Contributions of Women in Wwi

Everyone knows how greatly the men all contributed during the First World War, but what do they know about the women? Most men weren’t even allowed to fight unless their wives allowed them to go. Also, the women were the ones who helped keep the soldiers warm. Lastly, who were the ones who came to help the men when they got injured or wounded? These are just some of the reasons of how women contributed greatly to WWI.

During the Great War, men that were fit and healthy were expected to enlist in the war to defend their country against enemy attacks, but before they could sign up, their wives had to give them permission. After all, life is pretty hard on a woman if all she knows how to do is cook, knit and sew. Just making the decision would be hard enough. What would happen to the children? Who would go and earn the money? What if he didn’t return? What would happen then?

Many women would get together in groups to share and talk about their experiences, while knitting mittens, scarves and other things to send overseas to their loved ones. They would also organize teas, parties, bazaars and other fundraisers to make money to also send overseas.

Other women preferred to be closer to their husbands, and signed up to become what were called “nursing sisters,” women that would help injured soldiers. Although the working conditions were grueling, the nurses were given the rank of Lieutenant in the medical field, and were rewarded by good pay, vacations, and good jobs until the end of the war.

Who says women didn’t contribute to the war? Just the decision making to allow the men to enlist, the knitting scarves and mittens for the soldiers to keep them warm, and nursing them all back to health prove that women contributed to the war just as much as the men did.