In a fully comparative, European context, this book offers a unique examination of the effects of the First World War on family life. The contributory essays, written by sixteen scholars in the field, focus primarily on the social, economic and ideological repercussions of the war. After a detailed study of living standards in wartime Europe, attention then turns to the ways in which the war affected women's work and how it affected the state's attitude to the family and encouraged the pro-natalist movements. The final section also considers broader speculations about the impact of war on family forms and alternative social affiliations. In general, the book highlights the fundamental dialectic between the effects of the First World War in disturbing family life and in releasing social and political forces, which helped to restore family life in its more traditional forms.

Book Information
ISBN 9780521525152
Author Richard Wall
Format Paperback
Page Count 508
Imprint Cambridge University Press
Publisher Cambridge University Press
Weight(grams) 740g