Contribution of empire to WW1 + its impacts

Question 1

How many colonial soldiers fought for Britain in the war?

Answer 1

2.5m

Question 2

Who was part of the Imperial War Cabinet created in Spring 1917? What does this show?

Answer 2

The PMs of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa as well as Indian officials.
Shows how the war gave these nations a belief in a rite of passage to autonomy. They wanted to be partners rather than colonies.

Question 3

How many Candians fought for Britain in the war? Why was conscription introduced in Canada in 1917?

Answer 3

600,000
Conscription was introduced in 1917 because their was increased national resentment to participation in the war, particularly amongst French Canadians

Question 4

How many men did the British West Indies regiment number by 1915? How did the war increase tensions between these troops and their colonisers?

Answer 4

15,600
British officers were however very reluctant to accept Black troops into the British army. Hence, they felt under-appreciated and not respected

Question 5

How many Australians and Newzealanders fought for Britain in the war?

Answer 5

380,000 Australians

100,000 New Zealanders

Question 6

What happened to support for the war amongst Australians and Newzealanders? What shows this?

Answer 6

It declined significantly
Shown by how conscription was defeated in 2 plebiscites in Australia and the slackening of recruitment after the initial enthusiasm

Question 7

How many Indians fought for Britain in the war? How many helped in non-fighting capacities?

Answer 7

1m soldiers

600,000 porters, labourers and railway builders etc.

Question 8

How did nationalist figures such as Gandhi react to the war?

Answer 8

They supported it in hope of gaining concessions from the British after the war.

Question 9

How many East Africans served in the King’s African rifles? Why did conflict in East Africa against the Germans contribute to increased nationalism?

Answer 9

10-11,000

The conflict was long and drawn out - Vorbeck didn’t surrender until after the armistice in 1918

Question 10

How many South Africans served in WW1?

Answer 10

250,000

Question 11

Where did South Africans serve during the war?

Answer 11

In German South West Africa and East Africa mainly

The South African Brigade and Mixed Race Corps did however serve in the Middle East (and Western Front for the SAB)

Question 12

Which South African group had opposed joining the war? Which two key figures used the war as an opportunity to rebel against colonial rule?

Answer 12

The Afrikaaners

Koos de la Rey and Christian Beyers

Question 13

What was Britain’s share of world trade in 1913? 1938?

Answer 13

1913 = 17%
1938 = 14%

Question 14

How did the US gain in influence over Britain from the war?

Answer 14

• Its loans and supplies to Britain left Britain in $4bn debt to them
• It became the leading ship builder of the world
• It gained market share from Britain e.g. agriculture in Canada

Question 15

What was the attitude of the 1918 government to the empire?

Answer 15

Pro-Imperialist

Question 16

How many men did the British army number in 1918? By 1922?

Answer 16

1918 - 3.7m

1922 - 231,000

Question 17

Where did Britain’s imperial territory expand after the war?

Answer 17

In the Middle East (Iraq, Palestine, Transjordan, Persia), German East Africa (Tanganyika) and Cameroon and Togoland

Question 18

How much did Japan’s cotton industry increase by during the war?

Answer 18

55%

Question 19

How much did Japan’s share of India’s import trade change between 1913-1918?

Answer 19

1% to 21%

Question 20

What happened to Japan’s economy after the war?

Answer 20

There was a recession

Question 21

What does Egyptian independence in 1922 and the GOI Act of 1919 suggest about the impact of the war on empire?

Answer 21

Suggests that colonial nationalism increased and that Britain was no longer equipped to be able to deal with this

Question 22

What was the value of Britain’s imports from the empire each year 1915-1919? What was it previously?

Answer 22

£1161m 1915-1919

Previously it was £714m

Question 23

Which treaty greatly weakened Germany’s international status compared to Britain? How much were the reparations?

Answer 23

The Treaty of Versailles

£2bn

Question 24

Which treaty saw the break up of the Austo-Hungarian empire and restrictive military limits placed on it?

Answer 24

Treaty of Saint-Germain

Question 25

Which treaty broke up the Ottoman Empire and gave Britain and France large mandates in it?

Answer 25

Treaty of Sevres

Question 26

Why did France’s international status decrease compared to Britain after WW1?

Answer 26

Because both its territory and economy was devastated by the conflict whereas Britain’s territory and econom remained in tact due to American and Colonial support

Question 27

What reduced Russia’s status compared to Britain after WW1?

Answer 27

The two revolutions in 1917, the ensuing civil war and the policy of war communism.