17: Political Developments BRT Flashcards
The fall of chamberlain: what policy did Chamberlian face increasing criticism for with the outbreak of war
Appeasement
The fall of chamberlain: who was chamberlian criticised for failing to procure an alliance with
Soviet Russia to deter Hitler
The fall of chamberlain: what did chamberlian boast during the ‘phoney war’ and why did this undermine faith in his leadership
Boasted that ‘Hitler had missed the bus’
Few days later Germany invaded Denmark and Norway
The fall of chamberlain: how was Churchill criticised on his economic policy
Not organising war with enough urgency
The fall of chamberlain: how was Churchill criticised militarily
Many mps felt army was inadequately prepared and supplied
Blockade of Germany not tight enough
The fall of chamberlain: why could Chamberlian not form a new national government to fight the war
He failed to win the support of labour
The fall of chamberlain: when was it made evident that chamberlain didn’t relish his role as war leader
‘How I loathe this war. I was never meant to be a war leader’ he wrote to his sister
The fall of chamberlain: defeat in which country further undermined belief in his ability to lead
Norway
The fall of chamberlain: how did DLG denounce chamberlain at the debate about the Norwegian campaign
‘There is nothing which can contribute more to victory than that he should sacrifice his office’
The fall of chamberlain: why did chamberlain resign
Conservative rebel’s refused to support Chamberlain unless lab and liberals would too- no chance of this
Churchill as a wartime leader: why did an invasion seem imminent by the end of May 1940
- German armies deep into northern France
- BEF trapped on channel coast near Dunkirk (300000 men had to be evacuated by sea)
- fall of France only a matter of time
Churchill as a wartime leader: what did Lord Halifax think the sensible policy was considering France collapsing
Negotiating with hitler
Britain would be better getting what terms it could rather than being invaded and conquered
Churchill as a wartime leader: what did Churchill convince most of cabinet and population to fight on in the hope of
That the US could be persuaded to support Britain
Churchill as a wartime leader: what did Churchill do rather than seek peace
He put everything into organising the military effort against nazi Germany
Churchill as a wartime leader: what was Churchill inspiring leadership accredited with during and after the war
Unifying the nation
Churchill as a wartime leader: what were Churchill’s faults
He was impulsive and dictatorial and constantly interfered in the details of gov departments
Churchill as a wartime leader: why was Churchill a poor committee chairman
He thought he knew more about strategy and tactics than his generals
Churchill as a wartime leader: what did the Australian prime minister, Robert Menzies, note about Churchill during war
‘He is not interested in finance, economics or agriculture and ignores debates on all three. He loves war, and spends hours with maps and charts’
Churchill as a wartime leader: why was the chief of general staff critical of Churchill
For making impetuous and unrealistic decisions
Churchill as a wartime leader: why was Churchill lucky with his deptuty PM
He was an extremely effective organiser
The coalition government: what was Churchill’s first task on becoming PM
Forming a new government
The coalition government: why did the new government have to be one of national unity
Given the desperate situation unfolding across the channel
The coalition government: how did chamberlain remaining leader of Conservative party until his death benefit Churchill
-made it easier for Churchill to act as if he were above party politics and to bring lab and lib politicians into gov
The coalition government: who did Churchill’s wartime cabinet consist of
Churchill, Attlee, Greenwood, Halifax and chamberlain
The coalition government: what did Churchill’s wartime coalition prove to be
Stable and efficient
The coalition government: why did Churchill’s coalition not split the Conservative party
Absence of major rivals- illness drove Chamb out of office and Halifax ambassador to America
The reasons for labour victory in 1945: on what grounds did the Labour Party reject Churchill’s proposals to continue wartime coalition until war against japan ended
There had been no general election for 10 years
The reasons for labour victory in 1945: on what date did the Churchill war coalition end
23 May 1945
Positions before the war: what was the Labour Party untainted with that gave it an advantage over the conservatives
The discredited appeasement policy of chamberlain, the problems of the 1930s, unemployment and social deprivation
Positions before the war: what did labours electoral propaganda play on
The memories of the failings of the 1930s and the need to ensure they never occurred again
Positions before the war: what trend is there evidence to suggest in the early 1940s
A steady leftward trend, helped by expansion of TU movement
Positions before the war: how was socialism put in a good light by the war
It made people aware of the enormous contribution made by Soviet Russia towards the defeat of hitler
Positions before the war: which key labour policies were emphasised by the war
State intervention and planning seemed a good idea
Positions before the war: which proposals became very popular from 1942 that were supported by labour
The plans in the beveridge report and the proposals for a welfare state
Positions before the war: what did the wartime coalition provide the opportunity for leading figures to do
To prove themselves on the national state
The 1945 election campaign: why was the conservative election party machine not as efficient as usual
Election held soon after war and many conservative agents were away in armed forces
The 1945 election campaign: why were labour able to put more agents into constituencies that conservatives
Many trade unionists were in reserved trades
The 1945 election campaign: why were many conservative leaders complacent about this election
They believed the electorate would thank Churchill for being such an effective wartime leader by voting him in again
The 1945 election campaign: what were the two manifestos
Labour- let us face the future
Conservative- mr Churchill’s declaration to the voters
The 1945 election campaign: what did labours manifesto promise
Nationalisation of key industries, economic planning, full employment, creation of NHS and system of social security
The 1945 election campaign: what did Churchill’s manifesto include
Progressive ideas on key social inssuesnbut was vague on post war economic controls
The 1945 election campaign: what was Churchill not the right man for due to his associations with war
Not the right man for peacetime reconstruction
The 1945 election campaign: who did most first time voters vote for
Labour
Armed forces also pro labour
Attlee as PM: what did Attlee attempt to donin his ministerial appointments
Reward talent but also preserve a balance between different factions of the party
Attlee as PM: Attlee achievement during his 6 years as pm
Nationalisation, Welty is state, contribution to NATO and handling of Indian independence
Labour ideology and aims: what was the Labour Party rather than revolutionary
Reformist
Labour ideology and aims: aims of labour government 1945
- nationalisation
- universal state welfare provision
- NHS
Labour ideology and aims: what would state control of the economy ensure
The principles of clause IV of labours constitutuon were carried out
Ensured national efficiency
Labour ideology and aims: how would state control ensure full employment
State better able to control essential industries so enabling it to plan the economy
Labour ideology and aims: what was the ‘mixed economy’ that labour were committed to
State run and privately run businesses would exist side by side
Labour ideology and aims: why did 15 left wingers create splinter group ‘keep left’
Due to Attlee conservative approach with the USSR
