WW I's 'Shells Crisis' and Birth of Ministry of Munitions

This is the first of three blog posts that will look at the establishment and development of the Ministry of Munitions in the early summer of 1915. Symbolising a dramatic shift in the approach to sustaining the war effort, the Ministry not only oversaw the development and production of the materials of war, but also had responsibilities for labour control and industrial output. Pre-dating conscription by a year, it marked a milestone on the path towards total war and – many argue – victory. However, its birth was not without controversy or opposition, and the immediate impact of its establishment continues to be debated.