EMPIRE IN THE INTERWAR YEARS

Question 1

key examples of the 1929 colonial development and welfare acts failing

Answer 1

• only 1 million pounds was given in the first 3 years by 1932 - britain could not fulfill economic promises

1. britain was unable to fulfill this idea of a civilising mission due to investing less money to the colonies themselves
   - ie governor of tanganyika = “mothballs”
   - only 10-15% of kenyan children attended schools by 1938 - lack of infrastructure growth
   - gov expen on development = capped at 3-8 shillings in 1930s in nyasaland

• white settlers ban production of tea + coffee in east africa for local africans
• it was up to colonies to develop these regions through local taxation
• the prices of goods fell (ie african cocoa = less insular empire)

Question 2

atlantic charter

Answer 2

1941
- churchhill and president of USA
- agreement not to take more territory, respect people’s rights to choose government, respect people’s land and sovereignty, collaborate with all nations, abandon force, disarm nations, promote world freedom and self-determination

Question 3

reciprocal free trade agreement act

Answer 3

1934
- america commits to free trade, but this act only limited progress
- america tries to counter-act british economic dominance, but fails

Question 4

examples of empire weakening in terms of manpower in interwar years

Answer 4

• 1/5th of the british merchant fleet was laid up in the 1920’s
• loss of the irish

Question 5

1922 empire settlement act

Answer 5

• 3 million pounds a year committed to empire migration and movement in empire for emplyoment
  *link to 1919 solider settlement scheme

Question 6

economic impact of WWI on britain

Answer 6

• britain was taken off the gold standard, returns in 1925, leaves again in 1931 - no continuity
• WWI cost around 35,000 million pounds - 13x SBW
• britain borrows $4 billion from the USA
• britain became too focused on the production of wartime goods, international competitors begin to take over with production of domestic goods
• britain is taking in 1100 million worth of imports, compared with 700 million pre-war (no trade balance

Question 7

what were the imperial conferences and describe the 1926 imperial conference

Answer 7

• a series of conferences from 1887 up until WWI
• they would address constitutional issues, and would clarify the relationship between britain and her territories

1926:
- this conference promoted south african nationalism, and was supported by the irish
- it was a conference between irish, white dominion states to clarity how a dominion could leave the commonwealth etc
- accepted the strength of dominions to be separate
- it would be impractical to try and drag colonies into such a mess

Question 8

what types of challenges to empire did Britain face in the interwar years

Answer 8

1. political challenges to empire (nationalism)
2. economic challenges to empire (trade and commerce)
3. a lack of home support for empire?
4. diplomatic challenges over british world power

Question 9

describe the 1929 colonial development and welfare act + who drove this

Answer 9

was driven by amery

• aimed to improve socio-economic conditions in colonies in response to the wall street crash and WWI
• it displays how britain took a more interventionist approach
• initially allocated 1 million pounds to economic development, not necessarily welfare
• didn’t necessarily follow a civilising mission, but britain wanted to remove this idea of noble savage
• but aimed to build bonds of empire by being more respectful and conscious of their colonies (indirectly ruling)

Question 10

why were the british worried about axis powers

Answer 10

• they had support of some dominions (ie many indian soliders defect)
• axis powers had the power to undermine what the british wanted
• axis powers provoked nationalism
• targeted key british strategic interests

Question 11

examples of international powers threatening Britain during the interwar years

Answer 11

• the value of US exports to Britain tripled
• 1921 Washington Naval Conference forces Britain to abandon its double standard naval position, and has the same ratio of naval ships as the US
• in 1919 America and Mexico were making 7.5m barrels of oil, in 1934, they were making 57 barrells
• japanese treaties
• italy attempting to take abyssinia in 1935
• britain lacked security from the league of nations

Question 12

british hesitations to palestine

Answer 12

• it was strategically critical, given access to suez and the rest of the middle east and asia
• but it was so politically hostile and easy to ignite nationalist sentiment (ie turkish resentment) that britain could not impose the rule they wanted

Question 13

how may morale have empire improved during the interwar years

Answer 13

• 1916 establishment of Empire day
• 1924 Wembley Exhibition, mirrors the 1890 Africa Exhibition in London

Question 14

unemployment in britain post WWI

Answer 14

• racially motivated riots broke out in liverpool and london for non-white residents taking jobs
• in 1919 the solider settlement scheme was formed to promote migration and jobs in empire + deter unemployment
• 5000 white people initiated violence, 15 white people arrested

Question 15

roca-runciman pact

Answer 15

1933
- britain diverging from what was agreed in the ottawa conference
- allowed argentina to keep its pre-ottawa share for chilled beef
- argentina sending 40% of its exports to britain

Question 16

describe the wall street crash and great depression / impact on empire

Answer 16

1929+1932
- forces britain to pivot with how it wants to maintain economic bonds with empire (exports, imports - internal decline)
- trade slowed, lack of demand
- political instability between ramsay and conservatives
- burdonsome cost of maintaining empire (ie 1931 westminster - choose to leave if you want)
- britain tries to impose imperial preference
- displayed the lack of decisive power of britain, caused nationalism

• causes political split in empire, bc to fix it, britain wants free trade, but phillip snowden condemns this, whilst conservatives support this

Question 17

evidence of British strengthening empire in terms of civilising mission, resources etc

Answer 17

• 1929 colonial development and welfare acts
• resources = ottawa?

Question 18

british imperial defence attitude

Answer 18

• unwilling to challenge the USA (ie don’t renew treaty in 1921 w japan after renewing 2x before) - break power in asia
• USA had dominion support - britain need backing
• britain had shrunk its naval influence from 1921 - needs washington and willing to sacrifice
• sacrifice to defend and promote peace - britian know they cannot conduct another war
• britain degraded itself to a 5:5:3 naval ratio as to not go against the USA and have their backing (knew colonies would support USA)

Question 19

how did india economically challenge Britain in the interwar years

Answer 19

• 1938, exchequer was responsible for meeting the cost of Indian army campaigns, leaving Britain with a debt of 13,000 million pounds to India
• 1924 - gandhi establishes the all indian spinners association to promote economic self reliance and satyagraha
• Gandhi’s Salt March 1931(nationalist boycotts which had vast economic impacts)

Question 20

battle of el alamein

Answer 20

1942
- british defeat german army in egypt and get germany out of north africa to secure british interests in middle east (ie SUEZ)
*nationalists use this as a chance to exploit british weaknesses (ie burma = independence army)

Question 21

media attitudes to empire

Answer 21

• the media became a critical tool in amplifying approval and appreciation for empire
• overall, positive presentation of empire, given not only that the media was often government sponsored, but those with access to TV media would be members of upper classes - thereby further shaping this approval and like of empire
• the use of media was to give an insight into aspects of empire - ie ‘life in the british west indies’

Question 22

domestic impact of WWI on britain

Answer 22

• look at sheet called domestic economic impacts

Question 23

1919 solider settlement scheme

Answer 23

• led by northey
• example of allowing a massive influx of white settlers into kenya (by 1919, white settler figures increase by 200%)
• british take land from the nandi people (18 square miles)

Question 24

naval base singapore

Answer 24

1921**
- 25 million spent to deter japanese agression and enforce british presence
- singapore became a critical target
- however, it falls quickly in the war in 1942 to japan
- british want to assert their military dominance and presence and a physical rejection to japanese power
- british want to exemplify their expansive power to america to be worthy of an alliance with america
- singapore was to be closer to aus + NZ to have closer ties
- the problems: strategic uncertainty, financial pressure, it would antagonise japan, it went against precedent for rearmament

Question 25

1923 devonshire white paper

Answer 25

- declared that kenya is an african nation, it is not a white settler colony - the interests of native peoples are paramount - asserts african rights over those of europeans *british government response to kikuyu outcry over their rights being violated by the white settlers

Question 26

solanke and sorensen campaign

Answer 26

1937 - campaign of MP in the UK with a farmer union in west africa to promote small businesses by disrupting the supply of large companies

Question 27

how did other world powers cause british trade + commerce to suffer

Answer 27

1. britain's share of world trade decreases from 52% in 1913 to 40% by 1936 2. impacts of the ottawa conference - empire countries increase share of british imports by 10% - empire is importing into britain more - but consumption of british exports only grows by 5% disproportionately not benefitting

Question 28

describe the statute of wesminster + significance

Answer 28

1931 - the british parliament could no longer legislate on behalf of a dominion, and if it did, would require the consent of that dominion - effectively allows colonies to legislate themselves out of empire / become independent (no approval for legislation) - weakens british overarching legislative power - equality of legislative status between britain and dominions significance: - CHANGING TO CONSERVE*** - maintain stability through change - change relations + dynamic to keep them onside - sets precedent for indi

Question 29

what institutions were created post WWI by the british government to stimulate the economy

Answer 29

1916 = empire resources development committee - investment and exploration of imperial resources empire settlement committee = 1917 - passages of free service to other empire countries imperial war cabinet 1917 - a closer economic and constitutional relationship? - SA members join in 1917

Question 30

british relations with its colonial subjects declining

Answer 30

- increase in nationalist movements - the lack of actual change to colonial territories after CD + W acts 1929 -- ie mothballs, lack of education, britain purely being motivated by giving opportunity to those in britain

Question 31

balfour definition

Answer 31

1926 - defined what dominion status would mean and clarify the constitutional relationship between britain and dominions - it was claimed dominions are equal in status and are united by allegiance to the crown - this was mainly to pacify and appease the white dominion areas and elongate their relationship with empire, by appeasing south africa and ireland with ideas of autonomy, but pleasing australia with associations w the crown

Question 32

how did Britain itself weaken in the interwar years, economically

Answer 32

- index of all exports by volume decreased from 173 in 1913 to 119 in 1922 - 1929 Wall Street Crash - Britain imposed tarrifs on goods, which declined the value of its goods by 9-10% in the Import Duties Act of 1932 - 1920's = 1/5th of merchant fleet were laid off

Question 33

british policy of appeasement

Answer 33

- diffuse tensions with germany and facist powers in order to strengthen british powers against attack - hitler wanted to create a mini-german empire, which would threaten the british - britain was not in control of colonies (appeasement would quell a war and the british could re-contain nationalism) - the british needed to organise their empire before the world - britain was stubborn to maintain empire and would sideline world peace to maintain power over india - peace would be widely supported among empire (ie czechoslovakia, munich crisis 1938, abyssinia)

Question 34

describe the british gain of mandates post WWI

Answer 34

- britain introduced a 3 tier system for mandates, separating those which were almost independent, those who needed administrative help (tanganyika), and those that needed full intervention (samoa etc) - independent mandates included palestine, mesopotamia etc - the tier system they were placed in determined how much assistance they needed, and how long before independence would be promoted

Question 35

1929 colonial development and welfare act working

Answer 35

- construction of Haifa Harbour in Palestine - production of west african cocoa increased from 140,00 metric tonnes in 1920 to 240,000 metric tones in 1930 (mass production + stimulation)

Question 36

contributions of dominions and colonies in WWI

Answer 36

- conscription in new zealand in 1916 + canada in 1917 - want to help - canada supplies britain with 1/3 ammunition used in france from 1917 - smuts - forms south african defence force - 136,000 south african forces fight in the middle east

Question 37

which markets did the british lose after WWI

Answer 37

- britain loses textile markets in japan - britain also loses shipbuilding, steel and iron markets - its electrical engineering exports also drastically fall

Question 38

give the value of british imports from empire from 1913-1934

Answer 38

1913 = 191 million 1934 = 257 million

Question 39

describe nationalist acts dominions and africa during WWI

Answer 39

canada: - increasing discontent in quebec, led to 1918 anti-conscription riots - 10,000 canadians die at vimy australia: - conscription was rejected in 1916 + 1917 south africa: - hertzog starts a republican and afrikaner movement - 1919 = south african delegates go to versailles africa: - 1919 pan-african conference (over 50,000 egyptians were killed in europe + 100,000 killed in tanganyika)

Question 40

describe the main events leading up to WWII in europe

Answer 40

1. 1935 = abyssinia - south africa condemns british response (hertzog) 2. 1936 = sanctions for italy - split between SA, NZ + British (not united) 3. appeasement by N chamberlain - dominions don't want association w british - they wanted political peace 4. munich 1938 - dominions want appeasement for stability - felt britain should not provoke anything 5. 1939 czechoslovakia - dominions don't want involvement bc britain will rely on them - doms don't want to fight hitler 6. austria in german reich - smuts refuses to fight in europe

Question 41

1915 sykes picot agreement

Answer 41

- british and french divide the middle east, given the hostilities in the area from WWI - france would have south east turkey, north iraq, syria, lebanon - britain would take palestine, jourdan and southern iraq - it was a secret treaty - fuel discontent

Question 42

examples of colony contributions to WWI (ie manpower)

Answer 42

- 200,000 troops in mesopotamia, over 120,000 of whom were Indian, 102,000 were british (reliance on colonial fighters) - 2.5 million soliders fight for britain - 330,000 Chinese, Africans and Egyptians solely in France - 60,000 indians died (more than any other colony)

Question 43

catagorise positive and negative attitudes toward empire

Answer 43

POSITIVE: - wembley exhibition - escape from wider issues - education / empire day - empire marketing board / economic - media NEGATIVE: - monarchy - literature - art (ie people didn't like empire)

Question 44

key facts for good trade with empire during interwar

Answer 44

1. in 1929, Britain took 38% of australian imports, but 56% in 1938 2. production of British West African Cocoa increased from 144,000 metric tonnes in 1920 to 240,000 metric tonnes in 1930 3. value of british imports from empire increases from 191 million to 257 million from 1913-1934

Question 45

how did other world powers NOT cause british trade + commerce to suffer

Answer 45

1. britain was still dictating a 1/3 of world trade - london was still at the centre of commercial trade and banking - active efforts by america to supercede this failed 2. britain formed an insular economic relationship - through the ottawa conferece

Question 46

when did Australia, SA and NZ adopt the Statute of Westminster

Answer 46

Aus: 1942 SA: 1934 NZ: 1947 *NI in 1937

Question 47

describe the 1932 ottowa conference / its aims

Answer 47

- an imperial conference which promoted the idea of imperial sufficiency, insulation and inter-dependency - it was to counteract the impacts of the 1929 + 1932 great depression and wall street crash + limit their impact on empire - it wanted empire to have cohesive economic policies to form an insulated bubble - restore the notion of being in empire is a 'privilege' - wanted to reassert positive interpretations to empire - british introduce a 10% tax on all imports, colonies were exempted - britain and dominions give one another preferential treatment in markets (IMPERIAL PREFERENCE) - bilateral trade - wanted to display that empire was profitable / worth the investment - create an economic community

Question 48

details of Amritsar Massacre and the consequences

Answer 48

- protest outside Irving's house to demand the release of popular leaders of the Indian Independence Movement - these included leaders such as Satyapal - a military picket shot at the crowd, causing an escalation in violence CONSEQUENCES: - 1516 people died and injured - the 1919 and 1915 repressive WWI Acts were repealed (defence of India act 1915, and Rowlatt Acts 1919) - leads to the Hunter Inquiry into Dyer - passing of the 1919 Government of India Act

Question 49

what happened to imports from asia and canada from 1915-1920

Answer 49

asia - they doubled in value from their value in 1910-1914 canada - they tripled in value

Question 50

economic impact of WWI on colonies: 1. india 2. canada 3. australia and NZ

Answer 50

india: - india contributed $146 million to WWI, and faced inflation and food shortages - montagu - taxation in india increases by 16% - british place taxes on indian imports, from 11% in 1917 to 25% in 1931 (protectionism) canada: - canada develops trading relationships with the USA (ie halibut fisheries 1923) aus + NZ: - were previously used for the supply of goods and food (ie beef)

Question 51

evidence of British not strengthening empire in terms of civilising mission, resources etc - look at amery reading

Question 52

give one example on both sides to display how britain's financial relationship with empire improved and did not after ottawa

Answer 52

improve: - total imports from empire increase from 26% in 1909-1913 to 41% in 1934 not improve: - british exports to india and burma decrease from 11.9% 1909-1913 - 8% by 1934 *this would only be one example / a minority, general pattern is that trade improves

Question 53

examples of empire politically weakening in interwar years

Answer 53

POLITICAL: - 1917 to 1918 canadian conscription crisis under the Military Service Act - discontent - lack of choice - Amery cannot recieve funding to invest into political projects in colonies and maintain a consistent British presence

Question 54

1921 washington naval treaty

Answer 54

- agreement of a 5:5:3 imperial ratio - no new powers could build new bases within asia - britain effectively degraded its potential threats and allowed japan to become a new world order - it left much of asia defenceless

Question 55

describe the 3 treaties in which britain politically weakens itself

Answer 55

1. 1923 Halibut Fisheries Treaty - canadian government is given the power to negotiate an international agreement with the USA - idea of setting a precedent and establishes foreign policy independence 2. 1924 Treaty of Lausanne - response to chenak in 1922 - Irish Free State and Canada condemn the treaty to settle relations with turkey and refuse to become involved in the treaty - undermines the overarching power of the British - no binding foreign policy power 3. 1925 Treaty of Locarno - was to guarantee the frontiers of germany - claimed that the dominions would not need to become involved in European affairs if they did not want to *empire is no longer indivisible, no unified foreign policy, not a united diplomatic unit

Question 56

key facts about the 1924 Wembley Exhibition

Answer 56

- over 27 million tickets were sold in the first 2 years - this was over 50% of the British population - over 660,000 people wanted imperial military tattoes - the 1924 exhibition was attended by 4x as many people as in 1851 - the full exhibition cost over 11 million pounds - king george canadian butter sculpture - glorifying the monarchy

Question 57

describe the 1922-1923 geddes axe

Answer 57

- defence expenditure fell from 189.5 million in 1922 to 111 million in 1923, and the cabinet made expenditure savings worth 52 million - active attempt by the government to halt economic spending

Question 58

3 examples of empire economically weakening in interwar years

Answer 58

1. british share of world trade due to empire decreased from 52% in 1913 to 26% in 1939 2. the value of british exports to the world decrease from 500 million to 370 million from 1913-1934 3. prices for British west african cocoa decreased from 81 shillings in 1920 to 37 shillings in 1930

Question 59

territorial gains of WWI for british

Answer 59

- British gained 1.8 million square miles, 13 million new subjects - British gain territories in the Middle East, including mandates of Palestine, Transjordan, Iraq, Cameroon etc - By WWII, the empire comprised 1/4 of the world's territory and population - gained under LoN + versailles *britain is spreading themselves too thin

Question 60

dominion contributions and response to WWII

Answer 60

contributions: - doms = 2/6 million - 2.5 million from india troops - 500,000 troops from colonies canada: - hostile - defer to parliament + join - don't want to be depended on / pulled into war irish: - NEUTRAL - deny naval bases / ports - would accept british military help if needed - minimal involvement + british stationing aus/nz: - loyal to british - still not invoked SoW SA: - smuts makes SA join - hertzog tries to dissolve parliament in order to prevent an amendment passing which committed them to war - smuts = white majority gov - afrikaner resistance in response

Question 61

examples of Britain continuing to promote a civilising mission during the war

Answer 61

- 1927 Colonial Medical Research Centre - 1929 Colonial Development Act

Question 62

what was the balfour declaration & impact of the balfour declaration on the middle east

Answer 62

1917 - Balfour sends a letter to Rothschild which promised a 'national homeland' for Jews in Palestine, and allied Britain with the Zionist movement - although, rights of arabs needed to be protected, and arabs would continue to live in the same way (which immigration and zionist violence did not fulfill) impact: - the population of Jews in Palestine increased from 60,000 in 1918 to 175,000 by 1931 - led to a 1918 = a Zionist commission, but this caused increasing resentment among Muslims and Arabs, leading to the Muslim Christian Association + constant fighting

Question 63

how were international powers not threatening the British position during the interwar period

Answer 63

1933 - Roca RUNCIMAN treaty which protected argentinian produce of beef into british goods, of which up to 1914, Canada was supplying 15% of - reciprocal trade treaty in 1934 - 1929 wall street crash and great depression forces the US to prioritise these matters - focus on domestic policy - Britain still conduced a 1/3 of world trade

Question 64

what goods or materials from empire into britain increased in value

Answer 64

cocoa = 1913 = 50.9% of cocoa from empire, by 1934 = 90% raw rubber 1913 = 57% of rubber from empire, by 1934 = 79%

Question 65

example of Britain itself weakening in the interwar years, politically

Answer 65

1. 1921 Washington Naval Treaty, Britain comes off the double standard of Naval supremacy - pressure from aus + nz to renew alliance w japan to prevent invasion - canada wants britain to align with the USA 2. 1931 Statute of Westminster - concede overarching legislative power 3. 1926 Balfour Definition 4. appeasement policies

Question 66

how did british trade with empire in the IW years decrease

Answer 66

- british trade and economic relationships with india were strained - as indian manufacturers and suppliers grew increasingly close economic relationships with the japanese, not british (absorb less british exports) - british lancashire cotton exports fell from 125 million in 1913 to 72 million by 1929 - british exports to empire fall from 200 million in 1916 to 160 million in 1934 - 20% of british merchants were laid off

Question 67

economic impacts of the ottowa conference (british imports + exports)

Answer 67

imports: 1. britain's imports from dominions+ empire increase from 24% in 1931 to 37% in 1937 exports: 1. britain's exports to empire increase from 32% in 1931 to 39% in 1937

Question 68

economic investment schemes in colonies of indirect british rule from 1919

Answer 68

1. 1920 = british invest 3 million into gezira cotton scheme (aswan lower dam) 2. east african = 1925 = 10 million for improving rail 3. colonial development and welfare acts 1929 4. 1930 = kenya co-operative creamies (kenya was struggling w impact of war, influenza and famines

Question 69

economic attitudes to empire in interwar years and examples

Answer 69

- desperate for empire to provide and boost spending patterns, and create this environment of self sufficiency which was ruined after the war - wanted to create the image of a cohesive economic union - wanted to promote ideas of protectionism to create a sustainable empire and turn toward self sufficiency - create the image of a strong, healthy and inter-dependent empire to reinforce the benefits of empire - counteract any apathy toward empire EXAMPLES: - May 1926, formation of the Empire Marketing Board (under Amery) to encourage the consumption of goods from Empire - formation of the Empire Xmas Pudding recipe, including Cloves from Zanzibar, currents from Australia, of which 15,000 copies were initially printed, later 20,000 - formation of the Co-operative Wholesale Society which linked imperial advertising and would market things including tea etc - a report in june estimated over 10 million leaflets were issued by 1933 - cost the British taxpayer around 10,000 pounds - 1932 Ottowa Conference - spending on the marketing board was 35,000 pounds between 1926 and 1933 - for example, the calendar of fruits and veg of empire which sold over 180,000 copies in 1929

Question 70

british domestic economic weaknesses post-WWII

Answer 70

1. 1947 stirling crisis - 1966 mirrors this (run out of reserves) 2. rationing - 1946/1947 3. 50% merchant fleet are laid off 4. 1/3 overseas assets sold to pay for war 5. britain loses 11.7 million tonnes of shipping 6. exports fall to 1/3 of pre-war levels 7. 20 billion debt - austerity

Question 71

1945 + 1940 colonial development + welfare act

Answer 71

1940: - grants of up to 5 million a year - debt written off 1945: - set aside over $120 million to be invested in the next 10 years - aimed to maintain bonds of empire by 'changing to conserve' and through using economic promises to maintain superiority and stimulate economic growth for britain to benefit - hoped that african economic prod would stimulate the british econ

Question 72

british relations w USA post WWII

Answer 72

political: - britain recognises need to maintain alliance w USA - recognition that britain cannot maintain its own empire - britain forced to consider anti-imperialist rhetoric - USA knew its power - britain was dependent on USA for politcal support - britain lose singapore in 1942 - no military power economic: 1. the USA's Lend Lease scheme in 1941 = $31 billion loan to Britain which would eventually need to be paid back 2. $3 billion loan negotiated by keynes, expected a 5 billion loan - economically dependent to boost stirling

Question 73

lord mayor banquet

Answer 73

1946 - british financial prosperity (upper classes benefit)

Question 74

general economic impact on empire in ww11

Answer 74

- economic insecurity - can't politically control - threatened cohesive empire - british don't mind decol at this point to save money - british were in debt to colonies - pay them back - not economically powerful - british rely on loans from canada and america - weak within empire

Question 75

1923 white paper - why?

Answer 75

- colonial communities were exposed to europeans demanding privilege and they demand for same - south rhodesia + SA limited african voting rights - british saw this and wanted todo this in kenya, so they go to colonial office to negotiate for white minority rule in kenya to exclude them - kenyans go to office and advocate against this - british office rules in favour of africans