LIFE AFTER WAR

Question 1

WHAT WAS THE ECONOMIC STATE OF BRITAIN AFTER THE WAR ?

Answer 1

Similar to during the Great Depression
Britain spent nearly 7B fighting in the war
Its National Debt was £3,500 M
GB had to sell itas gold reserves - A sign of serious debt
The US ended its lend-lease agreement worsening the economic state
Factories were not able to go from munitions to general goods fast enough
The British empire was dissolving

Question 2

HOW MUCH DID BRITAIN SPEND IN THE WAR ?

Answer 2

£7 B

Question 3

WHAT WAS BRITAIN’S NATIONAL DEBT ?

Answer 3

£3,500 M

Question 4

WHAT DID THE USA DO TO WORSEN THE ECONOMIC STATE ?

Answer 4

Ended the lend-lease agreement

Question 5

WHAT FRACTION OF BRITISH MERCHANT VESSELS HAD SUNK ?

Answer 5

2/3

Question 6

WHICH WAS THE ONLY COUNTRY TO BE ECONOMICALLY STRONGER AFTER THE WAR ?

Answer 6

USA

Question 7

WHAT WAS ONE OF THE POSITIVES OF BRITAIN’S ECONOMY AFTER THE WAR ?

Answer 7

Full time employment

Question 8

HOW HAD THE WAR DAMAGED BRITAIN ?

Answer 8

1/3 of homes were destroyed alongside 1/2 of factories and shops
264,444 military deaths
60,595 civilian casualties
Homelessness was a major problem
Army camps used to house families

Question 9

HOW WAS WALES AFFECTED POST-WAR ?

Answer 9

15,000 Welshmen killed
Gave Wales a distinct identity as many workers and evacuees were sent to Wales and interacted with the language and culture

Question 10

WHEN WAS THE DEMOBILISATION PLAN DRAFTED AND BY WHOM ?

Answer 10

September 1944
ERNST BEVIN

Question 11

HOW MANY WEEKS AFTER THE WAR ENDED WAS THE PLAN PUT INTO ACTION ?

Answer 11

6 weeks

Question 12

HOW WERE PEOPLE DEMOBILISED ?

Answer 12

People were given an release number calculated by their age and how long they’d served
Married women and men aged over 50 were prioritised
Key workers needed to rebuild Britain were also released quicker
Over 18 months, 4.3M people were strategically demobilised

Question 13

HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE DEMOBILISED ?

Answer 13

4.3M

Question 14

HOW LONG DID DEMOBOLISATION TAKE ?

Answer 14

18 months

Question 15

WHAT ISSUES WERE CAUSED BY DEMOBILISATION ?

Answer 15

• Not enough homes for soldiers to come back to
• Marriages fell apart, 60,000 divorce applications in 1947
• Women were removed from jobs and returning men were given priority
• Food was still rationed
• Men came home traumatised mentally and physically scarred
• Long waits led to protests and hostilities

Question 16

CONSERVATIVE MANIFESTO

Answer 16

• Emphasised continuity and stability
• Dependent on Winston Churchill as a figure
• Promised many of the same things as Labour
• NHS, nationalisation, new homes, improved education

Question 17

LABOUR MANIFESTO

Answer 17

• Facing the future
• Moving forward
• About the people
• Promised NHS, nationalisation improved housing and education

Question 18

WHEN WAS THE POST-WAR ELECTION ?

Answer 18

5 JULY 1945

Question 19

WHO WON THE ELECTION BY HOW MUCH ?

Answer 19

CLEMENT ATTLEE and LABOUR won a landslide victory
61% of seats

Question 20

WHY DID LABOUR WIN ?

Answer 20

• Churchill associated with war
• Socialism less of a threat due to the USSR helping in the war
• Conservatives blamed for the economic problems in the 30s
• Labour ministers had key roles in wartime cabinet, ATTLEE deputy PM
  BEVIN - Labour Minister
• Labour stood for change
• Labour had clearer intention