Controversy and emancipation. Britain's costliest conflict had a far-reaching impact at home.
Home Front: World War One
Overview: Britain and World War One 1901 - 1918
Overview: Britain and World War One, 1901 - 1918
The Great War brought decades of simmering social reform to the boil. How did the bloodiest conflict in Britain's history finally give its citizen soldiers the right to vote?
The Descent into War
A New Enemy
In the 19th century, Britain's invasion phobia became focused on the German 'threat'. How real was it? By Dan Cruickshank.
- Cousins at War - The Great War brought death, defeat and exile to the closely-related royal houses of Europe. How did it happen? By Theo Aronson
- Easter Rising of 1916 - How did a failed rebellion against British rule in the midst of World War One set Ireland on a new course, and what were the consequences? By Dr Fearghal McGarry
- Ireland and World War One - Both unionist and nationalist troops fought alongside each other in World War One. What was the legacy of Ireland's response to the conflict? By Keith Jeffery
The Social Impact of War
Mass Politics and the Western Front
The vital role of the media in propaganda and maintenance of national morale. By Dr Stephen Badsey.
Women and the Military during World War One
Women in uniform were a novelty in 1914 and yet 80,000 women served in the forces as non-combatants during World War One. Discover how one exceptional Englishwoman answered the call to arms as a member of the Serbian army.
- Women on the Home Front in World War One - World War One altered women's status in Britain forever.
Debates and Controversies of World War One
The Western Front: Lions Led by Donkeys?
The popular view of Britain's generals as incompetent buffoons is a misleading caricature. By Dr Gary Sheffield.
Roger Casement: Secrets of the Black Diaries
Science has discovered what decades of speculation could not prove, as Paul Tilzey reveals.
- Shot at Dawn: Cowards, Traitors or Victims? - Peter Taylor-Whiffen explores a subject so controversial that it remains in our consciousness today.
- The Pals Battalions in World War One - Article describing Lord Kitchener's solution to the manpower demands of World War One.
Edwardian Britain Before the War
Different Approaches to Antarctic Exploration
What was the secret of Amundsen's success at the South Pole? As Sian Flynn explains, the devil's in the detail.
Edward VII: The First Constitutional Monarch
His reign was short, but he provided a stable bridge between Victoria and the modern monarchy. By Lucy Moore.
- The Race to the South Pole - Sian Flynn reveals how the race for Antarctic glory was run.
- Shackleton: A Voyage of Endurance - Facing hunger, loneliness and near-mutiny, this is their story.
- Titanic: Sinking the Myths - Paul Louden-Brown separates the truth from the many surviving myths.
- The 1908 London Olympics Gallery by Stan Greenberg
British History Timeline
- Explore the British History Timeline from the Neolithic to the present day
World War One Centenary
- Find out more about how the BBC is covering the World War One Centenary, and see the latest programmes and online content
Surviving the trenches
- Dan Snow asks why so many soldiers survived the trenches in WW1
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