The Blood of Our Sons: Men, Women, and the Renegotiation of British Citizenship During the Great War

Winner of the 2003 North American Conference on British Studies Annual Book Prize!

This path-breaking study brings together feminist and political history in innovative and refreshing ways, examining the complex relationship between war, gender, and citizenship in Great Britain during World War I. Nicoletta F. Gullace shows how the assault on civilian masculinity contributed to women’s suffrage. Feminists organizations tapped into nationalist feelings to open doors for their demands, taking advantage of a public culture that celebrated military service while denigrating those who opposed the war. Drawing on a vast range of popular and official sources, Gullace reveals that the war had revolutionary implications for women who wished to vote and for men who were expected to fight.