WW2: 1940-1945 Flashcards
When does Britain declare war on Germany?
September 1939
What period became known as the ‘phoney war’?
Sept 1939- April 1940
When did Chamberlain resign?
May 1940
When was Churchill appointed PM leading coalition government?
May 1940
When was the evacuation of troops from Dunkirk?
26 May-4June 1940
When was the fall of France to Germany?
June 1940
When was the ‘Battle of Britain’?
July-September 1940
When did the ‘blitz’ start?
Autumn 1940
What were key features of the coalition government?
It proved to be durable and it was effective, both in military strategy and in domestic affairs
What did Chamberlain face criticism for during the outbreak of war?
> His ‘appeasement policy’ and underestimation of Hitler’s aggressive intentions
Failure to organise the economy in preparation for war
Who was blamed for the defeat in Norway in April 1940?
Chamberlain - this further undermined belief in his ability to lead
In the first few months of the war, how many people were evacuated?
3 million people from cities
Who denounced Chamberlain in the Norwegian campaign/debate in May 1940?
David Lloyd George as he argued he should ‘sacrifice his office’
Who opposed Churchill and believed Britain should negotiate with Hitler?
Lord Halifax and other Conservatives who regarded Churchill’s speeches as ‘emotional bravado’ and favoured a compromise peace
Give some pro’s and con’s of Churchill as a leader?
\+ a legend after the war \+ Credited with unifying the nation \+ knowledgeable on strategy and tactics - impulsive and dictatorial - poor committee chairman - 'ruthlessly critical'
Who did Churchill’s 1940 war cabinet consist of?
Himself, Attlee (labour), Greenwood (labour), Chamberlain (Tory) and Lord Halifax (Tory) and later on Ernest Bevin (labour) and other joined
Who was Attlee (labour)?
He was an extremely effective organiser and chairman which raised stature amongst his political colleagues. He also persuaded Churchill to accept various principles of social reform and he himself became PM later in 1945
Who was Bevin (labour)?
He founded and led the largest trade union: the Transport and General Workers and played a key role in the Labour movement. His opposition to Communism and Fascism won Churchill’s admiration and would after go on to establish the NHS
What did the second world war become known as?
a ‘total war’
How did the government try and pay for WW2?
By high taxation, rationing, persuading the public to by war bonds (government borrowing adding up to £8500 million), neglecting new investment in any area except war, and overseas aid from the Empire and the USA
What was the USA Lend-Lease scheme in 1941?
£27,000 million of aid in total to be paid for at a later date which included essential supplies and war materials
What was passed in 1939 that granted further authority and power for the government?
Emergency Powers (Defence) Act 1939
What ministries were established due to the outbreak of WW2?
> Ministry of Aircraft Production
Ministry of Labour
Ministry of Production
How many people did the Royal Ordnance Factories employ in WW2?
300,000
How was government control extended in WW2?
- New production methods were devised in order to raise output and save labour
- Encouragement of greater use of science, both for improving the efficiency of the economy and developing new techniques of welfare
Minister of Labour in WW2 =
Bevin
How many were unemployed in 1940?
Over a million
What two types of conscription were introduced in WW2?
- Military from April 1939
- Industrial for men and women by Bevin
^ the ‘Bevin Boys’ were conscripted for work in the coal mines
How many entered the armed forces in WW2?
4.5 million
How much did the total workforce increase by in WW2?
2 million
What did Bevin use to force factories to improve conditions and wages?
‘essential work orders’
E.g. work canteens, washrooms and medical centres
What did Bevin do to maintain the workers’ morale?
He constantly toured factories, delivering over 300 speeches to workers and managers, and encouraged lunchtime entertainment in the factories through the BBC radio as Workers Playtime
What impact did Bevin have to the war effort in WW2?
He did a lot to change public perceptions and to convince people that Labour politicians could e trusted with power
Why did the government have to turn to rationing in WW2?
Due to the loss of shipping as German U-boat attacks caused imports of food to be reduced
What type of essentials were rationed in WW2?
Good from 1940, clothing and fuel etc. from 1941
Who devised a fair rationing policy in WW2?
Ministry of Food under Lord Woolton
What campaign led to a huge rise in home-grown vegetables in back gardens, allotments, and sport fieleds?
‘Dig for Victory’ campaign
When was conscription in WW2 introduced?
April 1939 for men aged 20-22, which was extended to 18-41 years in 1940, and then to 51 in 1942
What responsibilities did ‘older men’ take on? (WW2)
Conscripted into ‘national service’ as special constables, firewatchers, or workers in the Home Guard
By 1944, what was the size of the armed forces?
4.5 million
How many women took part in the ‘women’s services’? (WW2)
500,000
By June 1940, …………………….had volunteered into the Home Guard (aka. ‘Dad’s Army’)
1.5 million
By what year (WW2) had unemployed virtually disappeared?
1943
What benefits did WW2 bring for working class people?
Increase standards in the working-class families and weekly earnings rose by 80% between 1938 and 1945
How much did TUC membership increase to during WW2?
6.3 million to 8.9 million
How long was ‘war work’ during the second word war on average?
11 - or 12- hour working days as well as night working
What were the disadvantages to the middle and upper classes of WW2?
They were hit by higher taxation, death duties and limits on profits which could be made from factories or land
What type of women could be conscripted? (WW2)
Unmarried women between 19 and 30, given a choice between Women’s Auxiliary Forces or war work in industry
What effect did WW2 have on women?
Many women ,e even married ones, were forced into labour shortage jobs and more war work did not bring them equal pay, just more independence and status in society
By 1943, what % of married women were working?
80%
What was the effect of WW2 on children?
One million evacuated in 1939 into the countryside. Split from their parents, many missed out on valuable education due to lack of teachers and destruction of school buildings. Many were mistreated/neglected in their ‘new homes’ even though some did find themselves better fed and clothed than at home
Give an example of a propaganda slogan used y the government in WW2?
‘Careless Talk Costs Lives’
‘Dig for Victory’
What was the influence of culture and mass entertainment during the war?
BBC provided news, information and serious discussion as well as comedy shows, music and light entertainment (e.g. ‘Workers Playtime’). This had a major impact on morale
What effect did WW2 have on the cinema?
It had a ‘golden age’, with attendances averaging around 30 million a week > made films to keep people happy as well as ‘feature films’ that carried a message
What was the Blitz? (WW2)
Night raids by German bombers
How many attacks by aircraft did London suffer from the Blitz during WW2?
300 attacks by aircraft
Give an example of the effects of a brutal attack due to the Blitz in 1940?
Coventry in November 1940 - several thousand buildings damaged or destroyed including the medieval cathedral. Over 500 people were killed and 1200 injured.
What raids in spring 1942 targeted historic towns such as York, Norwich and Exeter?
‘Baedeker raids’
How did people survive the Blitz in WW2?
Underground places, such as the London Tube, and sunken Anderson shelters in back gardens or into local authority shelters. Some stayed in their homes in Morrison shelters or simply under the stairs
How did official propaganda posters and films portray wartime Britain from 1940-1945?
As united, patriotic and free of class war.
When was the Beveridge Report published?
1942
What five evils/ginats did Beveridge tackle out to slay?
Want. Idleness. Squalor. Disease. Ignorance
How many copies did the Beveridge report sell?
600,000 copies
What radical aspects did the Beveridge report refer to?
- making national insurance universal
- having a single weekly insurance contribution covering health
- having all benefits administered by a single government department - Ministry of Social Security
- the end of means testing
By the end of the war, what was introduced that outlined commitment to high and stable employment?
A White Paper on employment policy was in 1944
What Education Act was introduced in 1944?
Butler’s Education Act
What did the 1944 Butler’s education act do?
increased the leaving age from 14 to 15 and compulsory secondary education was established. It also led to a tripartite system of education where children were separated at the age of 11
What role did R.A.B Butler play from 1940 to 1957?
He was the Conservative President of the Board of Education from 1941 to 1945. He played a major role in the revival of the Conservatives after its defeat in 1945, and was a senior figure in the party in the 1950s
