These notes cover the impact of WW1 and WW2 on the empire, the growth and contraction of the British Empire in the inter-war period and the post-WW2 contraction of the Empire in India, Palestine and Burma. They are for the new a level specification and are to an A*standard.
Section 3: Imperialism Challenged Chapter 13: Expansion and Contraction of the Empire
Chapter 13: Expansion and Contraction of the Empire
To What Extent Was the British Empire Weakened by the First World War?
What role did Empire play in WW1?
• In 1914, Britain declared war on behalf of the whole Empire
• The empire’s subjects made a titanic effort and paid an epic price
• British leaders believed the war would be short so they anticipated that the fighting would be done by the
British with limited help from the Empire
• In reality, many men from the Empire volunteered to fight:
India 1.4m
Canada 630 000
Australia 420 000 (30% of all eligible males)
South Africa 136 000
New Zealand 129 000 (this was over half of those who were eligible)
Britain 5m
• The empire also supplied Britain with vital raw materials and food which played a major part in the British
victory in 1918. It was the resources of the empire which made Britain the most formidable power engaged in
the war
• There was a move towards joint decision making to meet pressure from colonial leaders who wanted a say in
the direction Britain was taking their troops
• The presidents of the dominions and nominated Indian representatives joined the war cabinet in London 1917
• This Imperial War cabinet symbolised the union of the British empire in war – however, it only had two
sessions and Britain still dominated the proceedings
• In 1916, David Lloyd George became prime minister and a greater effort was put into the use of the resources
of manpower and materials from the empire
• Imperial preference was introduced for suppliers and schemes for future imperial self-sufficiency discussed
• The war revealed the undercurrents of racial tension and prejudice – Britain was unwilling to let a black man
fight a white for fear that it would compromise the law and order of the empire in peacetime
• Leo Amery said that the paramount aim of his countries war policy was ‘the defence and welfare of the British
Empire’
• ‘The front was no place for flag-waving since soldiers’ minds were ore wholly concentrated on staying alive or
recuperating from the trauma of battle’
• Curzon stated that ‘The British flag never flew over a more powerful or united empire than now’
• ‘Imperial enthusiasts, mostly in Britain, who help up wartime cooperation as a shining example of how
imperial unity could work with the basis for future cohesion were out of touch with reality’. Imperialists failed
to appreciate that those who had been asked to make sacrifices might expect recompense
How did WW1 affect the white dominions?
• The white dominions were mostly keen to help Britain and to start with the dominions had relied on volunteers
because of notions of individual freedom
• A large number of volunteers joined the armed forces – through the Canadian, Australian and New Zealand
leaders insisted that their forces maintain their distinct national identities
• They fought in Europe, the Middle East and in Africa
• Dominions had the final say in whether to adopt conscription and it was introduced in New Zealand in 1916
and Canada in 1917 but the South African government didn’t even consider conscription for fears of causing a
rift between the pro-British and the pro-German
• The Australians and New Zealanders were applauded for their bravery in the Gallipoli campaign (April-
December 1915) and the Canadians for their part in the battle for Vimy Ridge in April 1917
• The evacuation of Gallipoli was a humiliation for the imperial powers however because a Turkish army had
beaten a predominantly white one which proved that white people were not invincible
• Canada supplied Britain with 1/3 of the munitions used by the British in France 1917-18 and wheat
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