Britain Y1 Flashcards
1
Q
Churchill’s career before 1929
A
- from an aristocratic family - grandfather = duke of Marlborough. father = Lord Randolph - leading conservative politician
- professional soldier serving in india and sudan before entering politics
- conservative MP in 1900
- joined liberals in 1904
- 1905 - became minister
- 1908 - president of board of trade
- then home secretary and first lord of Admiralty
- played leading role in introducing social reforms pre 1914
- influential in ww1
- 1915 - failed attack on turkey - led to regisnation
- in army in france
- 1917 - back in gov as minister for munitions
- served in Lloyd George’s coalition gov from 1918 to 1922 and then re-joined the conservatives and was chancellor of exchequer 1924-29
2
Q
Churchill’s personality
A
- outspoken
- self confident
- often controversial
- ambitious
- enjoyed being in control
- good speeches
- had bitter enemies good friends
3
Q
Churchill’s political ideas
A
- supported social reforms + believed gov should help the poor
- opposed threats to Britain (e.g. Ireland rebellion)
- strong believer in British empire, determined to defend it
- supported WW1
- opposed communism especially after killing of Russian Tsar in 1918
- opposed threat to monarchy + constitution
4
Q
Churchill as a controversial figure
A
- many conservatives viewed him as a betrayer for joining liberals
- support for use of troops against striking miners in south Wales in 1910 made him unpopular within labour movement
- support for poorly planned attack on Constantinople in Gallipoli Landings in 1915 made him widely distrusted
- extreme opponent of communism - supported a war against communist regime in russia after 1917
- returning Britain to gold standard in 1925 was criticised by economic experts as it hurt exports
- extreme opponent of trade unions - oppoistion to the general strike in 1926
5
Q
Churchill in the 1930s?
A
churchill’s wilderness years
- not included in the 1931 National gov
- remained a backbench MP
- fortune wiped out by wall street crash
- had to write history books and controversial newspaper articles for a living
6
Q
what were the reasons for Churchill’s wilderness years?
A
- in conflict with bulk of his own party
- took up a series of unpopular cases and spoke abt them recklessly
- became increasingly isolated relying on a group of loyal advisers who were seen as outsiders and eccentrics
- Churchill’s type of speaking was now viewed as old-fashioned and out of touch because of advancements such as radio and cinema
- mid 1930s he was 60 and seen to be part of long-gone imperial age
- 1931 key issue = economics. Foreign investors/markets needed a united gov and Churchill was saw as unhelpful in establishing that
- when conservatives joined with labour leader Macdonald and some liberals (1931) to form national gov there was no room for churchill
- wall street crash hindered him
7
Q
Churchill’s view of events - India
A
- India = jewel in the crown of whole British empire thus it had to be protected
- British rule had ensured end of what he saw as barbaric practices and meant economic and social progress
- believed it prevented corruption and prevented the weal
- strong believe in racial superiority of the Anglo-Saxons and in their destiny to rule over and develop lesser people
8
Q
Churchill’s view of events - indian independence
A
- bitterly opposed
- gathered peace after 1918
- after 1918 Britain had become more democratic
- during ww1 other colonies remained loyal while being self-governed
- by not allowing India the same it would seem to be prejudice
- more guided self-gov was essential to separate moderate Indians from radical Ghandi movement
- Churchill launched a personal crusade to defend what he saw as Britain’s interests, found himself allied with most reactionary elements in Britain
- Churchill’s Increasing extreme public statements and support of racist organisations that opposed negotiations and change isolated him from moderate conservatives e.g. Stanley Baldwin
- 1934 Churchill was bitter in attacks on gov over Indian reform proposals
- Once Government of Indian act was passed Churchill stopped
9
Q
Churchill’s view of events - abdication of Edward VIII
A
- churchill = member of limited informal group - The King’s Friends - who supported the monarch
- bulk of parliament didn’t take that view
- Churchill made a speech in favour of the king in the House of Commons which was shouted down
- led to churchill seeming rooted in past
10
Q
when did Edward VIII abdicate?
A
11 December 1936
11
Q
Churchill’s view of events - German Rearmament
A
- made churchill become alarmed and objected it
- saw new regime in germany as brutal - racist and violent
- feared a repeat of situation prior to 1914 when Germany threatened the peace of Europe by challenging Britain with development of naval fleet
- Churchill member of gov that signed treaty of versailles that Hitler now wanted to break
- worried about Germany’s developing air force. Saw effects of air warfare in 1920 when used on Iraqi rebels
- many criticised his view by suggesting he held a pre-1914 mentality of opposition towards Germany
12
Q
what was the 10 year rule?
A
defence planning should not consider a war likely for the nest ten years and justified cut-backs in defence
lasted from 1919-32
13
Q
why was Churchill unpopular with Conservative politicians before 1929?
A
- as home secretary he had proposed to abolish the house of lords in 1910
- opposed the partition of Ireland
- as first lord of the admiralty during WW1 he planned the disastrous Gallipoli campaign
- As chancellor of the Exchequer he returned Britain to the gold standard in 1925 (only lasted 6 years)
- Switched from conservative to liberal for 20 years in 1904 -1924
14
Q
what were 4 problems in Britain during the 1930s?
A
- Great Depression
- Threat of Hitler
- Weakness of King Edward VII
- Unrest in India
15
Q
what was the consensus view on the great depression?
A
appear stable to win foreign investment
16
Q
what was Churchill’s view on the great depression?
A
Argue recklessly with the government
17
Q
what was the consensus view on the threat of Hitler?
A
avoid war - appease Hitler
18
Q
what was Churchill’s view in the threat of Hitler?
A
Re-arm and fight Hitler
19
Q
what was the consensus view of unrest in India?
A
give Indians more power
20
Q
what was Churchill’s view on unrest in India?
A
don’t give Indians any more power
21
Q
where was increasing pressure on British rule on India coming from in the 1920s and 30s?
A
the educated elite and mass populace led by Mohandas Maharma Gandhi who developed satyahraha . Led to pursuit of freedom by non-violent protests
22
Q
what and when was the Rowlatt Acts?
A
Increased police powers by allowing imprisonment without trial
The Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act 1919 (AKA Rowlatt Acts) indefinitely extended emergency measures of preventive indefinite detention, incarceration without trial, and judical review enacted in the Defence of India Act 1915 during WW1
23
Q
reactions to the Rowlatt Acts?
A
- Nationalists organise a series of protests against the acts in Amritsar (capital of Punjab)
- No serious unrest as a result marked display of Hindu-Muslim solidarity
- Authorities arrested nationalist leaders leading to large scale rioting
- The British governor of Punjab (Micheal O’Dwyer) believed riots were part of a carefully planned uprising that would lure Indian soldiers into munity. Thus treated the situations as first stage in a general insurrection aimed at overthrowing the Raj
- Brought in General Rex Dyer
24
Q
what was the montagu declaration?
A
gov will work towards increasing association of Indians in every branch of the administration and the greater development of self-governing institutions with a view of the progressive realisation of responsible gov in India as an integral part of the British Empire
25
what was the Monteagu-Chelmsford measures
1919 Montagu-Chelmsford measures gave locally elected councils a measure of control over some internal matters
26
what did Ghandi do in April 1919?
lead a mass campaign against Rowlatt acts and troops fired on a protesting crowd at amristrar killng 400 and wounding 1200
led to mass support for Indian nationalism
27
what did Gandhi do in 1930?
lead a mass march to sea to protests about salt tax by gathering natural sea salt
resulted in numerous arrests including Gandhi
28
Why was Gandhi released from jail?
to attend conferences in London in 1930 and 1931 to end the conflict
limited success, he was arrested on his return
29
India - what did Britain announce in 1933?
intentions of allowing India greater self-government
30
India - what did Britain's announcement in 1933 pave the way for?
Government of India Act of 1935 (ended the dyarchy and direct elections were introduced), took effect in 1937
electorate expanded to 35 million (out of population of 338 million) and there were elected legislatures set up to deal with local affairs
31
when and what was the Indian Independence Act?
1947
India and Pakistan establisged as independent states within the commonwealth with right to withdraw from or remain within the commonwealth. Indian gov elected to retain its membership.
32
what is rearmament?
building up a new army, navy and air force
33
what is appeasement?
giving in to somebody's demands in the hopes of avoiding war
34
why was Churchill's warnings about Germany ignored?
- he had been partly responsible for disarming Britain in 1920s
- introduced the 10 year rule
- economy was too weak to rearm
- most wanted to avoid another war like ww1 and trusted league of nations to preserve peace
- many were sympathetic to germany and thought hitler had the right to rearm as treaty of versailles was too harsh, france and ussr = threats to germany
- churchill was alarmist and tended to exaggerate
35
how did Britain try to keep peace?
- treaty of Versailles
- league of nations
- Locarno Pact
- Kellog-Briand Pact
36
what and when was the league of nations?
first global organisation of governments with the mission to keep world peace.
Britain = leading member
1920
37
what and when was the Locarno Pact?
An agreement between France, Britain, Italy and Germany guaranteeing Germany's western frontiers as established by the Treaty of Versailles 1919
38
what and when was the Kellog-Briand Pact?
made war as a means of settling international disputes illegal
1928
39
why did they fail to keep world peace?
League of Nations failed to stop Japan invading Manchuria in 1931. Because they had n army and members didnt want to impose economic sanctions on Japan during the Great depressionn
British and French foreign secretaries secretly gave Mussolini permission to invade Abyssinia in 1935. This was because they wanted to persuade Mussolini to not join Hitler. When discovered by the press british gov was forced to publically condemn Mussolini
40
why appeasement?
- British public wanted peace, wouldn't have supported a war in 1938
- Hitler's complaints seemed reasonable, during the time especially treaty of versailles
- Chamberlin wanted a strong Germany, to serve as a barrier against expansion by communist Russia
- British armed forces not prepared for war, couldn't have helped Czechoslovokia anyway
- many admired Hitler, in 1938 american magazine "time" declared him man of the year
- Chamberlain remembered the slaughter of tthe first world war he though another war would be too destructive
41
what happened 15th sepetember 1938?
- Chamberlin goes to see Hitler at Berchtesgarden
- without consulting Czechoslovakia he promised Hitler all areas where more than 50% of population is German. Then persuades France to agree
42
what happened 22-23 september 1938?
- Chamberlain goes to Bad Godesberg to tell Hitler about the decision but Hitler now demands all the sudetenland, Chamberlain refuses
- Chamberlain calls the crisis a quarrel in a faraway country between people of whm we know nthing
43
what happened 30 september 1938?
- At munich, France + Britain agree t give Hitler the Sudetenland
- Chamberlain waves a piece of paper with Hitler's statement that he doesn't want to g to war. Chamberlain refers to the peace in our time. German troops march into Sudetenland and are welcomed as heroes
44
when did extensive British rearmament begin?
1938
45
when did Chamberlain take office?
1937
46
what was Chamberlain's view on appeasement?
- personally didn't approve of the policy
- However he saw his country was not prepared for war as public opinion was against it, they had not yet economically recovered, and their army/navy/air force was simply too underdeveloped to protect domestically while engaging in worldwide warfare
47
when did Germany leave the league of Nations?
1933
48
when did Hitler reintroduce conscription and what did this break?
1935
Treaty of Versailles
49
When was the Rhineland remilitarised?
March 1936
50
What and when was the Stresa Front?
Italy, France and Britain united against German expansion into Austria in the Stresa Front
April 1935
51
what and when was the Anglo-German Naval Treaty?
British approval for Germans to develop their fleet provided that t was limited to 35% of the British fleet
1935
52
what did the Anglo-German Naval treaty break?
treaty of versailles
locarno
53
when does Germany annex Austria?
1938 March
54
what and when was the Polish Guarantee?
31 March 1939
British guaranteed Poland's independence but not its existing territorial borders. n the event when Poland was invaded by Germany (September 1939) Britain decided that it was not within its power to do much
55
what was Churhills reaction to Munich?
- strongly against Britain not being involved
- rejected persuading Czechs to make concession and to persuade Hitler to accept them
- moral cowardice to give into aggression
- did not foresee an end to friendly relations between Germany and Poland
-
56
arguments against Churchill's view that Britain should have gone to war in 1938?
- lack of allies
- lacked expeditionary force ready for war
- move to war left Egypt, Suez Canal, India, Austria vulnerable to to Japan + Italy
- Churchill had been hostile to communist Soviet Union, France distrusted communism, hostility of conservatists meaning no alliance with Stalin
- France didn't plan to attack cautious of casualties similar to ww1. Maginot Line was a defensive measure not hostile
- smaller nations of Eastern Europe wouldn't have been militarily effective and were more concerned with treat of Soviet Union
- USA public favoured isolationism, more focused on Japan
- League of Nations proved consistently ineffective in preventing aggression since 1931
57
what and when was the Neutrality Acts?
Passed by USA congress preventing USA from supplying other countries engaged in war and from joining the war
1930s
58
when does Germany invade the rest of Czechoslovakia?
1939 March
59
