Overview

The government 'called up' men to fight in the armed forces, but it also had to conscript men to work in certain industries (e.g. mining).  

     People in 'exempt occupations' (e.g. tax collectors) were not called up, and people were allowed to be 'conscientious objectors' if they offered to work on farms, in hospitals, clearing up after air raids etc.

     Towards the end of the war, the government called up women to go to work in essential industries (e.g. munitions).

     Germans and Italians were interviewed to see if they were a danger to national security.   By 1940, most of them were arrested, but - as the war went on - many were allowed to return to their homes.

 

Facts

Conscription

1.  In Jan 1940: two million men aged 20–27 were called up.  

2.  60,000 Conscientious Objectors were sent to prison because they refused to help the war effort in any way at all.

3   22,000 ‘Bevin boys’ were conscripted to work in the mines.  

 

Internment

1.  In 1939 only 600 ‘Category A’ (= dangerous) Germans were interned.  

2.  When Italy declared war on Britain, Churchill had all Italians in Britain arrested.