The British Homefront In WWII Flashcards

(82 cards)

0
Q

Why did Hitler leave the League of Nations in 1933? (1)

A

To secretly rearm

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1
Q

What did Hitler do in 1936? (1)

A

Ordered the reoccupation of the Rhineland

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2
Q

When did Hitler order the reoccupation of the Rhineland? (1)

A

1936

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3
Q

How did France and Britain react to Hitler’s reoccupation of the Rhineland? Why? (1,4)

A

They did nothing

Thought the Treaty of Versailles was too harsh
Germany had the right to move troops in their country
Could not afford war
People did not want another war

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4
Q

How many people signed the Peace Ballot in the early 1930s? (1)

A

Over 10 million households

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5
Q

When was the Peace Pledge Union set up? (1)

A

1936

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6
Q

What international policy did Britain have during the 1930s? (1)

A

Appeasement

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7
Q

What was appeasement? (2)

A

Avoid war through discussion, negotiation and compromise

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8
Q

Who became Prime Minister of Britain in 1937? (1)

A

Neville Chamberlain

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9
Q

When did Neville Chamberlain become Prime Minister of Britain? (1)

A

1937

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10
Q

Who was against appeasement? (2)

A

Sir Anthony Eden

Winston Churchill

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11
Q

Who was Sir Anthony Eden? (2)

A

Against appeasement

Resigned as Foreign Secretary

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12
Q

Who was the most outspoken critic of appeasement during the 1930s? (1)

A

Winston Churchill

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13
Q

What steps did Hitler take to achieve Anschluss? (3)

A

Austrian Nazi supporters held demonstrations in favour of Anschluss
Austrian chancellor resigned in 1938 after a meeting with Hitler
New chancellor invited Hitler into Austria on the 12th of March, 1938

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14
Q

When was Hitler invited into Austria? (1)

A

12 March 1938

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15
Q

What happened on the 12 March 1938? (1)

A

Anschluss

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16
Q

How did Britain and France react to the Anschluss? (1)

A

Protested but took no further action

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17
Q

Why did Hitler want the Sudetenland? (2)

A

It had belonged to Germany before the Treaty of Versailles

It had 3.5 million German speakers

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18
Q

Why was the Munich Conference held? Who was invited? (1,4)

A

Because Hitler wanted the Sudetenland

Germany, Britain, France and Italy

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19
Q

Where was the Sudetenland? (1)

A

Czechoslovakia

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20
Q

When was the Munich Conference held? (1)

A

September 1938

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21
Q

What happened in September 1938? (1)

A

The Munich Conference

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22
Q

What was the Munich Agreement? (2)

A

The Sudetenland was given to Germany

Germany could make no more demands

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23
Q

What did Chamberlain say he had done after the Munich Conference? (1)

A

“Achieved peace in our time”

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24
What happened on the 15 March 1939? (1)
Hitler ordered German troops to invade Czechoslovakia
25
When did Hitler order German troops to invade Czechoslovakia? (1)
15 March 1939
26
What did Chamberlain do after Germany invaded Czechoslovakia? (2)
Rearmament | Promise to help Poland if they were invaded
27
What happened on the 23 August 1939? (2)
The Nazi-Soviet Pact | Germany and the Soviet Union agreed to share Poland
28
What, and when, was the Nazi-Soviet Pact? (2)
Germany and the Soviet Union agreed to share Poland | 23 August 1939
29
What happened on the 1 September 1939? (1)
Germany invaded Poland
30
When did Germany invade Poland? (1)
1 September 1939
31
How did Britain respond to Germany invading Poland? (2)
Gave Hitler an ultimatum - ignored | Declared war on Germany 3 September 1939
32
What happened on the 3 September 1939? (1)
Britain declared war on Germany
33
When did Britain declare war on Germany? (1)
3 September 1939
34
By 1938, how much of government spending was on rearmament? (1)
Nearly 20%
35
What part of the British forces was prepared for WWII? (1)
The navy
36
What were the good and bad points of the armed forces when WWII broke out? (3)
Royal Navy - prepared for war Royal Air Force - well trained, best planes, but too small Army - small, poorly trained, badly equipped
37
What were the best fighter planes in WWIII? (2)
Hurricane | Spitfire
38
How many men were conscripted into the forces by 1939? (1)
More than 1.5 million
39
How did men not conscripted help the war effort? (3)
They joined the Local Defence Volunteers, later called the Home Guard ARP wardens
40
What act was passed to protect the British population from air attacks? When? (1,1)
Air Raid Precautions Act | December 1937
41
When was the Air Raid Precautions Act passed? (1)
December 1937
42
How much did spending on air raid precautions increase in 1939? (1)
5 times
43
What were the two types of air raid shelters? (2)
Anderson shelters - in gardens | Morrison shelters - in homes
44
Who enforced the blackout and coordinated the emergency services? (1)
ARP wardens
45
What did ARP wardens do? (3)
Enforced the blackout Co-ordinated the emergency services Advise households for bombings
46
How was radar important in WWIII? (2)
Alerted RAF where German planes were | Attacks were more effective
47
What protection did Britain have against German bombings? (5)
``` Radar RAF Barrage balloons Anti-aircraft guns Searchlights ```
48
What were the first 6 months of war called? (1)
"Phoney war"
49
Why was the start of the war nicknamed the "phoney war"? (3)
There was little action in Britain Britain was not yet prepared to fight Germany was occupied with Poland
50
When did Chamberlain resign as Prime Minister? Who replaced him? (1,1)
1940 | Winston Churchill
51
Why did Churchill replace Chamberlain as Prime Minister in 1940? (2)
Early failures while Chamberlain was in charge (nazi occupation of Norway in 1940) Churchill had been proved right in his idea that appeasement was bad
52
Why did the government want to evacuate women and children during WWII? (1)
So that morale wouldn't be damaged
53
When did evacuation begin? (1)
The weekend after the war began
54
Who were children evacuated with during WWII? (1)
Teachers
55
Why were parents not evacuated from cities? (1)
Their jobs were vital for the war effort
56
What were "Trekkers"? (1)
People who left cities at night and returned in the morning
57
During the Blitz of Plymouth in 1940, how many people left the city each night? (1)
Over 50 000
58
Where were evacuees sent? (2)
Some to Canada or the USA | Many to the South Wales valleys
59
Why did some children like being evacuees? (3)
Welcome by host families Better standard of living Some evacuees learnt to speak Welsh fluently
60
Why did some children not like being evacuees? (3)
Resented as families were forced to take them in Expected to work on farms Host families were shocked by poor behaviour
61
How did evacuation help depressed areas in South Wales? (3)
Families received evacuation allowances More money was spent in local shops It reversed depopulation of the 1930s
62
What bombing tactics did the Germans use during WWII? (2)
Blitzkrieg | Lightning war
63
What was the Dunkirk evacuation? (4)
British and French troops were forced to Dunkirk Most of the BEF and thousands of French troops were evacuated Lots of equipment lost Portrayed by media as a miraculous escape
64
What retreat was portrayed by Churchill as a miraculous escape? (1)
The Dunkirk evacuation
65
What happened on the 22 June 1940? (1)
France surrendered to Germany
66
When did France surrender to Germany? (1)
22 June 1940
67
What was the Battle of Britain? (3)
Hitler ordered the Luftwaffe to destroy the RAF Fought over southeast England July-September 1940
68
What happened during the first five weeks of the Battle of Britain? (1)
The RAF lost nearly 20% of its strength
69
Why did the British not lose the Battle of Britain? (1)
Hitler changed tactics to bomb cities instead of airfields
70
Why did Hitler stop bombing airfields in exchange for bombing cities on the 7 September 1940? (3)
To damage morale To force the government to surrender In retaliation to RAF bombing Berlin
71
When did Hitler order the Luftwaffe to bomb London? (1)
7 September 1940
72
What was the bombing of British towns and cities known as during WWII? (1)
The Blitz
73
What did Churchill say after the Battle of Britain? (1)
"Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few"
74
Between which days was London continually bombed? How many raids were there? (2,1)
7 September to the 2 November 1940 | 57 raids
75
When was Coventry bombed for the first time? (1)
14 November 1940
76
What happened on the 14 November 1940? (3)
Coventry was bombed for the first time 554 people were killed 50 000 houses destroyed
77
Which areas of Wales were worst hit by the Blitz? (3)
Cardiff, Swansea and Newport
78
Between which months did the Blitz last? How many people died and how many houses were destroyed? (2)
September 1940 to May 1941 45 000 civilians were killed 3.5 million houses were damaged or destroyed
79
What Civilian Defence units were set up during WWII? (3)
ARP wardens The Auxiliary Fire Service The Auxiliary Ambulance Service
80
What did newspapers do during the Blitz? (2)
Exaggerated calm and brave behaviour | Boosted morale
81
When and why did the Blitz end? (2)
June 1941 | Germany invaded the Soviet Union