German U-boats and the sinking of Lusitania
- Why should we bother to learn about X? – (From Ms. Leinbach’s document)
The British blockade of the German essential life-line by the Royal Navy did lead Germany into a serious economic crisis with such a small amount of food to fulfill the hunger of the whole German population. The effects of the British blockade were not limited for food shortages but also for the greatly growing need for the raw resources. It is depicted in the British Library as: “the blockade of supplies to Germany weakened the country, directly contributing to the end of the war” (Bruton). Compared to the effects that the German U-boat had on British economy’s, the British blockade contributed to completely alter one nation’s economic and industrial regulations regarding natural resources including foods.
The significance of Lusitania was that it became one of the clear evidence that German military strategies and policies were heavily affected by the British military tactics attempted on Germany. It is also demonstrated that the world war 1 did take naval battles into the greater account. The nature of the British blockade and the German U-boat prove that their practices and daily encounterings possessed an ability to leave a enormous impact on both countries – in terms of economics, public perception regarding the enemy, and their allies. For Britain, the sinking of Lusitania caused mourns and loss of those who had passed away as well as an opportunity for its ally to enter in the war. BBC reports that: “Churchill later wrote: ‘In spite of all its horror, we must regard the sinking of the Lusitania as an event most important and favourable to the Allies’” (Seligmann). The nature of the British blockade and the German U-boat encounters were established in a fashion that triggered distinct responses from European public and called for instant changes which eventually affected the course of the WW1.
Works Cited in URL:
Bruton, Louise. “The War at sea.”
https://www.bl.uk/world-war-one/articles/the-war-at-sea
Seligmann, Matthew. “Lusitania: Who was to blame for the deaths of 1,201 people?”
http://www.bbc.co.uk/guides/z2vj7ty
Mata Hari was beautiful – The increased presence of women in WW1
- Student explains the historical significance of events, people, or developments by showing what they reveal about issues in history or contemporary life – (From Ms. Leinbach’s document)
In the modern time history, the increased women’s presence and participation in the society during WW1 were regarded as a stimulator for further step closer to the gender equality and universal suffrage. Indeed, Britain did recognize women’s rights to vote, and it was first granted in 1918 from the women over the age of 30. At home, women worked in factories, farms, educational institutions; at war front, women worked for aiding nurses as well as working as an intelligence for her country which was not a rare practice during this time period. Despite these developments which brought lights into women’s commitment in the society, there were negative effects that frankly reflected the lack of women’s rights in the community. The women who worked for intelligence were often the best target for the executions.
From the perspectives of government officials and servants, women were the perfect suit for committing reconnaissance – since women’s position within the European society during WW1 was still inferior to men’s, it was relatively easy for the officials to cut these intelligence by putting a certain label on them, which called for a mass public attention whether positive or not. This often positioned those into a controversial position where the public opinion could be manipulated by using these figures. It is described that: “Real or imagined spies were convenient scapegoats for explaining military losses” (Biography.com Editors). The execution of Mata Hari, who were accused of betraying French government, and the progress of her court trial reveals her act of betrayal and malice was not fairly judged: “The military tribunal deliberated for less than 45 minutes” (Biography.com Editors); which results in one of the reasons why she still remains a controversial figure whose life remains hidden and unclear to the audience of the 21st century. The society labelled her as “vilified spy” (Luksic). Unfortunately, her background was not obvious to the public when she described her reason for being a prostitute: “I have done it only out of poverty” (Wheelwright). However, these introduction of women’s figure in WW1 reveals that women’s participation was essential in the course of WW1, whether to collect information or to fill the absence created in the society by soldier’s recruitment. Therefore, it certainly made impacts on the later gender equality movements, and it challenged the traditional society’s system where women were restricted in workplaces and their social status due to man-dominating society’s structure.
Works Cited in URL:
Biography.com Editors. “Mata Hari Biography.com.”
https://www.biography.com/people/mata-hari-9402348
Luksic, Nicola. “Mata Hari and Edith Cavell: Women, intrigue and WWI propaganda.”
http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/mata-hari-and-edith-cavell-women-intrigue-and-wwi-propaganda-1.2797931
Wheelwright, Julie. “Mother, dancer, wife, spy: the real Mata Hari.”
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/dec/05/the-real-mata-hari-executed-abused-woman
Hey Hiromi, I liked your post about the increased presence of women in WWI. I found it really helpful for me to get a better understanding of what role women played in the first WW. For the post about the U-boats and the sinking of Lusitania, I think you should have went more in depth about how it affected technology today.
Hiromi,
I too really appreciated how you took a more general issue of the women’s role in WWI and addressed the many different roles women played during the war. And the significance of these roles was adequately linked to later gender struggles and accomplishments. This post gives me ideas for future lessons!