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Before First World War women had few rights.

But their experience in the Great War had changed that forever. Their views towards life changed or improved. By the middle of the 19th century, women were demanding equality with men. They wanted suffrage - the right to vote in elections - and an equal chance to work and get educated. They demanded the right to have their own possessions, to divorce their husbands, and to keep their children after divorce. The fight for women's rights was also called feminism, and involved many dedicated women.Thse changes were mainly a cause ot WW1. During World War I (1914 - 1918 ) the women worked to keep factories going while the men fought. They proved that women were just as capable as men. In 1918 British women over 30 got voting rights. Two years later, in 1920 the United States granted vote for women over 30 as well. By 1950 they could vote in 69 countries; by 1975 in 129. Today women have the right to vote almost everywhere except for a few Arab countries, such as Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. New horizons and new roles opened up for women, thanks to the effect of World War I. Many also worked as nurses , and they served in hospitals in the U.S. and overseas and had to follow the soldiers to the front nd help them when needed- and they needed help all the time. Those nurses who did serve were in Belgium, Italy, England and on troop trains and transport ships. Army and Navy Nurse Corps women served valiantly throughout the war, many received decorations for their service. With growing numbers of men joining the British armed forces during the First World War, the country was desperately short of labour. The Government decided that more women would have to become more Involved in producing food and goods to support their war effort. This included the establishment of the Women's Land Army. Some farmers resisted this measure and

in 1916 the Board of Trade began sending agricultural organizing officers around the country in an effort to persuade farmers to accept women workers. This strategy worked and by 1917 there were over 260,000 women working as farm labourers. A Quick summary The war affected women in a number of ways. For one thing, women were allowed to enter the work force. Many women went to work in factories and as trolley car drivers. Other women went to work in the fields. Many women became nurses. However, most women did not enjoy this line of work. During the war women became an important part of the work force. Since most of the men were off fighting, the women were needed to stay home and run things so that the ecomony would not completly fall apart. However, things were not easy at the home front. Many women lost men in their lives, their husbands, brothers, and fathers. Before the war, women mostly depended on men for finiancial support. But with so many gone to battle and then dying, women had to to go work just to support themselves. During the war, women were also viewed as important. Images of women on posters and postcards were to provide inspiration for the men in battle. The belief was that when a man saw the image of a woman he would be reminded of what he was fighting to protect. But he would also get a sense of comfort thinking about his loved one at home. Society also wanted women to focus on having children. With so many people dying there would be a population decline. In order to keep the population numbers up, women and men were asked to reproduce. During the war there were many things that women were asked to do: go to work, volunteer, have kids, etc. However, the role of women did not remain this way after the war. Once the war was over and the men began to return home, women were expected to return to the kitchens and hearths as before.

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