Expansion and contraction of the empire (13)

Question 1

Canada’s contribution to the First World War

Answer 1

480,000 troops
Conscription 1917 - led to riots
1917-18 = supplied a third of British Army munitions in France

Question 2

Effects of WW1 on Canada?

Answer 2

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

Question 3

India’s contribution to WW1?

Answer 3

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

Question 4

Effects of WW1 on India?

Answer 4

• 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

Question 5

South African contribution to WW1?

Answer 5

• 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

Question 6

Start of the mandates? (WW1)

Answer 6

Treaty of Versailles of 1919 stripped Germany of its colonies
Distributed among the allies at the Treaty of San Remo in 1920

Question 7

British share of Mandates (WW1)

Answer 7

• Gained Palestine, Mesopotamia, Tanganyika, New Guinea

- Mandates brought 1.8m square miles under British control and 13m new subjects

Question 8

Views of the mandates? (WW1)

Answer 8

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

Question 9

Pros and Cons of Mesopotamia (WW1)

Answer 9

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

Question 10

Pros and Cons of Palestine (WW1)

Answer 10

• 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

Question 11

Loss of Mesopotamia (WW1)

Answer 11

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

Question 12

Balfour Declaration (WW1)

Answer 12

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

Question 13

Consequences of the Balfour Declaration (WW1)

Answer 13

• 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

Question 14

Jewish immigration to Palestine

Answer 14

60,000 in 1918
175,000 by 1931
Still only 17.7% of population - could not create a ‘homeland’

Question 15

Egypt after WWI

Answer 15

• Granted formal independence in 1922

- Anglo Egyptian Treaty 1936 = British troops to withdraw BUT continue to defend Suez Canal zone

Question 16

Effects of WW1 on SA?

Answer 16

• 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

Question 17

How did Ireland become a Dominion?

Answer 17

• 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.

Question 18

Effect of WW2 on the Empire in South East Asia

Answer 18

• 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

Question 19

WW2 in North Africa?

Answer 19

• 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

Question 20

Reasons for British Withdrawal from India and the Middle East?

Answer 20

• 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

Question 21

Britain’s approach to India during Inter-war ?

Answer 21

• 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

Question 22

India and WW2?

Answer 22

• 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

Question 23

Reasons for withdrawal from India?

Answer 23

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

Question 24

Process of withdrawal from India?

Answer 24

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

Question 25

Loss of Burma?

Answer 25

• 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

Question 26

Problems in Palestine?

Answer 26

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

Question 27

End to British rule in Palestine

Answer 27

• 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