Log Update after talking to Mr Stewart

Mr Stewart read over my independent essay again.
We've decided;

• To make the introduction more 'general'.
• To split my first paragraph into 2 (on on industrial, and another on economic).
• To keep it SHORT AND SIMPLE!! (KISS) by getting rid of italics for names and stuff.
• I need to expand on the military dictatorship of Hindenburg and Ludendorff.
• AND I need to be consistent with the spelling of 'programme' - I like the double m and e version.
• But!!! on the plus side; apparently I'm "on the right track" :)

So far.....got 1800 words approx and the essay is getting there.

Introduction #2

Introduction

Many historians have used the term ‘total war’ to describe the dramatic growth in scope and intensity of warfare during the twentieth century; an expression which was developed during the First World War by contemporary historians. When total war emerged during late 1915, “all the resources of human society were fully mobilised and utilised” (The Great War, was it total? Leon Atkinson pg 2), in achieving the complete defeat of the enemy, as the waging of war brought unprecedented changes to the civilian scene. The non-combatants on the German Home Front were forced to adapt to the demands of the military, as the Reichstag reacted to the ordeals on the Battle Fronts by implementing a series of economic, political and social changes within Germany. Under the leadership of Erich von Ludendorff, Paul von Hindenburg and a compliant Kaiser Wilhelm II, total war forced Germany to reconstruct its economy, which led to the introduction of the Hindenburg Programme, in order to, “restructure industrial mobilisation in the interests of greater efficiency” (pg77 in Chickering school book. The Auxiliary Service Law), the most significant consequence of the Hindenburg Programme, which, “had far reaching implications for the position ... of the Reichstag and organised labour in Germany ...” (pg77 in Chickering school book), terminated non-essential industries, and highlighted the production of war materials, but failed to mobilise additional labour as, “there was little additional (male) labour to mobilise [outside] ... the military” (pg81 in Chickering school book). Pursuant to the dictates of the Hindenburg Programme, thousands of soldiers returned from the Front for service in industry, and although this boosted Germany’s industrial output it, “emphasised the limits of Germany’s resources, weakened the field strengths of the army and further tied up the country’s overtaxed railroads” (pg81 in Chickering school book). It is evident that by 1915, the Reichstag was forced to adapt and change to the demands of total war, as it instituted a series of economic, political and social changes on the German Home Front which had significant affects on every aspect of German society.

Please ignore my referencing in brackets
Comments welcomed!!!

New Perspective on my essay

I have essential re-written my independent essay from a different view point.
I find I can build on the assumed knowledge within the first essay, and have taken out the paragraph about the naval blockade, and incorporated this instead into my argument.

I have 2 body paragraphs; one on food and another on economic and industry.

I have written less about the effects of total war, but how the Reichstag adapted to it, through the Hindenburg Programme and various committees and organisations established to maintain the war time economy.

So far, I have about 1600 words - all good :)

Log Update after meeting with Mr Stewart

Just spoke to Mr Stewart,

I must focus on the "adapt" part of my essay question.

I can make comparisons to other nations and how they adapted in WW1.
I can also make comparisons in Germany before and after WW1.

some thoughts.....
Ludendorff and Hindenburg created a military dictatorship as a way to adapt to the demands of total warfare in Germany. They placed the needs of the military above the needs of the populace, and as a result of this the women, children and few men on the Home Front starved.
I need to write less an informative essay, and mroe evaluative.

Introduction so far - ignore the yellow random bits :)

Introduction

The First World War evolved into total war during late 1915, in which, “all the resources of human society were fully mobilised and utilised” The Great War, was it total? Leon Atkinson pg 2, in achieving the complete defeat of the enemy, and thus the non-combatants on the Homes Fronts were forced to adapt to the demands of the military. As the, “stresses and strains of conflict reached the German Home Front” Imperial Germany 1871 – 1918 economy, society, culture and politics pg 289, with the catastrophic consequences of the British Naval blockade, it became evident that, “the civilians behind the lines were as important to victory as the men on the lines” www.pbs.greatwar/chapter/ch2_overview.html. This is exemplified by historian Michael Howard, who stated that, “as long as the railways kept the armies supplied, the armies could not be defeated until the nations themselves were exhausted and begging for peace” http://media.ucsc.edu/classes/thompson/history30c/04_whygermany%20lost.html, and thus the centre of the enemy power lay in the civilian population, which meant that, “the population [would]...be attacked directly” http://media.ucsc.edu/classes/thompson/history30c/04_whygermany%20lost.html. Because, “a nation’s social and economic structures were needed to support the technology of modern armies and navies” M. McAndrew, et. al., op. cit. P. 215, at the outbreak of war in 1914, the German Reichstag realised that, “everything would have to be geared towards the war...[and] behind the lines, resources of arms and bread had to be made available to the troops” Mastering modern German history pg 102, on the Battle Fronts. Staff Officers such as, Paul von Hindenburg and Erich Ludendorff knew that the German Army’s victories in battle, would be dependent upon the production of armaments and ammunition and support of the industries on the Home Front, and thus it quickly became evident that total war required the Germany Home Front to change extensively.

It's still a work in progress....

Another late night log

I've had to reborrow the books from the Barr Smith library for like the 3rd time - they are very useful!!!!
Got the 2nd stage of the individual history essay coming up and I'm pretty sure I've done everything.
plan - tick!
bibliography - tick!
essay question =- tick!