3. Impact of WW2

Question 1

Way in which WW2 strengthened Empire: Egypt

Answer 1

Britain able to preserve its influence in Egypt - its access to Suez and oil in the Middle East

Question 2

Way in which WW2 strengthened Empire: victory

Answer 2

Victory of war emphasised the strength and unity of Empire

Question 3

Way in which WW2 strengthened Empire: invasion of India

Answer 3

Britain able to hold off Japanese invasion of India in 1944

Question 4

Way in which WW2 weakened Empire: involvement of colonies

Answer 4

Involvement of colonies led to new/greater demands for greater autonomy

Question 5

Autonomy

Answer 5

Self-government

Question 6

Significance of Singapore to British Empire

Answer 6

Singapore was Britain’s main military naval base in the region

Question 7

Way in which WW2 weakened Empire: Singapore

Answer 7

Britain lost Singapore to Japan in 1942

Question 8

What did the loss of Singapore do for relations between Britain and Australia?

Answer 8

Damaged relations as Australians felt abandoned, causing them to look to the US for support

Question 9

What did Churchill see the loss of Singapore as?

Answer 9

The “greatest disaster to British arms which our history records”

Question 10

What was the all of Singapore due to?

Answer 10

Churchill neglecting Singapore during WW2, prioritising Egypt at the expense of the Far East

Question 11

During the whole of WW2, what did the most damage to Britain’s imperial position?

Answer 11

The fall of Singapore

Question 12

What did Britain’s imperial power depend on and what damaged this?

Answer 12

Britain’s imperial power depended on prestige and the fall of Singapore damaged this

Question 13

Way in which WW2 weakened Empire: success of Japan

Answer 13

Success of Japanese ended the myth of white invincibility/superiority, giving confidence to independent movements across Southeast Asia

Question 14

How many Indian troops were captured by the Japanese in Singapore?

Answer 14

30,000

Question 15

What happened to the captured Indian troops in Singapore?

Answer 15

They joined the Indian National Army to fight against British control in India and Asia

Question 16

Way in which WW2 weakened Empire: economic

Answer 16

Britain’s economic position weakened

Question 17

Way in which WW2 weakened Empire: independence movements

Answer 17

Independence movements grew stronger in India and the Middle East

Question 18

Way in which WW2 weakened Empire: political

Answer 18

New Labour Government elected after war was less imperialists

Question 19

Election of July 1945

Answer 19

Clement Attlee (Labour) won landslide victory in July 1945

Question 20

Conservative view of Labour Victory in 1945

Answer 20

Conservative government hugely shocked as they won the war

Question 21

What did the victory of the Labour government in 1945 reflect?

Answer 21

The voters’ belief that Labour would be more successful at rebuilding Britain ajd carrying out social-reform