The Defence of the Realm Act (DORA) gave the British government wide-ranging powers during World War 1 to control many aspects of public life that could impact the war effort. It imposed restrictions on public discussions, newspapers, personal correspondence, movement in certain areas, and activities like kite flying. People who broke rules could face fines or imprisonment, and some foreign spies were executed under DORA. While many saw it as necessary to secure victory, others criticized DORA as going too far in limiting civil liberties and individual freedoms. There were concerns the government would not want to give up its expanded powers after the war ended.

1. Era of the
Great War
Defence of the
Realm Act (DORA)

2. Defence of the Realm Act
In today’s class I am learning to:
• Describe rules and laws which were
introduced as part of DORA
• Explain why some people were
unhappy with these new laws

3. Defence of the Realm Act
After Britain joined the Great War, the government
passed a law to give them powers over various
issues. This was the Defence of the Realm Act.

4. Defence of the Realm Act
The purpose of the
Defence of the Realm
Act (DORA) was to give
the British government
control of all issues they
felt were needed to help
win the war.
As the war progressed,
the government added
other rules to DORA.

5. Defence of the Realm Act
There were various
punishments which
people could get if they
broke any DORA rules.
Depending on the issue,
a guilty person could be
given a fine, sent to
prison or even executed
(11 foreign spies were
killed under DORA).

6. Defence of the Realm Act
DORA
rules

7. Defence of the Realm Act
DORA banned people
from discussing military
issues when they were in
public places. It was also
illegal to spread rumours
about military issues.
Newspapers were
censored in what they
were allowed to write
about the war.

8. Defence of the Realm Act
The first person to be
arrested under DORA
powers was John
Maclean.
Maclean was a Glasgow
school teacher who was
active in campaigns
against the war, and was
arrested for his anti-war
speeches.

9. Defence of the Realm Act
Private letters were also
influenced by DORA.
Anyone who was
sending a letter abroad
was forbidden from
using invisible ink.
Military censors also
read soldiers’ letters to
ensure no secrets were
being passed on.

10. Defence of the Realm Act
Under DORA people
could no longer go
where they wanted.
They were forbidden
from trespassing or
loitering near bridges or
tunnels. Some people
also faced a curfew in
certain parts of the
country.

11. Defence of the Realm Act
In 1915, Mona Jeffery, a
respectable woman from
Edinburgh, was arrested
under DORA powers.
This was because she
had taken a photo of the
Forth Bridge. As
punishment she had her
camera confiscated.

12. Defence of the Realm Act
One DORA rule which is
still used in Britain is
British Summer Time.
In May 1916 DORA was
used to let the
government change the
time, in order to give
people as many daylight
hours as possible in
which to work.

13. Defence of the Realm Act
There were some
strange rules imposed.
Kite flying, bonfire
lighting and ringing
church bells were
banned, to stop
zeppelins being
attracted. The sale of
binoculars was also no
longer allowed.

14. Defence of the Realm Act
A number of DORA rules
affected people that
drank alcohol.
Pubs had to reduce their
opening hours, and beer
was watered down to
make it weaker.
Customers in pubs were
also not allowed to buy
rounds of drinks.

15. Defence of the Realm Act
It became illegal to use
spare food (such as
bread) to feed chickens
ducks and horses, due to
the need to preserve
food stocks.
Fines were also issued to
businesses that allowed
rats to get into and eat
their wheat stores.

16. Defence of the Realm Act
Aliens (foreign people)
living in Britain were also
affected by DORA.
People from ‘enemy
countries’ were expected
to register living in
Britain, and they were
limited in the times of
day they were allowed
to leave their homes.

17. Defence of the Realm Act
Foreign spies caught in
Britain were punished
using DORA rules.
Carl Lody, a German,
was caught sending
letters which could help
the enemy from his
home in Edinburgh to
Berlin. He was executed
in November 1914.

18. Defence of the Realm Act
DISCUSSION
Which DORA laws
were correct?

19. Defence of the Realm Act
Criticisms of
DORA

20. Defence of the Realm Act
Many people opposed
the introduction of
DORA.
This was sometimes
because they believed it
gave the government too
much power.
Others were simply
angry at an aspect of
their lives being affected.

21. Defence of the Realm Act
People with anti-war
views were angry that
they were not allowed to
share these in public,
stopping them getting
more supporters.
Scottish teacher John
Maclean was sent to
prison for his anti-war
speeches.

22. Defence of the Realm Act
Some people worried
that DORA rules would
not end once the war
was over.
These people feared that
if the government had
the power to restrict and
control people they
would not want to give
this up.

23. Defence of the Realm Act
Criticism was aimed at
DORA because it limited
people taking part in
otherwise legal activities.
People who enjoyed kite
flying or bell ringing did
not believe that their
actions would actually
stop Britain from
winning the war.

24. Defence of the Realm Act
Some people feared that
DORA was limiting
people’s free time.
They were angry at
having to drink weaker
beer, not being allowed
to go to the pub when
they wanted, or not
being able to buy their
friends a drink.

25. Defence of the Realm Act
There was also concern
about people not being
able to share private
information.
A soldier husband
writing home to his wife
knew that someone was
going to read what he
wrote, limiting what
people would say.

26. Defence of the Realm Act
Censoring newspapers –
and stopping rumours
about military matters -
also caused concerns.
This meant people were
never sure if they were
being given the truth, so
did not know how Britain
was doing in the war, or
if it faced defeat.

27. Defence of the Realm Act
DISCUSSION
Should DORA have
been introduced?