How did World War 2 affect the white dominions? Kiernon Murray

Before the Second World War. Prior to the second world war Britain saw her dominions push increasingly for greater independence. The mood was certainly to move to further independence, but it was not the case that the dominions wanted to be outside the empire. The empire was still seen as a “beneficial” force by it’s members, and there was no desire to dissolve the bonds between the dominions and Westminster.

During the second world war Canada's involvement in the Second World War began when Canada declared war on Nazi Germany on September 10, 1939, delaying it one week after Britain acted to symbolically demonstrate independence This declaration of war was a sign to the dominions that Britain was still making decisions for them when it shouldn’t be. Despite this 500,000 men signed up to fight in the war from Canada, and a similar number from Australia. The enthusiasm shown by the dominions to support Britain's war effort shows that they were still willing to work with Britain. However it was clear that the dominions wanted something back for their commitment in the Second World War Canadian troops fought most tightly alongside the Americans however, with many Canadian soldiers being under the command of American Generals. Not only did the dominions provide over a million troops towards the war effort, they also “met the cost of their fighting forces”.

Post World War Two Prosperity returned to Canada during the Second World War and continued in the proceeding years, with the development of universal health care, old-age pensions, and veterans' pensions. The financial crisis of the Great Depression had led the Dominion of Newfoundland to relinquish responsible government in 1934 and become a crown colony ruled by a British governor In 1948, the British government gave voters three Newfoundland Referendum choices: remaining a crown colony, returning to Dominion status, or joining Canada. They chose to join Canada. Australia still maintains a close relationship with the untied kingdom, but has had no constitutional link to it besides a shared monarch since the Australia Act (1886) The Republic of South Africa Constitution Act, 1961 transformed the Union into a Republic, replacing the Queen with a State President, but otherwise leaving the system of government unchanged. The Republic of South Africa Constitution Act, 1983 created the Tricameral Parliament, with separate houses representing white, coloured and Indian people but without representation for black people. The figurehead State President and executive Prime Minister were replaced by an executive State President. The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1993 or Interim Constitution was introduced at the end of apartheid to govern the period of transition. It introduced universal adult suffrage, constitutional supremacy and a bill of rights.