Churchill and International Diplomacy (1939-1945) Flashcards
(21 cards)
What was Churchill’s general view of Britain’s role in the world?
Churchill believed in Britain’s imperial role and saw the British Empire as vital to global stability.
He stated: “I have not become the King’s First Minister in order to preside over the liquidation of the British Empire.”
He believed the Empire allowed Britain to “hold our own” on the world stage.
Date: 1942
What was Churchill’s stance on India’s political future?
Churchill had long opposed Indian self-rule, fearing it would weaken the British Empire.
By the later years of the war, he accepted that India should become a self-governing Dominion under British sovereignty.
Date: 1944
How did Churchill envision Britain and the USA working together after the war?
Churchill saw Britain and the USA as global partners that would “police the world.”
He believed their combined power could prevent future conflicts.
Date: 1941
What was Britain’s role among the ‘Big Three’ at the end of WWII?
Britain was one of the Big Three (along with the USA and USSR), helping shape the post-war settlement of Germany and Japan.
Britain was given a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council, ensuring global influence.
Date: 1945
Why did Churchill focus on the Mediterranean during the war?
He saw Britain’s future influence in the Mediterranean region as crucial.
Britain had strategic bases in Gibraltar, Cyprus, Egypt, Palestine, and Malta.
What was Churchill’s attitude towards France?
Churchill was a Francophile, admired French culture, and spoke fluent French.
He had privately visited France multiple times before WWII.
How did Churchill describe his long-standing support for France?
He declared: “For forty years I have been a consistent friend of France and her brave army.”
He praised France for its contributions to European culture, liberty, and human rights.
Date: 1944
What bold proposal did Churchill make to France when it was considering surrender?
He proposed an Anglo-French Union, making Britain and France a single nation with shared citizenship.
The French government rejected the offer, preferring to surrender to Germany.
Date: June 1940
What was Churchill’s vision for post-war Europe?
He supported a “United States of Europe” to counter Soviet expansion.
Britain would be “with Europe, but not of Europe,” supporting unity while remaining independent.
Date: 1946
Why did Churchill feel a personal connection to the USA?
His mother was American, which strengthened his affinity for the USA.
What book did Churchill write that reinforced the idea of Anglo-American unity?
A History of the English-Speaking Peoples, written over three decades, argued that Britain and the USA had a shared destiny.
Dates: 1930s–1950s
What was Churchill’s vision for US-UK global power?
He believed that if the USA and Britain (along with the Commonwealth) united, they could prevent future wars.
He called this a “fraternal association.”
Date: 1946
What was Churchill’s early stance on communism?
Churchill was aggressively anti-communist and sent British troops to fight the Bolsheviks during the Russian Civil War.
Date: 1919
How did Churchill react when Germany invaded the Soviet Union?
He immediately pledged British support for the USSR.
He warned Stalin beforehand about German troop buildups, but Stalin dismissed this as British propaganda.
Dates: 1940-1941, June 1941 (German invasion)
Why did Churchill believe he could work with Stalin despite their ideological differences?
Stalin was a nationalist as well as a communist.
Churchill saw this as making him more pragmatic than the Trotskyite communists who wanted global revolution.
What was Churchill’s biggest concern about the Soviet Union after WWII?
He feared Soviet domination of Eastern Europe as the Red Army liberated countries like Poland, Romania, and Czechoslovakia.
He made a “personal appeal” to Stalin to respect Polish democracy, but was ignored.
Date: 1945
How did Roosevelt initially justify US neutrality?
He promised he would “not send American boys into any foreign wars.”
Date: 1940
How did the USA gradually support Britain before joining the war?
Patrolled US & South American waters to prevent German submarine attacks.
Allowed Britain to buy American weapons.
Exchanged 50 destroyers for 8 British naval bases.
Passed Lend-Lease Act, supplying Britain with $31.6bn in military aid.
Dates: 1939-1941
When did the USA officially enter the war?
After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour, followed by Germany declaring war on the US.
Dates: December 7 & 11, 1941
Why did Churchill’s influence over Roosevelt decline?
Roosevelt aligned more with Stalin from 1943 onwards.
Churchill’s ideas (e.g., bringing Turkey into the war) were rejected.
The US insisted on a Second Front in France (D-Day) against Churchill’s wishes.
Date: 1943
