POLITICAL

• WW1 broke out in 1914
• The war was fought between the Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary) and the Allies (Britain, France)
• In August 1914 Britain declared war on Germany
• By December 1915 Britain had an army of over one million men fighting overseas
• The main causes were imperialism, militarism, alliances and nationalism
• PM was Asquith when war broke out in 1914 and was a poor war leader as a pacifist
• in 1915 a Coalition government was formed headed by Asquith with lloyd george as Minister if Munitions
• LLoyd George took over as coalition leader in 1915 and formed a 3 man war council excluding Asquith. Most of the cabinet was conservative and the coalition lasted till 1918
• When the coalition ended in 1918 Asquith refused to join the peace coalition
• LLoyd George headed the peacetime coalition and passed the Rep of the people act which enfranchised all men over 21 and women over 30
• in 1918 the Maurice debate was where Asquith was accusing LG of witholding reinforcements which led to a defeat in the german spring offensive creating a rift within the liberals
• Liberal decline led to opportunities for labour to become the opposition
• from 1914 Bonar Law was conservative leader
• Baldwin became C leader in 1913
• LG encouraged labour involvement during the coalitions
• after 1918 female voters outnumbered male voters by 2mil
• 1928 Equal franchise act gave men and women the same voting rights
• the coalition government collapsed in 1922 due to disagreements over tariffs
• Coupon election 1918 named such cos LG gave liberals who voted for a coalition a certificate
• 1923- Baldwin govt, called an election in Dec
• 1923-24 Macdonalds labour
• Macdonalds 1923 govt passed Wheatleys housing act and proposed raising school leaving age to 15
• 1924-1929 Baldwins second govt as Macdonalds failed due to accusations of being soft on communism
• 1929-1931 Macdonalds second labour- 1929 formed a National govt over great depression and passed Greenwoods housing act to clear slums
• 1931-35 Macdonalds Nat Govt- went to resign but emerged head of nat govt and made many people mad
• 1935-37 Baldwins Nat Govt
• 1936-37 Chamberlains first Nat Govt
• Chamberlain was the last PM who had been an MP during WW1
• 1937-40 Chamberlain's second Nat Govt
• The Conservative party were divided between One Nation Conservatives (Oliver Stanley) and Anti-Socialist Conservatives (Stanley Baldwin)
• 1940 Churchill became PM
• Labour lost support due to its failure to deliver on promises such as nationalisation and unemployment relief.
• By 1939, there were more than 1 million female workers employed in industry.
• Abdication crisis- Edward wanted to marry Wallis Simpson so abdicated and George became king in 1936
• 1932- Oswald Mosley and BUF became popular but populairty declined in 1934 when he became very antisemetic
• DORA- defence of the realm act 1914 introduced censorship
• Move away from laissez fair in 1914
• MOM introduced a central purchasing system for weapons
• Rations introduced in 1918 bc germans ship bombing
• 80% of wheat imported due to german ship bombing campaign