Chapter 13 - Expansion And Contraction Of Empire Flashcards
What started in 1914?
WW1
What did B declare war on behalf of?
The whole Empire
What did the B assume?
War would be short lived
Wouldn’t need to use help from Empire
How many men were used?
1.4 million from colonies
5 million from B
What did they actually use from the Empire?
Troops from India + Africa + Dominions
Raw materials + food
Helped B victory a lot
What did the colonial leaders then want?
Say in the troops actions
Made ‘Imperial war cabinet’
Only 2 sessions held + B still dominated
Did the White Dominions support B in war?
Mostly
Large numbers volunteered
But leaders wanted to maintain distinct national identities
Where were the dominions applauded for their bravery?
Au + NZ = Gallipoli campaign
C = Vimy Ridge
What did Canada also supply B with?
Munitions - made up 1/3 of what was used in France
Wheat
What did General Smuts do?
First fought against B in Boer War
Then formed SA Defence Force - fought against Germans
Member of Lloyd George’s Imperial War Cabinet
Advised on military strategy
Where was the war not popular in the Dominions?
French C in Quebec - said it was pro-B affair - protests about conscription
A also rejected conscription twice
What fraction of troops in France were Indian or served in India?
1/3
Where else had Indian troops helped contribute?
Middle East
Africa
How much in 1917 did the Indian govt contribute to B war effort?
£100 million
What did Edwin Montagu promise from the support give by India?
More ‘responsible’ self-govt for India
Included more representation for ordinary Indians
What were Egyptian soldiers used for?
1.2 million to defend Egypt + ME
100,000 fought in Europe - 50% killed
What did black people from the tropical colonies do?
Worked in France as labourers and carriers
What did others join from B East Africa?
‘Human porters’ who were forced to serve in the fight against Germans in Tanganyika
100,000 died
What development of independence movements came from this?
Pan African Congress 1919
SA attended Versailles Peace Conference 1919
What Treaties were written up post-war by the allies?
Treaty of Versailles - stripped G of former colonies
Treaty of Sevres
Treaty of Lausanne
Treaty of San Remo
What did the B gain from the post-war treaties?
1.8 million square miles
13 million new subjects
Gained control of Palestine, Transjordan, Iraq, Cameroon, Tongo, Tanganyika
What was the League of Nations?
International org set up by post-war treaties to settle disputes with negotiation + prevent war
What undermined the League?
USA refused to join
Rise of fascism + nazism
What reason did the B + French give to have to guide German + Turkish colonies in Africa + ME?
They were politically + economically undeveloped
Gave the mandate powers - virtually imperial control
What did the mandate system separate the counties into?
A, B, C categories
What was in the A category?
Palestine + Mesopotamia
Territories quite developed - ind in near future
What was in the B category?
Tanganyika
Longer period of guidance before ind
What was in the C category?
New Guinea + Samoa
Ind not considered feasible
Why did B want a Palestinian mandate?
Economic + strategic reasons
Protect Suez + was oil rich
What did the B + French plot in 1915?
To divide up ME
F would take SE Turkey, N Iraq, Syria + Lebanon
B would take Jordan, S Iraq + Palestine
They encouraged Arab rebellions against Turkish Empire
Lawrence of Arabia
What was the Balfour Declaration?
1917 Balfour sent letter to Rothschild - leader of B Jewish community
Released to press + promised B support for ‘national homeland’ for Jews in Palestine
What did the Declaration come out of?
Sympathy for Jews
Attempt to win support of anti-imperialist Americans for influence in this area
What was formed when a Zionist Commission was set up in Palestine to campaign for Jewish rights?
Muslims + Arabs formed the Muslim-Christian Association
What was the population of Jewish people by 1931 in Palestine?
17.7%
Why did Leo Amery + Lord Alfred support the Jews?
Win sympathy of influential Jewish interests in USA + extent B influence in ME without American opposition
When had Ireland been joined to the UK?
Since 1801
Who had tried to help Ireland with an independence movement?
Gladstone + Asquith - His 3rd Home Rule Bill got royal assent but opposed in the area of Ulster that wanted to be united
What did Irish volunteers do during the war?
Prepared an armed rising against the B
Why was the Home Rule Bill also not implemented?
War
What was put down in 1916?
Dublin Easter Rising
Followed by guerrilla warfare - ended 1921
What also happened in 1921?
Anglo-English Treaty was signed
Meant new Catholic Irish Free State was set up with Dominion status
Who opposed this?
6 N Protestant counties
Stayed with B
What was the Irish Free State’s new name?
Eire
When did it get full independence?
1937 Statute of Westminster
What was Egypt granted in 1922?
Formal independence
Still B client state until 1954
Where did the troops stay in Egypt until the Anglo-Egyptian Treaty in 1936?
Stationed in Egypt
Agreed troops would withdraw but continue to defend Suez Canal Zone
In return what did Egypt do?
Joined the League of Nations
When did B loose Iraq (Mesopotamia)?
1932
New govt stayed closed economic + military ties with B
Why did B rule Iraq with a mandated territory for 12 years?
Protected monarchial rule - Royal Family of Hejaz
Country never stable + conflicting national movements caused problems
What war had more conflict in the Empire?
WW2
Why was there more conflict?
New demands for greater autonomy after the war
What did Japan take in 1942?
Singapore
Malaya
Burma
Tried to attack India
Why was the loss of Singapore the worst?
Was B main military naval base
Brought largest surrender of B troops in history
How was the Japanese attempt of invasion of India dealt with?
Narrowly averted + B + allies stopped the conquests in this region
What did the success of the Japanese end?
Myth of ‘white invincibility’
Gave new confidence to movements across SE Asia
What did the 30,000 Indian troops that were captured by the J in Singapore join?
Indian National Army (INA)
Aimed to rid India + Asia of B
Led from 1943 by Subhas Chandra Bose
In Burma what did Aung San + Japanese form?
Burma Independence Army
Also fought against B
Where did the Germans come close to taking B influence in ME?
Battle of El Alamein
1942 B defeated G + started to get G out of N Africa
What circumstances had changed after WW2?
Economic position weakened
Labour govt elected 1945 - Atlee
Ind movements stronger esp India + ME
What came out of nationalist demands for self-govt after WW1?
Government of India Act 1919
Sharing of powers with Indian Ministers + B Viceroy
What did the B do after this as they thought it might allow more nationalist movements?
‘Twin track’ strategy
Reforms that work + Punishment for resistance
What did the Rowlett Act 1919 do?
Gave authorities power to arrest or imprison anyone who protested against B rule
What did the Act actually do?
Created more resistance
Amritsar massacre
What failed in moving India to dominion status?
Round Table Conference
What did the Government of India Act 1935 do?
Increased vote to Indians
But most wanted full independence still
What did B retreat to in 1930s?
Former policy of ‘divide + rule’
What did the two nationalist sides want?
All Muslim League = Separate Pakistan
Hindu Congress Movement = United India
Who did the B favour?
All Muslim League
Divisions ‘justified’ B rule
When did the nationalists suspend their movements?
1939
To support B war effort
What did the B do after the emergence of the INA?
Adopted a policy of repression imprisoning Congress leader
Blatantly being in favour of Muslim League
What did Churchill send a labour member of the wartime coalition govt to do in 1942?
Promise Indians full Dominion status
What did Gandhi still do?
Him + other Congress leaders launched ‘Quit India’
Arrested + spent rest of war in prison
What reasons did the Labour govt grant India independence 1945?
Feared widespread violent resistance stretching military resources
INA might mean Indian soldiers unreliable - B troops sent over = expensive when in economic troubles
No cotton profits, costs outstrip benefits
What was decided to be part of this independence?
Partition
India + Pakistan
What was the outcome of this?
Violence of Hindus + Muslims escalated
Both fled to their ‘homelands’
1 million died in the violence
What were the B working towards in Burma in 1947?
Decolonisation
What was the Anti-Fascist Organisation’s role in this?
Initially supported J against B
Realised allied victory was more likely to bring independence
B Governor Smith came back to reconstruct + turned them into a resistance group
What did Lord Mountbatten do in 1945?
Realised strength of support for Aung San
Agreed that Burma National Army could be incorporated into new army + made Aung San leader in post-war
What happened in 1946?
Rising disobedience
Smith + Rance replaced him
Attlee didn’t want to commit troops to impose B authority
Would be ind in 1948
What was the effect of WW2 on Palestine?
Due to holocaust more Jewish people to migrate
What were the two major problems for B?
USA Truman favoured Jewish settlement in Palestine + B needed US economic aid but wanted to retain allies with Arabs
Outbreaks of Jewish terrorism against B + didn’t want to police or use resources
What were the three possible solutions?
Unitary State - Arab majority rule
Provincial autonomy - divided smaller areas ind ruled - still lead to Arab rule
Partition - favoured by Jewish
Who did the B pass the problem onto to not alienate the Arabs?
UN
Withdrew from Palestine by 1948
