What Were Churchills View On Rearmament

Question 1

Why did Churchill object to German rearmament ?

Answer 1

• Churchill disliked the Nazi regime seeing it as brutal and disliked the racism and violence such as murder of opponents
• Churchill feared a pre WW1/ 1914 Germany which threatened Europe and wrote about this in ‘The World Crisis’
• building off this he has been a member of the government which agreed treaty of Versailles which Hitler did not want
• Churchill feared the German expansion of air power and as colonial secretary in 1920 he had seen first had the damage air could inflict when he approved air attacks on Iraqi rebels in 1920

Question 2

What was Churchills famous speech warning about German rearmament ?

Answer 2

• The Gathering Storm speech made to the House of Commons 1934
• Warned of future German power and a call for a government acceptance of this inevitable power

Question 3

What were the two main problem with Churchills viewpoint against German rearmament ?

Answer 3

1. Critics: Churchill had been responsible for disarming in 1920s and 10 year rule
   (war not considered next 10 years so cut to defence spending 1919-1932)
2. Financial crisis: caused cuts to government defence expenditure and by 1934 poor were suffering which means tests imposing stringent conditions in any public help for unemployment or poverty: needs to be convincing argument for increased defence spending/ arms race

Question 4

Why was the idea of an arms race an issue against Churchills call for rearmament ?

Answer 4

• WW1 started with an arms race (many felt this)
• seen as unnecessary: Germany restricted to a small army, no air force and a weak navy which at the time seemed harsh and unrealistic challenged
• Therefore; not unreasonable for Hitler to aspire to build up German defences given France had a large force and the threat of the USSR

Question 5

How was Churchill viewed by many for his views on rearmament ?

Answer 5

• a part of the pre1914 mindset of opposition to Germany
• tendency to exaggerate figure and speak in alarmist terms worsened and de credited his calls

Question 6

How did Baldwin describe the feeling of early 1930s England ?

Answer 6

‘ a strong pacifist feeling’
- difficult to rally support for costly rearmament
- rearmament would have meant a loss of the 1935 election

Question 7

How did the League of Nations affect many individuals views ?

Answer 7

• many felt international disputes left to be handled by organised negotiations on a worldwide scale