Why did Churchill become Prime Minister in 1940?

Question 1

What job was Churchill given by Chamberlain in Sep 1939?

Answer 1

First Lord of the Admiralty

Question 2

What disaster happened when Churchill had previously held this position?

Answer 2

Gallipoli - 1915

Question 3

What did some refer to the period between Sep 1939 and Apr/May 1940?

Answer 3

‘Sitzkrieg”; ‘Bore War’; ‘Phoney War’

Question 4

What happened in Apr 1940?

Answer 4

Operation Weserubung - G. invasion of Denmark and Norway

Question 5

What were Br. troops forced to do in Norway by early May 1940?

Answer 5

Withdraw

Question 6

What were polls showing in Apr and May 1940?

Answer 6

Apr - 57% thought Chamberlain was doing a good job as PM

May - 60% against him

Question 7

What did Churchill accuse Halifax of, and when and what did he later do?

Answer 7

6 May - ‘Treason’; He later apologised and blamed his rudeness on the ‘present atmosphere of frustration’

Question 8

Since Sep 1939, how much had Churchill’s consumption of wine cost him?

Answer 8

£30/month

Question 9

When was the Norway debate held?

Answer 9

7-8 May 1940

Question 10

Who spoke in the Norway debate?

Answer 10

Chamberlain, Admiral Sir Roger Keyes, Leo Amery, David Lloyd George, Churchill

Question 11

What was Leo Amery’s famous line?

Answer 11

“In the name of God, go”

Question 12

What did David Lloyd George ask Chamberlain to do?

Answer 12

“Sacrifice the seals of office”

Question 13

What did the gov.’s majority fall to?

Answer 13

81

Question 14

Who was David Margesson?

Answer 14

Chief Whip

Question 15

Who was most likely candidate to replace Chamberlain?

Answer 15

Lord Halifax

• King wanted him, noting in his diary ‘H was the obvious man’
• Front page of Daily Mirror on 9 May read: ‘Lord Halifax…is almost certain to become the new Prime Minister.’
• Chamberlain had written a letter to his sister in March 1940 that he would ‘rather have Halifax succeed me than Winston’.

Question 16

Why might the King have preferred Halifax to Churchill? (Prov.)

Answer 16

Churchill’s role in abdication crisis; Gallipoli

Question 17

Who visited the Foreign Office to persuade Halifax to become PM?

Answer 17

Rab Butler

Question 18

What two questions did Attlee and Greenwood put to the Labour Party’s National Executive and what was the answer?

Answer 18

1. Are you prepared to serve under Chamberlain?
2. Are you prepared to serve under someone else?

Ans: Labour wld serve in a coalition gov. but not under him

Question 19

Prov. of Churchill’s passage in The Gathering Storm p.522, 523, 524)

Answer 19

Churchill got date and time wrong of meeting, and forgot Margesson was there altogether

Question 20

When did Churchill become Prime Minister?

Answer 20

10 May 1940