Churchill and international diplomacy, 1939-51 Flashcards
why did Churchill believe Britain had to go to war in 1939?
- maintain peace
- honour moral obligations
what had Churchill encouraged before the war, in terms of international relations?
an alliance between the opponents of the expansionist powers - Germany, Italy and Japan
what was the ‘United Nations’?
- alliance opposing Axis powers
- acting together to prevent aggression
- after the war, the United Nations organisation was formed to replace the League of Nations as a world body for maintaining peace
what was Churchill’s view of empire during the war?
he believed in the common interests of Britain and the white dominions, and he relied on their wartime support
what was Churchill’s view of the colonies during the war?
- agreed to the Atlantic Charter, but still had no plans to actually extend its democratic principles to the non-white parts of Europe
- British colonies were expected to provide troops, food and raw materials for the war effort without getting any concession
what did standing alone against Hitler in 1940 give Britain after the war?
- prestige
- an excuse to ensure that Britain played a part in world affairs which was greater that her resources or her contributions to the war effort really justified
how did Churchill view Britain after the war?
- as being at the centre of international affairs
- as a key promoter of Western moral and democratic values
give three important policies/decisions about war strategy and post-war Europe that was Churchill involved in
- commitment to democracy as a war aim and the policy of unconditional surrender
- Mediterranean Strategy
- decision to set D-Day in 1944
- Churchill agreed with Stalin in 1944 in a Moscow meeting about spheres of influence in eastern Europe
- division of Germany after the war (Yalta and Potsdam Conferences)
- decision to establish a United Nations emerged from Yalta Conference
- Stalin’s declaration of war on Japan was decided at Yalta
how important was Churchill in conferences?
- achieved his aim of getting Britain’s allies to accept the Mediterranean Strategy
- relations with Roosevelt and Stalin helped to ensure that a Grand Alliance was maintained and that there was a communication between the allies
- influenced Stalin into agreeing to spheres of influence in eastern Europe and not to occupy Greece
when was the Tehran Conference and what happened there?
1943
- it was made clear that the USA regarded Britain as a junior partner
- Churchill was compelled to sign the Atlantic Charter to gain US support
- Churchill had to accept territorial changes in Poland that went against Britain’s moral obligations
what happened at the Yalta Conference?
- Churchill had to accept the return of Russian prisoners of war who had fought for the Germans to the USSR, even though it was clear that they would be killed or imprisoned on their return
how were relations between the USA and Britain from 1939-41?
- mixed
- Roosevelt would not commit the USA to giving direct aid for Britain, but Britain was allowed to buy arms and gained 50 US destroyers in return for naval bases
- however, these destroyers were too old to be of much help
what was the Lease-Lend programme and when was it enacted?
March 1941
- gave Britain war materials and credit
- Britain had to use its gold reserves as a guarantee
what did the USA do to provide help for Britain in 1941?
- its navy patrolled a neutral zone in the Atlantic to protect merchant shipping from German attacks
when and where did Churchill and Roosevelt meet to discuss the Atlantic Charter?
- Placentia Bay
- August 1941
