The impact of war on women - Source analysis Essay

Submitted By JacquieRose-B
Words: 406
Pages: 2

The impact of war on women’s lives and experiences in Britain.

[Source 2]
This propaganda poster highlights one of the most widely held occupations that women joined when the war began. It depicts a lady beginning her work at the munitions factory, as the soldier leaves his work there to go fight in the war. It was used to convey the idea that everyone should be involved in the war, both women and men and that it would be a positive experience. However, even though this source would be useful when studying the push for women in the First World War, it is limited in its explanation of the harsh side effects that these jobs brought with them. Approximately 819,000 women worked at these factories, with the majority suffering illness due to the constant exposure to TNT. Their skin would turn yellow, therefore giving them the name, ‘canaries.’ It is a pro – war source released by the British Government to recruit others to participate. The poster is not as reliable as a book extract or photograph as it we are unaware of its origins, however it is a secondary source that was used frequently for public use amongst other posters to help with the war effort.

[Source 3]
This cartoon shows the mistreatment and inequality of women that was prevalant in the time of the war. They were expected to pay a higher fare than men, which many couldn’t afford, even though many began to do