You are not currently logged in. Please create an account or log in to view the full course.

Britain – The Great War and British Society, 1914-39

1. Total War

This is the course trailer. Please create an account or log in to view this lecture.

 
  • Description
  • Cite

About this Lecture

Lecture

In this module, we think about the ways in which the First World War was a 'total war', focusing in particular on: (i) the geographical spread of the First World War; (ii) the range of military strategies that were used in the war, e.g. strategic bombing, poison gas, etc.; (iii) the length of the war compared to previous wars, e.g. Second Boer War (1899-1902), Crimean War (1853-56), etc.; (iv) the extent to which the First World War impacted every aspect of life in Britain; (v) the extent to which that some of the social, cultural and economic changes that followed the war were already underway before the war started; and (vi) the extent to which the First World War still dominates public memory and culture today.

Course

In this course, Professor Matthew Cole (University of Birmingham) explores the impact of the First World War on British society between 1918-39. In the first module, we think about the ways in which the First World War was a 'total war', focusing in particular on the extent to which it impacted every aspect of life in Britain. In the second module, we think about the impact of the First World War on the British economy and society, before turning in the third module to consider the impact of the war on the British political system. Finally, in the fourth module, we think about the impact of the war on Britain's position in the world, and the extent to which Britain's unwillingness to prepare for the possibility of another European war allowed for the expansion of Nazi Germany and the outbreak of the Second World War.

Lecturer

Matthew Cole is Teaching Fellow in the Department of History at the University of Birmingham. He is a historian of modern Britain with a particular interest in twentieth century constitutional and party politics, and local history.

Cite this Lecture

APA style

Cole, M. (2021, March 18). Britain – The Great War and British Society, 1914-39 - Total War [Video]. MASSOLIT. https://www.massolit.io/courses/britain-the-great-war-and-british-society-1914-39/total-war

MLA style

Cole, M. "Britain – The Great War and British Society, 1914-39 – Total War." MASSOLIT, uploaded by MASSOLIT, 18 Mar 2021, https://www.massolit.io/courses/britain-the-great-war-and-british-society-1914-39/total-war