Expansion and contraction of the empire (13) Flashcards
Canada’s contribution to the First World War
480,000 troops
Conscription 1917 - led to riots
1917-18 = supplied a third of British Army munitions in France
Effects of WW1 on Canada?
Economic slump after war - 27% drop in living standards over the next four years
Saw the mandates as reckless imperialism, not in the interest of the dominions
India’s contribution to WW1?
One of largest volunteer armies in 1914
Over 1 million troops served
By 1917, Indian government contributed £100m to war effort
Supplied 170,000 animals
Effects of WW1 on India?
- Indian Congress stress their contribution and desire for Indian Independence
- Montagu promised more ‘responsible government’ in August 1917
- Gandhi’s campaign of Civil Disobedience against British authority in 1919
South African contribution to WW1?
- Recruited for service in Africa, France and Middle East
- Over 146,000 troops served
- Formed South African Defence Force
- Supplied gold, blocked gold shipments to Germany
Start of the mandates? (WW1)
Treaty of Versailles of 1919 stripped Germany of its colonies
Distributed among the allies at the Treaty of San Remo in 1920
British share of Mandates (WW1)
- Gained Palestine, Mesopotamia, Tanganyika, New Guinea
- Mandates brought 1.8m square miles under British control and 13m new subjects
Views of the mandates? (WW1)
USA pushed for ‘self determination’
Britain and France said ‘former colonies were underdeveloped’
Mandate system = compromise - the aim was for self-rule
Category system setup, A,B and C
Britain and France ruled their mandates as they did their colonies
Pros and Cons of Mesopotamia (WW1)
Strategic importance - overland pathway from Suez Canal to Asian Markets and India - ‘Middle-East Empire’
Oil rich - economic importance
But…
Took 14,000 troop garrison to defend
Arab rebellion/violence in June 1920 had to be suppressed by force = costly
Pros and Cons of Palestine (WW1)
- Valuable economically and strategically
- Land was main route to India and in close proximity to Suez Canal
But.. - Costly - £9 million per year to control
- Religious conflicts between Arabs and Jews
Loss of Mesopotamia (WW1)
Britain ruled it as a mandate for 12 years from 1920
Nationalist movements led to independence in 1932 under King Faisal I
BUT Britain retained rights to military and air force bases under terms of 1930 British-Iraqi Treaty
Balfour Declaration (WW1)
1917 - Balfour writes to Rothschild
Promised British support for a Zionist ‘Homeland’ for Jews in Palestine
Attempt to win support from the anti-imperialist Americans
Consequences of the Balfour Declaration (WW1)
- Increased Jewish immigration: from 60,000 in 1918 to 175,000 in 1931
- Zionist Commission setup 1918
- Muslim-Christian Association formed 1918
- Violent clashes between 1918 and 1920
- Expensive for Britain to control
Jewish immigration to Palestine
60,000 in 1918
175,000 by 1931
Still only 17.7% of population - could not create a ‘homeland’
Egypt after WWI
- Granted formal independence in 1922
- Anglo Egyptian Treaty 1936 = British troops to withdraw BUT continue to defend Suez Canal zone
Effects of WW1 on SA?
- Thought it would end British domination, despite its Dominion status
- People were angered by Jameson Raid and Boer War
- Some people wanted a stronger union with Britain and wanted it to continue after War
How did Ireland become a Dominion?
- April 1916 Dublin Easter Rising - Guerrilla Warfare until 1921 with Anglo-Irish Treaty
- Irish Free State (Southern Ireland) was setup
- Achieved full independence at the 1931 Statute of Westminster - only Dominion not to promise to come to Britain’s aid in war.
Effect of WW2 on the Empire in South East Asia
- February 1942 - seized Singapore - Britain’s main naval port in the region
- Japanese surrounded, Burma, Hong Kong, Malaya
- Ended myth of ‘white invincibility’
- Gave confidence to independence movements E.g: Aung San formed the Burma Independence Army
WW2 in North Africa?
- Britain had to protect Suez Canal and oil in the Middle East
- Battle of El Alamein (1942) - began process of removing German threat - Secured British interests of Egypt and Middle East
Reasons for British Withdrawal from India and the Middle East?
- Economic difficulties - severely weakened after war
- Labour Government of 1945 under Clement Attlee - wanted to focus on B. internal recovery and reforms
- Independence movements grew stronger e.g India
Britain’s approach to India during Inter-war ?
- 1919 Government of India Act: Sharing of powers between I and B
- ‘Twin-track’ strategy - reforms but nationalism would be dealt with ruthlessly
- Rowlatt Act 1919 - Gave authorities powers to arrest/imprison anyone who protested against British rule
BUT led to much resistance and Amritsar Massacre 1919 - 1935 Government of India Act: Allowed more Indians to vote, more political representation
- ‘Divide and Rule’ between All India Muslim League and Hindu Congress Movement - tensions between groups was used as a reason for continuing British rule
India and WW2?
- Nationalism suspended and supported Britain for war
- The Indian National Army emerged
- 1942 - Sir Stafford Cripps sent to India to promise full Dominion Status
BUT not seen as enough by nationalists - Gandhi led ‘Quit India’ Campaign
Reasons for withdrawal from India?
The post-war Labour government concluded India was no longer feasible:
- Trying to keep India would lead to widespread violent resistance = would absorb military resources
- Strong nationalism meant that the Indian Army may not be reliable and British troops would have to be deployed whilst Britain was financially exhausted
- India was no longer the great cotton market it had once been
Process of withdrawal from India?
1947 - new Viceroy, Lord Mountbatten:
- To bring about Indian independence ASAP, no later than June 1948
- India partitioned in April-May 1947 with independence for both states by 15th August 1947
- Major violence - Over 1 million people died
Loss of Burma?
- Anti-Fascist Organisation (AFO) supported the Japanese BUT realised supporting B would bring about independence quicker
- AFO changed into a resistance force = Anti-Fascist People’s Freedom League (AFPFL) in 1945
- 1945, Lord Mountbatten recognised the strength of the support of Aung San so incorporated the Burma National Army into a new army for the country
- Aung San became a legitimate leader
- 1946 Atlee, confirmed that British Troops would not be committed to impose British authority
- Burma became independent in 1948
Problems in Palestine?
Growing number of Jews in Palestine
British decided to limit Jewish immigration
BUT 2 problems:
1. International pressure e.g America - in favour of Jewish settlement due to Nazis BUT
Britain needed good relations with local Arabs for oil interests
2. Jewish terrorism meant Britain had to police it - 330 British soldiers died
Britain had spent in excess of £100 million on governing Palestine from 1945-47
End to British rule in Palestine
- Britain referred the question to the UN in February 1947 who favoured partition into Arab and Jewish states
- Britain declared its withdrawal in September 1947 and handed over control to UN Commission
