Minister of Munitions facts for kids

The Minister of Munitions was an important job in the British government during the First World War. This person was in charge of making sure Britain had enough weapons and supplies, called "munitions," for the war. The job was created because there weren't enough artillery shells in 1915, which caused a big problem known as the Shell Crisis of 1915. Newspapers were very critical, and people worried about the lack of supplies.

To fix this, the government passed the Munitions of War Act 1915 on July 2, 1915. This law created the Ministry of Munitions. Under the strong leadership of David Lloyd George, a politician from the Liberal party, the Ministry quickly started solving problems. It helped manage disagreements between workers and bosses and made sure Britain could produce many more munitions.

Historian J. A. R. Marriott explained the government's plan:

No private interest was to be permitted to obstruct the service, or imperil the safety, of the State. Trade Union regulations must be suspended; employers' profits must be limited, skilled men must fight, if not in the trenches, in the factories; man-power must be economized by the dilution of labour and the employment of women; private factories must pass under the control of the State, and new national factories be set up. Results justified the new policy: the output was prodigious; the goods were at last delivered.

This meant that nothing, not even private businesses or old rules, could stop the war effort. Rules for workers' unions were put on hold, and company profits were limited. Skilled workers were needed in factories, and more women were hired to help. Private factories came under government control, and new factories were built. This new approach worked, and a huge amount of supplies were made.

The Ministry's Role During Wartime

David Lloyd George, who was the Minister of Munitions from 1915 to 1916.

David Lloyd George became very famous for his hard work as the Minister of Munitions from 1915 to 1916. This role helped him become a powerful political leader. When the Shell Crisis of 1915 made the public upset because the army was running out of artillery shells, people demanded a strong leader to fix the problem. In May 1915, a new government was formed, and Lloyd George was chosen to lead the new Ministry of Munitions.

In his new job, David Lloyd George helped solve arguments between workers and factory owners, especially about lowering wages by using less skilled workers. He also asked for an investigation into the working conditions of munitions workers. This led to information services about workers being moved to his Ministry. He was praised for greatly increasing the amount of munitions produced. This success helped him become Prime Minister in late 1916, leading a small group of five top leaders called the War Cabinet.

Many historians agree that Lloyd George made people feel more hopeful and focused attention on the urgent need for more production. However, some also say that the increase in munitions from 1915 to 1916 was partly due to changes that were already planned before he took office. American historian R. J. Q. Adams showed that the Ministry cut through slow government processes, solved worker issues, made the supply system more efficient, and greatly boosted production. Within just one year, it became the biggest buyer, seller, and employer in Britain.

To make things better for workers and improve public opinion, the Ministry created a department focused on workers' well-being. This department improved first aid in factories, promoted safety, and helped with health problems caused by handling dangerous chemicals like TNT. It also provided day care for children, limited overtime hours, and sometimes helped workers with transportation and housing.

The Ministry was led by experienced army officers and business people who were temporarily loaned from their companies. These leaders helped connect the needs of big businesses with the needs of the government. They worked out fair prices and profits. Government agents also bought important supplies from other countries. Once bought, the Ministry controlled how these supplies were given out. This stopped prices from rising too much and allowed normal trade to continue. For example, the entire jute crop from India was bought and distributed this way. Steel, wool, leather, and flax were also controlled in a similar manner.

By 1918, the Ministry had 65,000 staff members. It employed about 3 million workers in over 20,000 factories. Many of these workers were women who were new to engineering work during the war. The job of Minister of Munitions was ended in 1921. This was part of a plan to reduce government spending after the war ended with the Armistice in 1918.

Ministers of Munitions, 1915–1921

See also

• UK Embargo strike (1918)