The War Machine
Series charting how the First World War affected Britain. With the country unprepared for war, the whole population is enlisted to turn Britain into a war machine.
In the second part of his landmark series on how the First World War affected the lives of the British people, Jeremy Paxman describes the crisis facing the country as it becomes clear it is fatally unprepared to fight a modern industrial war.
Now the whole population is enlisted to turn the country into a war machine; women fill the factories to make bombs and bullets, men are forced to fight at the front, and conscientious objectors are threatened with the firing squad and striking shipbuilders with jail. Even the beer is watered down on government orders.
Britain is having to learn to do as it is told.
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Clip
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Women go to war
Duration: 03:12
Music Played
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Ethel Smyth
The March of The Women
Conductor: Philip Brunelle. Orchestra: Plymouth Festival Orchestra and Chorus.
Making the series
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Credits
Role | Contributor |
---|---|
Presenter | Jeremy Paxman |
Series Producer | Basil Comely |
Director | Roger Parsons |
Director | Julian Birkett |
Broadcasts
- Mon 3 Feb 2014 21:00
- Wed 26 Feb 2014 01:10Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Two except Wales
- Wed 26 Feb 2014 02:05Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Two Wales
- Wed 2 Aug 2017 12:00
- Tue 6 Nov 2018 14:45Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Two except Scotland
Download your free Open University booklet
From casualties to commemoration, explore the realities of war with this OU booklet.
World War One at the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ
New perspectives on the war that changed everything.
Download your free Open University booklet
From casualties to commemoration, explore the realities of war with this OU booklet.
World War One at the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ
New perspectives on the war that changed everything.