Britain 1940-51- Britain at war

1st stage:

• Britian fighting alone after fall of France 1940
• Saved when USA declared war on Japan 1941 - 'real war'

2nd stage:

• 1942-3
• 'Turn of the tide' - Russia, Far east +north Africa
• Battle of Atlantic 
• B key part of Grand Aliance - USSR + US
• Fighting 'Axis' - Germany, Italy + Japan
• Axis started losing May 1943>

3rd stage:

• 1943-5
• G+ J many defeats - economic + miliatry strength of US + USSR 
• B became junior member of alliance - worried about post-war world

Public Opinion:

• Most Brits proud
• Damage + heavy debt - most believed it was worth it
• Unity + purpose - accepted restrictions + ready for post-war reconstruction 

Military Crisis April-May 1940: 

• April - G invaded Demark + Norway
• B forces sent - lost + evacuated - major setback
• 10 May - G attacked W Europe - invaded France
• BEF forced to retreat to Normany - Dunkirk - threat of invasion

Criticism of Chamberlain

• most from labour
• appeasement- public support until hitler annexed Czech mar 1939 + poland sept
• failed to ally with soviets 
• april 1940 - boasted 'hilter had Missed the bus' - invaded Den + Nor few days later
• didnt organise ecomony 
• blockade of G not effective
• Army ill equipt
• not supported by Labs or most Cons
• hated war

Resignation 

• 7 may 1940 - debate over Norway
• Labs demanded resignation
• Cons refused to support unless Labs + Libs did
• Refused - C resigned

Fall of France

• May 1940 - G forces in France 
• BEF trapped on  Channel Coast
• Nazis 20 miles from B 
• threat of invasion - B alone
• Halfiax wanted to negotiate - no help from US
• Favoured comprimised peace to invasion
• Churchill persuaded cabinet + public they should wait for US support

Battle of Britain

• Summer 1940 - many aerial battles - needed control of sky 
• organised few 100 RAF to fight Luffwaffe
• held them off untill sept 
• Hitler turned attention to invading USSR - 
• 'Finest Hour' - B had won aganist G alone

Organisation of Government

• Charmberlain remianed Cons leader - Churchill could act neutral
• War cabient:
  • Labour  - Clement Attle + Arthur Greenwood
  • Cons - Chamberlian + Halifax
• 2 libs + 14 labour MPS
• Other key MPs: 
  • Bevin
  • Anthony Eden
  • Lord Beaverbrook
  • Sir Kingsley wood
  • Sir John Anderson 
  • Lord Wooton
• Other experts - Herbert Morrison + William Beveridge

• Emergency Powers Act 1939 - govt could make regs over every aspect of life
• Ministries; Food, Shipping, Information, Economic Warfare, Aircraft Production, Labour
• M of Production in control of supplies
• Treasury in control of finance
• Bevin M of Labour
• approx 1 mill unemployment
• Coal industry production disappointing - mines not modern + many miners joined forces - B relied on US oil imports - U-boat attacks 
• Reduced food imports - Rationing - 1940 + 41 - M of F - Lord Wooton
• More control of industry - Royal Ordnance Factories 300,000 workers - 265 factories working for Admiralty + M of PA 
• Non-essential industries run down + converted
• New production methods
• Use of science - improve economic effiency + develop weapons
• More home food output - mills acres of land ploughed
• Shift from meat to cereals + greater use of tractors + fertilisers 
• Dig For Victory - encouraged home-grown food      

• Earnings from imports cut + overseas investments sold
• Gold + $ reserves gone by 1941 - dependent on US loans
• Reduced comsumption - taxes, rationing & war bonds
• No new investments
• Aid from empire & US
• Income tax > to 10s (50p) in every £ - most workers paid - Pay-As-You-Earn system 1943
• Taxes on goods + services
• £1000 mill gift + interest free loans from Canada
• Colonies - war materials for IOUs
• US - Lend-Lease scheme 1941 - loaned war materials & supplies - returned or paid for later - aid worth £27,000 million

• War turned in B's favour Nov 1942 - govt began to plan changing social problems
• Needed to raise morale 1940-2 - wanted to offer better B after victory
• 1943-4 - Public pressure - wanted improvements
• Outside pressure: 
  • 1941 TUC sent deputation to M of H - asked for reform of national health insurance system
  • Churchmen - articles, radio talks, reports & publications 
• Effects of war
  • Bombing - Emergency Health Scheme - state controled hospitals + free treatment for bomb victims
  • Rationing - free milk & extra food for children & mothers
  • Common danger = generous attitude to reforms - Means test abolished 1941
  • Parties set up commitees for reconstruction 

• J.M Keynes - proposals for <ing unemployment & inflation
• 'Employment Policy' May 1944 - White Paper - maintanace of high employment & post-war controls 
• 1944 Education Act - R.A.Butler - free & compulsary 2ndary education - leaving age raised to 15 (later 16)
• WP 'A National Health Service' 1944 - Henry Willink - proposal of equal acess to medical care & free treatment
• Ministry for Town and Country Planning 1943 
• Town and Country Planning Act 1944 - allowed LAs to deal with bombed & slum areas
• Family Allowances Act 1945 - weekly benefit of 5s for 2nd child & other children - no means test 
• Beverigde Report 1942 - social insurance system, free health service & full employment
• Churchill worried about costs & raising public expectation too high
• WP 'Social Insurance' 1944 - accepted most of B R & set up Ministry of National Insurance