How did governments enforce controls so their populations would focus on "total war"?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Answers will vary. Each government demanded certain actions of its population in economic, social, and military terms with complete compliance, as nations became involved in total war. This ranged from limitation of free speech (where allowed), food and supply rationing, to allowing women to work in public, non-traditional positions as men went to war. In Germany, the government established a War Materials Department to procure needed materials for military production. In Russia, Nicholas II decreed that no vodka would be produced during the war in order to provide grain for the soldiers (which inadvertently eliminated one of the Russian government's greatest tax revenues). In Britain, the government negotiated an agreement between unions and producers that there would be no strikes during wartime that might interrupt the supply line, as well as nationalizing the railroads. Food rationing was common in all countries, where even France outlawed production of the baguette as "wasteful." Even more staples of daily life were heavily rationed as labor drain for military service created shortages in production.