What is Total War?

WWIAPEH – supplementary material not found in Kagan

Total War Effort

Increased centralization of government Mass conscription

Economic regimentation Gov’t. control on prices, wages, rent Food & supply rationing Regulation of imports & exports Nationalization of transportation & industry

Manipulation of public opinion Plight of soldier and role of citizen begin to overlap▪ “Citizen army” full of national pride & patriotism “fighting” for

country’s ultimate victory Increased use of propaganda in all countries HOWEVER dissent does exist esp. after 1916 – liberals and

socialists▪ Worker strikes; military mutinies; independence movements▪ 1916 Easter Rebellion: IRA rises up against British gov’t. by

occupying gov’t. buildings in Dublin

Total War Effort – Germany & GB

War Raw Materials Board Run by Walter Rathenau – allocation of imp. raw materials

necessary for building effective war machine Food Rationing

1916 = 1350 calories per day; 1917 = 1000 calories per day 750,000 civilians die of starvation

1916 Military Dictatorship Generals Paul von Hindenburg, chief of General Staff & Erich

Ludendorff, deputy chief of staff Dec. 2, 1916 Auxiliary Service Law = all male non-

combatants aged 17-60 allowed to work only in jobs supporting the war effort

GB: July 1915 - PM David Lloyd George forms Ministry of Munitions Private industry would produce war materiel @ a limited

profit Defense of the Realm Act – police can arrest dissenters as

traitors; public officials can censor the press

Total War Effort – France & Russia France: up to 1917 no strong

leadership Lose 75% of coal & 80% of steel

production to German occupation 1917 = Georges Clemenceau▪ Cracks down on dissention and suppress

civil liberties in the name of war Russia – no success at Total War

Too autocratic; weak economy; lack of industrial resources; wide-spread ethnic problems; not enough public support

Social Impact of Total War WWI = great social leveler

Inflation hits the middle class harder than other classes

Labor movements benefit greatly More widespread collective bargaining practices Unions gain prestige

Women become more dominant in workplace Banking institutions Commerce Armament plants & heavy industry Truck driving & farming

Women push for equal pay, political equality & financial security BUT by 1919 many women are unemployed and

their situation in the workplace is reduced to what it was prior to WWI