Essay Q Prep - Impact of WW2 on the economy and society of NI?

1939-45

The northern economy entered a boom period.
South suffered the economic cost of neutrality.
The South escaped the destruction caused by war, but the North, particularly Belfast, did not.

The shipbuilding industry rose to meet wartime demands.
140 warships constructed in NI – Harland and Wolff.
Shorts Bros built around 1200 Stirling bomber planes for RAF
1943 Government took over Harland, Wolff and Shorts Bros's management and merged them.
NI linen industry disrupted by the war – Russia, Belgium and France were the main sources of flax but were invaded by the Nazi's.
Textile industry benefited from the war – 2 million parachutes hundreds of thousands of uniforms manufactured in NI.
Increase in employment opportunities in industry – unemployment fell to just 5%.
Northern workers saw a wage increase.
Britain turned to NI for most of its agricultural produce
Cattle numbers grew from 750000 in 1939 to just under 1 million by 1945.
Farmers benefited from government grants and subsidies.

Belfast felt it was under no threat of invasion in 1939.
Life remained largely unchanged at the beginning of the war.
Belfast's economy fared better than other British cities
Shipyards benefited from wartime contracts, the main suppliers of planes and parts for the RAF.
Major issue was the lack of preparation in case of an attack.
Belfast City Council did little to make provisions for such an event – drills, bomb shelters, gas masks.
Genuine belief in NI that the war wouldn't affect them.
Calls for some measures to be put in place.
1939, Major Frank Eastwood appointed as a full-time air raid precautions officer.
With the outbreak of war, he called for 16,000 volunteers to join the LDV force, but only 3,000 joined.
Air Raid Precautions Act 1939 – structures were set up to deal with fire fighting, gas attacks, the evacuation of children, building air raid shelters and blacking out lights at night.
Ministry of Home Affairs asked the British government for 1 million gas masks – received only 420000
Insufficient bomb shelters to protect the population.

James Craig (Craigavon) in very poor health – many believed he was unable to carry out the necessary duties of a wartime leader.
Declining support for Craig's leadership.
Established the Ministry of Public Security – responsible for civil defence.
1939, the British introduced conscription – it didn't apply to NI.
1940 call for more volunteers to join the LDV – Sir Basil Brooke led the drive.
Few willing volunteers – considered withholding unemployment assistance from those who refused to enlist.
In August 1940, Churchill renamed the LDV the Home Guard – almost 26000 members.

After the Fall of France 1940 the Luftwaffe was within range of NI.
Marked improvement in attempts to defend against attack.
Belfast was an area of vital military importance.
Extra anti-aircraft machinery was put in place to protect key areas.
Nov 1940, JM Andrews replaced Craig.
Feb 1941 Andrews stated he was 'very concerned at our anti-aircraft defences' and at the 'position which might arise in Belfast after a severe air attack'.
Fears came true on 7-8 April 1941.

Luftwaffe planes dropped bombs on the dockside area of Belfast.
Air raid sirens hadn't sounded to warn of an attack.
13 people were killed, 81 injured.
The government attempted to create a false sense of security by reassuring the public that it had been well-prepared for the attack.

10:40 pm, sirens sounded across the city to warn of an attack.
Home guard took up positions to prepare the anti-aircraft weapons.
- RAF estimated that 90 bombers flew over Belfast; German air ministry recorded that 180 aircraft were active over NI.
- Seventy-six landmines were dropped – caused massive damage.
900 dead, with 600 injured
Electricity output was at half power; gas output was at 75%; the telephone network was seriously disrupted.
Industrial output dropped to 25% of its pre-Blitz levels.
Home guards unable to cope with the scale of attacks.
De Valera agreed to send help.
Seventy firemen and 13 fire engines sent to Belfast from the south.
Cardinal Joseph MacRory feared that NI firemen might just concern themselves with Protestant areas.
Southern firemen cheered as they arrived in Ulster.
The sending of firemen was important as it was the first official 'contact' between North and South in almost twenty years.

The last major attack on Belfast by the Luftwaffe.
Approximately 100000 bombs were dropped on the city.
Many buildings were badly damaged; the question of conscription was brought up again.
Some 48000-53000 men would be called up if conscription was introduced.
As a result of growing opposition from Belfast, the British government decided against introducing conscription.

3200 houses destroyed and 56000 damaged.
150000 people were made permanently homeless; 100000 people made temporarily homeless.
Public morale very low – many people fled the city.
Ministry of Public Security attempted to organise the city's evacuation, but mothers and small children, old and sick, were given priority.
By June 1941, around 220000 had temporarily left Belfast – many were middle class.

Lost 45% of its shipbuilding capacity.
Valuable contribution to wartime output.
December 1944, 30801 workers at Harland and Wolff.
Launched 170 military and merchant ships.
King's Hall used for making parts for cars and machinery.
Sirocco Works produced grenades, radar equipment and gun mountings.
Higher proportion of female workers in Belfast than in other parts of Britain – women entered jobs that men traditionally did.