World War One On The Changing Role Of Women

During World War I, the Australian home front was impacted by a long and varying list of occurrences during the period of time between the years of 1914 to 1918. The home front was influenced politically through the arguments over the conscription vote and as Australia became divided between the different war beliefs. It was also influenced by social change, as the use of censorship drastically altered the Australians’ views of war and women began to pick up odd jobs in order to assist the soldiers as very few of them were allowed to directly help as nurses in Gallipoli. There were also extreme economic alterations as the wages in Australia were pushed down and prices were pushed up, and the country discarded major trade partners who had become their enemy.

In August 1914, after the outbreak of World War I, an immense wave of support flooded Britain from her ally, Australia. All Australian political parties, community leaders, newspapers and churches were on-board with this major movement to help the mother country. All believed it was a morally right and necessary commitment . World War I, 1914 – 1918 had a significant and long lasting impact on the Australian home front. ‘The civilian population ’ had to undergo many changes to cater for the war. At this time women’s push for a larger role in the war effort caused a significant and long lasting impact on the Australian home front, which has helped shape workplace gender equality today. Conscription also impacted the Australian home front, meaning, compulsory enlistment of people in military service. As well as the massive impact on Australia’s economy from the many trading cancellations through abandoned or cut off allies, which has helped build Australia’s economy to what it is today.

It is well recognised that World War 1 was a traumatic experience for the Australian nation. It claimed 60,000 young lives and another 156,000 men were wounded, gassed, or taken prisoner. But when the trauma abated, it became apparent that Australian society had been changed permanently and positively. Some of the gains realised by Australia as a result of her involvement in WWI included a newfound maturity as a nation, the respect and recognition of other nations, new opportunities for trade and industry, a greater recognition of women’s rights and a massive economic and population boost due to post war immigration programs. This web-site has been created to show you some of the benefits of World War One on Australia.

Women equality has come a long way in a short period of time since the outbreak of World War1. Throughout World War1, Australia, New Zealand and other European countries were the only nations that gave women the right to vote. However, Women in Australia received a 54 percent less wage than what men did. Women’s roles focused mainly in the home, performing domestic duties and raising the children.

Although both the World Wars had significant impacts on Australians, the statement that wartime controls in World War One had a greater impact on Australians than they did in World War Two is fairly inaccurate. There are a number of reasons as to why this was the case, as demonstrated through the government 's wartime controls. One of the wartime controls that was utilised by the government in both World Wars but had greater impact on Australians in World War Two was conscription. Another wartime control that had a higher degree of impact on Australians in World War Two than in World War One was the detainment and isolation of ‘enemy aliens’ when the government again took steps to protect their national security. With such a large number of servicemen deployed overseas, the role of women in Australia also changed drastically to meet the needs of the armed forces, the government and the economy and this influenced Australian life more in World War Two. Therefore, although both wars affected the lives of many Australians in mental, physical, social and economic aspects, the wartime controls of World War Two had a much greater impact on Australians than in World War One.

During the World War II era, the outlook on the role of women in Australian society revolutionised. As a majority of men were at war, Australian women were encouraged to rise above and beyond their stereotypical ‘housewife’ status. They were required to take on the tasks that were once considered predominantly male roles, and also allowed the opportunity to join the armed services as well as enlist in the Women’s Land Army. Many women who doubted their abilities played their part by entering voluntary work. Women had the privilege of contributing in Australian society in many ways that they had never been able before. Thus, it is manifest that the role of women in Australian society had drastically changed.

Before World War 2 commenced, women 's roles in Australia were extremely different to now. The Australian government believed that women were not needed to perform in any sort of military service, however, once the war began it was thought otherwise (Ergo.slv.vic.gov.au, 2015). The roles of women changed significantly during this time, specifically around the 1940 's. The social, political, and economic rights for Australian women were all major changes made during this period of time (Awm.gov.au, 2015). This essay focuses on the role of women before and after these changes occurred, also the affect this made to society.

The lives of women changed dramatically as a result of WW1. The experiences of women during this time progressed the regime for change, displaying the willpower and strength women hela, encouraging the need for equality. Source C outlines the hardships women endured during the war effort, displaying their powerful influence on WW1. This capability is also corresponds with Source D, an image of common war propaganda, showing the prestige of women in society at the time of the war. Life for the women of Britain at the conclusion of war redefined equality, beginning countless efforts to achieve an equitable society there on.

It was uncertain to what extent did women’s participation in WWI changed the attitude and position of women in post-war Europe. One thing assured is that women’s wartime efforts were recognized in the years after WWI. In recognition of women’s support during the war, Canada, the United States, Britain, and a number of European countries extended suffrage to women. It seems that the turbulence and the despair of World War I had caused a re-examination of many of the treasured values in many western societies, including gender expectations.

World war one occurred during 1914 to 1918 and was a major turning point in history. Thirty-two countries were involved in world war one. After the war ended many soldiers were given the title of being a war hero for their courageous actions during the war. However all the mothers, wives and children that were left in Australia were left with the major responsibility of taking on paid employment and household work and they deserve equal recognition. Whilst young Australian men were fighting in the war, the Australian economy, workforce and female roles were changing but the Australian spirit and reputation was only growing through the support given to sliders from their home front.

To identify, and describe the extent of, the international influences on the role, and lives, of women in Australia before, during and after World War One

The experiences of Australian women in both World War 1 and World War 2 were similar but also different. WWI was fought from 1914 to 1918, and WW2 was fought from 1939 to 1945. These were the biggest military conflicts in the history of man. The main areas of change in Australian women around these times were employment, roles and positions in the war, and the attitudes towards women at these times. In WW1, the main occupation for Australian women was nursing. In World War 2, however, women were given the opportunity to do ‘a man’s job’ for the first time.

The Great War was known as ‘the war to end all wars’ as it had such a dramatic and tragic impact on soldiers and civilians alike. Many aspects of the conscription debate, the home front, trench warfare and weaponry had a significant impact on Australia and its involvement in the war.

It shows the harsh and terrible conditions, which the Australian troops, experienced, whilst in the trenches. “Great, sleek, corpse-fed rats ran in squads between our legs” depicts the dirty conditions of which, the Australians experienced, where sixteen per cent died from typhoid, dysentery and gastroenteritis. This was the major cause of death in Australian troops. In the winter the weather would get down to below zero. There were reports of Australians toes falling off, after freezing and contracting gangrene. This would occur when the trenches were filled with mud up to their ankles in a trench two metres wide and 2 metres high. When the Australians arrived at the Western front, the first thing they saw were the lines of wounded soldiers being taken to the rear. As they got closer, they could feet the earth shake, and hear the constant ‘crump’ of artillery shells. This was known as trench foot and not uncommon in Australian soldiers. George states, “It is one of the things Kipling forgot to tell us” differing much from what they had expected the war to be like. The hard work and enduring sacrifices that they made in these harsh conditions evaluates the contribution of Australian soldiers to the Western Front

when the history of Australia in its connection with this great war is written, there is no page of it that we shall feel prouder of than the work done by the Red Cross women. We are carefully collating all these annals of the great deeds done by the boys, and we should be guilty of grave dereliction of duty if we did not include the work done by the Australian women…they have revealed to our men the native nobility of our Australian womanhood. (Mention nurses at the front, the Red Cross, keeping the home). (Red Cross Kitchen)