Imperial War Museum

Upon entering the Imperial War Museum, I was a bit overwhelmed with the endless amounts of tanks, planes, and overall exhibits there were to see. On the ground floor, I was particularly interested in the replica of the atomic bomb that was dropped over Hiroshima, and I was surprised at how small it was. I also found the submarine exhibit to be very educational in that it allowed me to see how life was for men in WW2. It was interesting to see how mice were actually taken on board because their death would indicate low levels of oxygen. To add to this uncomfortable and dangerous environment, the beds were extremely small, and the men were only allowed to keep their belongings in a tiny wooden box. It’s interesting to see just how far technology has come to create better submarines for the armed forces.
Exploring the bottom floors was a daunting task as there was so much information! However, I spent much time looking at the events that led up to the First World War. Prior to 1914, a unified Germany became a new great power in center Europe, and tensions rose with France and Russia. Many countries were trying to gain territories, and Germany got into the imperial scramble late; however, they did manage to get a few remaining colonies in Africa and a little piece of China. Not after long, two rivalry camps were established. Germany viewed France as an enemy after the Franco-Prussian War, and eventually France and Russia formed an alliance due to Germany’s aggressive international policies. The two countries had an agreement that they would help if each other if one were attacked by Germany. Britain came into play with the 1904 Entente Cordiale, which strengthened the British-France diplomatic and military link; there was a similar Entente with Russia in 1907.
Before the war broke out, European powers began to build up their armies to millions of men, with the exception of Britain. In addition, Germany increased and improved their navy to rival Britain’s supremacy. Great Britain responded by building the HMS Dreadnought, which was the first all-big-gun battleship and ultimately changed the style of naval ships. While countries were gearing up for war, Germany developed the Schlieffen plan which outlined how they would attack France and Russia. When Germany executed this plan, they entered through Belgium, and Britain had a treaty with Belgium, which consequently caused them to declare war against Germany.
At this time, Britain only had 450,000 men in the army, including those in India and other parts of the world. Kitchener, the Secretary of State for War, saw that the war was going to be long and costly; therefore, he put out an ad for volunteers and 2.5 million men enlisted within 16 months. This commitment of men was wavering as the war progressed, and Britain had to introduce conscription for all single men in 1916 and all men between 18 and 41 months later in May. Obviously this large amount of men created an unforeseen demand for clothing and food, and there were many exhibits showing the poor conditions the soldiers had to endure. By 1918, these enormous demands brought about meat, sugar, and fats rationing because of food shortages from the German submarine campaign. It was interesting to see how women helped meet these demands by taking up many jobs at home and occupying roles within the armed forces so men could go fight. For example, women accounted for 90% of the munitions industry during the war and were also crucial in other important industries such as agriculture and transportation.
The exhibits went on to discuss the details of the battles in World War One. I found the ending of the war and the forthcoming Treaty of Versailles to be interesting. It called for Germany to admit guilt and also pay out a lot in compensation. This was far too much and almost impossible for Germany to do, which ultimately paved the way for the Second World War.

Bank of England

At least 5 ways in which the bank has supported Britain’s economic growth throughout its history:

1) The Bank of England’s main way of supporting economic growth is by maintaining monetary stability. The Bank does this by setting an interest rate and thus, helping control inflation.
2) The Bank also oversees financial stability, which basically means making sure everything runs smoothly. In the event of a natural disaster, strike, or anything that could potentially affect the economy, the Bank steps in to keep the economy afloat.
3) In the past, the bank has provided a lot of security for its gold reserves and deposits. While this may not seem like a big way of supporting economic growth, it allowed people to have trust in the banking system and feel safe using it.
4) The bank issued £1 and £2 notes when there was a shortage of gold in the beginning of the 19th century. Although an economic slump came about, this action by the bank ultimately kept the economy moving after war had drained its funds.
5) Although the numbers of jobs have recently been reduced due to the establishment of the FSA, the Bank of England has employed many people throughout history and was even one of the first City houses to employ women in 1894.
6) The Bank of England aims to be as transparent as possible and publishes their minutes from every meeting. The Bank criticizes the ECB for not being so transparent and sees this as potentially hindering economic growth.
7) Today, the bank contributes to discussions on strengthening the international financial system, and this benefits the citizens of the UK as well.