Ersatz Food and Propaganda During the First World War World war one was one of the most devastating global conflicts to ever take place. Because the nations and alliances involved did everything possible to come out as victorious, world war one is a prime example of total war. This meant that countries placed the need to win the war above everything else, and civilians were often left to suffer as governments directed all the country’s resources towards the war effort, and heavily encouraged young men and women to enlist in the war. As a result of this, many countries could not afford proper food, ultimately leading to the creation of ersatz food which provided a cheaper and easier to produce alternative to traditional food items. Moreover, the dire need for more soldiers and nurses in the war led to various forms of propaganda to emerge, encouraging the enlistment of men and women, as well as invoking fear and anger in the public. As WW1 progressed, countries began sending more money and resources towards the war effort, causing the quantity of everyday foods to dwindle and the prices to skyrocket. “Rationing and substitution became routine among many nations, but especially in Germany,” where food was scarcer than in any other nation (National WWI Museum and Memorial). Ersatz food provided a way for …show more content…
Due to the naval blockade and British minefields in the North Sea, food was extremely scarce in Berlin, and many civilians had to go to undesirable means in order to be fed. Figure 3 shows women and children hacking away at a horse killed during battle, illustrating the true seriousness of food shortages in Germany (National Archives; Gov.uk). While ersatz food and severe shortages are often not assumed to be the most detrimental aspects of World War 1, they truly had a devastating impact on the lives of both soldiers and civilians and are a dreadful part of total