Transcript World War I Recuritment

Learning Outcome

To understand the reasons why men
volunteered to fight at the start of World War I
The First Weeks of the War
Propaganda Sources –how are these
sources trying to get men to join up?
Lord Kitchener
The Success of Lord Kitchener’s
Campaign
Asked for 100,000 volunteers – aged 19 -30
 Hoped for 100,000 volunteers
in 6 months.
 Around 180,000 enlisted
each month.
 By middle of September over 500,000 men had
volunteered their services.
 More Scots volunteers in proportion to the size
of the population than any other area of the UK.

1. Adventure / excitement:
 Boring
jobs
 Lack of travel
opportunities
 Idea that war would
be over by
Christmas
2. Anti- German Propaganda
 War
Propaganda
Bureau published
leaflets detailing
German atocities
 Emphasis on poor
Belgium
 Many Scots wanted
to punish Germany
or save civilisation
3. Duty
 Men
made to feel
guilty by families
 Duty of protection of
the country, the
Empire, women and
children
 White feathers given
to those not in
uniform
4. Patriotism
 Most
felt British
 Idea of defending the
country and Empire
 Idea of fighting for
the king
 Strong Scottish
martial tradition
5. Peer pressure
 Pals
battalions
 Tramcars as touring
recruitment stations
 Music halls and
football games used
as opportunities for
recruitment
6. Other pressures /compulsion?
Fear of unemployment – recruitment among coal
miners in East Lothian coalfields, hit by a collapse of
trade was as high as 36% but only 30% joined from
the still prosperous Ayrshire coal fields
Prison sentences fell hugely in 1914 compared with
1913
The Earl of Wemyss said that if the men on his estates
did not enlist they would be sacked.
Create a leaflet /pamphlet flier
Imagine it is 1914 and you have been asked to
design a leaflet or poster to encourage men
to join up.
Success criteria:
It will contain as many reasons as possible that
would make men join the army – look at your
notes.
It will be attractively presented.