The impact of total war on the home fronts of both Germany and Britain required each of the governments to implement controls that would enable an effective conduct of war while maintaining social and economic order. The ineffectiveness of the controls regarding economic life that were implemented by the German government resulted in the influence of total war being much more detrimental to the war effort than was the case in Britain.
The process of total mobilisation began early in Germany and took aspects of the economy into consideration. This preparation for the impact of war included the establishment of the War Raw Materials Department in 1914, the aim of which was to deal with conservation of resources, production, state control of substitutes and the planned distribution of goods. Additionally, other special state corporations were established, such as the Supreme War Office. Directed labour was also introduced, and this included the implementation of the Patriotic Auxillary Service Law, under which men aged 17-60 were liable to be called for labour service. The German government also was able to effeciently organise the mobilisation of women to replace lost labour in the workforce.
In Britain, the government released DORA - the Defence of the Realm Act, which granted the government wide powers including the control of railways and shipping.
The successful economic reorganisation undertaken by Britain was a critical part of eventual victory and was focused upon ensuring troops were supplied with adequate munitions and that labour was managed effeciently to allow for this. The Ministry of Munitions, as established by the British government in 1915, assumed control over industry in order to do so. Under the control of Lloyd George, the body implemented the "Leaving Certificate," restricting the movement of men and women out ot the munitions industry. Extending its powers far beyond munitions factories, the Ministry set standards for employee health and welfare, pressured key manufacturers to assist in the production of armaments, ended strikes through promises of arbitration, and extended daytime working hours by introducing daylight saving in May 1916.
