The XXth century
The First World War (28.07.1914. - 11.11.1918.)
on 1st July 1916 Britain attacked German positions on the River Somme
the invention of the tank and its use on the battlefield in 1917 could have changed the course of the war
from1915 German submarines started to sink merchant ships bringing supplies to Britain. At the battle of Jutland in 1916, Admiral Jellicoe successfully drove the German fleet back into harbour
the arrival of American troops in France ended Germany's hopes, and it surrendered in November 11th 1918; France and Britain met to discuss peace at Versailles in 1919
direct cause of war: murder of Franz Ferdinand (Austrian Archduke) in Sarajevo
“The Great War” - end of the empire; 50 times more people had died (war gases, cross - fire)
Allies = Entente Powers: Russia, France, Britain
Central Powers: Germany, Austria - Hungary, Turkey, Bulgary
1874 - the rise of the Labour Party; 1900 - established
they wanted to develop a kind of socialism that wuold fit the situation in Britain
Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels
The rights of women
in 1918, some women over the age of 30 gained the right to vote after a long, hard struggle
John Stuart Mill, a radical thinker, had tried to include votes for women in the 1867 Reform Bill - unsuccessfully
After 1870 women were allowed to vote and to be elected to borough or county councils
In 1897 women started to demand the right to vote in national elections - “suffragettes” (Emeline Panthurst)
War 1914 changed everything - women took men's places in factories; not until 10 years later the voting age of women came down to 21, equal with men
The “Easter Rising” (1916) in Dublin - rebellion of republicans for independence; quickly put down, all the leaders executed by the British
1921 - British government decided to agree to independence of Southern Ireland; but it also insisted that Ulster, or Northern Ireland (Republic - 1937) as it became known, should remain united with Britain
The Anglo - Irish Treaty of 1921 led to civil war between the Irish themselves. By this treaty the new “Irish Free State” accepted continued British use of certain porta, the sovereignty of the British Crown, and most important off all, the loss of Northern Ireland (Fianna Fail - new republic party), which remained under British control
1926 - general discontent led to a general strike by all workers - 9 days
Depth/Great Depression (1929 - 1933) - the most serious economic crisis after the crash on the stock ezchange market
Over 3 mln workers were unemployed
1920 - the Allies had created the League of Nations - they didn't forbid war; its members agreed to respect and preserve the borders and territory of all other members
Neville Chamberlain - the British Prime Minister to avoid the war in 1938, accepted and co-operated in the takeover of German - speaking parts of Czechoslovakia by Germany, but 6 months later Germany occupied the rest of Czechoslovakia - Britain gave a guarantee of supprt to poland if germany invaded
he was widely blamed for his “appeasement policy” of Germany - polityka nastÄ™pstw
1939, September - Germany invaded Poland and Britain entered the war
Winston Churchill, new prime Minister - no surrender or peace negotiations
1941 - Japan, Germany's ally, attacked British colonial possessions, including Malaysia, Burma and India;
Germany attacked the Soviet Union and Japan attacked the United States, unexpectedly
The Axis: Germany, Italy and Japan had forced onto the battlefield 2 of the most powerful nations in the world
1945, May - Germany finally surrendered
Britain and the United States used the new atomic bombs to destroy most of Nagasaki and Hiroshima
“Atlantic Charter” - United States and Britain; the basis of this new charter was US President Roosevelt's “Four Freedoms”: freedom from fear and freedom from want
the North Atlantic Treaty Organization of the Western nations - NATO (1949) - defence from USSR
Warsaw Pact of the Eastern bloc (1955 - 1991)
The welfare state:
in 1944, for the 1st time, the government promised free secondary education for all, and promised to provide more further and higher education
in 1946 a Labour government brought in a new National Health Service, which gave everyone the right to free medical treatment
in 1948, the National Assistance Act provided financial help for the old, the unemployed and unable to work through sickness
government took over control of credit, power and transport
The Second World War (01.09.1939. - 02.09.1945.); new balance of power
Youthful Britain = “permissive society”
they questioned authority
rebelled against the sexual rules of Christian society
living together without getting married
more open sexual behaviour
more common divorces
mini skirt - symbol
During the 20th century the monarchy became more popular than ever before; George V had become a “people's king” - Commonwealth
in 1936, Edward VIII gave up the throne
in 1952 Elizabeth became queen
At the end of the First World War, the German colonies of Africa, as well as Iraq and Palestine in the Middle East were added to Britain's area of control.
At the 1919 peace conference US President Woodrow Wilson's disapproval of colonialism resulted in Britain's latest territorial gains being described as “mandated”.
In 1947 the British finally left India - the loss of empire
In 1982 Britain went to war to take back the Falklands after an Argentinian invasion - rapid recapture
In 1956 Britain lost control over Suez Canal
in 1949 Britain joined with other Western European countries to form the Council of Europe; in 1957 Britain refused to join the 6 other European countries in the creation of a European Common Market
Margaret Thatcher - Prime Minister elected in 1979
she promised a new beginning for Britain
the longest serving PM - “Iron Lady”
she wanted more “law and order”
1969 - Ulster - Catholics and Protestants began to gather on the streets and demand a fairer system; this civil rights movement were turned into a nationalist rebellion against British rule
1980s - bad housing and unemployment led to riots in Liverpool, Bristol and London
Plaid Cymru (1970) - the party of “fellow countrymen” in Wales
“Swinging Sixties” - the best 10 years Britain had
1980s - the royal family became “world property”
1981 - “Social Democratic Party”