Dictators, war + Revolutions HT51020A Dr Erica Wald The Second World War & Empire

Lecture Structure Background: Imperial Relationship Empire at War : Manpower, labour and supplies Empire at War : Theatres of War Imperial Ideologies : Propaganda & Empire Imperial Consequences : During the War Imperial Consequences : Post-war

The empire goes to war Statute of Westminster (1931) gave Dominions autonomy Dominions financially responsible for their contingents UK treasury responsible for paying for India’s army outside India

The Empire goes to war Australian PM Menzies : there was ‘unity in the empire ranks- one King, one flag, one cause.’ Australia, New Zealand, India, South Africa: 3 September Canada: 10 September Australian Prime Minister Robert Menzies’ radio broadcast announcing that Australia was at war

Imperial mobilisation : India http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/1060021456

Canada ¾ million troops First reach Britain in December 1939 British Empire Air Training Scheme Operation Overlord North Atlantic Convoy protection Convoy of ships prepare to sail for Britain

Australia & New Zealand Australia – 500,000 troops New Zealand – 100,000 troops North Africa, Middle East, Europe and Home Defence Maori Battalion perform Haka in Egypt for King of Greece, June 1941

Africa ¾ million troops Labour and supplies Conscripted labour RAF Navigator John Smythe of Sierra Leone

Empire at war: Western Europe Most vital theatre Events here had impact on other theatres Jan Smuts (1942) : ‘The almost total loss of the entire allied possession in the Far East and South East Asia was due to the fall of France.’

Theatres of war: Middle East & Africa Suez Canal East Africa Campaigns Fought almost entirely by imperial troops Middle East under threat following arrival of German Afrika Corps (1941) Fight back by British Eighth Army (1942) Australia, India, New Zealand, South Africa

Theatres of war: Asia Invasions following Pearl Harbour Hong Kong 7 December 1941 Hong Kong surrender 25 December 1941 Malaya surrender late January 1942 Singapore surrender 15 February 1942 POW following Fall of Singapore

Indian National Army Subhas Chandra Bose 11,000 troops by Summer 1943 Netaji Indian nationalist Breaks with Indian National Congress Starts anti-colonial army with German and Japanese assistance 11,000 troops by Summer 1943 Further 20,000 in training

War propaganda Colonial office establishes public relations department Worked with the Ministry of Information on Imperial propaganda Empire Publicity Campaigns (1940) BBC George Orwell broadcasting from India for the BBC

The Atlantic Charter no territorial gains were to be sought by US or UK territorial adjustments must be in accord with the wishes of the peoples concerned all peoples had a right to self-determination trade barriers to be lowered there was to be global economic cooperation and advancement of social welfare the participants would work for a world free of want and fear the participants would work for freedom of the sea there was to be disarmament of aggressor nations, and a post-war common disarmament

Post-war Huge cost of the war War spend done almost entirely on credit Britain in debt £1,300 million to India Mr Keynes goes to Washington $3.75 billion loan Children play in a bomb-damaged street, 1943