Women of Britain say go: women's patriotism in the First World War

This article examines the actions of some aristocratic and middle-class women in the First World War. Many such women actively participated in the war effort, displaying a sense of patriotism in a variety of ways both in domestic and public spheres. Such patriotism was remarkably sustained, though not unchanging, continuing through to the end of the war. Contact with ‘shirkers’, ‘aliens’, and air raids reinforced the strength of these women's patriotism, as did the example of and encounter with the monarchy. The shocking success of the German spring offensive of 1918 did much to revitalize support for the war effort. Britain's victory in the war then validated these women's efforts, which in turn strengthened their patriotism. The First World War therefore saw a greater integration of aristocratic and middle-class women into a conservative version of the nation, and this had repercussions on postwar politic