee (CWC) were
Willie Gallagher, David Kirkwood and socialist John Maclean
British Government Point of View: From the government's point of view
the CWC was a nest of revolutionaries ready to upset the war effort and
even lead revolution in Britain. Some people compared them to the
Germans in endangering the British people.
Critical Event 2: The Government Arrests of Radicals
What: in March 1916, the government ordered that the leaders of
Clyde Workers Committee Strikes be arrested and relocated to
Edinburgh, breaking the strength and organisation of the CWC
It was believed that Glasgow and the Clyde was a breeding ground for
trouble
The government thought that if leaders were out of Glasgow, strikes and
protests would be less likely.
Who: Strike Leaders like James Maxton and John MacLean were put on
trial and imprisoned for their organisation of strikes in war time
The Committee collapsed by the end of 1916 due to lack of leadership
British Government Point of View: This Radicalism in Glasgow & the
Clyde was a real worry for the British government. Their ability to win
the war depended on everybody ‘doing their bit’. Strikes could potentially
lose them the war. The government felt justified in their heavy handed
treatment of strike leaders.
26
Critical Event 3: The Battle of George Square 1919
What: Just after the war the CWC was leading a campaign to reduce the
working week from 54 hours to 40 hours, partly to help create jobs for soldiers
returning from the war:
In January 1919, at a meeting of shop stewards in the shipbuilding and
engineering industries, the CWC established the 'Forty Hours Movement'.
They then called a strike and held a large demonstration in George Square in
Glasgow on Friday, 31 January 1919.
The crowds grew to almost 90,000. Riots between the police and protesters
broke out.
Running battles spread across central Glasgow after the police launched a baton
charge into the crowd.
British Government Point of View: The government were advised that the
demonstrators could easily become a revolutionary mob. Concern increased when
reports said a red flag had been seen in the midst of the protestors. The
Russian Revolution had taken place only 14 months before so the government
panicked. Over 12,000 English troops were deployed to restore order. Six tanks
were made available for use Machine gun posts were set up in the city. It looked
like preparation for civil war!
Within a week of the Battle of George Square, the strike was over and a
settlement was reached on the basis of a 47 hour working week. This was a
victory for the workers in the short term.
Critical Event 4: Red Clydeside Myth or Reality?
Point of View 1: Reality
Some people have put forward the view that Red Clydeside was a serious threat
to the British government. These people believe that Glasgow and the Clydeside
was genuinely on the edge of a Socialist Revolution, like that in Russia in 1917 or
in Germany in January 1919 (Spartacist Revolt)
Evidence to support this: the people who believe this view use the evidence of
the Red Flag (Socialist/ Communist symbol) being raised in George Square and
the fact the government must have been scared to have sent tanks into the city
centre. Red Clydeside historians usually see this as a very important period in
Glasgow history which led to Glaswegians becoming far more left wing and
Socialist than other parts of the country.
Point of View 2: Myth
Other have ridiculed the idea that a Socialist Revolution could have occurred in
wartime Glasgow. These people believe that those involved in Red Clydeside were
‘reactionaries’ (reacting to circumstances) rather than revolutionaries (wanting
to get rid of the government.)
Evidence to Support This: The people who support this view have pointed out
that the Red Clydeside movement was about working conditions rather than
starting a revolution of any sort. Once an agreement was reached with the
government then the protests stopped.
27
Resource 15 – Postwar Politics
The Labour Movement
In the 1918 election, the Labour Party
gained 1/3 of all votes cast in Scotland.
They had replaced the Liberals as one
of the nation’s two major political
parties.
Some argue that Labour's success in
Scotland had much to do with Red
Clydeside
However the Representation of the
People Act of 1918 gave the right to
vote to all men over 21 and women over
30 and The ILP and the main Labour
Party were closely linked in the minds of
the new working class voters.
The Liberal Party
Many people turned against the
Liberal party because of their
support of the war and their actions
during it. Conscription and DORA was
unpopular.
People turned against the Liberals
too because they didn’t want to
spend money to intervene in people’s
lives (laissez faire)
The Liberals also argued amongst
themselves. Some supported Asquith
the Prime Minster during the war,
others liked his replacement Lloyd
George. This looked unprofessional
and lost them votes.
Both the ILP and the Labour Party
campaigned for better healthcare and
housing, and their focus on local issues
was a major reason for Labour’s success
in the 1920s.
The Conservatives
In 1918, they achieved a 30 per cent
share of the vote and by 1924, were
more popular than the Labour Party.
Many middle Scots in the towns &
cities were scared by the events of
Red Clydeside and voted for the
Conservatives as the party of ‘law and
order’.
Many at this time feared revolution after
the 1917 Russian Revolution and the 1919
Spartacist Revolt Rising in Germany. The
Communist Party was on the rise in
European countries and threatened the
upper and middle classes. Many felt the
Conservatives were the party to stop
Communism.
The National Party of Scotland
This party supported Scottish Home Rule,
or independence for Scotland to make its
own political decisions.
They were a centre left party, meaning
they supported some government help for
people but not as much as the Labour
movement wanted.
It was only formed in 1928 and in the
1928 election they received only 3300
votes and did not gain any seats in
parliament.
This shows that although there was a very
small amount of support for Scottish home
Rule, it was not enough to make waves
politically. Most Scots were more
concerned with their living and working
conditions rather than Nationalism.
28
Resource 16 – Crisis in Scottish Identity
Person 1
Person 2
29