QR (1901-1950) Historical context The decline of British power ‘When Queen Victoria died, Britain was one of the ‘most powerful nations in the world. Its empire I huge, its amy well trained, and its leet was considered invincible, to say nothing of the merchant Neet, by far the largest in the world. Britain exported coal, steel and cloth all over the d its manufacturing and tracing middle prosperous. But the 20! century saw the decline of this powerful country, a decline that can be compared to that of Spain in the 17 century. It was partly caused by the tremendous growth of German industry in key areas like stee!- making, chemical manufacture and electricity generation. Germany began to build up its navy to equal the British fleet. In addition, new powers emerged outside Europe — the USA and Japan — and many new nations were formed, while the old Empire gradually vanished. ‘The first decade of the 20" century is known as the Edwardian period, after King Edward ee dwar vie Aleta A Geo Vv AGAo - ABBE ot ¢ ie VIL. During his short reign Vietoria’s eldest son actively pursued a policy of peace and good relationships with foreign countries, and England lived on the wave of Victorian optimism, in the illusion that the economic and social situation of the country was destined to prosper for ever and ever. ‘The foundations of the Welfare State ‘The Liberals launched a programme to help the poor and the elderly, thus laying the foundations of the Welfare State. It was the first time in British history that the Government thought it was its business to spend money on the welfare of people. Among the most important reforms it is worth remembering: © 1902 Balfour's Education Act: it was a major reform which placed elementary and secondary ‘education under the control of County Councils thus giving financial support to secondary education. Secondary schools called grammar schools were introduced, and students could win scholarships to attend them, * 1907 Schools Medical Inspection Act: it allowed school medical checks on children’s health © 1908 Coal Mines Regulation Act: it secured | an eight-hour day to adult male miners. * 1908 Old Age Pension Act: it provided a pension of five shillings weekly to those over | Seventy whose income was less than eight shilings weekly. * 1911 National Insurance Act: it covered health and unemployment insurance. Medical | services became available to workers who could not normally afford them. It fixed weekly | contributions from workers, employers and the State to grant sick pay and medical attention. World War I When World War I was declared, the whole nation was wild with excitement, Crowds gathered in the streets of London, cheering and singing, twas the same in Paris and St Petersburg, in Berlin and Vienna, Everyone was convinced that] their own country was in the right and woul win, Few people understood what they wen fighting for, and none could imagine th that lay ahead, ae Scansionato con CamScannera A ‘ind war began as Britain prepared for the worst and on 4th August 1914 Britain acted on Germany after Germany invaded France via neutral Belgium. Soon half the nat = | of the world were involved. It was a war in which, for the first time, more sophisticat Recruitment ‘Weapons were introduced, such as machine-guns, tanks and later planes. It wasn't until the Kaiser abdicated in November 1918 that Germany finally surrendered. t had been called the ‘Great War’, because there had never before been so many soldiers involved in one conflict but it left almost 9 million dead and about 25 million injured, most of them between the ages of 18-28. A whole generation had been wiped out. Many of those who did return suffered psychological trauma, known as shell shock, for many years after their return. The result was a gradual change in attitude towards war whereby the Previous feelings of glory and patriotism began to lose impact. Propaganda for Patriotism and Nationalism ~ The First World War was the first war in which tho mass media played a significant part in disseminating news {rom the Fighting Front to the Home Front. ttwas also the first war to target systematically produced government Propaganda at the general public. All the eligerens wero compelled to recognise that they had to just the righteousness of the war and, to this end, themes such 38 patriotism and nationalism played an important role. The British placed immense reliance, therefore, on Propaganda to justiy the war to the people, to help [Promote recruitment into the armed forces and to ‘convince the population that their sacrifices would be rewarded. Once the initial euphoria had subsided, it was ;perative to remind people, both at home and in the trenches, of what they were fighting for. The major themes. included a call to arms and a request for war loans; as well as efforts to encourage industrial activity, to explain national policies, to channel emotions such 2s courage or hatred, to urge the population to conserve resources, and 10 inform the public of food and fuel substitutes. One tactic at a state's disposal was the use of iconic figures to strenathen a particular point about national identity in order to promote patriotism. These might be real people presented in a mythologised form as national heroes, or they might come from old myths or popular folklore: Britannia, John Bull and the British bulldog, ‘An altemative strategy was the use of material symbols of nationhood. Two of the most overt and powerful symbols, which allow citizens to express their afinity with the state, are the nation’s flag and its anthem. The need to raise money to pay for the wer by means of war bonds provided one of the most important patriotic themes for posters and for the new medium of film, recurring, related theme was the portrayal of money cme ‘nd banknotes) as an active ren military ‘engagement, for exemple: “Turn Your Silver into Bullets ~ Post Office”. Si sees, therefor, supplemented their itary ‘engagement with propaganda almed at stimulating national sentiment by means of nationalistic slogans and patriotic calls to arms. SS 4, Trench Warfare This expression refers to the stalemate position of the opposing armies at war. The trenches on the Western Front extended from the North Sea right down to the Swiss border and their position did not advance much during the war. The front lines were a Sort of network of communication trenches, support trenches, advanced trenches and observation posts: the enemies were separated by the deserted No-Man's Land, a very dangerous area. Life conditions, as described in the war poems, were ‘appalling for the troops because of the weather, diseases, and the animals haunting the place, but especially because of the danger of artillery shells, ‘mortar and sniper fires, of attacks and attempts to cross ‘the sleeping green’. a => _ 3. Women at War ‘The period witnessed meaningful changes in the condition of women, who were allowed, by necessity, to take up more active roles in society: by 1917 they could serve in uniform, while those ‘who did not join the army had to take the place of the men in factories, on farms, and in other areas. of the public service. All of this eamed them strong support for the suffrage in the short term, and increasing social responsibilities in the long term, thus leading to their more emancipated role, ee Scansionato con CamScannerWALL 2.6 War Poets 1. Introduction the name given to a group of poets who wrote their dung World War Land who voiced their fealings, experiences and ideas on stich a new and devastating experience. Their main topic was War, seen aL frst AN A, mission an a heroic deed, but later on as a disillusion, a 9 He and A Useless camage. Tho excitement and glory. of the early months, when everybody thought the war would only last unbl Chnstimas, gave way to anguish and: better pessimism. Wilfred Owen wrote. “Above all Lam concemed with Poetry My subject is War and the pity of War. The Poetry is in the pity’ AUthe beginning their form was not innovative, but quite classical, simple and Romantic, or, in other terms, ‘Georgian’. Ils features, especally in the poetry wntten before the battle of tho ‘Somme in 1918, focused on: > a chivaine heroic aspect; > the virtue of sacrifice; > war seen as a nght cause. Yet, later poetry will show: > a sense of disillusion; > a sense of absurdity; > the awareness of the cost of war in human terms (casualties); > linguistic experimentation and Symbolist influence. Word Bank WARFARE 4. Match the words with their definitions. 1. Atrocity ‘A. Aknife fixed to the end of a rife 2. Offensive B. An agreement between nations 3. Bayonet CC. The land between two opposing lines of trenches 4. Infantry D. Asituation where no side is able to gain an advantage 5. No-man’s land E, Not taking sides 6. Parapet F. Soldiers on foot 7. Sniper G, To goto war 8. Shell H. Asolitary expert shooter 9. Shrapnel |. Arigid aircraft used by the Germans to drop bombs 10. Trenches J. An agreement 11. Zeppelin K. Amajor attack. 12. Treaty L. Aceasefira 13. Armistice M. The low wall at the front of a trench 14. Neutrality N. Military draft (compulsory) 15. U-boats . Fragments of an exploding shell or bomb 16. Stalemate P. German submarines 17. Alliance Q. Aweb of ditches where soldiers lived 18. Entento R. An agreement between nations, less formal than an alliance 19. EnlistiJoin up S. Alarge missile fired trom a gun, which explodes on impact 20. Conscription T. Anactof barbarity Scansionato con CamScanner