KT2 - Churchill as a wartime prime minister

What was Churchills stance towards the war in 1940?

Churchill thought he was destined to lead Britain and he wanted victory. In a speech to the HOC when asked what is the aim during the war he replies “Victory - victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terrors, victory, however long and hard the road may be; for without victory, there is no survival."

by May 1940 Britain was facing a profound challenge:
Britain cut off from French and had fallen to Dunkirk where 300,000 troops were stranded. There was a danger of Italy joining the war with Germany. USA did not appear keen on joining either. British gold reserves were low and questions whether Britain could go on fighting. Worry of bombing of Britain. Lord Halifax had been making discrete approaches to discover German terms for peace with Britain.

The situation improved by 4th June with the evacuation of 225,000 British troops and 112,000 allied. The cabinet members who favoured negotiations had been silenced and Churchill made his most famous speech: We shall fight on the beaches. The British achieved rapid victories against Italy, now Hitler’s ally. Germany decides to start bombing the RAF in Aug 1940 but Hitler later decides bombing the cities would be more effective as it would break morale and halt the war effort; this judgement was wrong and allowed the RAF to recover.

What was special about his leadership style during the war?

Speeches:

Churchill’s speeches remain the most famous and important example of inspirational oratory in British history. His mastery of both written and spoken expression was instrumental. Edward Murrow said: “Churchill mobilised the English language and sent it into battle.”

Examples of speeches:

13th May 1940 - Blood, toil, tears and sweat

4th June 1940 - We shall fight on the beaches

Willing to make ruthless decisions:

4th July 1940 - Operation Catapult - the destruction of the French fleet at Oran - preventing it from falling into Nazi hands - 1297 French sailors killed - Churchills attack on an ally reveals his ability to do almost anything to win the war

He supported civilian bombing of Germany to reduce morale - between 400,000 - 600,000 Germans died in bombing raids.

He had plans to destroy German forces through use of poison gas

Symbol of defence:

Churchill’s visual impact in photographs and posters with a cigar; his V-sign finger gesture for Victory - arguably just as important as his speeches were at keeping morale high.

Churchill’s immediate request to supply a limitless supply of red labels reading “ACTION THIS DAY” created urgency within the Whitehall → He got them working 24/7 when they were previously much less inactive

Churchill during the Blitz:

Context: following evacuation of Dunkirk, Hitler issued Operation Sealion - execution of plan to invade Britain - Invasion by Sea was impossible due to Britains exceedingly large Navy.

Churchill standing on rooftops during bombing raids inspired both fearlessness and resilience among the British people, demonstrating his unwavering commitment to leading the nation through such tumultuous times.

The King recorded in his diary “I cannot afford to lose him nor can the country at this moment”, highlighting the critical role Churchill played in maintaining national morale and unity during the darkest days of the war.

What characterised his relations with his generals?

Churchill wanted to influence the way the war was fought but his military generals were well aware of his poor military career.

Churchills influence over France and Dunkirk:

Lord Gort had to ignore Churchill’s demand to fight at Calais , opting instead to prioritize the evacuation at Dunkirk, which ultimately saved over 300,000 Allied troops and demonstrated Churchill's mixed legacy in military strategy.

Churchill then attempts to create a new front in France under Sir Alan Brooke called the ‘British Expeditionary Force’ (BEF) but Sir Alan Brooke bluntly refuted his stubbornness telling him that it was impossible.

North Africa:

Churchill takes a bold decision in 1940 - direct military equipment to the Middle East to defend the Suez Canal in Egypt from Italy. The generals supported this decision.

Wavell

Wins rapid victories in North Africa in 1940 but Churchill gives him little credit because he personally dislikes him. Churchill forces away from him to open a new Balkan front in Greece. Wavell was not given time to prepare properly and his troops were sent to a deeply flawed campaign. His insistence on opening a new front not only strained Wavell's resources but also ultimately resulted in significant losses, undermining the earlier successes in North Africa. Wavell was blamed for this and was demoted.

Auchinleck and Montgomery

How effective were his strategic decisions during the war in the Mediterranean?

How justified was the bombing of Germany?

How important was his role in the war, 1944-45?

How important were the reconstruction policies of his government and what role did he play?

Why did he lose office in 1945?