17: Political Developments BRT

Question 1

The fall of chamberlain: what policy did Chamberlian face increasing criticism for with the outbreak of war

Answer 1

Appeasement

Question 2

The fall of chamberlain: who was chamberlian criticised for failing to procure an alliance with

Answer 2

Soviet Russia to deter Hitler

Question 3

The fall of chamberlain: what did chamberlian boast during the ‘phoney war’ and why did this undermine faith in his leadership

Answer 3

Boasted that ‘Hitler had missed the bus’

Few days later Germany invaded Denmark and Norway

Question 4

The fall of chamberlain: how was Churchill criticised on his economic policy

Answer 4

Not organising war with enough urgency

Question 5

The fall of chamberlain: how was Churchill criticised militarily

Answer 5

Many mps felt army was inadequately prepared and supplied

Blockade of Germany not tight enough

Question 6

The fall of chamberlain: why could Chamberlian not form a new national government to fight the war

Answer 6

He failed to win the support of labour

Question 7

The fall of chamberlain: when was it made evident that chamberlain didn’t relish his role as war leader

Answer 7

‘How I loathe this war. I was never meant to be a war leader’ he wrote to his sister

Question 8

The fall of chamberlain: defeat in which country further undermined belief in his ability to lead

Answer 8

Norway

Question 9

The fall of chamberlain: how did DLG denounce chamberlain at the debate about the Norwegian campaign

Answer 9

‘There is nothing which can contribute more to victory than that he should sacrifice his office’

Question 10

The fall of chamberlain: why did chamberlain resign

Answer 10

Conservative rebel’s refused to support Chamberlain unless lab and liberals would too- no chance of this

Question 11

Churchill as a wartime leader: why did an invasion seem imminent by the end of May 1940

Answer 11

• 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

Question 12

Churchill as a wartime leader: what did Lord Halifax think the sensible policy was considering France collapsing

Answer 12

Negotiating with hitler

Britain would be better getting what terms it could rather than being invaded and conquered

Question 13

Churchill as a wartime leader: what did Churchill convince most of cabinet and population to fight on in the hope of

Answer 13

That the US could be persuaded to support Britain

Question 14

Churchill as a wartime leader: what did Churchill do rather than seek peace

Answer 14

He put everything into organising the military effort against nazi Germany

Question 15

Churchill as a wartime leader: what was Churchill inspiring leadership accredited with during and after the war

Answer 15

Unifying the nation

Question 16

Churchill as a wartime leader: what were Churchill’s faults

Answer 16

He was impulsive and dictatorial and constantly interfered in the details of gov departments

Question 17

Churchill as a wartime leader: why was Churchill a poor committee chairman

Answer 17

He thought he knew more about strategy and tactics than his generals

Question 18

Churchill as a wartime leader: what did the Australian prime minister, Robert Menzies, note about Churchill during war

Answer 18

‘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’

Question 19

Churchill as a wartime leader: why was the chief of general staff critical of Churchill

Answer 19

For making impetuous and unrealistic decisions

Question 20

Churchill as a wartime leader: why was Churchill lucky with his deptuty PM

Answer 20

He was an extremely effective organiser

Question 21

The coalition government: what was Churchill’s first task on becoming PM

Answer 21

Forming a new government

Question 22

The coalition government: why did the new government have to be one of national unity

Answer 22

Given the desperate situation unfolding across the channel

Question 23

The coalition government: how did chamberlain remaining leader of Conservative party until his death benefit Churchill

Answer 23

-made it easier for Churchill to act as if he were above party politics and to bring lab and lib politicians into gov

Question 24

The coalition government: who did Churchill’s wartime cabinet consist of

Answer 24

Churchill, Attlee, Greenwood, Halifax and chamberlain

Question 25

The coalition government: what did Churchill’s wartime coalition prove to be

Answer 25

Stable and efficient

Question 26

The coalition government: why did Churchill’s coalition not split the Conservative party

Answer 26

Absence of major rivals- illness drove Chamb out of office and Halifax ambassador to America

Question 27

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

Answer 27

There had been no general election for 10 years

Question 28

The reasons for labour victory in 1945: on what date did the Churchill war coalition end

Answer 28

23 May 1945

Question 29

Positions before the war: what was the Labour Party untainted with that gave it an advantage over the conservatives

Answer 29

The discredited appeasement policy of chamberlain, the problems of the 1930s, unemployment and social deprivation

Question 30

Positions before the war: what did labours electoral propaganda play on

Answer 30

The memories of the failings of the 1930s and the need to ensure they never occurred again

Question 31

Positions before the war: what trend is there evidence to suggest in the early 1940s

Answer 31

A steady leftward trend, helped by expansion of TU movement

Question 32

Positions before the war: how was socialism put in a good light by the war

Answer 32

It made people aware of the enormous contribution made by Soviet Russia towards the defeat of hitler

Question 33

Positions before the war: which key labour policies were emphasised by the war

Answer 33

State intervention and planning seemed a good idea

Question 34

Positions before the war: which proposals became very popular from 1942 that were supported by labour

Answer 34

The plans in the beveridge report and the proposals for a welfare state

Question 35

Positions before the war: what did the wartime coalition provide the opportunity for leading figures to do

Answer 35

To prove themselves on the national state

Question 36

The 1945 election campaign: why was the conservative election party machine not as efficient as usual

Answer 36

Election held soon after war and many conservative agents were away in armed forces

Question 37

The 1945 election campaign: why were labour able to put more agents into constituencies that conservatives

Answer 37

Many trade unionists were in reserved trades

Question 38

The 1945 election campaign: why were many conservative leaders complacent about this election

Answer 38

They believed the electorate would thank Churchill for being such an effective wartime leader by voting him in again

Question 39

The 1945 election campaign: what were the two manifestos

Answer 39

Labour- let us face the future

Conservative- mr Churchill’s declaration to the voters

Question 40

The 1945 election campaign: what did labours manifesto promise

Answer 40

Nationalisation of key industries, economic planning, full employment, creation of NHS and system of social security

Question 41

The 1945 election campaign: what did Churchill’s manifesto include

Answer 41

Progressive ideas on key social inssuesnbut was vague on post war economic controls

Question 42

The 1945 election campaign: what was Churchill not the right man for due to his associations with war

Answer 42

Not the right man for peacetime reconstruction

Question 43

The 1945 election campaign: who did most first time voters vote for

Answer 43

Labour

Armed forces also pro labour

Question 44

Attlee as PM: what did Attlee attempt to donin his ministerial appointments

Answer 44

Reward talent but also preserve a balance between different factions of the party

Question 45

Attlee as PM: Attlee achievement during his 6 years as pm

Answer 45

Nationalisation, Welty is state, contribution to NATO and handling of Indian independence

Question 46

Labour ideology and aims: what was the Labour Party rather than revolutionary

Answer 46

Reformist

Question 47

Labour ideology and aims: aims of labour government 1945

Answer 47

• nationalisation
• universal state welfare provision
• NHS

Question 48

Labour ideology and aims: what would state control of the economy ensure

Answer 48

The principles of clause IV of labours constitutuon were carried out

Ensured national efficiency

Question 49

Labour ideology and aims: how would state control ensure full employment

Answer 49

State better able to control essential industries so enabling it to plan the economy

Question 50

Labour ideology and aims: what was the ‘mixed economy’ that labour were committed to

Answer 50

State run and privately run businesses would exist side by side

Question 51

Labour ideology and aims: why did 15 left wingers create splinter group ‘keep left’

Answer 51

Due to Attlee conservative approach with the USSR