The First World War was a massive conflict that changed... Show more
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12 Dec 2025
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Nat 5 History - Scots in the Great War: Western Front Insights
E
emily
@emily_wncfw
1 / 4
Military Recruitment and Propaganda
Your government didn't just ask nicely for soldiers - they launched a massive propaganda campaign to get men to sign up. They painted Germans as evil monsters who mistreated women and children, using powerful posters, stories, and songs to stir up hatred and fear.
The pressure to join wasn't just from official sources. Women would hand out white feathers to men not in uniform, marking them as cowards in public. This public shaming was incredibly effective - imagine the embarrassment of being branded a coward in your own community.
Pals Battalions were a clever recruitment trick, promising that friends who enlisted together could serve together. Combined with appeals to patriotism and defending "king and country," plus the promise that it would all be over by Christmas, many young men saw the war as an exciting adventure rather than the horror it became.
Key Point: The government used every psychological tool available - fear, shame, friendship, and excitement - to get men to volunteer for what they thought would be a quick, glorious war.
Life in the Trenches
Forget everything you think you know about warfare - trench warfare was a living nightmare that soldiers endured for months at a time. The conditions were absolutely horrific, with diseases like trench fever, typhoid, and dysentery spreading rapidly through the cramped, unsanitary conditions.
Shell shock became a common but poorly understood condition as soldiers' minds cracked under constant bombardment and the fear of death. Meanwhile, rats overran the trenches, stealing food, spreading disease, and eating the dead - some grew as large as cats.
The trenches regularly flooded with rain and mud, leaving soldiers standing in freezing water for days. This led to trench foot, a painful condition where feet would rot, sometimes requiring amputation. Food was scarce and of terrible quality, adding malnutrition to the long list of problems soldiers faced.
Remember: These weren't short battles - soldiers lived in these conditions for months, showing incredible endurance under unimaginable circumstances.
Technology of War
World War One introduced terrifying new weapons that made it the deadliest conflict in history. Artillery was the biggest killer, causing over 60% of deaths from long range - soldiers could be killed by shells fired from miles away, sometimes even by their own side's misfired weapons.
Machine guns could fire 400-600 rounds per minute, making them incredibly deadly despite being unreliable and prone to overheating. Aeroplanes evolved from simple spy tools to fighters with mounted guns, leading to dramatic "dog fights" in the sky and bombing raids on trenches.
Poison gas was particularly horrific - chlorine gas caused slow, agonising death through lung damage, whilst mustard gas caused blindness and blistered skin. However, changing winds could blow gas back at your own troops, and gas masks eventually reduced its effectiveness.
Tanks were revolutionary but unreliable - they could cross no man's land and destroy barbed wire, but they were painfully slow, frequently broke down, and got stuck in mud. Still, they pointed towards the future of warfare.
Think About It: Each new weapon was designed to overcome the previous one's limitations, creating an deadly arms race that made the war increasingly brutal.
Military Tactics
The most infamous tactic was "going over the top" - mass attacks where hundreds of soldiers would climb out of their trenches and charge across no man's land towards enemy lines. These attacks were usually suicidal, with soldiers mowed down by machine guns and artillery before they could reach their targets.
Military leaders struggled to adapt their tactics to the new technology, often treating machine guns and barbed wire like they were still fighting with swords and horses. This failure to innovate cost countless lives in futile charges that gained little ground.
The Reality: These tactics show how military thinking lagged behind military technology, turning battles into slaughterhouses rather than strategic victories.
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The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user
Nat 5 History - Scots in the Great War: Western Front Insights
E
emily
@emily_wncfw
The First World War was a massive conflict that changed Scotland forever, with thousands of Scots fighting on the Western Front. Understanding how men were recruited, what life was like in the trenches, and the deadly new technology used helps... Show more
Military Recruitment and Propaganda
Your government didn't just ask nicely for soldiers - they launched a massive propaganda campaign to get men to sign up. They painted Germans as evil monsters who mistreated women and children, using powerful posters, stories, and songs to stir up hatred and fear.
The pressure to join wasn't just from official sources. Women would hand out white feathers to men not in uniform, marking them as cowards in public. This public shaming was incredibly effective - imagine the embarrassment of being branded a coward in your own community.
Pals Battalions were a clever recruitment trick, promising that friends who enlisted together could serve together. Combined with appeals to patriotism and defending "king and country," plus the promise that it would all be over by Christmas, many young men saw the war as an exciting adventure rather than the horror it became.
Key Point: The government used every psychological tool available - fear, shame, friendship, and excitement - to get men to volunteer for what they thought would be a quick, glorious war.
Sign up to see the contentIt's free!
Access to all documents
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Life in the Trenches
Forget everything you think you know about warfare - trench warfare was a living nightmare that soldiers endured for months at a time. The conditions were absolutely horrific, with diseases like trench fever, typhoid, and dysentery spreading rapidly through the cramped, unsanitary conditions.
Shell shock became a common but poorly understood condition as soldiers' minds cracked under constant bombardment and the fear of death. Meanwhile, rats overran the trenches, stealing food, spreading disease, and eating the dead - some grew as large as cats.
The trenches regularly flooded with rain and mud, leaving soldiers standing in freezing water for days. This led to trench foot, a painful condition where feet would rot, sometimes requiring amputation. Food was scarce and of terrible quality, adding malnutrition to the long list of problems soldiers faced.
Remember: These weren't short battles - soldiers lived in these conditions for months, showing incredible endurance under unimaginable circumstances.
Sign up to see the contentIt's free!
Access to all documents
Improve your grades
Join milions of students
By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
Technology of War
World War One introduced terrifying new weapons that made it the deadliest conflict in history. Artillery was the biggest killer, causing over 60% of deaths from long range - soldiers could be killed by shells fired from miles away, sometimes even by their own side's misfired weapons.
Machine guns could fire 400-600 rounds per minute, making them incredibly deadly despite being unreliable and prone to overheating. Aeroplanes evolved from simple spy tools to fighters with mounted guns, leading to dramatic "dog fights" in the sky and bombing raids on trenches.
Poison gas was particularly horrific - chlorine gas caused slow, agonising death through lung damage, whilst mustard gas caused blindness and blistered skin. However, changing winds could blow gas back at your own troops, and gas masks eventually reduced its effectiveness.
Tanks were revolutionary but unreliable - they could cross no man's land and destroy barbed wire, but they were painfully slow, frequently broke down, and got stuck in mud. Still, they pointed towards the future of warfare.
Think About It: Each new weapon was designed to overcome the previous one's limitations, creating an deadly arms race that made the war increasingly brutal.
Sign up to see the contentIt's free!
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Improve your grades
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By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
Military Tactics
The most infamous tactic was "going over the top" - mass attacks where hundreds of soldiers would climb out of their trenches and charge across no man's land towards enemy lines. These attacks were usually suicidal, with soldiers mowed down by machine guns and artillery before they could reach their targets.
Military leaders struggled to adapt their tactics to the new technology, often treating machine guns and barbed wire like they were still fighting with swords and horses. This failure to innovate cost countless lives in futile charges that gained little ground.
The Reality: These tactics show how military thinking lagged behind military technology, turning battles into slaughterhouses rather than strategic victories.
We thought you’d never ask...
What is the Knowunity AI companion?
Our AI Companion is a student-focused AI tool that offers more than just answers. Built on millions of Knowunity resources, it provides relevant information, personalised study plans, quizzes, and content directly in the chat, adapting to your individual learning journey.
Where can I download the Knowunity app?
You can download the app from Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
Is Knowunity really free of charge?
That's right! Enjoy free access to study content, connect with fellow students, and get instant help – all at your fingertips.
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Most popular content: Western Front
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Can't find what you're looking for? Explore other subjects.
Students love us — and so will you.
4.9/5
App Store
4.8/5
Google Play
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user