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Flashcards in churchill Deck (20)
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1
Q

Why out of office for so long? 1929-30

4 points

A
  1. conflict with his own party of abdication, india, rearmament, appeasement. out of touch with modern conservative policies.
  2. relied on small group of advisors. seen as eccentric.
  3. stuffy/ old fashioned style of speaking contrasted with Baldwin and Chamberlain.
  4. Economic stability needed in 30s - failure as Chancellor of Exchequer 1925 highlighted couldn’t be trusted (return to Gold Standard 1926 blamed for high unemployment. overturned 1931)
2
Q

View on Abdication

11 points

A
  1. 1936 Edward VIII King
  2. Wants to marry twice divorced American Woman Wallace Simpson
  3. Divorce still had stigma
  4. Archbishop of Canterbury concerned about marrying divorced woman in Church
  5. PM Stanley Baldwin says public wont accept her as Queen
  6. no approval from cabinet. marriage = gov resign
  7. commonwealth wont support ‘royal consort’ instead of queen
  8. December 1936 abdicates
  9. Churchill supports him. member of ‘Kings friends’. oblivious to public opinion. eccentric
  10. devotion to hereditary monarchy
  11. Churchill’s speech praising George VII and showing loyalty shouted down in HOC
3
Q

View on India

6 points

A
  1. Rule under pressure 20s/30s
  2. non-violent campaign led by Gandhi. met with brutal opposition e.g. 1919 protest against Rowlatts Act (imprisonment without trial) 400 killed 1200 wounded
  3. poor international rep. Britain considering change 1930-31 Ghandi attends talks in London
  4. passing of the Government of India Act 1935 - set up elected legislatures and increased electorate
  5. Churchill against independence. wants to maintain empire. racist
  6. speaks agains PM Baldwin and Secretary for India Samuel Hoare = ridiculed
4
Q

View on rearmament

9 points

A
  1. 1933 Hitler Chancellor
  2. Churchill pro treaty of versailles. part of gov who had agreed to it in 1919
  3. against Germanys rearmament. particularly the air force.
  4. had seen damage done in 1914 by Germany building Navy up.
  5. Churchill de-arming in 1920s made him look like hypocrite
  6. many saw disarmament clause of TOV too harsh
  7. Churchill appeared as war-mongering
  8. very against appeasement. though relying on LON and Locano pact naive
  9. public opinion even after Manchuria pro-negotiation and anti-war
5
Q

Why did Churchill become PM May 1940

5 points

A
  1. September 1939 made 1st Lord of the Admiralty
  2. 1940 Poland and eastern Russia fallen. Britain tries to defend Norway in naval battle falls to Germany May 1940 - gov seen as ineffective in organisation. Churchill takes responsibility stays loyal to Chamberlain
  3. clear cons need new leader. Chamberlain: ill, associated with appeasement, questioned by own party e.g. debate in HOC over Norway 40 Cons vote against 40 abstain
  4. assumed Lord Halifax would become next PM (con peer) however reluctant
  5. Labour wouldn’t support Chamberlain but would work behind Churchill.
6
Q

Churchill and appeasement (from 1937)

7 points

A
  1. Anschluss 1938 (annex Austria)
  2. Munich Conference 1938 accepts taking over territory of people who were not german
  3. Churchill view = failure to maintain strong stance against Germany
  4. ‘Britain should have gone to war 1938’ = unrealistic
    rearmament not really begun,
    allies?? french and US support not certain,
    military chiefs doubt strength of Russia as ally (purges of military leaders),
    fear of Hitlers ally’s Italy and Japan

merit to Churchill
1. break Munich agreement (occupy Czech) = Britain looks weak and confirms Germany expansionist agenda.

  1. despite britain’s chance to rearm ger also rearm at considerable speed 1938-39
  2. 1938 chance of working with france and USSR and 35 divisions of Czech troops fighting on internal lines of defence.. germany many have found it diffcult to conquer czech
7
Q

View on war 1940

8 points

A
  1. 1940 300,000 troops stranded at Dunkirk and evacuated. severe defat however Churchill encourages public to consider it a deliverance (rescue)
  2. Italy and Japan threatening to join war
  3. British gold reserves running out and danger that couldn’t get war supplies from North America.
  4. France soon to fall
  5. Blitz starts but Churchill stands strong
  6. Lord Halifax seeks to fix peace terms with Mussolini (churchill thinks would damage momentum) or appeal to US. Churchill against both.
  7. Churchill maintains support of public - emphasised determination to never surrender and portrayed war in dramatic terms. ‘we shall never surrender speech’
  8. Win some victories. stance justified by events e.g. defeat troops in Egypt (against Italy)
8
Q

Special leadership style

8 points

A
  1. restless and energetic
  2. dismissed officials who could not keep up. frustrated by delays and and signs of weakness.
  3. public speeches and flambont (military uniforms) satisfies publics need for dynamic leader
  4. strong personal relations with allies
  5. daring and ruthless measures - destruction of French fleet Oran 1940, civilian bombing in Germany
  6. demanded complete dedication from all in public office
  7. willing to take advice e.g. Lord Beaver-brook.
  8. Bravery - wants to go to France with invasion force in 1944
9
Q

relationship with generals

5 points

A
  1. Military experience = confident in trying to influence military policy (even though experience out of date)
  2. Brooke (field Marshall)
    supported Churchill sending troops and equipment to N Africa.
    frustrated by the way in which Churchill worked (too rash and hasty)
  3. Wavell (commander of N Africa)
    disliked by C.
    failed in Greece 1940. forces taken from him - still blamed
  4. Auhinleck (Wavells successor)
    sacked due to being too slow/overcautious
    preparations made victory at El Alamein possible
  5. Montgomery
    egocentric. churchill fond.
    led at El Alamein 1942 owed much to Auchenleck .
  6. Sir Hugh Dowding
    success of Battle of Britain 1940 (effective strategy)
    removed from command 1940
10
Q

decisions in Mediterranean

7 points

A
  1. Suez Canal big concern trade wise - obtained most oil supplies from middle east
  2. 1940 some victories against italy.
  3. german army sent = threat.
    defeated 1943. chance for attack through Italy/ to open Balkan front
  4. delay invading France - C though would benefit allies as ger would be weakened. didnt anticipate campaign in Italy would last long after initial success invading Sicily with US 1943
  5. objections - ger could only be defeated by invading homeland, up to 1942 ger defences along french coastline not developed -> built up by 1944 (missed opportunity), fighting in med took up vital resources
  6. relationship with Stalin weakened. blamed heavy casualties on failure to open 2nd front
  7. by 1944 ger forces weakened. casualties very high 1945-46 -> invasion earlier may have been even more costly
  8. D-Day 1944 allies pushed ger troops to central france. signifies end of hitler.
11
Q

how justified was bombing of Germany

5 points

A
  1. RAF bomber command revenge for Blitz and attempt to lower German morale
  2. didn’t destroy morale, unethical. (Bishop Bell spoke against it)
  3. 400-600,000 germans killed. Dresden full of refugees- controversial
  4. Churchill pro-bombing early on (influenced by over optimistic effects of bombing) enthusiatically supports bombing raid on Cologne May 1943
  5. towards end of war expressed concerns over dresden privately
12
Q

reconstruction policies

7 points

A
  1. clear by 1944 would not loose war. needed to give British people sense of hope
  2. agreement that Beveridge Report of 1942 should be enacted new welfare state aims to end poor health, ignorance and poverty
  3. new system of National Assistance for poor
  4. influential reports on town planning and industrial development
  5. hospitals and railways run by state
  6. Education Act 1944 reorganised education , ends fees promises to raise school leaving age to 1915
  7. Churchill not enthusiastic but accepts key measures
13
Q

why lost office in 1945

5 points

A
  1. public thought greater chance Labour would make reconstruction plans a reality
    (labour had been more important in domestic affairs during war)
  2. conservatives bad rep unemployment and hardship of 30s
  3. churchill bad rep amongst working class. known to be opposed to strikes and socialism
  4. Speech - Labour need a ‘Gestapo’ - alienates himself
  5. cons election campaign heavily reliant on C’s war success/ backward looking. labours well organised
14
Q

churchills veiw of Britain in the world

3 points

A
  1. saw Britains role in the war as upholding democracy, freedom, civillised and christian values
  2. member of ‘big 3’ with US and USSR - big achievement
  3. commonwealth played major role in Britains military success. no concessions towards greater self government. British rule in India throughout war. didn’t do much to alleviate major famine in Bengal in India 1942
15
Q

contribution in conferences

8 points

A
  1. influence on key decisions
  2. travelled to 16 conferences more than any other leader
  3. built personal relationships but was tiring and seen as argumentative as a result in Moscow 1942 and Quebec 1943
  4. US = commitment to democracy as war aim. policy of unconditional surrender. Mediterranean strategy accepted.
  5. overestimates influence on US =
    1943 Tehran conference made clear USA regarded britain as junior partner
  6. 1944 Moscow meeting
    agreement with Stalin about spheres of influence in Eastern Europe (churchill influences Stalin not to occupy greece)
  7. Yalta 1945
    had to appease Russia - agreements to split germany and yield Polish land to Russia.
    in return Stalin declares war on Japan
  8. decisions to establish UN
16
Q

relations with other war time leaders

4 points

A
  1. Roosevelt
    wouldn’t give direct aid 50 US destroyers in return for naval bases (although very old to be of much help)
  2. 1941 Lease-lend programme = war materials and credit (however had to use gold reserves)
  3. 1941 Atlantic charter sets UK and US up as allies
  4. disapproves of empire
  5. successful in getting USA to adopt ‘Europe first policy’ (defeat ger before japan) and to accept Mediterranean policy
  6. 1943 onwards issues.
    Roosevelt didnt share churchils distrust of Stalin
  7. unhappy about delaying invasion of france
  8. wanted to commit more resources to japan,
  9. didnt agree to opening 2nd front in Balkans.
17
Q

plans for post-war Europe roosevelt

7 points

A
  1. neither eurosceptic or europhile
  2. Zurich 1946 in favour of greater european unity
  3. in favour of reducing trade barriers and promoting economic co-operation
  4. history of support - 1930 supported Ariste Briand’s idea of European union. 1940 offered to unite britain and france
  5. France and Britain not on good terms - surrender 1940, sinking of french fleet - churchill saw limitations of relying too much on europe
  6. not an advocate of joining post war europe organisations e.g. European coal and steel community
  7. made it clear to cabinet in 1951 that priority maintaining empire and commonwealth
18
Q

iron curtain speech 1946

6 points

A
  1. worsened relations with russia and west / reinforced stalins belief in western hostility toward USSR
  2. encouraged view west needed to maintain armaments
  3. out of context? refers to churchills admiration for valiant people of russia, said stalin didnt desire war and called for a settlement
  4. didn’t reflect situation at time. No evidence Stalin planning further expansion
  5. USSR and many on political left across europe - hostile reaction
  6. didnt affect US policy - Truman had Cold War sentiments before/ already concerned russian influence threatening US economic intrests
19
Q

relations with war time leaders stalin

4 points

A
  1. C hated communism. got on at a personal level but not in ideology
  2. Moscow 1942 disagreements about opening 2nd front
  3. 1943 resentful Roosevelt Stalin on close terms
  4. deal with Stalin 1944 divide eastern europe % agreement - Stalin didnt take over greece but in practice dominated eastern europe
20
Q

relations with war time leaders de gaulle

4 points

A
  1. stormy meetings between the 2
  2. saw himself as frances natural leader
  3. churchill frustrated by unwillingness to work with other french leaders
  4. Rivalry between de gaulle and Giaurd (french leader favoured by US) threatened allied unity