Churchill from 1939 - War and Post War

Question 1

the situation after munich

Answer 1

• After 1938 political and public opinion began to change
• Churchill’s position had become less unrealistic because opinion in both Britain and in the empire did not find by 1939 the prospect of war as unthinkable as it had been a few years before
• By 1939, conscription, planning for air raids (who had repeatedly warned of the threat of the German air force?), the formation of an expeditionary force and a much-enlarged air force had made war more of a possible option than it had been any time since 1919
• The Polish Guarantee did not make war inevitable but it would be hard for any invasion of Poland not to lead to British intervention

Question 2

Nazi-Soviet Pact

Answer 2

• In April 1939, Russia, Britain and France met to ally to defend Poland - but by August 1939, Russia had swapped sides and made a pact with Germany! Through the Nazi-Soviet Pact, Stalin and Hitler agreed not to go to war with each other and to split Poland between them.
• Everybody realised that Hitler’s next target was Poland, so Chamberlain promised to defend Poland. But how? Britain was too far away to help and only had a small army.
• In April 1939, Stalin suggested an alliance of Russia, France and Britain against Germany. Hitler would not have been able to invade Poland if taking that action would have meant war with Russia. However, negotiations dragged on into August because:
• Chamberlain did not like communist Russia.
  Poland would not let Russian troops go into Poland.
  Stalin did not trust that France and Britain would resist Germany.
• Out of the blue, on 23 August 1939, Hitler made a non-aggression pact, the Nazi-Soviet Pact with Stalin - a promise not to go to war with each other and (secretly) a promise to invade Poland and split it between them.

Question 3

What did this pact mean?

Answer 3

This pact meant that Hitler could be sure of defeating Poland without Russian intervention. Hitler gambled that an invasion of Poland would not be met with immediate military action by either Britain or France. There was even the possibility that they would not got to war.

Question 4

1939

Answer 4

• German forces invaded Poland on September 1st 1939. The lands gained by Poland in 1919 were the ones closest to German hearts and their recovery would cement the destruction of the Treaty of Versailles. It would also open up the way to eastward expansion.
• Chamberlain asked Churchill to become a member of the war cabinet.
• On the 2nd Britain had still not declared war, and Churchill said; “I thought it probable that a last-minute effort was being made to preserve peace”
• However, Britain refused to appease Hitler any further and demanded Germany withdraw.
• 11am on the 3rd of September, the ultimatum expired

Question 5

Britain declared war

Answer 5

• Churchill was no longer the outsider and had not only proven his warnings right but was made First Lord of the Admiralty.
• Churchill may have been outspoken but he put his old grievances aside to work with his former critics and worked with Chamberlain.
• Despite all odds, by 1939, after 10 wilderness years, Churchill was back in the position he was in back in 1914.
• Once again, he was urging the navy into action against Germany.

Question 6

From Admiralty to PM

Answer 6

• Despite being proven right, he remained an isolated figure.
• Old resentments and criticisms remained, but he remained loyal to Chamberlain.
• He wanted to wage war vigorously.
• However, things were far from simple.

Question 7

From Admiralty to PM

Answer 7

• Despite going to war to save Poland, British forces weren’t able to do anything.
• France did not undertake the sort of daring offensive that they had in 1914.
• Bolstered by the Nazi-Soviet Pact German forces took western Poland and the USSR occupied the east. The - -
• USSR also waged a winter war against Finland.
• Britain considered waging war on the USSR and Germany at the same time
• Unwilling or unable to open a western front, Britain looked at Norway.
• The Norway campaign was a disaster for Britain and revived memories of Gallipoli.

Question 8

the Norway campaign

Answer 8

Churchill had pressed for action in Norway, as its waters in the North Sea were a vital routeway for Germany to obtain Swedish iron ore. He had proposed laying mines in Norwegian waters and action to prevent a possible German invasion of Norway. Chamberlain agreed to mining on 28th March 1940 but on 1st March Hitler had approved a German invasion a pre-emptive measure. This began in April. The Germans invaded Denmark and landed forces in Norway, capturing the capital, Oslo, but losing 12 large ships in naval actions against the British. British army landings did not meet with success and there were disputes about methods and objectives. Forces landed at Namsos and Andalsnes were forced to withdraw in early May. Forces landed at Narvik achieved little and it finally fell to the Germans on 28th May. The campaign was poorly managed and its purpose was questionable. Hitler succeeded in taking Denmark and Norway.