1. Interwar Period: United Kingdom

2. Objectives Comprehend the factors that contributed to British foreign policy during the interwar years. Describe the factors that influenced British military doctrine during the interwar period

4. Each symbol indicates 100,000 dead

5. Transition to Peace Britain throughout her history has attempted to remain relatively removed from European power politics and the interwar years was no exception. The British government had a great deal of difficulty in adjusting to post-war politics, especially in terms of maintaining her empire.

6. Economic Problems During WWI, British business lost much of their commerce in Europe, China, India, and Latin America to American and Japanese businesses. The 1920-1930s witnesses a series of industry strike, demanding higher wages, better working conditions, and shorter hours. Troops were called in on a number of occasions. Factories owned by the government were sold off, and soon practically no businesses remained in government hands. The British government hoped that laissez- faire economics would jump-start her post- war economy.

7. Great Depression The onset of the Great Depression in the early 1930s tore the British Parliament apart, as disagreement over recovery measures divided the nation. The Labour party advocated extremely leftist policies and unwise spending, while the Liberal and Conservative Parties were divided within themselves over just what to do. Unemployment benefits were cut in 1931, and adjusted again in 1934. The remainder of the peacetime years was spent dabbling in a variety of potential solutions to the nation's economic problems. Unemployment Rate

8. Maintaining the Empire During the interwar period the British Empire was evolving into a ‘Commonwealth’; no longer a single political unit. Through the Balfour Declaration of 1926 and the Statute of Westminster in 1931, England and its dominions (i.e. former colonies) became members of a trade and defensive association known as the British Commonwealth. Each dominion had the right to choose chose its own government and promulgate its own laws. Dominions could accept or reject laws passed by the British government.

9. Foreign Affairs Strategy - Outside of Commonwealth British imperial strategy throughout the 1930’s rested on short term appeasement and long term rearmament. Britain both economically and internally could not cope with another war. PM Chamberlain hoped that if the threat of Hitler could be appeased, Britain would be more able to deal with the growing Japanese threat in the Far East in regard to China. Hence the policies of appeasement was pursued with Hitler

11. Munich Agreement The Munich Agreement was a pact signed in 1938 between Nazi Germany, its ally, Italy, France and the United Kingdom. The pact allowed Germany to take over the borderlands of Czechoslovakia, known as the Sudetenland. Most of the region’s 3.5 million inhabitants were ethnic Germans and they wanted a union with Nazi Germany The Sudetenland included all of Czechoslovakia’s border fortifications so the country was defenseless without it. “Peace in our time” – Chamberlin, 1938

12. Military Strategy and Readiness Influenced strongly by economic realities Significant downsizing following WWI Royal Navy and RAF centered given relatively low cost and long reach Air Policing (Horn of Africa, Iraq) Following the failed Munich Agreement, Britain begins to rearm in preparation for possible war However in many ways Britain militarily is a “Hollow Empire”-- decades of neglect cannot be overturned in several years. Singapore Harbor

13. Royal Air Force Separate service in 1919, however was in constant budgetary competition with Royal Navy Doctrine centered on two landmark air theorists Hugh Trenchard (1 st RAF Chief) Centered on Britain’s traditional military-economic strategy. Advocated strategic attacks on industry to destroy the capability (factory) and will (people) to fight. PM Baldwin (1932) Bomber will always get through Jack Slessor Winning air superiority critical – more balanced force Budget considerations start to weigh in – 1 bomber = 3 fighters, so in 1938 as G.B. rearms it puts it’s faith into fighters and a new gadget called radar for it defense.

14. Interwar Period: Great Britain  Battle proven  Joint operations  Allies privy to military plans  Adaptive to new technology  Consistency of command and organization  Technologically advanced defense industry  Industrial Capacity  Military Readiness X X X