As the twentieth century dawned, Britain was one of the greatest powers on Earth. This small island nation ruled over a vast global empire. Yet, despite its wealth, power and global influence, the British Empire was less secure than it appeared

Shock

Jul 27th, 2014

Following the outbreak of war in August 1914, mainland Europe became a battleground. Both sides wanted to crush their enemies and end the war quickly. The horrific number of casualties caused by modern weapons came as a terrible shock. Hundreds

Deadlock

Jul 26th, 2014

By late 1914 the war on the Western Front had become deadlocked. Neither side had achieved victory in northern France and Belgium. They now dug trenches to protect themselves from each other’s murderous fire. Life for a front line soldier could

Global War

Jul 25th, 2014

A European war meant a world war. From the very beginning, the overseas empires of the European powers were drawn into the conflict. There was fighting in Africa, in Asia and in the Middle East. As the war spread, so did the suffering.Image - M

Feeding The Front

Jul 24th, 2014

In 1915 Britain faced falling army recruitment and shells shortages at the front. To win the war, a transformation was needed. A ‘home front’ was created to supply the fighting fronts’ constant demands for men, weapons, equipment and food.Image

Total War

Jul 23rd, 2014

In 1916 British and Empire troops took the lead in a huge attack on the River Somme. The first troops went over the top in the early morning of 1 July. By evening nearly 20,000 of them lay dead. Over the next five months, British and Empire s

At All Costs

Jul 22nd, 2014

As 1916 drew to a close, there was still no sign of victory. New leaders urged their weary citizens to work even harder. Total war on the battlefield meant total war on the home front. Women kept the country going, filling jobs usually done by

Machines Against Men

Jul 21st, 2014

In 1917 Britain’s army looked increasingly to machines to win the war. It found ways to make guns even more destructive and taught closer teamwork between soldiers. Yet new ways of fighting did not bring victory, and war on the Western Front be

Breaking Down

Jul 20th, 2014

By 1917 war was putting ever-greater strain on armies and home fronts. A growing number of civilians, politicians and soldiers were looking for a way out. Austria-Hungary and Turkey began to crumble. But Russia, one of Britain’s allies, broke f

War Without End

Jul 19th, 2014

Britain and its Empire were triumphant, but much changed by four years of war. The Great War gave rise to new ambitions, rivalries and tensions. Old empires had fallen, new nations had been born. For the first time in Britain, a national museum

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