What was the role of women in western countries?
Prior to the First World War, a woman's role in western countries was generally based on the domestic sphere, not even in there homes sometimes. Great Britain as an example ,prior to World War I, out of an adult population of around 23 million women, around 1.4 million worked in the domestic services, 700,000 worked in the textile production industry, 700,000 worked in the clothing manufacturing industry, 600,000 worked in commerce and 250,000 worked in local and national government (including teaching roles). The Great British textile and clothing industries, in particular, employed many more women than men and could be regarded as 'women's work'.
While some women managed to enter traditional career paths, for the better part of women were expected to be primarily involved in "duties at home" and "women's work". Before 1914, only a few countries had given the right for women to vote, and apart from these countries women were little involved in the political process.
The two world wars hinged as much on industrial production as they did on battlefield clashes. With millions of men away fighting and with the inevitable horrendous casualties, there was a severe shortage of labour in a range of industries, from rural and farm work to city office jobs.
During both World War I and World War II, women were called on, by necessity, to do work and to take on roles that were outside their traditional gender expectations. In Great Britain this was known as a process of "Dilution" and was strongly contested by the trade unions, particularly in the engineering and ship building industries. Women did, for the duration of both World Wars, take on jobs that were traditionally regarded as skilled "men's work". However, in accordance with the agreement negotiated with the trade unions, women undertaking jobs covered by the Dilution agreement lost their jobs at the end of the First World War.
While some women managed to enter traditional career paths, for the better part of women were expected to be primarily involved in "duties at home" and "women's work". Before 1914, only a few countries had given the right for women to vote, and apart from these countries women were little involved in the political process.
The two world wars hinged as much on industrial production as they did on battlefield clashes. With millions of men away fighting and with the inevitable horrendous casualties, there was a severe shortage of labour in a range of industries, from rural and farm work to city office jobs.
During both World War I and World War II, women were called on, by necessity, to do work and to take on roles that were outside their traditional gender expectations. In Great Britain this was known as a process of "Dilution" and was strongly contested by the trade unions, particularly in the engineering and ship building industries. Women did, for the duration of both World Wars, take on jobs that were traditionally regarded as skilled "men's work". However, in accordance with the agreement negotiated with the trade unions, women undertaking jobs covered by the Dilution agreement lost their jobs at the end of the First World War.
Did women join men on the battlefield?
Women were not allowed to fight in World War 1. But thousands of women worked in munitions factories, offices and large hangars used to build aircraft. Women were also involved in knitting socks and preparing hampers for the soldiers on the front, as well as other voluntary work, but as a matter of survival women had to work for paid employment for the sake of their families.
Nursing became the one and only area of female contribution that involved being at the front and experiencing the horror of war. In Britain the Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps, First Aid Nursing Yeomanry (FANY) and Voluntary Aid Detachment were all started before World War I. The VADs were not allowed in the front line until 1915.
Nursing became the one and only area of female contribution that involved being at the front and experiencing the horror of war. In Britain the Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps, First Aid Nursing Yeomanry (FANY) and Voluntary Aid Detachment were all started before World War I. The VADs were not allowed in the front line until 1915.
Did women have to work the crops?
Women did grow the crops and take care of the children. But they worked as members of the land army (farming), as nurses, in munitions factories, in public transport, as police women, in post offices and making weapons. By the end of the war women were also being recruited into the army forces as cooks, clerks, telephonists, electricians, instructors and code experts to free up men to fight. Many lady's still doed their usual jobs as cleaning their own homes and looking after thier children. This changed the way we saw women in the 20th century.