DORA - Defence of the Realm Act

  • The Defence of the Realm Act Introduced in 1914
    • Gave the government powers to control many aspects of people’s daily lives
    • The priority was to keep industrial production high, but other things were affected too 

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  • Licensing hours were introduced Pubs could only open for 2 hours at lunchtime and 3 hours in the evening
    • This made sure the workforce was awake and sober for factory work
  • Newspapers and radio broadcasts were censored
    • The government could control what people heard about the war
    • This made sure the public continued to support the war effort by only hearing good things
  • Food was rationed
    • The government took over land and used it for farm production
    • This ensured there was enough food to feed the public and the army, despite German U-Boat attacks
  • Beer was diluted
    • The government allowed publicans to make beer weaker
    • This ensured the workforce didn’t drink so much as to make them drunk or hung-over while at work
  • British Summer Time was introduced
    • The government move the clocks forward by an hour in the summer
    • This ensured factories had maximum daylight, meaning they could operate later
  • Mines and railways were taken over by the government
    • The government had ultimate control over them
    • This meant production of coal, and the movement of trains, would be prioritised for the war effort
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