Impact of WW2 on Britain

Question 1

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

Answer 1

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

Question 2

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

Answer 2

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

Question 3

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

Answer 3

80,000

Question 4

How were black people treated in America at the time?

Answer 4

Badly

Question 5

Describe the treatment of black people in UK during the war

Answer 5

They were treated well

Question 6

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

Answer 6

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

Question 7

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

Answer 7

• New Zealand
• India
• Canada
• Australia
• the West Indies

Question 8

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

Answer 8

• Germany

* Italy

Question 9

Where were the biggest group of prisoners of war captured?

Answer 9

In North Africa

Question 10

Why did the German prisoners of war increase after 1944?

Answer 10

Due to the UK’s advance across Europe

Question 11

How many total Italian prisoners of war were captured?

Answer 11

157,000 Italians

Question 12

How many total German prisoners of war were captured?

Answer 12

402,000 Germans

Question 13

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

Answer 13

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

Question 14

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

Answer 14

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

Question 15

Why did the poles come to England?

Answer 15

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

Question 16

What did all women over 20 have to register for?

Answer 16

Registered for work at a labour exchange

Question 17

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

Answer 17

• if they were ill
• pregnant
• had small children

Question 18

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

Answer 18

In industry or auxiliary armed forces

Question 19

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

Answer 19

80-90 hours a week

Question 20

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

Answer 20

80% of married women

90% of single women

Question 21

What were women’s main roles in the countryside?

Answer 21

Looking after the evacuees

Question 22

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

Answer 22

• air raid wardens

* fire officers

Question 23

What did the TUC ensure about women and men?

Answer 23

They were treated the same as men

Question 24

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

Answer 24

Flexible working arrangements, shift work and job shares, nurseries

Question 25

Why did reconstruction efforts increase after the war?

Answer 25

To repair damage from bombs

Question 26

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

Answer 26

Reconstruction efforts needed to be increased

Question 27

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

Answer 27

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

Question 28

How far did attitudes to women change after the war?

Answer 28

* 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

Question 29

When did American GI's start arriving in Britain?

Answer 29

1942

Question 30

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

Answer 30

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

Question 31

How many city kids were evacuated?

Answer 31

50%

Question 32

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

Answer 32

* education * school meals * medical inspections

Question 33

Why did vandalism and petty crime increase during the war?

Answer 33

Because the schools were closed so the children were bored

Question 34

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

Answer 34

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

Question 35

Why did the evacuees health benefit from the war?

Answer 35

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

Question 36

Name 5 short term effects of evacuation

Answer 36

* 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

Question 37

Name 2 long term effects of evacuation

Answer 37

* saved many lives | * the shock of returning home was a lot

Question 38

Name 5 ways life improved in Britain after the war

Answer 38

* wages increased * working hours decreased * more people owned their homes * more people owned their cars * more people owned TVs

Question 39

When was the Beveridge Report published?

Answer 39

1942

Question 40

What were the 5 giant social evils that Beveridge identified?

Answer 40

* want (poverty) * disease * ignorance (lack of education) * squalor (bad housing) * idleness (unemployment)

Question 41

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

Answer 41

* 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)

Question 42

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

Answer 42

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

Question 43

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

Answer 43

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

Question 44

When was the NHS introduced?

Answer 44

1946

Question 45

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

Answer 45

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