CHURCHILL AS WARTIME LEADER 1940-1945

Churchill becoming prime minister

• by may 1940, chamberlain was becoming unwell and a feeling a new leader was needed despite peoples admiration and respect

• on the 10th may 1940, Churchill become prime minister

1940 - darkest hour timeline - situation of may

• 10th - appointed PM, situation is dangerous but not critical

• Cons: Poland, nazi-soviet pact left Germany free to attack, failure of Norway

• Pros: france a firm ally, army intact, Italy not yet joined Germany in fighting

1940 - darkest hour timeline - may

• 14th - German troops break through French defences and Britain faces prospects of fighting Germany alone

• 28th - British troops in full retreat to Dunkirk awaiting evacuation, economy strained to limits by war costs and dangers of heavy German bombing

• debate in cabinet about negotiating peace with Germany

1940 - darkest hour timeline - June - July

• 4th June - 300000 British and allied troops evacuated form Dunkirk, ‘we will fight them on the beaches’ speech

• 14th June - franc surrenders to germany

• 3rd July - Britain attacks French naval fleet to stop to falling into German hands, killing 1300 French sailors

1940 - darkest hour timeline - august - December

• august - battle of Britain begins intending to destroy the RAF to give Germany air superiority over Britain as a plan to invade Britain

• September - switches from attacking the RAF to bombing British cities as apart of the Blitz

• November - December - some British success against Italian forces in North Africa

WW2 - timeline

• June 1941 - nazi invasion of ussr

• august 1941 - firs time meeting Churchill and Roosevelt leading to the Atlantic charter

• December 1941 - usa enters war after pearl harbour

• august 1942 - first meeting of Stalin and Churchill in Moscow

• February 1943 - turning point with soviet victory at Stalingrad against the nazis

• November 1943 - tehran conference, Churchill disappointed of being of secondary importance

• June 1944 - D-Day

• may 1945 - end of war in Europe