Impact of WW2 on Britain Flashcards

1
Q

Why did the American GI’s interact with everyone in British communities?

A

They had a very limited sense of the class system in America

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Why were American GI’s very popular with British girls?

A

They were well paid so could afford the best clubs and restaurants

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Around how many British women became GI brides and moved to USA after the war?

A

80,000

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

How were black people treated in America at the time?

A

Badly

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Describe the treatment of black people in UK during the war

A

They were treated well

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

How did the British people react to white Americans treatment of African Americans GI’s?

A

The local people criticised the white Americans for the way they treated the African American GI’s

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Before GI’s from America came to UK, which countries did troops come to England from?

A
  • New Zealand
  • India
  • Canada
  • Australia
  • the West Indies
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Where were the prisoners of war in UK after the war from?

A
  • Germany

* Italy

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Where were the biggest group of prisoners of war captured?

A

In North Africa

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Why did the German prisoners of war increase after 1944?

A

Due to the UK’s advance across Europe

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

How many total Italian prisoners of war were captured?

A

157,000 Italians

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

How many total German prisoners of war were captured?

A

402,000 Germans

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

How did prisoners of war have a better quality of life than average Brits?

A

They were allowed the same rations as the soldiers, thy received medical care and received small wages for their work

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Why did so many prisoners of war choose to stay in Britain after the war even though they were at war with them?

A

It was better than returning to Germany, possibly even the communist east of Germany

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Why did the poles come to England?

A

As Germany invaded Poland in 1939, the best way to get Poland back was to join the UK and fight the nazis with Britain

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What did all women over 20 have to register for?

A

Registered for work at a labour exchange

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What were the exceptions of women having to register at the labour exchange?

A
  • if they were ill
  • pregnant
  • had small children
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Where were women over 20 sent to work during the war?

A

In industry or auxiliary armed forces

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

How many hours a week were some women recorded as having worked on plane assembly lines?

A

80-90 hours a week

20
Q

What percentage of married women and single women were working in industry or in the forces by 1945?

A

80% of married women

90% of single women

21
Q

What were women’s main roles in the countryside?

A

Looking after the evacuees

22
Q

Other than working in industry or the forces, or looking after evacuees, how did women help the war efforts?

A
  • air raid wardens

* fire officers

23
Q

What did the TUC ensure about women and men?

A

They were treated the same as men

24
Q

What did the government and employers introduce for working women with children?

A

Flexible working arrangements, shift work and job shares, nurseries

25
Q

Why did reconstruction efforts increase after the war?

A

To repair damage from bombs

26
Q

Why did Britain need a stronger work force after the war?

A

Reconstruction efforts needed to be increased

27
Q

How did Britain encourage a stronger work force after the war?

A
  • women were encouraged to work by government campaigns to stay in the labour market
  • inviting migrants from British colonies to fill the work shortages
28
Q

How far did attitudes to women change after the war?

A
  • they had more work opportunities
  • but they were simpler jobs
  • managers assumed women couldn’t do harder jobs
  • despite government propaganda encouraging women to join the services
  • war time recruitment posters emphasised glamour and being feminine
29
Q

When did American GI’s start arriving in Britain?

A

1942

30
Q

Why were most schools in urban areas closed during the war?

A

It was expected that most children would be evacuated to rural areas with their teachers

31
Q

How many city kids were evacuated?

A

50%

32
Q

What did the poor city children who didn’t evacuate miss out on?

A
  • education
  • school meals
  • medical inspections
33
Q

Why did vandalism and petty crime increase during the war?

A

Because the schools were closed so the children were bored

34
Q

What happened to the schools in the urban areas as the war progressed?

A

The government realised the disruption of schooling so they reopened some of the schools, but faced a shortage of teachers

35
Q

Why did the evacuees health benefit from the war?

A

They generally ate better than when they lived in the cities, even though there was rationing, as this helped them to better their diets

36
Q

Name 5 short term effects of evacuation

A
  • big change for the evacuees from urban to rural life
  • evacuees were separated from their families
  • some were treated badly
  • many mothers in the cities were concerned
  • freed up mothers time for vital war work
37
Q

Name 2 long term effects of evacuation

A
  • saved many lives

* the shock of returning home was a lot

38
Q

Name 5 ways life improved in Britain after the war

A
  • wages increased
  • working hours decreased
  • more people owned their homes
  • more people owned their cars
  • more people owned TVs
39
Q

When was the Beveridge Report published?

A

1942

40
Q

What were the 5 giant social evils that Beveridge identified?

A
  • want (poverty)
  • disease
  • ignorance (lack of education)
  • squalor (bad housing)
  • idleness (unemployment)
41
Q

What were the 3 new principles that Beveridge introduced to reduce poverty?

A
  • universality (all British people are eligible for benefits)
  • national system of insurance (all workers pay into a national insurance scheme to pay for benefits)
  • family allowances (provided for children and healthcare)
42
Q

What was the education act and when was it put in place?

A

The 1944 education act made it illegal to leave school before age 15

43
Q

What was the family allowance act and when was it introduced?

A

The 1945 family allowance act meant families would receive 5 shillings a week per child

44
Q

When was the NHS introduced?

A

1946

45
Q

What was the children’s act and when was it introduced?

A

The 1948 children’s act was when local authorities set up services to protect children