Impact of WW2 on the British Empire

The Second World War saw conflict spread to the colonies in a far greater way than in the First World War. As a result, colonial involvement led to greater demands for independence after the war.

South East Asia

In 1942, Britain lost control of Singapore, Hong Kong, Burma, and Malaya.
In 1944, Japan attempted to take India from the British.
In India from 1942, the Indian National Army pledged to support the Japanese and fought alongside the Imperial Japanese Army against British and Indian soldiers. The Indian National Army is estimated to have grown to 43,000 people.
In Burma, Aung San’s Burma Independence Army pledged against British rule and fought alongside the Japanese. However, in 1944, the BIA switched sides to work with the British against the Japanese.

The damage to the British economy from WW2

Britain’s economic position was severely weakened by World War Two.
After World War Two, Britain's Debt to GDP ratio had risen from 110% to 240%.
To fund the war effort, Britain had been forced to sell all of its overseas assets. The most notable was Courtauld's American Viscose Corporation, which was sold in a firesale for half of its true value.
The British had accumulated huge debts to the United States because of the war effort and lend-lease (borrowing munitions from America during the war).

Trading partners after World War Two

Keynes, a famous British economist, expected the UK to have a Balance of Payments deficit of $9bn after the war (this would be worth $135bn today).
Britain's balance of payments problems led to a dollar shortage that forced them to introduce quotas on imports.
The dollar shortage and balance of payments problems encouraged trade with Europe over the USA.
However, Neal (2004) says that Britain's desire to keep preferential trade agreements with its colonies separated Britain "economically & politically from both US & Europe".
In 1949, the government was forced to devalue the currency from £1 = $4.03 to £1 = $2.80.

Societal changes in Britain after WW2

The Labour government were elected to power in 1945 under Attlee.
British people had made great sacrifices during the war and supported the Labour Party's endorsement of the Beveridge Report, which proposed the creation of the new welfare state.
After the war, domestic focus was on welfare at home, rather than having the illusion of a 'great' Empire overseas.
Independence and nationalist movements were growing stronger everywhere. This led people to question the morality of imperialism even more - if people did not want the British there, should they be there? It could have been technological advances that made this desire more salient after World War 2.

India & the Middle East After WW2

The Second World War saw conflict spread to the colonies in a far greater way than in the First World War. As a result, colonial involvement led to greater demands for independence after the war.

Withdrawal from India in 1919

The Government of India Act of 1919 was passed. This Act formalised dyarchy in India. Provincial governments were divided into two - one controlled by the British Governor and one elected by local people. This was the first step towards self-government.
In 1919 the Rowlatt Act was also passed. This act allowed Indians to be tried in courts without juries and allowed suspects to be detained without trial. These principles are not usually in accordance with democracies, although they do seem to have been used by the USA in Guantanamo Bay.

The Amritsar Massacre, 1919

In 1919, the British were responsible for the Amritsar massacre.
- General Dyer ordered the British army to open fire on a crowd made up partly of nationalists, but also of Sikh pilgrims in a public square in the Punjab region. This killed 379 people in response to the attack of a missionary and murder of a few local people.
- These actions forced many to challenge Britain’s moral authority in India as the response seemed disproportionate.

Withdrawal from India before WW2

In the 1930s, Britain and India negotiated independence at the Round Table Conferences.
The Government of India Act of 1935 was passed by Parliament in Britain.
- This act created the Reserve Bank of India (a separate Indian central bank).
- It ended dyarchy and gave provinces more autonomy from the British government in Westminster.
- Direct elections were introduced and the number of people with the franchise in India grew fivefold to 35 million.

Withdrawal from India during and after WW2

In 1939, Viceroy Linlithgow declared war alongside Britain without consulting the elected politicians in India. The Muslim League supported Linlithgow's decision, but all members of the Indian National Congress resigned.
- The INC agreed to support the war on the condition of independence being granted after the war. Britain did not agree and Nehru & Gandhi spent periods of World War Two in prison for organising peaceful protests.
In 1942, the Indian National Army emerged to fight against the British alongside the Japanese.

Indian independence

In 1942, Sir Stafford Cripps offered India full Dominion status, but this was not accepted.
In 1942, Gandhi’s Quit India campaign began. With Britain under pressure from the Japanese and Cripps' mission failing, Gandhi encouraged peaceful disorder and protests. Gandhi was arrested and imprisoned for initiating the campaign.
In 1945, Labour decided to grant India independence.
In 1947, Viceroy Mountbatten gave instructions for Indian independence. He was to be the last viceroy of India.

Withdrawal from the Middle East

The Holocaust in Germany created a delicate situation in the Middle East. In 1931, 17% of the population of Palestine had been Jewish. By 1946, it had risen to 30% and by 1950, it had become 88%.
After the Holocaust, many Jewish people wanted to migrate to Palestine.
This increased tensions and Arab-Jewish relations had deteriorated.
Britain had wanted to limit the scale of Jewish immigration into Palestine, but this was becoming increasingly difficult.
The USA (led by Truman) was sympathetic to the Jewish settlement in Palestine and Britain needed US economic support.
In 1947, Britain handed over control of Palestine to the United Nations. The UN favoured the partition of Palestine into separate Arab and Jewish states.

1High Water Mark of the British Empire, 1857-1914

1.1Development of Imperialism, 1857-1890

1.1.1Empires over Time

1.1.2Key Questions About Empires

1.1.3Expansion into Africa

1.1.4History of Egypt

1.1.5Control of Egypt

1.1.6Control of Sudan

1.2Imperial & Colonial Policy, 1857-1890

1.2.1The British Empire & India

1.2.2The British Raj

1.2.3International Relations with other Powers

1.2.4Scramble for Africa

1.2.5The Informal Empire

1.3Trade & Commerce, 1857-1890

1.3.1Trade & Commerce in the Empire

1.3.2Infrastructure of Trade & Commerce

1.3.3Products of Trade & Commerce

1.4Attitudes Towards the Empire, 1857-1890

1.4.1Explorers

1.4.2Missionaries

1.4.3Traders & Colonial Administrators

1.4.4Government Attitudes Towards Imperialism

1.5Relations with Indigenous Peoples, 1857-1890

1.5.1Relations with India

1.5.2Relations with South Africa

1.5.3British-Boer Relations

2Imperial Consolidation & Liberal Rule, 1890-1914

2.1Consolidation & Expansion in Africa, 1890-1914

2.1.1Consolidation & Expansion into Africa

2.1.2Consolidation & Expansion in South Africa

2.1.3Historical Interpretations: Expansion into Africa

2.2Imperial & Colonial Policy, 1890-1914

2.2.1Policy in India

2.2.2Policy in Egypt

2.2.3Native Policy in Colonies

2.2.4International Relations with Other Powers

2.3Trade & Commerce, 1890-1914

2.3.1The Benefits of Trade

2.3.2Costs of the Empire

2.3.3Debates Over Trade

2.4Attitudes Towards the Empire, 1890-1914

2.4.1Key Administrators - Chamberlain & Rhodes

2.4.2Key Administrators - Baring & Milner

2.4.3Key Administrators - Curzon

2.4.4Government Attitudes to the Empire

2.4.5National Efficiency & the Boer War

2.4.6Popular Attitudes Towards Imperialism

2.5Relations with Indigenous Peoples, 1890-1914

2.5.1Challenges in India

2.5.2Challenges in Africa

2.5.3Challenges in South Africa

2.5.4Historical Interpretations of the Boer War

2.5.5Relations & Business with Iran

3Imperialism Challenged, 1914-1967

3.1Expansion & Contraction of Empire, 1914-1947

3.1.1Impact of WW1

3.1.2Palestine

3.1.3Ireland & WW1

3.1.4Impact of WW2 on the British Empire

3.2Colonial Policy & Administration, 1914-1947

3.2.1Administration in India & Palestine

3.2.2Administration in Iraq & the Dominions

3.2.3Imperial Defence

3.3Trade, Commerce & Economic Impact of War

3.3.1Economic Impact of WW1

3.3.2Inter-War Trade & Commerce

3.3.3Economic Impact of WW2

3.4Attitudes Towards the Empire, 1890-1914

3.4.1Colonial Administrators

3.4.2Trusteeship

3.4.3Gandhi

3.4.4Montagu, Haig & Linlithgow

3.4.5Cameron, Mitchell, Cohen & Furse - African Admins

3.4.6Imperialist Ideals

3.5Relations with Indigenous Peoples, 1914-1947

3.5.1Ireland & India 1914-1947

3.5.2The Middle East and Africa

4The Wind of Change, 1947-1967

4.1Decolonisation in Africa & Asia, 1947-1967

4.1.1Reasons for Decolonisation

4.1.2Decolonisation in East & West Africa

4.1.3Decolonisation in Central & South Africa

4.1.4Decolonisation in Asia

4.2Colonial Policy & Administration, 1947-1967

4.2.1Relations & Business with Iran after WW2

4.2.2The 'Winds of Change'

4.2.3The Suez Canal Crisis - 1956

4.2.4International Relations 1947-1967

4.3Trade & Commerce, 1947-1967

4.3.1The Economic Impact of WW2

4.4Attitudes Towards the Empire, 1947-1967

4.4.1Colonial Administrators: Cohen & Arden-Clarke

4.4.2Local Leaders in the Independence Movement

4.4.3Pan-Africanism in Nationalism

4.5Post-Colonial Ties, 1947-1967

4.5.1Windrush & Immigration

4.5.2Commonwealth Immigrants Act

4.5.3Residual Impact of the Empire

4.6Relations with Indigenous Peoples, 1947-1967

4.6.1Challenges to Colonial Rule Post 1947

4.6.2Kenya & the Mau Mau Uprising

4.6.3Nigeria & Rhodesia

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