Unit 3 - Churchill and International Diplomacy

Question 1

What period does this unit cover?

Answer 1

1939-1951

Question 2

What was Churchill’s relationship with other leaders?

Answer 2

Churchill and Stalin, Churchill and Roosevelt, Churchill and De Gaulle, International conferences.

Question 3

What was the relationship between Churchill and Stalin like?

Answer 3

• Put aside dislike of communism to welcome Stalin as ally in 1941, never entirely trusted him.
• Disagreements about opening up a second front.
• 1943 Churchill resentful of relationship between Roosevelt and Stalin.
• Worried about Russian desires for expansion. 1944 Percentages Agreement to divide up Eastern Europe. Churchill had to accept Russian domination.

Question 4

What was the relationship between Churchill and Roosevelt like?

Answer 4

• Roosevelt would not commit the USA to giving direct aid to Britain.
• 1941 Lease-Lend agreement gave Britain war materials and credit. (had to use gold reserves as guarantee)
• Only Hitler’s declaration of war on USA December 1941 that guaranteed support.
• Successful in getting USA to adopt a ‘Europe First’ policy.
• USA contributed massively to invasion of Northern France 1944.
• 1943 less close, USA unhappy about dally of invasion in France, wanted to commit more resources to Japan, didn’t share distrust of Stalin. Roosevelt never visited Britain during the war.

Question 5

What was the relationship between Churchill and De Gaulle like?

Answer 5

• Churchill admired his patriotism and confidence, found him difficult to work with.
• Frustrated by De Gaulle’s unwillingness to work with other French leaders.
• Rivalry between De Gaulle and Giraud threatened allied unity and caused strains at the Casablanca conference of 1943.

Question 6

How important a contribution did Churchill make in international conferences?

Answer 6

• Key decisions such as D-Day and establishing of a United Nations were made at conferences.
• Allowed Churchill to have influence on the key decision on wartime strategy and post-war Europe.
• Achieved aim of getting allies to accept Mediterranean Strategy.
• Grand Alliance maintained.
• Clear at Tehran Conference 1942 USA regard Britain as a junior partner.

Question 7

How did Churchill view Britain’s place in the post-war world?

Answer 7

Churchill’s view of empire, Churchill’s views of Europe, Churchill and the Cold War.

Question 8

Churchill’s view of Britains role

Answer 8

• Continued to view Britain as being at the centre of international affairs and a key promoter of Western moral and democratic values.
• Unique position due to involvement in European affairs, special relationship with USA and worldwide Empire
• Commitment to maintaining Empire despite US concerns.

Question 9

Churchill and post-war Europe

Answer 9

• Commitment to maintaining peace in post-war Europe
• France and Britain on poor terms, French 1940 surrender, sinking of French fleet.
• Churchill saw limitations of relying on Europe
• Priority maintaining the Empire and Commonwealth
• Co-operation imp as means of preventing the spread of communism and increasing economic prosperity and trade.

Question 10

Churchill and the Iron Curtain

Answer 10

• March 1946 speech
• Referred to admiration for Russians and said that Stalin did not desire war
• USA opinion not universally favourable to speech
• `Truman unsympathetic to communism and USSR
• Hostile reaction from political left across Europe and USSR