Home Rule Assignment

Did the World War One newsreels give people a clear idea of what life was like for the soldiers in the trenches?

The Great War was fought from 1914-18. We have many sources of information about it, and today historians are able to say a lot about the events of the war and about the lives of the soldiers who fought it. But was this true at the time of the war?

At home people watched the newsreels eagerly to find out what was happening in the war. Were the Great War newsreels which people at home watched eagerly accurate reports of what life was like in the trenches? Were the newsreels just government propaganda which fed people a false view of what it was like in the trenches?

Your task

You have to decide what you think. To make an informed decision, you are going to:

study original WW1 newsreels AND other non-film sources
compare the impression of life in the trenches which people saw in the newsreels with the impression given in the other sources
decide your own view on this question and present your views.

Stage 1: Your Research

First of all, make sure you are clear about which newsreel clips and which sources you are supposed to be using. Your teacher may want you to look at particular clips and sources.

Now study the clips and sources below. Make careful notes about what the clips and sources tell you about life in the trenches. Here are some suggested themes for you to concentrate on, but you may think of others.

Relationships between officers and men
Food
Daily routine
Hygiene / keeping clean (or not!)
Comradeship between the soldiers
Conditions in trenches
Transport (including by foot)
Weapons and fighting – training and combat
The effects of artillery
Heavy losses
Troop numbers and reinforcements
Treatment of German prisoners
Conditions for the wounded

Add other aspects of life in the trenches you come across. There is a sheet to help you record your findings - Click here to download it.

Research the clips

Study the clips below. Keep careful notes of what you find out.

With The North and South Irish at the Front, part 1.1 (1915-1917)
With The North and South Irish at the Front, part 1.3 (1915-1917)
With The North and South Irish at the Front: part 1.9 (1915-1917)
With The North and South Irish at the Front, part 1.10 (1915-1917)
With The North and South Irish at the Front, part 1.12 (1915-1917)
With The North and South Irish at the Front, part 1.14 (1915-1917)
With The North and South Irish at the Front, part 1.15 (1915-1917)
With The North and South Irish at the Front, part 2.2 (1915-1917)
Nurse v Tommy (1919)

Research the sources

Study each of the sources and tackle the questions. Keep careful notes of what you find out, as these will be helpful when you plan your film.

Research the extra sources and clips

If you want to find out more about the subject go to the browse section.

Stage 2: Planning your answer

There is a sheet to help you record your findings for parts 3-5 of the research. Click here to download it.

Now study your chosen clips. As you study each clip ask yourself:

What factual information is there in the clip (for example, what information is there about the aspects of life in the trenches in the list)?
What impression does the clip give of life in the trenches (for example, does it suggest that the soldiers are always clean)?

Now study your chosen sources. As you study each source ask yourself:

What factual information is there in the source?
What impression does the source give of life in the trenches?

Now think about these questions

Does the clip tie in with any information or impressions in the other sources you have studied?
Does the clip contradict any information or impressions in the other sources you have studied?
If the newsreels are inaccurate or incomplete, why?
Is it because of censorship or propaganda?
Could it be because film making technology could not film certain events (eg battles)?
Could it be that film makers thought that some issue were covered better in the newspapers?

Stage 3: Presenting you conclusions on the Key Questions

Film style

Now it’s time to decide what your response is to the Key Question and present your views. You are going to present them in your own presentation/documentary film.

First of all, you need to make a list of the clips and sources which suggest that the newsreels gave people an accurate picture of life in the trenches, or suggest that the newsreels did not give an accurate picture of life in the trenches. The reasons why (in your opinion) the newsreels did not always give an accurate picture of life in the trenches. Remember this could be censorship or propaganda, but it may be that film technology.

Now you need to decide which clips and sources you will actually use in your film / presentation. This will depend on how long your film / presentation is going to be. Make sure you agree on this with your teacher.

Storyboard

Now you need to decide which clips and sources you will actually use in your film / presentation. You also need to plan and write your script.

This storyboard (Word Doc) will help you to plan your film / presentation. You have to decide on the order of the clips and the commentary for each section. There are two extra rows in case you want to bring more material in from other clips. Check with your teacher before you do this. Click here to download storyboard template.