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History - Britain Transformed > The National Government (T1) > Flashcards

The National Government (T1) Flashcards

1
Q

What happened in the October 1931 election?

A
  • The National Government won by a huge majority
  • It was the Conservatives within it who won the vast majority of seats
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2
Q

Why did the vote for the Labour Party slump?

A

As many voters believed the party was putting its own interests and those of the unions before showing national interest.

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3
Q

What was MacDonald’s premiership (1931-1935) dominated by?

A

Dominated by the economic challenges caused by the Great Depression.

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4
Q

What did the MacDonald government do towards the threat of fascism in Europe?

A

Made some moves to rearm, at the same time it had to deal with the threat of fascism at home.

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5
Q

What was the economic policy of MacDonald’s National Government?

A

Implemented spending cut, and public sector pay cuts of 10%.

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6
Q

What happened after this pay cut in public sector?

A

Felt to be so harsh that it led to a mutiny in the Royal Navy at the naval base of Invergordon.

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7
Q

What other economic policies did the National Government implement?

A
  • Introduced a limited number of tariffs.
  • By 1933, the end of the Gold Standard and low interest rates had begun to stimulate an economic recovery.
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8
Q

What happened in the National Government in 1935?

A

Ramsey MacDonald was replaced by Stanley Baldwin after being isolated in government.

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9
Q

What happened to the Labour Party by the 1930s?

A

Managed to reorganise itself and become the official opposition to the government.

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10
Q

Who was the new leader of the Labour Party?

A

Clement Attlee

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11
Q

How many seats did the Labour Party gain in the 1935 General Election?

A

Gained 154 seats

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12
Q

What did this seat gain indicate about the Labour Party?

A

The Labour vote was rapidly recovering from the slump in votes in 1931.

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13
Q

What was happening in the 1930s with political ideas?

A

Was an increase in support for extreme ideas on both the far left and far right.

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14
Q

How much did the membership of the BUF grow to?

A

By 1934 the British Union of Fascists had 50,000 members

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15
Q

How did membership in Communist parties grow?

A

The Communist Party only had 9,000 members but throughout the 1930s organised the National Unemployed Workers’ Movement.

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16
Q

Who was Oswald Moseley?

A

A Labour MP who was inspired by the seemingly charismatic dynamic economic policies of Mussolini’s Italy.

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17
Q

What did Mosley do in 1932?

A

Drew all the fascist organisations in Britain together to form the British Union of Fascists (BUF).

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18
Q

What was the impact of the BUF?

A

Impact on political system overall would prove to be negligible, but briefly presented a challenge to law and order.

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19
Q

What did the National Government do to fight against this threat?

A

Passed the Public Order Act in 1936.

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20
Q

What did the Public Order Act 1936 do?

A

Banned groups from wearing uniforms and requiring permission for marches and demonstrations.

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21
Q

What happened to Moseley’s group after 1936?

A

Never became a threat to the National Government and his movement began to decline.

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22
Q

What did the popularity of Moseley’s group?

A

There were significant numbers who did not believe that the National Government was capable of working at the height of the depression.

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23
Q

How did Hitler’s appointment in Germany impact Britain?

A

Caused public opinion to divide between rearmament and disarmament.

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24
Q

What were people attracted to?

A

Organisations such as Peace Pledge Union, and the League of Nations Union that supported peaceful resolution to conflicts.

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25
Q

Why were people attracted to peace unions?

A

Due to the traumatic memories of the previous war.

26
Q

What was the Peace Ballot and Pledge?

A

In 1934, millions of householders were asked their opinions on war and security.

27
Q

What was the result of the Peace Ballot and Pledge?

A

Made it clear that they supported the idea of ‘collective security’.

28
Q

What was the view of the British public towards Germany?

A

Arms races and secret treaties were responsible for WW1, not just Germany.

29
Q

How did Britain rearm?

A
  • The RAF was increased to 40 squadrons
  • The British Army was reorganised
  • The Royal Navy was expanded
  • The munitions industry was developed in partnership with private capital.
30
Q

What was Baldwin’s manifesto for his third premiership (1935-7)?

A

He pledged new homes, jobs and government help for the most economically deprived parts of the country.

31
Q

What was the opposition of the Labour Party like during Baldwin and Chamberlain’s premierships?

A

The opposition Labour Party continued to be divided on the question of peace and security.

32
Q

What did the left of the Labour Party believe towards rearmament?

A

Believed that rearmament made war more likely not less.

33
Q

What did the centre of the Labour Party believe towards rearmament?

A

Led by Clement Attlee, argued that collective security would make war impossible, and rearming unsuccessful.

34
Q

When was the abdication crisis?

A

In Jan 1936, when King George V died, a constitutional crisis took place.

35
Q

Who took over from King George V and why was this a problem?

A
  • After George V’s death his eldest son Edward VIII inherited the crown.
  • His many affairs was known by the government.
36
Q

Why was Edward’s affairs an issue at this time?

A
  • Public attitudes towards sexual morality in the 1930s was very conservative.
  • Having an hier to the throne behaving in such a manner would have brought the monarchy into disrepute.
37
Q

What was the issue after Edward’s coronation?

A

Rumours circulated about a relationship with an American divorcee, Wallis Simpson.

38
Q

What was the problem with Edward’s marriage to Wallis Simpson?

A

In Nov 1936 he informed Baldwin and Baldwin replied that the marriage would be seen by many in Britain as morally unacceptable.

39
Q

What were the attitudes towards the marriage?

A

The British cabinet and the Dominions rejected even a morganatic marriage.

40
Q

What did Edward VIII do after this abdication crisis?

A

He chose to abdicate on 11 December 1936, making way for his brother, George VI.

41
Q

What did Labour do after Hitler broke the TOV?

A

Labour opposed the threat of economic sanctions against Germany.

42
Q

What was the attitude of the National Government after Hitler broke the TOV?

A

Was divided between taking action and backing down.

43
Q

Who was Neville Chamberlain?

A

Often associated with the policy of appeasement of Hitler, to try and prevent an outbreak of war.

44
Q

What was the Munich Agreement of September 1938?

A

Granted nearly all of Hitler’s demands and allowed him to annex the Sudetenland of Czechoslovakia.

45
Q

What did Chamberlain do after this Munich Agreement?

A

Chamberlain returned to England promising ‘peace for our time’.

46
Q

What happened in 1939?

A

Hitler attacked Poland, and in Sept 1939 Chamberlain declared war on Germany.

47
Q

What was Chamberlain’s premiership (1937-40) like?

A

During a period of economic recovery, falling unemployment and stable prices.

48
Q

What was the main problem that Chamberlain’s National Government faced?

A
  • The breakdown of international order made war increasingly likely.
  • Antiwar movement in Britain was growing in strength, made rearmament more difficult.
49
Q

What did the National Government allow Hitler to do?

A

Allowed a series of concession to Nazi Germany, as Hitler continued to tear up the TOV.

50
Q

Why was Chamberlain replaced in April 1940?

A

A bungled British attempt to save Norway from German invasion and Norway’s subsequent occupation by Germany.

51
Q

What happened after the Norway error?

A

Chamberlain narrowly won a vote of no confidence but recognised it in real terms as a defeat.

52
Q

What did Chamberlain do on May 9?

A

Attempted to form a new coalition government but the Labour Party refused to serve under him.

53
Q

Who took over as Prime Minister after Chamberlain?

A

Churchill, who came to power on the same day Germany invaded France.

54
Q

What was Churchill’s wartime cabinet like?

A

Was a mix of Conservative, Labour and Liberal politicians.

55
Q

What part of Labour did Churchill use in his cabinet?

A

Included Labour politicians mainly from the centre and right of the party.

56
Q

What was Churchill’s premiership (1940-45) like?

A

German successes brought about a new political crisis in government as some ministers considered whether or not to make peace.

57
Q

What was Churchill’s attitude towards Germany?

A

Churchill called a meeting of the whole cabinet arguing that Britain would be a ‘slave state’ if it agreed to German terms.

58
Q

Why did Churchill use the centre and right of the Labour Party?

A

He believed they were ready to place the national interest over party politics.

59
Q

How did Churchill’s premiership end?

A

Served under him until the war ended in May 1945.

60
Q

What was the issues Britain faced after WW2?

A

Social, cultural and political changes were accelerated by the pressures of total war.

History - Britain Transformed (6 decks)

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