{"id":839,"date":"2017-10-13T09:32:08","date_gmt":"2017-10-13T09:32:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/schoolshistory.org.uk\/topics\/?page_id=839"},"modified":"2026-06-23T15:56:57","modified_gmt":"2026-06-23T15:56:57","slug":"outbreak-of-war-public-reaction","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/schoolshistory.org.uk\/topics\/world-history\/first-world-war\/outbreak-of-war-public-reaction\/","title":{"rendered":"Outbreak of war: public reaction"},"content":{"rendered":"

What was the reaction of the British Public to the outbreak of war in 1914?<\/h2>\n

This photograph was taken outside Buckingham Palace on the day that war was declared.<\/p>\n

What does it suggest about the reaction of the British public?<\/p>\n

\"Outbreak<\/p>\n

The same scene was also recorded by cameramen. Watch this footage to gain a better understanding of the public reaction to war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
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Watch the second clip carefully. It was also filmed in August, 1914.<\/p>\n

What is happening in this clip?<\/p>\n

What does that suggest about the public reaction to the declaration of war?<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
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The British Expeditionary Force had been established following the Boer War. It’s purpose was to ensure that Britain was always ready to react to situations around the globe in which her armed forces may be required to participate. By 1914, this force was 120,000 strong. It was commanded by Sir John French, who is seen in the video clip below inspecting troops in August, 1914.<\/p>\n

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Factfile:<\/p>\n

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  1. The BEF (British Expeditionary Force) had 120,000 highly trained professional soldiers at it’s disposal.<\/li>\n
  2. The BEF had deployed it’s first troops in France and Belgium just 3 days after the declaration of war.<\/li>\n
  3. From 1908, the Territorial Army had been developed to provide a strong reserve of trained soldiers. Each command also held a separate, ‘Special Reserve’.<\/li>\n
  4. By the end of the First battle of Ypres, the BEF had deployed 125,000 men in Northern France and Belgium, including members of the Territorial Army who had waived their right to only serve on the Home Front.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    The BEF in action.<\/h4>\n

    The BEF was sent to halt the German advance through Belgium and Northern France. The action in these early days of the war is illustrated in the flash animation, below.<\/p>\n

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    Note: This animation has been sent to me by e-mail. If it is subject to copyright, and you are the copyright owner, please\u00a0contact me<\/a>\u00a0to have it correctly attributed or removed from the site.<\/span><\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    First World War<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

    Causes of the First World War<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Timeline of Causes<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Forgotten Causes<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Assassination of Franz Ferdinand<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0The Schlieffen Plan<\/a>\u00a0– Historiography of the Causes of the First World War<\/a><\/p>\n

    Outbreak of War<\/strong>\u00a0(Public reaction in Britain)<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0The British Expeditionary Force in 1914<\/a><\/p>\n

    Trench Warfare<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Simulation: Would you make a good officer in the trenches?<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0British contribution to the Western Front<\/a><\/p>\n

    Battles of the First World War<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0First Battle of the Marne\u00a0<\/a>\u2013\u00a0The Gallipoli Campaign<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Battle of Verdun<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Battle of Jutland<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Brusilov Offensive<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Battle of the Somme<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Battle of Passchendaele<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0The Spring Offensive<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Battle of Amiens<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Victory on the Western Front?<\/a><\/p>\n

    The Home Front<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Revision exercise<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Changing role of Women<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Propaganda<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Censorship<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Conscientious Objectors<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Rationing and Recruitment<\/a><\/p>\n

    Personalities<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Douglas Haig and the Somme<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Charles Gass<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Billy Bishop<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Ludendorff<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0The Bradford Pals<\/a>\u00a0– Black History and the First World War<\/a><\/p>\n

    Technology and New Weapons<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0<\/strong>British Tanks<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Machine Guns<\/a><\/p>\n

    Medicine in the First World War<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

    Other wars:<\/h4>\n

    The Norman Conquest<\/a> – The Wars of the Roses<\/a> – The British and English Civil Wars<\/a> – The Second World War<\/a>\u00a0– Vietnam War<\/a> – Cold War<\/a><\/p>\n

    Famous Battles:<\/h4>\n

    Battle of Hastings<\/a>\u00a0– Battle of Towton<\/a> – Battle of Bosworth<\/a> – D Day<\/a><\/p>\n

    Related Content:<\/h4>\n

    The British Empire<\/a> – The Treaty of Versailles<\/a> – Impact of the War on Germany<\/a>\u00a0– Primary History<\/a> – History Teachers Resources<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    What was the reaction of the British Public to the outbreak of war in 1914? This photograph was taken outside Buckingham Palace on the day that war was declared. What does it suggest about the reaction of the British public? The same scene was also recorded by cameramen. Watch this footage to gain a better… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5170,"parent":144,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"off","neve_meta_content_width":100,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-839","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t