Churchill Key Idea 2

2.1: Views on Empire and India

Saw India as "jewel in the crown", illustrated in his 1930 book "My Early Life".
Referred to Gandhi as a "half naked fakir".
Churchill spoke at an Indian Empire Society meeting (anti-independence).
Churchill founded the India Defence League (anti-independence) with the support of the Daily Mail, The Morning Post and 57 Conservative MPs.
He argued that Indian independence would affect the Lancashire cotton trade.
Alternative to independence was repression.
Churchill believed in the "white man's burden" and feared religious conflict between Hindus and Muslims were India to become independent.
Churchill had "India on the brain" from 1929 to 1935, another of his obsessions, similarly to Communism.
Churchill had served in India in 1896 and had also been Colonial Secretary under the Liberals from 1921 to 1922.

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Against 1931 Round Table Conference in London with Indian Congress Party and Gandhi.
Most parties agreed that some form of Indian independence was required, meaning that Churchill became an outsider.
Government of India Act (1935) created a federal government; India ran internal affairs under British control, however a federation did not emerge due to objection from Indian Princes.
Against Churchill's wishes, son Randolph stood as an anti-independence candidate in a by-election (1935) and lost, badly reflecting on Churchill.
Indian Viceroy Linlithgow declared war (1939) on India's behalf without consulting the Indian Congress Party, who then demanded a post-war constitution which Britain refused and so Congress Party members resigned.
Churchill agreed to Cripps India mission, which failed and resulted in a "Quit India" campaign.
The Congress Party was outlawed and civil disobedience increased.
The Bengal Famine (1942-3) resulted in 3 million deaths. Churchill failed to send enough aid.
The Atlantic Charter (1941) indicated a commitment to democracy.
India had a civil war (1947) upon independence, causing it to split into India and Pakistan.
In 1942, India were threatened by Japan and so Attlee proposed a post-war constitution in order to get the Congress Party back on side and appease the US.

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Began warning against German rearmament from Nov 1932 and feared expansion. German rearmament began in 1935.
Still unsure of Hitler in 1935, believed he could "let loose upon the world another war" or "restore peace and honour to the German nation" but disliked his anti-semitism so never met him.
Exaggerated the threat of Luftwaffe - only 4000 by 1939.
Wanted to revise the Treaty of Versailles but only from a position of power.
1935 Churchill opposed Anglo-German navy treaty despite voting for it with government.
Favoured a Grand Alliance against Germany by Chamberlain didn't repsond to Roosevelt's call for an international conference in 1938 and sent a low level mission to the USSR too late as they had already signed a non-aggression treaty with Germany.
Grand Alliance impractical as US were isolationist, Soviets were undergoing economic and social change and France were divided on the issue.
Threat from Japan and from Italy were arguably greater than that from Germany.

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Ten Year Rule ended in 1932 and Britain was militarily behind others.
Opposed an international disarmament conference to reduce British and French arms (1933).
Appeasement was also fuelled by a fear of communism.
Churchill didn't demand action over Italian invasion of Abyssinia (1935), or the German remilitarisation of the Rhineland (1936), or Anschluss (1938).
Left wing of Labour also opposed appeasement but refused to work with Churchill.
1935 Churchill warned of vulnerability to German aircraft and urged a build up of the RAF.
Baldwin admitted in not rearming before the 1935 election as it would cause him to lose.
Cost of rearmament, especially during the depression, would have been very high.
Churchill focused on need for air defences rather than tanks and navy.
Thought war should've been threatened over Czechoslovakia 1938 despite it being land-locked.
Wished Chamberlain "God Speed" and shook his hand before Munich.
Anti-appeasers: Anthony Eden (resigned 1938), Evening Standard and Daily Telegraph.
Saw appeasement as a national shame: "peace with dishonour", abstained from vote.
Only just survived a vote of no confidence in his constituency after Munich.
War was unpopular; Hitler was popular in Germany and democratically elected, and Britain was economically weak.

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