Manpower of Britain
The first steps of preparation for WW1 changed Britain drastically by creating a nation of uniformed men and women. Although Britain was not the first nation to introduce conscription, they did recognise the need for an influx of manpower to overcome the formidable German army. A National Service Act was passed in 1916 that saw almost 5 million men being conscripted into the army.
In order to prepare to fight the war, the army needed to be supported and supplied. This was done by way of introducing conscription for military service, setting up of National Service Departments and recruiting women for munition work. To simplify training processes, a new syllabus of Instruction for Infantry was also implemented.
The old idea of a country gentleman volunteering for his King and Country was replaced by a more stringent system of conscription that recognised inefficiency in recruiting voluntary soldiers. The compulsory enlistment meant that Great Britain had a larger pool of potential soldiers to choose from, resulting in an army that was fit and able to fight.
Although conscription was effective in increasing the numbers in the army, it also demonstrated the divide between the civilians and the militarily trained men.
Military Strategy
The second step in preparing for war was to develop a military strategy. This was done by reorganising the infrastructure of the army in both structure as well as command operations. Various committees such as the War Office committee and the Imperial Defence Committee assisted in determining strategies to use in order to defeat the enemy.
One of the most important contributions of the British army was its implementation of the ‘Western Front’. This defensive plan consisted of fighting a drawn-out attritional war along the lines of trenches between France and Belgium. This plan secured the safety of Britain and enabled a focus on fighting the German forces on two key fronts.
The strategy set by the Allies was successful in containing and breaking the German line by using artillery barrages, machine guns and missiles. The new technologies available to the British forces such as tanks, provided the necessary edge to overcome the German defences. This strategy ultimately enabled the Allied forces to succeed against the German defences.
The combination of these strategies allowed Britain to be successful in defeating the German forces by 1918.
Financial Preparation
The third step in preparing for war was to ensure financial stability and security. Before WW1, Britain had only a limited supply of loanable funds, which had to be used to finance military expenditure and an influx of manpower. Although efforts were made to curtail spending, such as the introduction of wartime taxes and increasing the budgets allocated to the military, this only further increased expenditure, leaving the government with few financial options outside of borrowing.
To raise money to finance the war, the British government issued a series of War Loans, each of which contributed to the growth of the British economy and allowed for the effective financing of the war. War Loans also enabled the government to collect funds from its citizens in exchange for interest payments.
In addition to war loans, Britain also had to raise funds from its allies. This was done through the signature of the Treaty of London in 1915, which meant Britain could borrow from the United States and other countries. This new influx of loanable funds enabled Britain to effectively finance the war and to ensure a successful outcome.
Public Morale
The fourth step in preparing for WW1 was to ensure the public morale was kept high. This was done by making numerous changes to the public landscape, such as introducing censorship, propaganda and rationing.
In an effort to control the information circulating in the public field, the Defence of the Realm Act was passed in 1914 that saw the introduction of censorship of newspapers, the banning of certain books and the prohibiting of certain activities that could be seen to be of a seditious nature. This was in order to ensure that the general public was not exposed to news that could cause distress and ultimately lower morale.
Propaganda was also utilised as a tool to increase morale. Propaganda was used to portray the war as a heroic adventure, where British soldiers were glorified for their actions in order to encourage recruitment into the army and ultimately give Britain the manpower it needed to succeed.
Finally, to ensure the public had adequate resources, rationing was introduced. This was done on a variety of different items such as food, clothes and even soap. Although this hurt the civilians, it was ultimately done to ensure that there were enough resources for the armed forces.
As the fifth step in preparation for WW1, large changes were made to the industrial and naval capacities of the British forces. For naval protection, the British forces had to be able to out-manoeuvre and out-gun their German foes. In order to do this, Britain employed the use of Dreadnoughts, heavily armoured battleships that were capable of high speeds and powerful battles. These ships were a vital component in Britain’s ability to secure its position at sea.
In terms of industrial development, Britain also employed a variety of different methods to increase their production levels. This included the introduction of special taxation system to support the war effort, the charter of merchant ships and the adaptation of factories for the production of weapons and ammunition. This led to large increases in production and the ability to supply the British forces with the necessary tools to fight a successful war.
Not only did these industrial and naval factions assist the British forces in combat, they also enabled the country to maintain their financial stability, as these industries contributed to the income generated from exports.
Military Intelligence
The sixth step in preparation for WW1 was to strengthen military intelligence. This was done in the form of the Joint Intelligence Bureau, which was created in 1914 with the objective of gathering intelligence about the enemies’ intentions and plans from the area surrounding the Western Front.
The bureau was intended to be neutral and unbiased in its observations and reports and was extensively used during WW1. It allowed the intelligence gathered to be evaluated and used to make informed decisions about the future of military operations. This in turn enabled the British forces to make more accurate predictions of future engagements and to better plan strategies that could lead to a successful outcome.
Military intelligence was also used to construct a complete picture of the enemy’s plans and actions, allowing the British forces to anticipate the enemy’s moves.
Aircrafts
The seventh step in preparation for WW1 was to improve the quality and range of aircraft available to the British forces. The use of aircrafts in battle increased significantly during WW1 and they were relied upon heavily for reconnaissance missions and to provide ground troops with support.
The introduction of fighters and bombers led to a more efficient way of engaging and defeating the enemy. In addition, these aircrafts also enabled the British forces to traverse large distances in a shorter period of time, leading to effective deployment of troops and supplies. This significantly increased the efficiency and mobility of the British forces.
The use of aircrafts in WW1 provided the British forces with a tactical edge that enabled them to not only be flexible in their strategies but also to take on a more agile approach in the battle. This ultimately allowed the British forces to succeed in defeating the enemy and winning the war.
Technology
The eighth and final step of preparation for WW1 was to utilise technology to its fullest potential. It was imperative that the British forces utilised the latest available technology in order to be successful in overcoming the enemy’s defences. This enabled them to use tactics such as tank warfare and air combat, both of which were highly effective tools in combat.
In addition to this, the use of communication technology allowed the British forces to communicate orders more accurately and quickly among troops over distance. This in turn enabled the British forces to better coordinate and deploy troops, effectively enabling a higher success rate of combat operations.
Furthermore, the use of technological advances such as machine guns and weapons made of high strength plastic, allowed the British forces to have an advantage in terms of firepower. This advantage was instrumental in aiding the British forces in turning the tide of the war and ultimately being successful in defeating the German forces.
Economy
In order to maintain a stable and sustainable economy, Britain had to prepare for the effects of war on the economy and the people. It was estimated that the war would last for around three years, so the government had to be aware of how to sustain the economic strength of the country during this period. Preparations included increased taxation, the conscription of men for military service, and the introduction of the rationing system.
To pay for the military expenditure, the government issued a series of war loans. Money was borrowed from foreign countries to assist in financing the war. These loans came with certain conditions which meant an economic dependence on foreign countries. This ultimately weakened the British pound throughout the war.
Furthermore, the massive increase in military spending resulted in an inflation of prices of basic commodities, which meant government had to pass legislation to control prices of goods. Although this was successful in ensuring there was enough food for the army, it led to a decrease in the standard of living for civilians.
In order to keep morale high, the government introduced various schemes such as war bonds and savings stamps. These helped to ensure citizens were able to invest
