Why did British men sign up to fight in the First World War?
Students read information about WWI propaganda stories and analyse two visual sources, considering how they might have encouraged British people to enlist.
The PowerPoint contains thought-provoking discussion questions about the likely effects of the propaganda on young people today and in 1914, as well as background information on the events that led to the outbreak of World War I.
This lesson could be followed by How did the experience of war affect civilians in Britain: 1914–18?
An extract from the information:
The soldiers had no idea of the realities of war at the beginning, and posters were produced and false stories given to the newspapers to hide the truth from them. Within a few months, therefore, more than 100,000 men had joined the army (the British Expeditionary Force).
