Churchill as Wartime Prime Minister, 1940–1945 Flashcards
(23 cards)
What was Churchill’s stance towards the war in 1940?
• Rejected all calls for peace, even when Britain was isolated after the fall of France
• Believed the war was a moral battle for civilisation and British values
• Refused to consider negotiation with Hitler under any circumstances
How did Churchill inspire the public in 1940?
• Delivered rousing speeches (e.g. ‘We shall fight on the beaches’)
• Projected confidence and determination, boosting national morale
• Portrayed the war as a noble cause worth sacrifice
What was special about Churchill’s leadership style during the war?
• Highly energetic and driven; worked long hours
• Personally involved in decision-making across military and political areas
• Used powerful rhetoric to maintain morale
• Willing to take personal responsibility and make tough choices
How did Churchill manage his wartime government?
- Formed a cross-party coalition including Labour and Liberals
- Relied on key ministers like Attlee and Bevin for domestic affairs
- Delegated wartime production and welfare planning
How did Churchill approach military leadership?
• Demanded a central role in military decision-making
• Frequently challenged his generals and suggested bold, risky ideas
• Believed in civilian control of the military
Who was General Alan Brooke and what was his role?
• Chief of the Imperial General Staff from 1941
• Churchill’s most senior military advisor
• Key in coordinating British war strategy
What was Churchill’s relationship like with General Brooke?
• Often tense due to Churchill’s impulsiveness
• Brooke respected Churchill’s vision but found him erratic
• Described Churchill as brilliant but exhausting in his diaries
• Despite clashes, their partnership helped balance strategy and political leadership
Why was the Churchill-Brooke relationship effective?
• Brooke filtered out unrealistic ideas and ensured sound planning
• Churchill valued Brooke’s judgment despite disagreements
• Provided strategic stability throughout the war
What was Churchill’s relationship with General Montgomery?
• Admired Montgomery’s leadership at El Alamein
• Valued his confidence and ability to motivate troops
• Grew frustrated with Montgomery’s slow progress and arrogance later in the war
How did Churchill treat General Wavell?
• Criticised Wavell’s cautious leadership in North Africa
• Interfered heavily in Middle Eastern campaigns
• Replaced Wavell after military setbacks
Why was General Auchinleck removed by Churchill?
• Churchill saw Auchinleck as too cautious and slow to act
• Disagreed over timing and execution of offensives
• Replaced with Montgomery to inject greater aggression into North African campaign
What does Churchill’s approach to generals reveal about his leadership?
• Valued results and personal loyalty
• Willing to change commanders quickly
• At times undermined morale and strategic continuity
Why did Churchill focus on the Mediterranean?
• Wanted to protect British imperial interests (especially Suez Canal)
• Believed it would weaken Axis forces before launching a Western invasion
• Saw Italy as the ‘soft underbelly of Europe’
How effective was Churchill’s Mediterranean strategy?
• Victories in North Africa (e.g. El Alamein) were morale-boosting
• Italian campaign was slow and costly
• Delayed D-Day, which caused tensions with the USSR
What was the significance of the Battle of El Alamein?
• First major British land victory against Axis powers
• Marked a turning point in the war in 1942
• Boosted British morale and Churchill’s popularity
Why did Churchill support bombing German cities?
• Believed it would weaken German industry and morale
• Aimed to hasten the end of the war
• Saw it as retaliation for the Blitz
What was controversial about the bombing of Dresden?
• Occurred in February 1945, when Germany was close to defeat
• Over 25,000 civilians killed in firebombing
• Raised ethical questions about proportionality and necessity
What was Churchill’s role in the war from 1944–45?
• Focused more on diplomacy as US and USSR led final offensives
• Attended major conferences (e.g. Yalta) to shape postwar Europe
• Tried to limit Soviet influence, especially in Eastern Europe
What happened at the Yalta Conference?
• Held in Feb 1945 between Churchill, Roosevelt, and Stalin
• Agreed on division of Germany and postwar borders
• Churchill pushed for free elections in Eastern Europe, but Stalin resisted
What was Churchill’s view on postwar reconstruction?
• Prioritised war effort over domestic planning
• Lukewarm towards Beveridge Report and large-scale welfare reform
• Left much of the planning to ministers like Attlee and Bevin
What was the Beveridge Report and Churchill’s response?
- Proposed a welfare state with healthcare, education, and unemployment support
- Published in 1942, widely popular with public
- Churchill’s government took limited action, seen as hesitant
Why did Churchill lose the 1945 general election?
- Public wanted social reform after wartime sacrifices
- Labour campaigned on welfare, housing, and jobs
- Churchill’s campaign focused too much on anti-socialism and not enough on domestic issues
- Churchill’s harsh rhetoric against Labour, including warnings of a “Gestapo” under socialism, was off-putting to many voters.
Why did Labour win the 1945 election?
• Promised to implement the Beveridge Report
• Seen as more in touch with the public’s postwar needs
• Churchill associated with wartime leadership, not peacetime change
