Britain and World War II Appeasement Popular Ignored

Britain and World War II

Appeasement • Popular • Ignored treaty violations • Cared more for Hitler’s moods than lives of powerless • Didn’t work

The Phoney War (1939 -1940) • Allies on defensive mentally • Dithered about

The Year Alone (1940 -1941) • Goal: survival • Bombing cities prevented defeat • Waiting for Franklin

Forging the Grand Alliance (1941 -1942) • Hitler created his own defeat • No way to defend British Empire

Years of Victory (1942 -1945) • Time it took not surprising

Enigma Machine

Churchill • Wanted to delay European invasion • Aware Russian alliance for convenience only

Economy and Society

National Mobilization • • • New Ministries War Cabinet Nationalized Industries Emergency Powers Act Minster of Labour

Reallocation of Labour • Increases – Farm acreage and mechanization – Industries – Armed Forces (1. 5 m in 1939 to 5 m in 1945) – Full Employment • Decreases – Clothing, Automobiles, furniture, home building, food processing

Finance • • Tax increases Overseas Borrowing One third of overseas assets sold Lend-Lease

Debits • Death and Destruction • Infrastructure ignored • Exports fell

Credits • • • Spirit of National unity New technology Full Employment Culture mattered Long-range social planning

Beveridge Reports • First: social security from cradle to grave • Second: Government pledge to create full employment

Education Act of 1944 • School leaving age raised to fifteen • Eleven plus exam • Opportunity for working classes

Britain Transformed • • • Socialist Government Assimilation of armed forces Rebuilding Cold War Empire Dissolving