| The Right Honourable Neville Chamberlain |
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| In office 28 May 1937 – 10 May 1940 |
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| Monarch | George VI |
| Preceded by | Stanley Baldwin |
| Succeeded by | Winston Churchill |
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| In office 5 November 1931 – 28 May 1937 |
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| Prime Minister | Ramsay MacDonald Stanley Baldwin |
| Preceded by | Philip Snowden |
| Succeeded by | Sir John Simon |
| In office 27 August 1923 – 22 January 1924 |
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| Prime Minister | Stanley Baldwin |
| Preceded by | Stanley Baldwin |
| Succeeded by | Philip Snowden |
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| Born | 18 March 1869 Edgbaston, Birmingham, England |
| Died | 8 November 1940 (aged 71) Highfield Park, Heckfield, Hampshire, England |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Spouse | Anne Chamberlain |
| Alma mater | Mason Science College |
| Profession | Planter/ Industrialist |
| Religion | Unitarian |
Arthur Neville Chamberlain (18 March 1869 – 9 November 1940) was a British Conservative politician and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1937 to 1940. The Right Honourable (abbreviated as The Rt Hon) is an Honorific prefix that is traditionally applied to certain The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the political leader of the United Kingdom Events 585 BC - A Solar eclipse occurs as predicted by Greek philosopher and scientist Thales, while Alyattes is battling Year 1937 ( MCMXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1291 - Scottish Nobles recognize the authority of Edward I of England. Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Stanley Baldwin 1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley, KG, PC (3 August 1867 &ndash 14 December 1947 was a British Conservative politician statesman and major Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC, PC (Can ( 30 November 1874 The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister who is responsible for all Economic and Financial Events 1499 - Publication of the Catholicon in Treguier ( Brittany) Year 1931 ( MCMXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1931 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 585 BC - A Solar eclipse occurs as predicted by Greek philosopher and scientist Thales, while Alyattes is battling Year 1937 ( MCMXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. James Ramsay MacDonald ( 12 October 1866 &ndash 9 November 1937) was a British politician and twice Prime Minister of the United Stanley Baldwin 1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley, KG, PC (3 August 1867 &ndash 14 December 1947 was a British Conservative politician statesman and major Philip Snowden 1st Viscount Snowden ( July 18, 1864 – May 15, 1937) was a British politician and the first Labour John Allsebrook Simon 1st Viscount Simon GCSI GCVO OBE PC ( 28 February 1873 &ndash 11 January 1954 Events 479 BC - Greco-Persian Wars: Persian forces led by Mardonius are routed by Pausanias, the Spartan Year 1923 ( MCMXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 565 - Eutychius is deposed as Patriarch of Constantinople by John Scholasticus. Year 1924 ( MCMXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Stanley Baldwin 1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley, KG, PC (3 August 1867 &ndash 14 December 1947 was a British Conservative politician statesman and major Stanley Baldwin 1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley, KG, PC (3 August 1867 &ndash 14 December 1947 was a British Conservative politician statesman and major Philip Snowden 1st Viscount Snowden ( July 18, 1864 – May 15, 1937) was a British politician and the first Labour Events 37 - The Roman Senate annuls Tiberius ' will and proclaims Caligula emperor Year 1869 ( MDCCCLXIX) is a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Edgbaston is an area in the city of Birmingham in England. It is also a formal district, managed by its own District committee. Birmingham ( ˈbɜːmɪŋəm Ber -ming-um England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Events 1519 - Hernán Cortés enters Tenochtitlán and Aztec ruler Moctezuma welcomes him with great a Celebration Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Heckfield is a village in Hampshire, England. It lies between Reading Berkshire and Hook Hampshire. Wildlife Hampshire has wildlife typical of the island of Great Britain England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Anne Vere Chamberlain, née Anne de Vere Cole (1883 &ndash February 12, 1967) was the wife of British Prime Minister Neville Alma mater is Latin for "nourishing mother" It was used in Ancient Rome as a title for the mother Goddess, and in Medieval Mason Science College was founded by Josiah Mason in 1875 the buildings of which were opened in Edmund Street, Birmingham, England on 1 Planter may refer to A Box or pot for plants also known as a Jardiniere A person who or object that plants seeds A business magnate, sometimes referred to as a mogul, tycoon, baron, or industrialist, is a person who has reached a prominent place in Events 37 - The Roman Senate annuls Tiberius ' will and proclaims Caligula emperor Year 1869 ( MDCCCLXIX) is a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Events 694 - Egica, a king of the Visigoths of Hispania, accuses Jews of aiding Muslims sentencing all Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom. A politician (from Greek " Polis " is an individual who is involved in influencing public decision making through the influence of Politics or a person The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the political leader of the United Kingdom
Chamberlain's legacy is marked by his so-called "appeasement" policy regarding his signing of the Munich Agreement in 1938, conceding part of Czechoslovakia to Hitler. The Munich Agreement (Mnichovská dohoda Mníchovská dohoda Münchner Abkommen Accords de Munich was an agreement regarding the Sudetenland, which were areas along borders Czechoslovakia may also refer to what is now the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Hi and welcome to Wikipedia! Please understand that this article is frequently vandalized and vandalism is reverted immediately In the same year he also gave up the Irish Free State Royal Navy ports. The Irish Free State (Saorstát Éireann (1922&ndash1937 was the state established as a Dominion on 6 December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty, signed by The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore known as the Senior Service)
After working in business and local government and a short spell as Director of National Service in 1916 and 1917, Chamberlain followed his father and older half-brother in becoming a Member of Parliament in the 1918 general election at age 49. The Director of National Service was a post that existed briefly in the British government A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a Parliament. The United Kingdom general election of 1918 was the first to be held after the Representation of the People Act 1918, which meant it was the first United Kingdom He declined a junior ministerial position, remaining a backbencher until he was appointed Postmaster General after the 1922 general election. For other meanings see Backbench A backbencher is a Member of Parliament (MP or a legislator who does not hold governmental The Postmaster General in the United Kingdom is a defunct ministerial position in HM Government. The UK general election of 1922 was held on 15 November 1922 It was the first election held after most of the Irish counties left the United Kingdom to form the Irish He was rapidly promoted in 1923 to Minister of Health and then Chancellor of the Exchequer but presented no budget before the government fell in 1924. Secretary of State for Health is a UK cabinet position responsible for the Department of Health. The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister who is responsible for all Economic and Financial Budget (from French bougette, purse generally refers to a list of all planned expenses and revenues
He returned as Minister of Health, introducing a range of reform measures from 1924 to 1929. He was appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer in the coalition National Government in 1931 and spent six years reducing the war debt and the tax burden. In the United Kingdom the term National Government is in an abstract sense used to refer to a coalition of some or all UK major political parties. When Stanley Baldwin retired after the abdication of Edward VIII and the coronation of George VI, Chamberlain took his place as Prime Minister in 1937. Stanley Baldwin 1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley, KG, PC (3 August 1867 &ndash 14 December 1947 was a British Conservative politician statesman and major The Edward VIII abdication crisis occurred in the British Empire in 1936 when the desire of King-Emperor Edward VIII to marry his mistress Wallis A coronation is a ceremony marking the investiture of a Monarch with regal power specifically involving the placement of a crown upon his or her head and the
Chamberlain was forced to resign the premiership on 10 May 1940, after Germany invaded the Netherlands, Belgium and France. Events 1291 - Scottish Nobles recognize the authority of Edward I of England. Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands The Kingdom of Belgium is a Country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters as well as those This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. He was succeeded by Winston Churchill but remained very well regarded in Parliament. Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC, PC (Can ( 30 November 1874 Before ill health forced him to resign, he was an important member of Churchill's war cabinet. A War Cabinet is a committee formed by a government in time of war He had a key role in the formation of the Special Operations Executive. The Special Operations Executive ( SOE) (sometimes referred to as "the Baker Street Irregulars " after Sherlock Holmes ' fictional group of helpers Chamberlain died of cancer six months after leaving office.
Early life
Chamberlain was born in a house called Southbourne, in the Edgbaston district of Birmingham, England. Edgbaston is an area in the city of Birmingham in England. It is also a formal district, managed by its own District committee. Birmingham ( ˈbɜːmɪŋəm Ber -ming-um England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland [1] He was the eldest son of the second marriage of Joseph Chamberlain, Lord Mayor of Birmingham, and a half-brother (and cousin through their mothers) to Austen, later Sir Austen. Joseph Chamberlain ( 8 July 1836 &ndash 2 July 1914) was an influential British businessman politician and statesman The Lord Mayor is the title of the Mayor of a major city with special recognition Birmingham ( ˈbɜːmɪŋəm Ber -ming-um Sir Joseph Austen Chamberlain KG ( 16 October 1863 &ndash 17 March 1937) was a British Statesman, Joseph's first wife died giving birth to Austen;[2] Neville's mother also died in childbirth in 1875, when Neville was six years old. [2] The Chamberlain children found their relations with their father strained, and Neville grew up developing strong bonds with those siblings who were closest to him in age, most notably his sisters Ida and Hilda,[1] to whom he wrote every week while away from them. Neville Chamberlain was a cousin of actor Alan Napier. Alan Napier (born Alan W Napier-Clavering; 7 January 1903 &ndash 8 August 1988 was an English character actor
Chamberlain was educated at Rugby School. Rugby School, located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire, is a Co-educational Boarding school and one of the oldest public schools [1] At first he declined to join the school debating society, changing his mind only in 1886 when he spoke in favour of preserving the United Kingdom, agreeing with his Liberal Unionist father's opposition over Irish Home Rule. The Liberal Unionists were a British political party that split away from the Liberals in 1886 and had effectively merged with the Conservatives by the Home rule refers to a demand that constituent parts of a state be given greater self-government within the greater administrative purview of the central government It was during this period that Chamberlain developed a love of botany, and later became a fellow of the Royal Horticultural Society. Botany, plant science(s, phytology, or plant biology is a branch of Biology and is the scientific study of plant Life The Royal Horticultural Society ( RHS) was founded in 1804 in London, England as the Horticultural Society of London, and gained its present He was also fascinated by ornithology and fishing. Ornithology (from Greek ὄρνις ὄρνιθος ornis, ornithos, "bird" and λόγος logos, "knowledge" is the branch of Chamberlain had a passion for music and literature, and in later life would often quote William Shakespeare in public debates. William Shakespeare ( baptised
After leaving school, Chamberlain became a day student at Mason Science College (later the University of Birmingham),[1] as one of only four Prime Ministers to attend a university or college other than Oxford or Cambridge (the others being Lord John Russell and Gordon Brown, who both attended Edinburgh, John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute, who studied at the University of Leiden) along with others who did not attend university. Mason Science College was founded by Josiah Mason in 1875 the buildings of which were opened in Edmund Street, Birmingham, England on 1 The University of Birmingham (informally Birmingham University) is a British red brick University located in the city of Birmingham The University of Oxford (informally "Oxford University" or simply "Oxford" located in the city of Oxford, Oxfordshire, England is the The University of Cambridge (often Cambridge University) located in Cambridge, England, is the second-oldest university in the John Russell 1st Earl Russell, KG, GCMG, PC (18 August 1792 &ndash 28 May 1878 known as Lord John Russell before 1861 was an English WikipediaManual of Style (biographies#Academic titles --> James Gordon Brown (born 20 February 1951 is The University of Edinburgh (Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann founded in 1582 is a renowned centre for teaching and research in Edinburgh, Scotland, UK. John Stuart 3rd Earl of Bute, KG, PC (25 May 1713 &ndash 10 March 1792 styled Lord Mount Stuart before 1723 was a Scottish nobleman Leiden University (Universiteit Leiden located in the city of Leiden, is the oldest University in The Netherlands. He took a degree in science and metallurgy and shortly after graduation became apprenticed to an accounting firm. Metallurgy is a domain of Materials science that studies the physical and chemical behavior of metallic elements, their intermetallic compounds, and their Accountancy or accounting is the measurement statement or provision of assurance about financial information primarily used by Lenders managers, [1]
In 1890, Joseph Chamberlain's finances took a downturn, and he decided, against better advice from his brothers, to try growing sisal in the Bahamas. Sisal or sisal hemp is an Agave Agave sisalana that yields a stiff Fiber used in making Rope. The Bahamas, officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is an independent sovereign English -speaking country consisting of two thousand Cays and [2] Neville and Austen were sent to the Americas to investigate the island of Andros, which seemed a good prospect for a plantation, but the crops failed in the unsuitable environment, and by 1896 the business was shut down at a heavy loss. Andros Island is the largest Island of the Bahamas and the fifth largest island in the West Indies at roughly 2300 square miles (6000 km² in area and 104 miles [1]
Neville Chamberlain's later ventures at home were more successful. He served as chairman of several manufacturing firms in Birmingham, including Elliots (a metal goods manufacturer) and Hotskins (a cabin berth manufacturer)[3]. He gained a reputation for being a hands-on manager, taking a strong interest in the day-to-day running of affairs.
Lord Mayor of Birmingham
Although he campaigned for his father and brother during elections, Chamberlain did not enter politics on his own behalf until November 1911 when he was elected to Birmingham City Council and immediately became chairman of the Town Planning Committee. [1] That January, though he had settled into bachelorhood, he married Anne Vere Cole, with whom he had two children, Dorothy Ethel (1911-1994; m. Anne Vere Chamberlain, née Anne de Vere Cole (1883 &ndash February 12, 1967) was the wife of British Prime Minister Neville Stephen Lloyd) and Francis Neville (1914-1965; m. Parrott). [1] Under Chamberlain's direction, Birmingham soon adopted one of the first town planning schemes in Britain. In 1913, he took charge of a committee looking at housing conditions. [1] The interim report of the committee could not be implemented immediately because of the war, but it did much to show Chamberlain's vision of improvements to housing.
In 1915, like his father before him, he became Lord Mayor of Birmingham. The Lord Mayor is the title of the Mayor of a major city with special recognition [1] Within the first two months, he had won government approval to increase the electricity supply, and he organised the use of coal as part of the war effort; he also prevented a strike by council workers. During this time he assisted in the creation of the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and the establishment of the Birmingham Municipal Bank,[1] the only one of its type in the country, which aimed to encourage savings to pay for the war loan. The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO is a British orchestra based in Birmingham, England. The Birmingham Municipal Bank was a Savings bank in the city of Birmingham, England. The bank proved highly successful and lasted until 1976. Chamberlain was re-elected Lord Mayor in 1916, but he did not complete his term.
Early ministerial career
In December 1916, Chamberlain was in London when he received a message asking him to meet the new Prime Minister, David Lloyd George. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. David Lloyd George 1st Earl Lloyd George of Dwyfor OM, PC (17 January 1863 &ndash 26 March 1945 was a British Statesman and the only In a brief meeting, Lloyd George offered Chamberlain the new position of Director of National Service, with responsibility for coordinating conscription and ensuring that essential war industries were able to function with sufficient workforces. The Director of National Service was a post that existed briefly in the British government Conscription (also known as the draft, the call-up or national service) is a general term for involuntary labor demanded by some established authority Chamberlain had been recommended for the position by several people, including his brother Austen, and he agreed to accept the post; despite several interviews, however, he was left unclear about many aspects of the job. [1] Over the following eight months only a few thousand volunteers were placed in industry. Chamberlain clashed several times with Lloyd George, who had taken a strong dislike to him, thus making the position even harder to operate. Chamberlain resigned in 1917. He and Lloyd George retained a mutual contempt that lasted throughout their political careers. [1]
Embittered by his failure, Chamberlain decided to stand in the next general election,[1] when he was elected, at age 49 — by far the oldest age for any future Prime Minister entering Parliament to date — for Birmingham Ladywood. The United Kingdom general election of 1918 was the first to be held after the Representation of the People Act 1918, which meant it was the first United Kingdom Birmingham Ladywood is a Constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. He was offered a junior post at the Ministry of Health but declined it, refusing to serve a Lloyd George government. The Department of Health (DH is a department of the United Kingdom government but with responsibility for government policy for England alone on Health [1] He also declined a knighthood. [1] Chamberlain spent the next four years as a Conservative backbencher, despite his half-brother Austen becoming leader of Conservative MPs in 1921.
In October 1922, discontent amongst Conservatives against the Lloyd George Coalition Government erupted. The Coalition Government of David Lloyd George came to power in the United Kingdom in December 1916 replacing the earlier wartime coalition under H At a meeting at the Carlton Club, the majority of MPs voted to leave the coalition, even though it meant abandoning their current leadership, since Austen had pledged to support Lloyd George. The Carlton Club is a gentlemen's club in London. It was founded in 1832 by Tory Peers, MPs and Gentlemen, as a place Neville was on his way home from Canada at the time of the meeting and so was not forced to choose between supporting his brother's leadership and bringing down a man he despised. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page [1]
The new Conservative Prime Minister, Andrew Bonar Law, offered Chamberlain the position of Postmaster General, outside Cabinet. Andrew Bonar Law (16 September 1858 &ndash 30 October 1923 was a Canadian -born British Conservative Party statesman and Prime Minister. There was much discussion amongst the Chamberlain family as to whether he should accept; in the end, Austen reluctantly agreed to allow Neville to accept the post. [1] He also became a member of the Privy Council. Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council is a body of advisors to the British Sovereign.
In 1922, the Conservatives won the general election, but the Minister of Health, Sir Arthur Griffith-Boscawen, lost his seat and failed to win a by-election. The UK general election of 1922 was held on 15 November 1922 It was the first election held after most of the Irish counties left the United Kingdom to form the Irish Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Arthur Sackville Trevor Griffith-Boscawen PC ( 18 October 1865 &ndash 1 June 1946) was a British To fill the position, Law chose Chamberlain. [1] In this position, he introduced a Housing Act that provided subsidies for private companies building affordable housing as a first step towards a programme of slum clearances. A slum, as defined by the United Nations agency UN-HABITAT, is a run-down area of a city characterized by substandard housing and squalor and lacking in tenure security He also introduced the Rent Restriction Act, which limited evictions and required rents to be linked to the property's state of repair. [1] Chamberlain's main interest lay in housing, and becoming the Minister of Health gave him a chance to spread these ideas on a national basis. These ideas stemmed from his father, Joseph Chamberlain.
The following month Stanley Baldwin became Prime Minister and after serving as his own Chancellor of the Exchequer for three months whilst he sought a successor, he promoted Chamberlain to a position which he held until the government fell in January 1924. Stanley Baldwin 1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley, KG, PC (3 August 1867 &ndash 14 December 1947 was a British Conservative politician statesman and major The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister who is responsible for all Economic and Financial [1] His first Chancellorship was unusual in that he presented no budget.
Chamberlain remained one of the leading Conservative figures, but he faced a significant challenge in the 1924 general election from Oswald Mosley, head of the Labour Party in Birmingham. The 1924 UK general election was held on 29 October 1924 The Conservatives, led by Stanley Baldwin performed dramatically better in electoral terms than in Sir Oswald Ernald Mosley 6th Baronet (16 November 1896 &ndash 3 December 1980 was a British Politician, known principally as the founder of the British The Labour Party is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Founded at the start of the 20th century it has been since the 1920s the principal party of the [1] After a tense series of recounts, Chamberlain was elected by a mere 77 votes; in subsequent elections he stood in a safer seat. The Conservatives formed a new government, but Chamberlain declined a second term as Chancellor of the Exchequer, choosing to become Minister of Health again.
Over the next four and a half years, he successfully introduced 21 pieces of legislation,[1] the boldest of which was perhaps the Rating and Valuation Act 1925, which radically altered local government finance. [1] The act transferred the power to raise rates from the Poor Law boards of guardians to local councils, introduced a single basis and method of assessment for evaluating rates, and enacted a process of quinquennial valuations. This article deals chiefly with the English Poor Laws covering England and Wales The measure established Chamberlain as a strong social reformer, but it angered some in his own party. He followed it with the Local Government Act 1929, which abolished the boards of guardians altogether, transferring their powers to local government and eliminating workhouses. The Local Government Act 1929 (19 & 20 Geo V c 17 made changes to poor law and local government in England and Wales Boards of Guardians were Ad hoc authorities that administered Poor Law in the United Kingdom from 1835 to 1930 A workhouse, colloquially known as a spike was a place where people who were unable to support themselves could go to live and work [1] The act also eliminated rates paid by agriculture and reduced those paid by businesses, a measure forced by Winston Churchill and the Exchequer; the result was a strong piece of legislation that won Chamberlain much acclaim. Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC, PC (Can ( 30 November 1874 Another prominent piece of legislation was the Widows, Orphans, and Old Age Pensions Act 1925, which did much to foster the development of the embryonic Welfare State in Britain. This article refers specifically to the Welfare state of the United Kingdom. [1]
Becoming the heir apparent of the Conservative Party
In the 1929 general election, Chamberlain changed his constituency from Birmingham Ladywood to Birmingham Edgbaston and held it easily, but the Conservative Party lost the election and entered a period of internal conflict. The 1929 UK general election was held on 30 May 1929 and resulted in a Hung parliament. Birmingham Edgbaston is a Borough constituency located in the Edgbaston area of Birmingham. In 1930 Chamberlain became Chairman of the Conservative Party for a year and was widely seen as the next leader. However, Stanley Baldwin survived the conflict over his leadership and retained it for another seven years. During this period, Chamberlain founded and became the first head of the Conservative Research Department. The Conservative Research Department ('CRD' is an integral part of the central organisation of the Conservative Party of the United Kingdom.
During these two years out of power, Baldwin's leadership came in for much criticism. Many in politics, Conservative or otherwise, urged the introduction of protective tariffs, an issue which had caused conflict on and off for the last 30 years. For other uses of this word see Tariff (disambiguation. A tariff is a tax imposed on goods when they are moved across a political boundary Chamberlain was inclined towards tariffs, having a personal desire to see his father's last campaign vindicated. The press baron Lord Beaverbrook launched a campaign for "Empire Free Trade", meaning the removal of tariffs within the British Empire and the erection of external tariffs; he was supported in his opposition to Baldwin by Lord Rothermere, who also opposed Baldwin's support for Indian independence. William Maxwell "Max" Aitken 1st Baron Beaverbrook Bt The British Empire was the largest empire in history and for over a century was the foremost global power. Harold Sidney Harmsworth 1st Viscount Rothermere ( 26 April 1868 – 26 November 1940) was a highly successful British Newspaper India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Their main newspapers, the Daily Express and Daily Mail respectively, criticised Baldwin and stirred up discontent within the party. The Daily Express is a conservative Middle-market British Tabloid Newspaper. The Daily Mail is a British newspaper currently published in a tabloid format At one point, Beaverbrook and Rothermere created the United Empire Party, which stood in by-elections and tried to get Conservatives to adopt its platform. The Empire Free Trade Crusade was a Political party in the United Kingdom. Chamberlain found himself in the difficult position of supporting his leader, even though he disagreed with Baldwin's handling of the issue and was best placed to succeed if he did resign. Baldwin stood his ground, first winning a massive vote of confidence within his party and then taking on the challenge of the United Empire Party at the Westminster St. George's by-election in 1931. The Westminster St George's by-election 1931 was a parliamentary by-election held on 19 March 1931 for the British House of Commons constituency The official Conservative candidate was victorious, and Chamberlain found his position as the clear heir to Baldwin established, especially after Churchill's resignation from the Conservative Business Committee over Indian Home Rule. The Shadow Cabinet (also called the Shadow Front Bench) is a senior group of opposition spokespeople in the Westminster system of government who together under the
Chamberlain and Baldwin were strong political partners throughout their fourteen years at the height of politics together, but Chamberlain was frustrated by Baldwin's sense of detachment and disinterest in the detail of policy, while Baldwin found Chamberlain's low opinion of the Labour Party disappointing. The Labour Party is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Founded at the start of the 20th century it has been since the 1920s the principal party of the Despite their disagreements, their partnership proved to be effective.
Formation of the National Government
While the Conservative Party settled internal matters, the Labour Government faced a massive economic crisis as currencies collapsed and speculators turned towards the United Kingdom. Matters were not helped by the publication of the May Report, which revealed that the budget was unbalanced. The May Report was the publication on 31 July 1931 of the views of the Committee on National Expenditure ("May Committee" chaired by Sir George May The revelation triggered a crisis of confidence in the pound, and Labour ministers grappled with the proposed budget cuts. The Pound Sterling ( symbol £; ISO code: GBP) subdivided into 100 pence (singular penny) is the Currency Given the possibility that the Government could fall, Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald met regularly with delegations from both the Conservatives and Liberals. James Ramsay MacDonald ( 12 October 1866 &ndash 9 November 1937) was a British politician and twice Prime Minister of the United The Liberal Party was one of the two major British political parties from the early 19th century until the rise of the Labour Party in the 1920s and a third party Baldwin spent much of the summer in France, so Chamberlain was the primary leader of the Conservative delegation; he soon came to the conclusion that the best solution was a National Government of politicians drawn from all parties, which would be able to push through budget cuts without inflicting blame on any individual party, splitting the Labour Party as a convenient side effect. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. In the United Kingdom the term National Government is in an abstract sense used to refer to a coalition of some or all UK major political parties. He also believed that a National Government would have the greatest chance of introducing tariffs. As the political situation deteriorated, Chamberlain argued strongly for coalition, eventually convincing both Baldwin and MacDonald that this was the best outcome. King George V and the acting Liberal leader Sir Herbert Samuel, among others, were also convinced. Herbert Louis Samuel 1st Viscount Samuel GCB OM GBE PC ( November 6, 1870 - February 2, 1963 Finally, on 24 August 1931, the Labour government resigned and MacDonald formed a National Government. Events 49 BC - Julius Caesar 's General Gaius Scribonius Curio is defeated in the Second Battle of the Bagradas River Year 1931 ( MCMXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1931 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Chamberlain once more returned to the Ministry of Health with the specific task of encouraging local authorities to make cuts to their expenditure.
Return to the Exchequer
After the 1931 general election, Chamberlain became Chancellor of the Exchequer a second time. The UK general election on Tuesday 27 October 1931 was the last in the United Kingdom not held on a Thursday As Chancellor, Chamberlain hoped to introduce protective tariffs, but the economic situation threatened government unity; at the general election, the parties supporting the government had agreed to ask for a "Doctor's mandate" to enact any legislation necessary to resolve the economic situation. Now the government, made up of Conservatives, Liberals, National Labour, and Liberal Nationals, faced a major crisis. The National Labour Party was a group founded around the British Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald after he was expelled from the Labour Party Historically the National Liberal Party was a name used by two groups of politicians who had formerly been associated with the Liberal Party in the United Kingdom The government agreed that no immediate steps would be taken; instead, the issue was referred to a subcommittee of the Cabinet — whose members were largely in favour of tariffs. In the meantime, Chamberlain introduced the Abnormal Importations Bill, which allowed temporary duties to be imposed if importers seemed to be taking advantage of government delays.
The Cabinet committee reported in favour, albeit not unanimously, of introducing a general tariff of 10%, with exceptions for certain goods such as produce from the Dominions and colonies, as well as higher tariffs for excessively high imports or for particular industries which needed safeguarding. A dominion, often Dominion, refers to one of a group of autonomous polities under sovereign authority within the British Empire and Safeguard is a tool used by a state to restrain International trade to protect a certain home industry from foreign competition In addition, the government would negotiate with Dominion governments to secure trading agreements within the British Empire, promoting Chamberlain's father's vision of the Empire as an economically self-sufficient unit. The Liberals in the Cabinet, together with Lord Snowden, refused to accept this and threatened resignation. Philip Snowden 1st Viscount Snowden ( July 18, 1864 – May 15, 1937) was a British politician and the first Labour However, on the suggestion of Lord Hailsham, the government agreed to suspend the principle of collective responsibility and allow the free-traders to publicly oppose the introduction of tariffs without giving up membership in the government. Douglas McGarel Hogg 1st Viscount Hailsham PC ( 28 February 1872 &ndash 16 August 1950) was a British Conservative Lawyer Cabinet collective responsibility is constitutional convention in governments using the Westminster System that members of the Cabinet must publicly This unprecedented move had the effect of keeping the National Government together at this stage, but Chamberlain would have preferred to force the Liberals' resignations from the government, despite his reluctance to lose Snowden. Nevertheless, when he announced the policy in the House of Commons on 4 February 1932, he considered it "the greatest day of [his] life". Events 211 - Roman Emperor Septimius Severus dies leaving the Roman Empire in the hands of his two quarrelsome sons Year 1932 ( MCMXXXII) was a Leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. For effect, he used his father's former dispatch box from his time at the Colonial Office and made great play in his speech of the rare moment when a son was able to complete his father's work. The Secretary of State for the Colonies or Colonial Secretary was the British Cabinet official in charge of managing the various British Colonies. At the end of his speech, Austen walked down from the back benches and shook Neville's hand amid great applause.
Later that year, Chamberlain travelled to Ottawa, Canada, with a delegation of Cabinet ministers who intended to negotiate free trade within the Empire. Ottawa (ˈɒtəwə or sometimes /ˈɒtəwɑː/ is the Capital of Canada and the country's fourth largest municipality. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page The resulting Ottawa Agreement did not live up to expectations, most Dominion governments were reluctant to allow British goods in their markets. A series of bilateral agreements increased the tariffs on goods from outside the Empire even further, but there was still little direct increase in internal trade. The agreement was sufficient, however, to drive Snowden and the Liberals out of the National Government; Chamberlain welcomed this, believing that all the forces supporting the government would eventually combine into a single "National Party".
During his tenure as Chancellor, Chamberlain emerged as the most active minister of the government. In successive budgets he sought to undo the harsh budget cuts of 1931; he also took a lead in ending war debts, which were finally cancelled at a conference at Lausanne in 1932. Lausanne ( pronounced, Losanna is a city in Romandy, the French -speaking part of Switzerland, situated on the shores of Lake Geneva In June 1933, Britain hosted the World Monetary and Economic Conference. The London Economic Conference was a meeting that took place between representatives of 66 nations in the summer of 1933. Describing the event as the "most crucial gathering since Versailles," top U. The Treaty of Versailles was one of the peace treaties at the end of World War I. S. newsmagazine Time featured Chamberlain on its cover, referring to him as "that mighty mover behind British Cabinet scenes, lean, taciturn, iron-willed. Time (trademarked in capitals as TIME) is a weekly American Newsmagazine, similar to Newsweek and . . [I]t is no secret that Scot MacDonald remains Prime Minister by Prime Mover Chamberlain's leave. James Ramsay MacDonald ( 12 October 1866 &ndash 9 November 1937) was a British politician and twice Prime Minister of the United "[4] In 1934, he declared that economic recovery was under way, stating that the nation had "finished Hard Times and could now start reading Great Expectations. Hard Times- For These Times is a Novel by Charles Dickens, first published in 1854 Great Expectations is a Novel by Charles Dickens first serialised in All the Year Round from 1 December " However, from 1935 on, financial strains grew as the government proceeded on a programme of rearmament.
Chamberlain, aware of the strain this was placing on the Exchequer, found himself being attacked on two fronts: Winston Churchill accused him of being excessively frugal with defence expenditure, but the Labour Party attacked him as a warmonger in the 1935 general election. Results |} Total votes cast 20991488 All parties shown Conservatives include Ulster Unionists Seats won by the Independent Labour Party (ILP are In the 1937 budget, Chamberlain proposed one of his most controversial taxes, the National Defence Contribution, which would raise revenue from excessive profits in industry. The proposal produced a massive storm of disapproval, and some political commentators speculated that Chamberlain might leave the Exchequer, not for 10 Downing Street but for the back benches.
Despite these attacks from the Labour Party and Churchill, Chamberlain had adopted a policy that would serve to be vital to Britain during wartime. This process was called rationalisation. Under this policy the government bought old factories and mines. This was a gradual process as the depression had hit Britain hard. Then the factories were destroyed. Gradually, newer and better factories were built in their place. They were not to be used when Britain was in a state of depression. Rather, Chamberlain was preparing Britain for the time when Britain would emerge out of the depression. By 1938, Britain was in the best position for rearmament, and thanks to this policy Britain had the most efficient factories in the world with the newest technology. This meant that Britain was able to produce the best weaponry quickly, and they had the best technology available.
Premiership
Despite financial controversies, when Baldwin retired after the abdication of Edward VIII and the Coronation of George VI, it was Chamberlain who was invited to "kiss hands" and succeed him. A coronation is a ceremony marking the investiture of a Monarch with regal power specifically involving the placement of a crown upon his or her head and the He became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on May 28, 1937, and leader of the Conservative Party a few days later. The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the political leader of the United Kingdom Events 585 BC - A Solar eclipse occurs as predicted by Greek philosopher and scientist Thales, while Alyattes is battling Year 1937 ( MCMXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom.
Some historians have claimed that Chamberlain was not even a Conservative at all, arguing that his technocratic approach to government, commitment to social reform through state interventionism, and disdain for benign paternalism place him beyond even that strand of radical Conservatism associated with Benjamin Disraeli. Benjamin Disraeli 1st Earl of Beaconsfield, KG, PC, FRS (born Benjamin D'Israeli; 21 December 1804 &ndash 19 April 1881 was In many areas, his outlook was similar to that of the Fabians. The Fabian Society is a British Intellectual Socialist movement whose purpose is to advance the principles of Social democracy via Gradualist Chamberlain himself never liked to use the term "Conservative", preferring the term "Unionist", which had been more commonplace when he first entered politics and which recalled the Liberal Unionist Party of his father. The Liberal Unionists were a British political party that split away from the Liberals in 1886 and had effectively merged with the Conservatives by the
Chamberlain was a Unitarian and did not accept the basic trinitarian belief of the Church of England, the first Prime Minister to officially reject this doctrine since the Duke of Grafton. SSC RF "Troitsk Institute of Innovative and Termonuclear Research" or TRINITY for shprt Троицкий Институт инновационных и термоядерных The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England, the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Augustus Henry FitzRoy 3rd Duke of Grafton, KG, PC (28 September 1735 &ndash 14 March 1811 styled Earl of Euston between 1747 and 1757 was a British This did not bar him from advising the King on appointments in the established church. An established church is a church officially sanctioned and supported by the government of a country e
Chamberlain's ministerial selections were notable for his willingness to appoint without regard for balancing the parties supporting the National Government. In the United Kingdom the term National Government is in an abstract sense used to refer to a coalition of some or all UK major political parties. He was also notable for maintaining a core of ministers close to him who were in strong agreement with his goals and methods, and for appointing a significant number of ministers with no party political experience, choosing those with experience from the outside world. Such appointments included the Law Lord Lord Maugham as Lord Chancellor, the former First Sea Lord Lord Chatfield as Minister for Coordination of Defence, the businessman Andrew Duncan as President of the Board of Trade, the former Director-General of the BBC Sir John Reith as Minister of Information and the department store owner Lord Woolton as Minister of Food. Lords of Appeal in Ordinary, or Law Lords, are appointed under the Appellate Jurisdiction Act 1876 to the House of Lords of the Frederic Herbert Maugham 1st Viscount Maugham [1] [2] ( 1866 - March 23 1958) was a The Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, or Lord Chancellor is a senior and important functionary in the Government of the United Kingdom. The First Sea Lord is the professional head of the Royal Navy and the whole Naval Service. Admiral of the Fleet Alfred Ernle Montacute Chatfield 1st Baron Chatfield, GCB, OM, KCMG, CVO, PC ( 27 September The position of Minister for Coordination of Defence was a British Cabinet position established in 1936 to oversee and co-ordinate the rearmament of Britain's defences Sir Andrew Rae Duncan, GBE (1884 &ndash 1952 was a British businessman who was brought into government during the Second World War, serving twice as both The Secretary of State for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (formerly the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry before the June 28, 2007 The Director-General is chief executive and (from 1944 Editor-in-chief of the BBC. John Charles Walsham Reith 1st Baron Reith KT GCVO GBE CB TD PC ( 20 July 1889 &ndash 16 June The Minister of Information is a British government position that was created briefly during the First World War and again during the Second World Frederick James Marquis 1st Earl of Woolton CH, PC (1883&ndash1964 was a British businessman and politician The Minister of Food Control (1916-1921 and the Minister of Food (1939-1954 were British government Ministerial posts separated from that of the Minister of Agriculture Even when appointing existing MPs, Chamberlain often ignored conventional choices based on service and appointed MPs who had not been in the House of Commons very long, such as the former civil servant and Governor of Bengal Sir John Anderson, who became the Minister in charge of Air Raid Precautions; or the former President of the National Farmers Union Sir Reginald Dorman-Smith, who was made Minister of Agriculture. A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a Parliament. The House of Commons' is the Lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords Etymology and ethnology The exact origin of the word Bangla or Bengal is unknown though it is believed to be derived from the Dravidian-speaking tribe Bang John Anderson 1st Viscount Waverley, GCB, OM, GCSI, GCIE, PC ( 8 July 1882 &ndash 4 January Air Raid Precautions (ARP was an organisation in the United Kingdom set up as an aid in the prelude to the Second World War dedicated Template talkInfobox Union for usage --> The National Farmers Union (NFU is a member organisation/industry association Colonel Sir Reginald Hugh Dorman-Smith GBE (1899 &ndash 1977 was a British diplomat soldier and politician
- Further information: Fourth National Ministry and Chamberlain War Ministry
Domestic policy
Chamberlain's domestic policy, which receives very little attention from historians today, was considered highly significant and radical at the time. The Fourth National Ministry was formed by Neville Chamberlain on his appointment as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on May 28 1937. The Chamberlain War Ministry was formed on September 3 1939 by Neville Chamberlain, Prime Minister of the United Achievements included the Factory Act 1937, which consolidated and tightened many existing measures and sought to improve working conditions by limiting the number of hours that minors and women could work and setting workplace regulation standards. The Housing Act 1938 provided subsidies that encouraged slum clearance and the relief of overcrowding, as well as maintaining rent controls for cheap housing. The Physical Training Act 1937 promoted exercise and good dieting and aimed for a compulsory medical inspection of the population. The Coal Act 1938 nationalised mining royalties and allowed for the voluntary amalgamation of industries. Passenger air services were made into a public corporation in 1939. The Holidays with Pay Act 1938 gave paid holidays to over eleven million workers and empowered the Agricultural Wages Boards and Trade Boards to ensure that holidays were fixed with pay. In many of these measures Chamberlain took a strong personal interest. One of his first actions as Prime Minister was to request two-year plans from every single department, and during his premiership he would make many contributions.
Few aspects of domestic policy gave Chamberlain more trouble than agriculture. For years, British farming had been a depressed industry; vast sections of land went uncultivated while the country became increasingly dependent upon cheap foreign imports. These concerns were brought to the forefront by the National Farmers Union, which had considerable influence on MPs with rural constituencies. Template talkInfobox Union for usage --> The National Farmers Union (NFU is a member organisation/industry association The union called for better protection of tariffs, for trade agreements to be made with the consent of the industry, and for the government to guarantee prices for producers. In support, Lord Beaverbrook's Daily Express launched a major campaign for the country to "Grow More Food", highlighting the "idle acres" that could be used. In 1938, Chamberlain gave a speech at Kettering in which he dismissed the Beaverbrook campaign, provoking an adverse reaction from farmers and his parliamentary supporters. Kettering is a Town in Northamptonshire, England, UK. It is the main town within the Borough of Kettering.
In late 1938, Chamberlain and his Minister of Agriculture William Shepherd Morrison proposed a Milk Industry Bill that would set up ten trial areas with district monopolies of milk distribution, create a Milk Commission, cut or reduce subsidies for quality milk, butter, and cheese, and grant local authorities the power to enforce pasteurisation. The Minister of Agriculture Fisheries and Food was a UK cabinet position responsible for the Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food. William Shepherd Morrison 1st Viscount Dunrossil, GCMG, MC, PC, QC ( 8 October 1893 &ndash 3 February Pasteurization is the process of heating Liquids for the purpose of destroying bacteria, Protozoa, Molds and Yeasts The process was Politicians and the milk industry reacted unfavourably to the bill, fearing the level of state control involved and the possible impact on small dairies and individual retailers. The Milk Marketing Board declared itself in favour of amendments to the bill, a rare move; at the start of December, the government agreed to radically redraft the bill so as to make it a different measure. Dairy Crest Group plc ( is a major dairy products company in the United Kingdom. Early in 1939, Chamberlain moved Morrison away from the Ministry of Agriculture and appointed as his successor Sir Reginald Dorman-Smith, MP for Petersfield and a former president of the National Farmers Union. Colonel Sir Reginald Hugh Dorman-Smith GBE (1899 &ndash 1977 was a British diplomat soldier and politician Petersfield is a Market town and Civil parish in the East Hampshire district of Hampshire, England. Dorman-Smith was hailed as bringing greater expertise to the role, but developments were slow; after war broke out there were many who still felt the country was not producing sufficient food to overcome the problem of restricted supplies.
Other proposed domestic reforms were canceled outright when the war began, such as raising the school leaving age to 15, which would have otherwise commenced on 1 September 1939, were it not for the outbreak of World War II. Events 462 - Possible start of first Byzantine indiction cycle. Year 1939 ( MCMXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The Home Secretary, Sir Samuel Hoare, proposed a radical reform of the criminal justice system, including abolition of flogging, which was also put on hold. The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the United Kingdom Home Office Samuel John Gurney Hoare 1st Viscount Templewood GCSI, GBE, CMG, PC ( 24 February 1880 &ndash 7 May 1959 Had peace continued and a general election been fought in 1939 or 1940, it seems likely that the government would have sought to radically extend the provision of pensions and health insurance while introducing family allowances.
Relations with Ireland
When Chamberlain became Prime Minister, relations between the United Kingdom and the Irish Free State had been heavily strained for some years. The Irish Free State (Saorstát Éireann (1922&ndash1937 was the state established as a Dominion on 6 December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty, signed by The government of Éamon de Valera, seeking to transform the country into an independent republic, proposed a new constitution, Bunreacht na hÉireann. Éamon de Valera (ˈeɪmən dɛvəˈlɛrə (born Edward George de Valera) (14 October 1882 &ndash 29 August 1975 was one of the dominant political figures in 20th century The Constitution of Ireland (Bunreacht na hÉireann came into force on 29 December 1937 after having been passed by a national plebiscite the previous July The constitution was adopted at the end of 1937, turning the Free State into Éire, an internally republican state which only retained the monarchy as an organ for external relations. Éire (ˈeːrʲə) is the Irish name for the island of Ireland and of the state of the same name. The British government accepted the changes, formally stating that it did not regard them as fundamentally altering the position of Ireland within the British Commonwealth.
De Valera also sought to overturn other aspects of the Anglo-Irish Treaty, most notably the issue of partition, as well as seeking to reclaim control of the three "Treaty Ports" which had remained in British control. The Anglo-Irish Treaty (An Conradh Angla-Éireannach officially called the Articles of Agreement for a Treaty Between Great Britain and Ireland, was a Treaty After the Irish War of Independence when the Irish Free State won independence in 1922 three deep water Treaty Ports at Lough Swilly, Berehaven Chamberlain, mindful of the deteriorating European situation, the desirability of support from a friendly neutral Republic of Ireland in time of war, and the difficulty of using the ports for defence if the Republic of Ireland was opposed, wished to achieve peaceful relations between the two countries. The United Kingdom was also claiming compensation from the Republic of Ireland, a claim whose validity the Free State strongly disputed.
Chamberlain, Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs Malcolm MacDonald, and de Valera held a conference starting in January 1938 in an attempt to resolve the other conflicts between their countries. The position of Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs was a British cabinet level position created in 1925 to deal with British relations with the Dominions &mdash Canada, Malcolm Ian Macdonald (born 7 January 1950) is a former English footballer nicknamed "Supermac" famed for scoring goals for De Valera hoped to secure, at the very least, the British government's neutrality on the matter of ending partition, but the devolved government of Northern Ireland was implacably opposed to any attempt to create a United Ireland. The Parliament of Northern Ireland was the home rule Legislature of Northern Ireland, created under the Government of Ireland Act 1920, A United Ireland is the term used to refer to a sovereign state encompassing the whole of the island of Ireland. In February 1938, a Northern Ireland general election gave Lord Craigavon's government an increased majority, strengthening the Unionists' hand and making it difficult for the government to make any concessions. The Northern Ireland general election 1938 was held on 9 February 1938. James Craig 1st Viscount Craigavon, Bart, PC ( 8 January 1871 – 24 November 1940) was a prominent Irish unionist Despite this, de Valera proved willing to discuss the other points of contention.
The result of the conference was a strong and binding trade agreement between the two countries. The Anglo-Irish Trade Agreement was signed on 25 April 1938 by Ireland and the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom agreed to hand over the Treaty Ports to the Republic's control, while the Republic of Ireland agreed to pay the United Kingdom £10 million with wider claims canceled. This was strongly derided by Winston Churchill in the House of Commons (who had built the treaty ports into the 1921 agreement precisely for the reason of possible submarine warfare against Germany). Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC, PC (Can ( 30 November 1874 No settlement on partition was reached, and Chamberlain's hopes of being able to establish munitions factories in the Republic of Ireland were not realised during the Second World War, but the two countries also issued a formal expression of friendship. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Chamberlain had forged a strong relationship with de Valera, as evidenced by the latter's letter upon Chamberlain's resignation:
I would like to testify that you did more than any former British Statesman to make a true friendship between the peoples of our two countries possible, and, if the task has not been completed, that it has not been for want of goodwill on your part.
The agreement was criticised at the time and subsequently by Winston Churchill, but he was the lone voice of dissent; the Diehard wing of the Conservative Party was no longer willing to fight over the issue of Ireland. Others have pointed out that the issue's resolution resulted in the Republic of Ireland taking a stance of benevolent neutrality during the Second World War (known in the Republic of Ireland as The Emergency). The Emergency (Ré na Práinne was an official Euphemism used by the Irish Government during the 1940s to refer to its position during World War II.
However, after the invasion of France, the UK made a qualified offer of Irish unity in June 1940, without reference to those living in Northern Ireland. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. The Republic of Ireland would effectively join the allies against Germany by allowing British ships to use its ports, arresting Germans and Italians, setting up a joint defence council and allowing overflights. In return, arms would be provided to Éire and British forces would cooperate in defending against a German invasion. London would declare that it accepted 'the principle of a United Ireland' in the form of an undertaking 'that the Union is to become at an early date an accomplished fact from which there shall be no turning back. '[5]
Despite De Valera's strong and lifelong support of a united Ireland policy, the offer was refused mainly due to the exceptional military situation in mid-1940. The revised final terms were signed by Chamberlain on 28 June 1940 and sent to Éamon de Valera. Events 1098 - Fighters of the First Crusade defeat Kerbogha of Mosul. Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. On their rejection, neither the London nor Dublin governments publicized the matter.
Palestine White Paper
One of the greatest controversies of Chamberlain's premiership concerned the government's policy on the future of the British Mandate of Palestine. The Palestine Mandate, was a set of protocols or articles that formed a multilateral legal and administrative agreement After successive commissions and talks had failed to achieve a consensus, the government argued that the statements in the Balfour Declaration (1917) (that it "view[ed] with favour" a "national home" for Jews in Palestine) now had been achieved since over 450,000 Jews had immigrated there. Balfour Declaration of 1917 (dated November 2 1917) was a Classified formal statement of Policy by the British government stating PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ Palestine is a name which has been widely used since Roman times to refer to the region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River. The MacDonald White Paper of 1939, so named after the Secretary of State for the Colonies, Malcolm MacDonald, was then introduced. The White Paper of 1939, also known as the MacDonald White Paper after Malcolm MacDonald, the British Colonial Secretary who presided over It proposed a quota of 75,000 further immigrants for the first five years, with restrictions on the purchase of land.
The White Paper caused a massive outcry, both in the Jewish world and in British politics. Many supporting the National Government were opposed to the policy on the grounds that they claimed it contradicted the Balfour Declaration. Many government MPs either voted against the proposals or abstained, including Cabinet Ministers such as the Jewish Leslie Hore-Belisha. Isaac Leslie Hore-Belisha 1st Baron Hore-Belisha PC ( September 7, 1893 &ndash February 16, 1957) was a British
European policy
Later that day he stood outside Number 10 Downing Street and again read from the document and concluded:". . . the settlement of the Czechoslovakian problem, which has now been achieved is, in my view, only the prelude to a larger settlement in which all Europe may find peace. This morning I had another talk with the German Chancellor, Herr Hitler, and here is the paper which bears his name upon it as well as mine (waves paper to the crowd - receiving loud cheers and "Hear Hears"). Some of you, perhaps, have already heard what it contains but I would just like to read it to you . . . ".
'"My good friends, for the second time in our history, a British Prime Minister has returned from Germany bringing peace with honour. I believe it is peace for our time. The phrase "peace for our time" was spoken on 30 September 1938 by British prime minister Neville Chamberlain in his speech concerning the Munich Agreement "
As with many in Europe who had witnessed the horrors of the First World War and its aftermath, Chamberlain was committed to peace. The theory was that dictatorships arose where peoples had grievances, and that by removing the source of these grievances, the dictatorship would become less aggressive. It was a popular belief that the Treaty of Versailles was the underlying cause of Hitler's grievances. The Treaty of Versailles was one of the peace treaties at the end of World War I. Chamberlain, as even his political detractors admitted, was an honourable man, raised in the old school of European politics. His attempts to deal with Nazi Germany through diplomatic channels and to quell any sign of dissent from within, particularly from Churchill, were called by Chamberlain "The general policy of appeasement" (30 June 1934). Nazi Germany and the Third Reich are the common English names for Germany under the regime of Adolf Hitler and the National Socialist German Workers Events 350 - Roman usurper Nepotianus, of the Constantinian dynasty, is defeated and killed by troops of the Usurper Year 1934 ( MCMXXXIV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full 1934 calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
The first crisis of Chamberlain's tenure was over the annexation of Austria. The Nazi Government of Hitler had already been behind the assassination of one Chancellor of Austria, Engelbert Dollfuss, and was pressuring another to surrender. Nazism, which was a short name for National Socialism (Nationalsozialismus refers primarily to the Ideology and practices of the National Socialist German Hi and welcome to Wikipedia! Please understand that this article is frequently vandalized and vandalism is reverted immediately Informed of Germany's objectives, Chamberlain's government decided it was unable to stop events, and acquiesced to what later became known as the Anschluss. The ( German: "link-up" also known as the, was the 1938 Annexation of Austria into Greater Germany by the Nazi
The second crisis came over the Sudetenland area of Czechoslovakia, which was home to a large German minority. Sudetenland ( Czech and Polish: Sudety) is the German name used in English in the first half of the 20th century for the western regions of Czechoslovakia may also refer to what is now the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The Munich Agreement, engineered by the French and British governments, effectively allowed Adolf Hitler to annex the country's defensive frontier, leaving its industrial and economic core within a day's reach of the Wehrmacht. The Munich Agreement (Mnichovská dohoda Mníchovská dohoda Münchner Abkommen Accords de Munich was an agreement regarding the Sudetenland, which were areas along borders Hi and welcome to Wikipedia! Please understand that this article is frequently vandalized and vandalism is reverted immediately Wehrmacht (literally "defense force" was the name of the unified Armed forces of Germany from 1935 to 1945 In reference to the Sudetenland and trenches being dug in a London central park, Chamberlain infamously declared in a radio broadcast on 27 September 1938:
How horrible, fantastic it is that we should be digging trenches and trying on gas-masks here because of a quarrel in a far away country between people of whom we know nothing. Events 489 - Odoacer attacks Theodoric at the Battle of Verona and is defeated again Year 1938 ( MCMXXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. I am myself a man of peace from the depths of my soul.
Chamberlain flew to Munich to negotiate the agreement, and received an ecstatic reception upon his return to Britain on 30 September 1938. Events 1399 - Henry IV is proclaimed King of England. 1744 - France and Spain defeat the Year 1938 ( MCMXXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. At Heston Aerodrome, west of London, he made the now famous "Peace for our time" speech and waved the agreement to a delighted crowd. When Hitler invaded and seized the rest of Czechoslovakia in March 1939, Chamberlain felt betrayed by the breaking of the Munich Agreement and decided to take a much harder line against the Nazis, declaring war against Germany upon their invasion of Poland.
The repeated failures of the Baldwin government to deal with rising Nazi power are often laid, historically, on the doorstep of Chamberlain, since he presided over the final collapse of European affairs, resisted acting on military information, lied to the House of Commons about Nazi military strength, shunted out opposition which, correctly, warned of the need to prepare – and above all, failed to use the months profitably to ready for the oncoming conflict. Stanley Baldwin 1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley, KG, PC (3 August 1867 &ndash 14 December 1947 was a British Conservative politician statesman and major However, it is also true that by the time of his premiership, dealing with the Nazi Party in Germany was an order of magnitude more difficult. Germany had begun general conscription previously, and had already amassed an air arm. Chamberlain, caught between the bleak finances of the depression era and his own abhorrence of war – and a Kriegsherr who would not be denied a war – gave ground and entered history as a political scapegoat for what was a more general failure of political will and vision which had begun with the Treaty of Versailles in 1919. The Treaty of Versailles was one of the peace treaties at the end of World War I.
The policy of keeping the peace had broad support; had the Commons wanted a more aggressive prime minister, Winston Churchill would have been the obvious choice. Even after the outbreak of war, it was not clear that the invasion of Poland need lead to a general conflict. What convicted Chamberlain in the eyes of many commentators and historians was not the policy itself, but his manner of carrying it out and the failure to hedge his bets. Many of his contemporaries viewed him as stubborn and unwilling to accept criticism, an opinion backed up by his dismissal of cabinet ministers who disagreed with him on foreign policy. If accurate, this assessment of his personality would explain why Chamberlain strove to remain on friendly terms with the Third Reich long after many of his colleagues became convinced that Hitler could not be restrained. Nazi Germany and the Third Reich are the common English names for Germany under the regime of Adolf Hitler and the National Socialist German Workers
Chamberlain believed passionately in peace for many reasons (most of which are discussed in the article Appeasement), thinking it his job as Britain's leader to maintain stability in Europe; like many people in Britain and elsewhere, he thought that the best way to deal with Germany's belligerence was to treat it with kindness and meet its demands. He also believed that the leaders of men are essentially rational beings, and that Hitler must necessarily be rational as well. Most historians believe that Chamberlain, in holding to these views, pursued the policy of appeasement far longer than was justifiable, but it is not exactly clear whether any course could have averted war, and whether the outcome would have been any better had armed hostilities begun earlier, given that France, as well, was unwilling to commit its forces, and there were no other effective allies: Italy had joined the Pact of Steel, the USSR had signed a non-aggression pact, and the United States was still officially isolationist. The Pact of Steel, known formally as the Pact of Friendship and Alliance between Germany and Italy, was an agreement between Fascist Isolationism is a Foreign policy which combines a non-interventionist military policy and a political policy of Economic nationalism ( Protectionism
He did, however, abort the proposal of von Kleist and Wilhelm Canaris before the invasion of Austria to assassinate Hitler, deciding instead to play on the edge of the situation: to maintain a strong anti-communist power in Central Europe, with the Nazis, accepting some 'reward' on 'lebensraum' and still 'manage' with Hitler. Ewald Von Kleist -Schmenzin ( 22 March, 1890 – 9 April, 1945) was a Lawyer, a conservative Politician Wilhelm Franz Canaris ( January 1, 1887 &ndash April 9, 1945) was a German Admiral and head of the Abwehr Chamberlain, who was nicknamed "Monsieur J'aime Berlin" (French for Mr I love Berlin) just before the outbreak of hostilities, remained hopeful up until Germany's invasion of the Low Countries that a peace treaty to avert a general war could be obtained in return for concessions "that we don't really care about". The Low Countries, the historical region of de Nederlanden, are the countries on low-lying land around the delta of the Rhine, Scheldt This policy was widely criticised both at the time and since; but given that the French General Staff was determined not to attack Germany but instead remain on the strategic defensive, what alternatives Chamberlain could have pursued are not clear. It is true that he used the months of the Phoney War to complete development of the Spitfire and Hurricane, and to strengthen the RDF or Radar defence grid in Britain. The Phoney War, also called the Twilight War by Winston Churchill, der Sitzkrieg in German ("the sitting war" a WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout Radar is a system that uses electromagnetic waves to identify the range altitude direction or speed of both moving and fixed objects such as Aircraft, ships Both of these priorities would pay crucial dividends in the Battle of Britain. The Battle of Britain (German ''Luftschlacht um England'' is the name given to the sustained strategic effort by the German Luftwaffe during the summer and
Outbreak of war
On 1 September 1939, Germany invaded Poland. Events 462 - Possible start of first Byzantine indiction cycle. Year 1939 ( MCMXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Many in the United Kingdom expected war, but the government did not wish to make a formal declaration unless it had the support of France. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. France's intentions were unclear at that point, and the government could only give Germany an ultimatum: if Hitler withdrew his troops within two days, Britain would help to open talks between Germany and Poland. An ultimatum (the last one is a Demand whose fulfillment is requested in a specified period of time and which is backed up by a threat to be followed through in case When Chamberlain announced this in the House on September 2, there was a massive outcry. Events 44 BC - Pharaoh Cleopatra VII of Egypt declares her son co-ruler as Ptolemy XV Caesarion. The prominent Conservative former minister Leo Amery, believing that Chamberlain had failed in his responsibilities, famously called on the acting Leader of the Opposition Arthur Greenwood to "Speak for England, Arthur!" Chief Whip David Margesson told Chamberlain that he believed the government would fall if war was not declared. Leopold Charles Maurice Stennett Amery CH, PC ( 22 November 1873 – 16 September 1955) usually known as Leo The Leader of the Opposition (sometimes known as the Leader of the Opposition in the House of Commons) in the United Kingdom is the politician who leads For the US congressional representative from Indiana see Arthur H The Chief Whip is a political office in some Legislatures assigned to an elected member whose task is to administer the whipping system that ensures that members of Henry David Reginald Margesson 1st Viscount Margesson, of Rugby ( July 26 1890 – December 24 1965) was a British Conservative politician After bringing further pressure on the French, who agreed to parallel the British action, Britain declared war on 3 September 1939. Events 36 BC - In the Battle of Naulochus, Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, Admiral of Octavian, defeats Sextus Pompeius Year 1939 ( MCMXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
In Chamberlain's radio broadcast to the nation, he said:
I am speaking to you from the cabinet room of 10 Downing St. A cabinet is a body of high-ranking members of Government, typically representing the executive branch. This morning the British Ambassador in Berlin handed the German Government a final note stating that, unless we heard from them by 11 o'clock that they were prepared at once to withdraw their troops from Poland, a state of war would exist between us. I have to tell you now that no such undertaking has been received, and that consequently this country is at war with Germany.
You can imagine what a bitter blow it is to me that all my long struggle to win peace has failed. Yet I cannot believe that there is anything more, or anything different, that I could have done, and that would have been more successful. Up to the very last it would have been quite possible to have arranged a peaceful and honourable settlement between Germany and Poland. But Hitler would not have it; he had evidently made up his mind to attack Poland whatever happened. And although he now says he put forward reasonable proposals which were rejected by the Poles, that is not a true statement. The proposals were never shown to the Poles, nor to us. And though they were announced in the German broadcast on Thursday night, Hitler did not wait to hear comments on them but ordered his troops to cross the Polish frontier the next morning.
His action shows convincingly that there is no chance that this man will ever give up his practice of using force to gain his will. He can only be stopped by force, and we in France are today in fulfillment of our obligations going to the aid of Poland who is so bravely resisting this wicked and unprovoked attack upon her people. We have a clear conscience, we have done all that any country could do to establish peace, but a situation in which no word given by Germany's ruler could be trusted, and no people or country could feel itself safe, had become intolerable. And now that we have resolved to finish it, I know that you will all play your parts with calmness and courage.
As part of the preparations for conflict, Chamberlain asked all his ministers to "place their offices in his hands" so that he could carry out a full-scale reconstruction of the government. The most notable new recruits were Winston Churchill and the former Cabinet Secretary Maurice Hankey, now Baron Hankey. Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC, PC (Can ( 30 November 1874 Maurice Pascal Alers Hankey 1st Baron Hankey, GCB, GCMG, GCVO, PC ( 1 April 1877 &ndash 26 January 1963 Baron Hankey, of The Chart in the County of Surrey is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. Much of the press had campaigned for Churchill's return to government for several months, and taking him aboard looked like a good way to strengthen the government, especially as both the Labour Party and Liberal Party declined to join. The Labour Party is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Founded at the start of the 20th century it has been since the 1920s the principal party of the The Liberal Party was one of the two major British political parties from the early 19th century until the rise of the Labour Party in the 1920s and a third party
Initially, Chamberlain intended to make Churchill a minister without portfolio (possibly with the sinecure office of Lord Privy Seal) and include him in a War Cabinet of just six members, with the service ministers outside it. A sinecure (from Latin sine, without and cura, care means an office which requires or involves little or no responsibility labour or active service The Lord Privy Seal or Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal is the fifth of the Great Officers of State in the United Kingdom ranking beneath the A War Cabinet is a committee formed by a government in time of war However, he was advised that it would be unwise not to give Churchill a department, so Churchill instead became First Lord of the Admiralty. The Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty were the members of the Board of Admiralty, which exercised command over the Royal Navy. Chamberlain's inclusion of all three service ministers in the War Cabinet drew criticism from those who argued that a smaller cabinet of non-departmental ministers could take decisions more efficiently.
War premiership
The first eight months of the war are often described as the "Phoney War", for the relative lack of action. The Phoney War, also called the Twilight War by Winston Churchill, der Sitzkrieg in German ("the sitting war" a Throughout this period, the main conflicts took place at sea, raising Churchill's stature; however, many conflicts arose behind the scenes.
The Soviet invasion of Poland and the subsequent Soviet-Finnish War led a call for military action against the Soviets, but Chamberlain believed that such action would only be possible if the war with Germany were concluded peacefully, a course of action he refused to countenance. The Winter War (Talvisota Советско-финляндская война - official Зимняя война - unofficial Vinterkriget began when the The Moscow Peace Treaty in March 1940 brought no consequences in Britain, though the French government led by Édouard Daladier fell after a rebellion in the Chamber of Deputies. Édouard Daladier (18 June 1884 - 10 October 1970 was a French Radical politician and Prime Minister of France at the start of the Second World Chamber of deputies is the name given to a legislative body such as the Lower house of a Bicameral legislature or can refer to a Unicameral legislature It was a worrying precedent for an allied prime minister.
Problems grew at the War Office as the Secretary of State for War, Leslie Hore-Belisha, became an ever more controversial figure. The War Office was a former department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1963 when The position of Secretary of State for War, commonly called War Secretary, was a British Cabinet -level position first applied to Henry Dundas Isaac Leslie Hore-Belisha 1st Baron Hore-Belisha PC ( September 7, 1893 &ndash February 16, 1957) was a British Hore-Belisha's high public profile and reputation as a radical reformer who was turning the army into a modern fighting force made him attractive to many, but he and the Chief of the Imperial General Staff, Lord Gort, soon lost confidence in each other in strategic matters. Chief of the Imperial General Staff (CIGS was the title of the professional commander of the British Army from 1908 until 1964 Field Marshal John Standish Surtees Prendergast Vereker 6th Viscount Gort VC, GCB, CBE, DSO & Two Bars, MVO, Hore-Belisha had also proved a difficult member of the War Cabinet, and Chamberlain realised that a change was needed; the Minister of Information, Lord Macmillan, had also proved ineffective, and Chamberlain considered moving Hore-Belisha to that post. The Minister of Information is a British government position that was created briefly during the First World War and again during the Second World Hugh Pattison Macmillan Baron Macmillan GCVO PC ( 20 February 1873 &ndash 5 September 1952) was a Scottish judge Senior colleagues raised the objection that a Jewish Minister of Information would not benefit relations with neutral countries, and Chamberlain offered Hore-Belisha the post of President of the Board of Trade instead. The Secretary of State for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (formerly the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry before the June 28, 2007 The latter refused and resigned from the government altogether; since the true nature of the disagreement could not be revealed to the public, it seemed that Chamberlain had folded under pressure from traditionalist, inefficient generals who disapproved of Hore-Belisha's changes.
When Germany invaded Norway in April 1940, an expeditionary force was sent to counter them, but the campaign proved difficult, and the force had to be withdrawn. Norway ( Norwegian: Norge ( Bokmål) or Noreg ( Nynorsk) officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Constitutional This article describes Allied operations in Norway during World War II The naval aspect of the campaign in particular proved controversial and was to have repercussions in Westminster.
Fall and resignation
Following the debacle of the British expedition to Norway, Chamberlain found himself under siege in the House of Commons. During the Norway Debate of May 7, Leo Amery – who had been one of Chamberlain's personal friends – delivered a devastating indictment of Chamberlain's conduct of the war. The Norway Debate, sometimes called the Narvik Debate, was a famous debate in the British House of Commons that took place on May 7 and May 8 Events 558 - In Constantinople, the dome of the Hagia Sophia collapses Leopold Charles Maurice Stennett Amery CH, PC ( 22 November 1873 – 16 September 1955) usually known as Leo In concluding his speech, he quoted the words of Oliver Cromwell to the Long Parliament:
| “ | You have sat too long here for any good you have been doing. Oliver Cromwell (25 April 1599 Old Style &ndash 3 September 1658 Old Style) was an English military and political leader best known The Long Parliament is the name of the English Parliament called by Charles I, on 3 November 1640, following the Bishops' Wars. Depart, I say, and let us have done with you. In the name of God, go. | ” |
When the vote came the next day, over 40 government backbenchers voted against the government and many more abstained. Although the government won the vote, it became clear that Chamberlain would have to meet the charges brought against him. He initially tried to bolster his government by offering to appoint some prominent Conservative rebels and sacrifice some unpopular ministers, but demands for an all-party coalition government grew louder. Chamberlain set about investigating whether or not he could persuade the Labour Party to serve under him and, if not, then who should succeed him.
Two obvious successors soon emerged: Lord Halifax, then Foreign Minister, and Winston Churchill. Edward Frederick Lindley Wood 1st Earl of Halifax, KG, OM, GCSI, GCMG, GCIE, PC ( 16 April 1881 &ndash The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, commonly referred to as the Foreign Secretary, is a member of the United Kingdom Government heading the Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC, PC (Can ( 30 November 1874 Halifax would have proved acceptable to almost everyone, but he was deeply reluctant to accept, arguing that it was impossible for a member of the House of Lords to lead an effective government. The House of Lords is the second house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and is also commonly referred to as "the Lords" Over the next 24 hours, Chamberlain explored the situation further. That afternoon he met with Halifax, Churchill and Margesson, who determined that if Labour should decline to serve under Chamberlain then Churchill would have to try to form a government. Labour leaders Clement Attlee and Arthur Greenwood were unable to commit their party and agreed to put two questions to the next day's meeting of the National Executive Committee: Would they join an all-party government under Chamberlain? If not, would they join an all-party government under "someone else"?
The next day, Germany invaded the Netherlands, Belgium and France. Clement Richard Attlee 1st Earl Attlee, KG, OM, CH, PC ( 3 January 1883 &ndash 8 October 1967 For the US congressional representative from Indiana see Arthur H The National Executive Committee or NEC is the chief administrative body of the UK Labour Party. The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands The Kingdom of Belgium is a Country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters as well as those This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. At first, Chamberlain believed it was best for him to remain in office for the duration of the crisis, but opposition to his continued premiership was such that, at a meeting of the War Cabinet, Lord Privy Seal Sir Kingsley Wood told him clearly that it was time to form an all-party government. The Lord Privy Seal or Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal is the fifth of the Great Officers of State in the United Kingdom ranking beneath the Sir Howard Kingsley Wood ( 19 August 1881 &ndash 21 September 1943) was a Conservative politician in the United Kingdom Soon afterwards, a response came from the Labour National Executive – they would not serve with Chamberlain, but they would with someone else. On the evening of 10 May 1940, Chamberlain tendered his resignation to the King and formally recommended Churchill as his successor. Events 1291 - Scottish Nobles recognize the authority of Edward I of England. Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
Lord President of the Council and death
Despite his resignation as Prime Minister, Chamberlain remained leader of the Conservative Party and retained a great deal of support. Some, such as Rab Butler, would at times toast him as "the King over the water". Richard Austen Butler Baron Butler of Saffron Walden, KG CH DL PC (9 December 1902&ndash8 Jacobitism was (and to a limited extent remains the political movement dedicated to the restoration of the Stuart kings to the thrones of England, Scotland Although Churchill was pressured by some of his own supporters and some Labour MPs to exclude Chamberlain from the government, he remembered the mistake that Lloyd George made in marginalising Asquith during the First World War and realised the importance of retaining the support of all parties in the Commons. David Lloyd George 1st Earl Lloyd George of Dwyfor OM, PC (17 January 1863 &ndash 26 March 1945 was a British Statesman and the only Herbert Henry Asquith 1st Earl of Oxford and Asquith, KG, PC ( 12 September 1852 &ndash 15 February 1928) served World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Churchill had first planned to make Chamberlain Chancellor of the Exchequer and Leader of the House of Commons, but so many Labour and Liberal leaders were reluctant to serve in such a government that Churchill instead appointed him as Lord President of the Council. The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister who is responsible for all Economic and Financial The Leader of the House of Commons is a member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom who is responsible for arranging government business in the House of Commons The Lord President of the Council is the fourth of the Great Officers of State of the United Kingdom, ranking beneath the Lord High Treasurer and above
Chamberlain still wielded power within government as the head of the main home affairs committees, most notably the Lord President's Committee. The Lord President's Committee was a British government Committee during the Second World War. He served loyally under Churchill, offering much constructive advice. Despite preconceived notions, many Labour ministers found him to be a helpful source of information and support. In late May 1940, the War Cabinet had a rapid series of meetings over proposals for peace from Germany which threatened to split the government. A War Cabinet is a committee formed by a government in time of war Churchill, supported by the Labour members Clement Attlee and Arthur Greenwood, was against the proposals, which were favoured by Lord Halifax. Clement Richard Attlee 1st Earl Attlee, KG, OM, CH, PC ( 3 January 1883 &ndash 8 October 1967 For the US congressional representative from Indiana see Arthur H Chamberlain was initially inclined to accept the terms, but this division threatened to bring down the government. Over the course of three days, Churchill, aided by Greenwood and the Liberal leader Sir Archibald Sinclair, gradually persuaded Chamberlain to oppose the terms, and Britain remained in the war. Archibald Henry Macdonald Sinclair 1st Viscount Thurso KT CMG PC ( October 22 1890 &ndash June 15 1970) known
At this stage, Chamberlain still retained the support of most Conservative MPs. This was most visible in the House of Commons, where Conservatives would cheer Chamberlain, while Churchill only received the applause of Labour and Liberal members. Realising that this created the impression of a weak government, Chamberlain and the Chief Whip, David Margesson, took steps to encourage the formation of a Conservative power base that would support Churchill. The Chief Whip is a political office in some Legislatures assigned to an elected member whose task is to administer the whipping system that ensures that members of
Despite this, there were many outside Parliament who wished to see Chamberlain removed from the government. In the summer of 1940, a highly damning polemic entitled Guilty Men was released by "Cato" – a pseudonym for three journalists from the Beaverbrook publishing stable. Guilty Men was a Polemic Book published in the summer of 1940 in the United Kingdom, which attacked the leading politicians of the 1930s William Maxwell "Max" Aitken 1st Baron Beaverbrook Bt The piece, which attacked the record of the National Government and called for the removal of Chamberlain and other ministers who had allegedly contributed to the British disasters, sold phenomenally well, going into twenty-one editions in the first few months despite not being carried by several major bookshops. Similar criticisms appeared in the press, and at one point Chamberlain felt compelled to ask Churchill to bring pressure on the critics.
At first, Chamberlain, like many others, regarded Churchill as a mere caretaker premier and looked forward to a return to 10 Downing Street after the war. By midsummer, however, Chamberlain's health was deteriorating; in July he underwent an operation for stomach cancer. Stomach or gastric cancer can develop in any part of the Stomach and may spread throughout the stomach and to other organs particularly the Esophagus and He made several efforts to recover, but by the end of September he felt that it was impossible to continue in government, and he formally resigned as both Lord President and Leader of the Conservative Party. By special consent of Churchill and the King, Chamberlain continued to receive state papers for his remaining months so that he could keep himself informed of the situation. He retired to Highfield Park, near Heckfield in Hampshire, where he died of bowel cancer on 9 November at the age of 71, having lived for precisely six months after his resignation as Premier. Heckfield is a village in Hampshire, England. It lies between Reading Berkshire and Hook Hampshire. Wildlife Hampshire has wildlife typical of the island of Great Britain Colorectal cancer, also called colon cancer or large bowel cancer, includes Cancerous growths in the colon, Rectum and Events 694 - Egica, a king of the Visigoths of Hispania, accuses Jews of aiding Muslims sentencing all
Neville Chamberlain's estate was probated at 84,013 pounds sterling on 15 April 1941. Events 1450 - Battle of Formigny: Toward the end of the Hundred Years' War, the French attack and nearly annihilate English Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
Churchill's eulogy
Churchill graciously eulogised Chamberlain's character in the House of Commons:
It fell to Neville Chamberlain in one of the supreme crises of the world to be contradicted by events, to be disappointed in his hopes, and to be deceived and cheated by a wicked man. But what were these hopes in which he was disappointed? What were these wishes in which he was frustrated? What was that faith that was abused? They were surely among the most noble and benevolent instincts of the human heart--the love of peace, the toil for peace, the strife for peace, the pursuit of peace, even at great peril, and certainly to the utter disdain of popularity or clamour. Whatever else history may or may not say about these terrible, tremendous years, we can be sure that Neville Chamberlain acted with perfect sincerity according to his lights and strove to the utmost of his capacity and authority, which were powerful, to save the world from the awful, devastating struggle in which we are now engaged. This alone will stand him in good stead as far as what is called the verdict of history is concerned.
Legacy
Neville Chamberlain remains one of the most controversial politicians in the history of Britain. His policy on Europe has dominated most writings to such an extent that many histories and biographies devote almost all coverage of his premiership to this single area of policy.
Written criticism of Chamberlain was given its first early boost in the 1940 polemic Guilty Men, which offered a deeply critical view of the politics of the 1930s, most notably the Munich Agreement and steps taken towards rearmament. Polemics (pəˈlɛmɪks/ /poʊ- is the practice of disputing or controverting religious, philosophical, or political matters Guilty Men was a Polemic Book published in the summer of 1940 in the United Kingdom, which attacked the leading politicians of the 1930s The Munich Agreement (Mnichovská dohoda Mníchovská dohoda Münchner Abkommen Accords de Munich was an agreement regarding the Sudetenland, which were areas along borders Together with Churchill's post-war memoirs The Second World War, texts like Guilty Men heavily condemned and vilified appeasement. The Second World War is a six-volume history of the period from the end of the First World War to July 1945, written by Sir Winston Churchill The post-war Conservative leadership was dominated by individuals such as Churchill, Eden, and Harold Macmillan who had made their names opposing Chamberlain. (Maurice Harold Macmillan 1st Earl of Stockton, OM, PC (10 February 1894 &ndash 29 December 1986 was a British Conservative Politician Some even argued that Chamberlain's foreign policy was in stark contrast to the traditional Conservative line of interventionism and a willingness to take military action.
In recent years, a revisionist school of history has emerged to challenge many assumptions about appeasement, arguing that it was a reasonable policy given the limitations of British arms available, the scattering of British forces across the world, and the reluctance of Dominion governments to go to war. Some have also argued that Chamberlain's policy was entirely in keeping with the Conservative tradition started by Lord Derby between 1846 and 1868 and followed in the Splendid Isolation under Lord Salisbury in the 1880s and 1890s. Edward Smith-Stanley redirects here for other persons with that name see Edward Stanley Lord Stanley Splendid Isolation was the Foreign policy pursued by Britain during the late 19th century under the Conservative premierships of Benjamin Disraeli "Lord Salisbury" redirects here For other holders of the title see Marquess of Salisbury. The production of aircraft was greatly increased at the time of the Munich agreement. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout Had war begun instead, the Battle of Britain might have had a much different dynamic with bi-planes instead of Spitfires meeting the Germans. The Battle of Britain (German ''Luftschlacht um England'' is the name given to the sustained strategic effort by the German Luftwaffe during the summer and A biplane is a Fixed-wing aircraft with two main Wings The first powered heavier-than-air Aircraft, the Wright brothers' Wright Flyer More likely, however, German aircraft would have been fully engaged against France and Czechoslovakia.
The emphasis on foreign policy has overshadowed Chamberlain's achievements in other spheres. His achievements as Minister of Health have been much praised by social historians, who have argued that he did much to improve conditions and brought the United Kingdom closer to the Welfare State of the post-war world. Secretary of State for Health is a UK cabinet position responsible for the Department of Health. This article refers specifically to the Welfare state of the United Kingdom.
A generally unrecognised aspect of Chamberlain is his role in the inception of and drawing up of a remit for the Special Operations Executive. His eagerness to avoid another Great War was, once war was a fact, matched by the ferocity of the SOE charter, which he drew up.
Chamberlain was, to an extent, unfortunate in his biography; when his widow commissioned Keith Feiling to write an official life in the 1940s, the government papers were not available for consultation. Sir Keith Grahame Feiling (1884 - 1977 was Chichele Professor of Modern History at the University of Oxford, 1946-1950 As a result, Feiling was unable to tackle criticisms by pointing to the government records in a way that later biographers could. Feiling filled the gap with extensive use of Chamberlain's private papers and produced a book that many consider to be the best account of Chamberlain's life, but which was unable to overcome the negative image of him at the time. Later historians have done much more, both emphasising Chamberlain's achievements in other spheres and making strong arguments in support of appeasement as the natural policy, but a new clear consensus has yet to be reached.
The papers of Neville Chamberlain are housed in the University of Birmingham Special Collections. The University of Birmingham (informally Birmingham University) is a British red brick University located in the city of Birmingham [6]
Notes
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z Andrew J. Crozier, 'Chamberlain, (Arthur) Neville (1869–1940)', Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, Sept 2004; online edn, May 2006 http://0-www.oxforddnb.com.catalogue.ulrls.lon.ac.uk:80/view/article/32347 accessed 20 Dec 2007
- ^ a b c Peter T. The Dictionary of National Biography ( DNB) is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history published from 1885 Marsh, 'Chamberlain, Joseph (1836–1914)', Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, Sept 2004; online edn, May 2007 http://0-www.oxforddnb.com.catalogue.ulrls.lon.ac.uk:80/view/article/32350 accessed 20 Dec 2007
- ^ Cherry, Gordon E Birmingham A Study in Geography, History and Planning (1994) ISBN 0-471-94900-0
- ^ The World Confers. The Dictionary of National Biography ( DNB) is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history published from 1885 Time (1933-06-19). Year 1933 ( MCMXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1179 - The Norwegian Battle of Kalvskinnet outside Nidaros. Retrieved on 2007-08-26. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1071 - Battle of Manzikert: The Seljuk Turks defeat the Byzantine Army at Manzikert.
- ^ Eds. O'Day A. & Stevenson J. , Irish Historical Documents since 1800 (Gill & Macmillan, Dublin 1992) p. 201. ISBN 0-7171-1839-8
- ^ Special Collections
References
- Chamberlain, Neville. Norman Chamberlain: A Memoir. John Murray, 1923.
- Chamberlain, Neville. In Search of Peace: Speeches (1937-1938). National Book Association, Hutchinson & Co. (Publishers) Ltd. , 1938.
- Chamberlain, Neville. The Struggle for Peace. Hutchinson, 1939.
Biographies:
- Dilks, David. Neville Chamberlain, volume 1: Pioneering and Reform, 1869-1929 Cambridge University Press, 1984.
- Dutton, David. Neville Chamberlain. Hodder Arnold, 2001
- Feiling, Keith. Sir Keith Grahame Feiling (1884 - 1977 was Chichele Professor of Modern History at the University of Oxford, 1946-1950 The Life of Neville Chamberlain. Macmillan & Co. Ltd, 1946.
- Gilbert, Martin. Sir Martin John Gilbert, CBE, DLitt (born October 25, 1936) is a British Historian and the author of over eighty books The Roots of Appeasement. New American Library, 1966.
- Self, Robert. Neville Chamberlain: A Biography. Ashgate, 2006
- Wheeler-Bennett, John Munich : Prologue to Tragedy, New York : Duell, Sloan and Pearce, 1948. Sir John Wheeler Wheeler-Bennett, GCVO, CMG, OBE, FBA, FRSL was a conservative English Historian
- The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
External links
- University of Birmingham Special Collections The political papers of Neville Chamberlain
- Downing Street website
- The Struggle for Peace by Neville Chamberlain
| Persondata | |
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| NAME | Chamberlain, Neville |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Chamberlain, The Rt Hon. The Director of National Service was a post that existed briefly in the British government Auckland Campbell-Geddes 1st Baron Geddes, GCMG, KCB ( June 21, 1879 &ndash June 8, 1954) was a British politician Frederick George Kellaway PC ( 3 December 1870 &ndash 13 April 1933) often called F The Postmaster General in the United Kingdom is a defunct ministerial position in HM Government. William Joynson-Hicks 1st Viscount Brentford (23 June 1865 – 8 June 1932 popularly known as Jix, was a British Conservative Party politician most Sir John Tudor Walters, PC (1868 &ndash July 16, 1933) was a Liberal Politician in the United Kingdom. HM Paymaster General is a ministerial position in the United Kingdom. Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Arthur Sackville Trevor Griffith-Boscawen PC ( 18 October 1865 &ndash 1 June 1946) was a British Secretary of State for Health is a UK cabinet position responsible for the Department of Health. Stanley Baldwin 1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley, KG, PC (3 August 1867 &ndash 14 December 1947 was a British Conservative politician statesman and major The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister who is responsible for all Economic and Financial Philip Snowden 1st Viscount Snowden ( July 18, 1864 – May 15, 1937) was a British politician and the first Labour John Wheatley ( 19 May 1869 &ndash 12 May 1930) was a Scottish socialist Politician. Secretary of State for Health is a UK cabinet position responsible for the Department of Health. For the US congressional representative from Indiana see Arthur H For the US congressional representative from Indiana see Arthur H Secretary of State for Health is a UK cabinet position responsible for the Department of Health. Edward Hilton Young 1st Baron Kennet, GBE ( 20 March 1879 &ndash 11 July 1960) was a British politician and writer Philip Snowden 1st Viscount Snowden ( July 18, 1864 – May 15, 1937) was a British politician and the first Labour The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister who is responsible for all Economic and Financial John Allsebrook Simon 1st Viscount Simon GCSI GCVO OBE PC ( 28 February 1873 &ndash 11 January 1954 Stanley Baldwin 1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley, KG, PC (3 August 1867 &ndash 14 December 1947 was a British Conservative politician statesman and major The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the political leader of the United Kingdom Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC, PC (Can ( 30 November 1874 The Leader of the House of Commons is a member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom who is responsible for arranging government business in the House of Commons James Richard Stanhope 13th Earl of Chesterfield and 7th Earl Stanhope, KG, PC ( 11 November 1880 &ndash 15 August 1967 The Lord President of the Council is the fourth of the Great Officers of State of the United Kingdom, ranking beneath the Lord High Treasurer and above John Anderson 1st Viscount Waverley, GCB, OM, GCSI, GCIE, PC ( 8 July 1882 &ndash 4 January The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom and British overseas territories A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a Parliament. Birmingham Ladywood is a Constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom general election of 1918 was the first to be held after the Representation of the People Act 1918, which meant it was the first United Kingdom The 1929 UK general election was held on 30 May 1929 and resulted in a Hung parliament. Wilfrid Whiteley ( 3 February 1882 - 4 April 1970) was a British Labour Party politician Sir Francis William Lowe 1st Baronet PC ( 8 January 1852 &ndash 12 November 1929) was a British Conservative Party A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a Parliament. Birmingham Edgbaston is a Borough constituency located in the Edgbaston area of Birmingham. The 1929 UK general election was held on 30 May 1929 and resulted in a Hung parliament. The Birmingham Edgbaston by-election 1940 was a parliamentary By-election held for the British House of Commons constituency of Birmingham Edgbaston Peter Frederick Blaker Bennett 1st Baron Bennett of Edgbaston ( 16 April 1880 &ndash 27 September 1957) was a Conservative Party John Colin Campbell Davidson 1st Viscount Davidson GCVO CH CB PC ( 23 February 1889 &ndash 11 December In the United Kingdom, the Chairman of the Conservative Party is responsible for running the party machine overseeing Conservative Central Office. John Lawrence Baird 1st Viscount Stonehaven, Bt, GCMG, DSO, PC, JP, DL ( 27 April 1874 &ndash Stanley Baldwin 1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley, KG, PC (3 August 1867 &ndash 14 December 1947 was a British Conservative politician statesman and major The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC, PC (Can ( 30 November 1874 Arthur Neville |
| SHORT DESCRIPTION | Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1937 to 1940 |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 18 March 1869 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Edgbaston, Birmingham, England |
| DATE OF DEATH | 8 November 1940 |
| PLACE OF DEATH | Highfield Park, Reading, Berkshire, England |
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