From the 1998 IBDP History Paper 2 exam
War, a potent catalyst for change, profoundly impacts society's fabric, encompassing diverse spheres such as the roles of women, the arts, and the media. This essay explores how war has influenced these two distinct realms – the changing roles of women and the evolution of the media. Specifically, the focus will be on the transformative period of the World Wars, given their widespread and profound impact. Through these lenses, this essay will underscore the enduring and multifaceted consequences of war.
The impact of war on women's roles and status is a significant aspect of social history, and the World Wars were turning points in this regard. Before the outbreak of World War I, prevailing societal norms in the West confined women to the private sphere, largely excluding them from public life and paid employment. However, as men were drafted into the armies, there arose an unprecedented demand for labour, paving the way for women to enter the workforce in large numbers. The employment of women during World War I was not simply an extension of their traditional roles but represented a substantial expansion into new areas of work. As Braybon notes, in the United Kingdom, women moved into jobs previously reserved for men, including munitions factories, public transportation, and even non-combat roles in the military. By 1918, women constituted almost 80% of the workforce in the munitions industry.
The shift in women's employment wasn't limited to the UK. In the United States, Goldin asserts that the war accelerated the trend of women's entry into the workforce. Similarly, in Germany, Daniel points to a rise in the female employment rate from 37% in 1913 to 70% in 1918. However, the conclusion of the war saw many women return to domestic roles, as men reclaimed their pre-war jobs. This provoked a backlash against working women, and the inter-war period witnessed a resurgence of traditional gender norms. Yet, World War II brought women back into the workforce, further consolidating the gains made during World War I. According to Summerfield, women's contribution to the war effort, particularly in industries such as munitions and aircraft manufacturing, was pivotal to the Allies' success. Post-World War II, many women again faced the pressure to return to domesticity, yet the two World Wars had irrevocably altered women's place in society. The dramatic rise in women's employment during these conflicts contributed significantly to the evolution of gender norms, opening the way for the subsequent feminist movements of the 20th century.
Parallel to the transformative impact on women's roles, war also profoundly influenced the media, revolutionising its functions and shaping its modern form. The World Wars, in particular, marked significant turning points in the evolution of the media. Before World War I, the media, primarily print newspapers, played a limited role in shaping public opinion or propagating state narratives. However, the outbreak of World War I saw governments recognising the potential of the media as a tool for shaping public sentiment and rallying support for the war effort. In Britain, the establishment of the War Propaganda Bureau in 1914, as pointed out by Badsey, marked one of the first attempts at state-directed manipulation of media narratives. Simultaneously, censorship laws were introduced to control information flow, preventing the publication of potentially demoralising or strategically compromising news.
This governmental manipulation and censorship reached new heights during World War II. In Britain, the Ministry of Information controlled war news, and censorship was pervasive, with regulations enforced on correspondents and newspapers. In the United States, the Office of War Information (OWI) played a similar role, shaping the media narrative to foster a unified front. As Stamm and Fortini-Campbell noted, the OWI not only controlled news reporting but also utilised various mediums like radio broadcasts and films to propagate war messages. Furthermore, World War II saw the emergence of photojournalism as a significant facet of war reporting. Magnum photographers such as Robert Capa brought the realities of war to the public, fostering empathy and support for the war effort. This period also witnessed the development of international news agencies, like Reuters and Associated Press, distributing war news worldwide. However, the state's tight control over media narratives during the wars was not without backlash. Post World War II, in response to the perceived excesses of state control and propaganda, there was a push for greater media independence and objectivity, shaping the norms of modern journalism.
Synthesising the impact of war on women's roles and the media reveals some overarching themes. First, war acts as a catalyst for social and institutional change, disrupting existing norms and creating opportunities for transformation. This is evident in the dramatic shift in women's societal roles during the World Wars and the evolution of the media from a relatively passive player to an active participant in shaping public sentiment and war narratives. Second, these transformations are not linear or unidirectional. The advancement of women's roles during the wars was met with backlash in the inter-war and immediate post-war periods, indicating societal resistance to change. Similarly, the increased state control over media during the wars prompted a push for greater independence and objectivity in the post-war period, reflecting the tension between state power and institutional autonomy. Finally, the effects of war endure long after the cessation of conflict. The World Wars, despite spanning a relatively short period in the span of history, had a profound and lasting impact on both women's roles and the media. The wars opened new avenues for women's employment and catalysed feminist movements. They also fundamentally altered the landscape of the media, influencing its modern form and norms.
The examination of war's impact on women's roles and the media underscores its profound and multifaceted influence on society. War disrupts societal and institutional norms, creating an impetus for change. While these transformations may face resistance and are not linear, they nonetheless leave a lasting imprint. The World Wars, despite their global devastation, played a crucial role in advancing women's societal roles and shaping the modern media. These conflicts not only transformed the world order but also altered the course of social and institutional histories, impacting women's employment and societal roles, the media's functions and norms, and the complex interplay between state and society. In conclusion, war's impact extends beyond the immediate sphere of conflict, influencing diverse societal realms. Therefore, an understanding of war's multifaceted effects is integral to a comprehensive understanding of societal and institutional history.
