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Cooperative Learning Resource Sheets 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