British Topic - Churchill

Question 1

Brief reasons for why Churchill was out of office so long

Answer 1

• Churchill took up unpopular causes which he spoke about recklessly
• became isolated and relied on loyal advisories who were seen as eccentrics and outsiders
• increase in radio and tv meant that Churchill’s old style of speaking during great public meetings were seen as old fashioned
• Churchill was seen as part of a long-gone imperial age
• unhelpful in establishing a stable government which was needed during a weak economy as foreign investors wanted a stable government
• attacked Conservatives during pre-war talks attacking them on House of Lords and Ireland
• Gallipoli campaign
• Gold Standard
• 1931 Government - no room for Churchill
• Wall Street Crash - whipped out his investments + saving’s - he had to write to make money

Question 2

Issues that set Churchill aside from mainstream Conservative thinking

Answer 2

• Abdication
• Rearmament
• India

Question 3

India - Background + Churchill’s beliefs

Answer 3

• India = The Jewel of the Crown (late-Victorian view)
• British rule prevented the domination of Hindu Elites over Indian Muslims. This ensure good government + economic and social progress + prevented epidemic corruption + protected the weak
• Churchill held racial views - Anglo-Saxon’s should rule over lesser developed people
• Churchill has served as a young officer in India

Question 4

India - Gandhi info + actions (+dates)

Answer 4

• He developer Satyagraha (holding onto the truth)
• he had the persuit of freedom through non-violent protests
• His actions created protests
• 1919 = Gandhi leads mass protest against Rowlatt Act in Amritsar - Government troops fired on protests killing 400 and injuring 1200 people - this increased Indian nationalist support for self-government
• 1930 = Salt tax protest - Gandhi arrested
• 1930 + 1931 = Gandhi released from prison to attend conferences in London to sought out conflict - lead to nothing - Gandhi aerated on his return to India
• 1935 = Government of India Act

Question 5

India - Dates

Answer 5

• 1919 = Rowlatt Act = increase police power and allowed imprisonment without trial
• 1919 = Montogu - Chelmsford measures = gave locally elected councils a measure of control over some internal matters
• 1918 = Amritsar killings
• 1920’s = increase in want for self-governance in India
• 1930 = Salt tax protest - Gandhi arrested
• 1930 + 1931 = London conferences on ending conflict in India
• 1935 = Government of India Act - electorate expanded to 35 million / 338 million
• 1937 = Government of India Act took effect

Question 6

India - Consequences of Churchill’s resentment

Answer 6

• Isolated him from more moderate Conservatives
• Stanley Baldwin (Conservative leader) undermines Churchill’s position though calm + moderate speeches and also mocked Churchill references
• Former supporter Leo America MP - Churchill’s ‘unique achievement to stir up hornets where there were no hornets’

Question 7

India - What did Churchill say following the Government of India Act

Answer 7

• Churchill stopped agitating and invited political supporters of Gandhi to lunch where he wished India well, “If India could look after herself, we would be delighted. make the reforms a success”

Question 8

Appeasement - Why did Churchill object so much to German rearmament?

Answer 8

• saw new regime in Germany as brutal, dailies its racism and violence