The French Home Front

What happened with France and the First World War?

The First World War had a huge impact on French politics, economy and society.

How was France affected by the First World War?

France was negatively affected by the First World War in 6 key ways:

• ❖ The French economy suffered. 12% of France was occupied by Germany, which led to 300,000 houses and 20,000 shops or factories being destroyed.
• ❖ After the war the value of the French franc fell and investment dropped by 44%.
• ❖ The Germans had invaded France in the First World War and committed atrocities during their occupation. This motivated post-war French governments to focus on keeping Germany weak and signing treaties to keep France safe.
• ❖ French society was hit hard as the French suffered the highest casualty rate to men mobilised. About 11% of the population was killed or wounded. Birth rates fell after the war and there was a shortage of working-age men.
• ❖ Vast areas of French farmland had been fought over and were now dangerous wastelands full of live ammunition, and dead soldiers and animals.

How did France become involved in the First World War?

The following events led to France entering the First World War.

• ❖ The Russians mobilised their army on the 31st July, 1914 despite the French government asking for caution. The French knew that this would cause German mobilisation, but Russia went ahead anyway.
• ❖ In response to Russian mobilisation, Germany declared war on Russia on the 1st August. It then put into motion the Schlieffen Plan, which would begin the attack on Belgium and France.

How was French society affected by the First World War?

French society was affected by the First World War in 7 key ways:

• ❖ 7.9 million French citizens served in the armed forces between 1914 and 1918.
• ❖ About 600,000 non-French citizens from the colonies served in the French army, with many seeing combat in France.
• ❖ About 4.2 million French soldiers were wounded, and over 500,000 were taken prisoner during the war.
• ❖ Nearly 1.4 million French soldiers were killed fighting in the First World War.
• ❖ Women had more opportunities to work as they had to take the place of men in the workplace.
• ❖ In 1917 there were widespread mutinies in the French army; 3,247 soldiers were put on trial and 49 were executed. However, French soldiers forced the government to improve their pay, living conditions and rights to visit their families.
• ❖ Rationing and the use of ration cards was introduced.

How was the French economy affected by the First World War?

The First World War had 5 significant effects on the French economy:

• ❖ Prices for food increased by 25% at the start of 1917 causing shortages for the people of France.
• ❖ During the war, 1.7 million people worked producing armaments, including 420,000 women.
• ❖ The Colonial Labour Organization Service brought 200,000 colonial workers from the empire to work.
• ❖ Employment opportunities resulted in increased income for married working women.
• ❖ By the mid-1920s the French franc had fallen from its value of 20 cents against the dollar to an all-time low of 2 cents.

What were the political effects of the First World War on France?

The First World War had 7 significant effects on French politics:

• ❖ The French government had amassed huge loans to finance the war and had to repay them during the 1920s and 1930s.
• ❖ There were strikes throughout 1917, often led by women who wanted fairer levels of pay and conditions. They helped to organise unions to stand up for workers' rights.
• ❖ France had to ensure Germany paid reparations to help pay off its war debts.
• ❖ During the 1920s and 1930s, war debts forced France to keep a large standing army to help force Germany to stick to the Treaty of Versailles and to secure French borders.
• ❖ After the experience of high casualties, there was strong pressure for France to avoid future conflicts during the 1920s and 1930s.
• ❖ Inflation and the fall in living standards for the middle class helped cause political problems in France during the 1930s.
• ❖ After the war, French politics became very bitter and divided. The split between the left and right in France risked leading to civil war in the 1930s.