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===Background===[[File:Winston_Churchill_1874_Winston Churchill was born into one of Britain’s leading political and aristocratic families. His father Randolph Churchill was one of the leading political figures of his time. <ref>Hastings, p. 13</ref> Churchill, from his youth, was a charismatic figure. He earned fame while still in his twenties, as a war journalist and for his exploits during the Boer War. Churchill joined the Conservative Party and eventually elected an M.P. During the First World War, he served as First Lord of the Admiralty (1911-_1965_ZZZ5426F_(115), in effect, he was in command of the British navy.jpg|thumbnail|200px|Winston Churchill was later forced to resign after the failure of the Gallipoli landings, in military uniform 1915. Churchill later served as an officer in 1895]]the British army on the western front.
==Appeasement==
[[File:Winston_Churchill_1874_-_1965_ZZZ5426F_(1).jpg|thumbnail|left|200px|Winston Churchill in military uniform in 1895]]Europe in the 1930's, saw the rise of dictators in Europe, as democracies collapsed, in the aftermath of the Great Depression. Hitler seized power in Germany and he immediately began to establish a dictatorship in Germany. He dismantled the provisions of the Versailles Treaty and contrary to its terms, he expanded the army and rapidly began to rebuilt the Germany arms industries.<ref> James, Robert Rhodes. ''[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BO1KMC/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000BO1KMC&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=220db8c453a51701fea9c803c9dfef97 Churchill: A Study in Failure, 1900–1939]''(Harper Press, London, 1970), p. 134 </ref> Soon the German’s were acting in an aggressive manner, for example, they re-occupied the Rhineland. Churchill warned against this and he stated in fiery speeches that Hitler was a danger to peace in Europe. However, he was widely dismissed at this time.<ref>James, p. 211</ref> The political elite in Britain at this time favoured a policy of appeasement, many believed that Germany had been too harshly treated under the Treaty of Versailles.
The British governments of Baldwin and later Chamberlin, favoured, with the French the policy of appeasement. That was to allow German to reassert itself on the continent and to pursue its own interests. This policy of appeasement would mean that the Germans would not go to war. By the mid-1930s, Nazi Germany, and Fascist Italy were becoming increasingly belligerent. The Italians invaded Ethiopia and the Nazis occupied Austria.<ref> Hastings, p. 117 </ref> Still the British and French governments did nothing. Churchill condemned the aggression of Italy and Germany and he deplored, what he saw as the weakness and cowardice of the British and French governments, in many speeches in the House of Commons and in newspaper articles.<ref>''The Times of London'', 13 June 1936</ref> He argued that their policy of appeasement was wrong and would only lead to a war and he called on them to stand up to Hitler before it was too late.
In 1938, Germany demanded the return of the Sudetenland, a German-speaking area in Czechoslovakia to Germany. This almost led to a war. However, Chamberlin, the current British Prime Minister, allowed the Germans to occupy the Sudetenland in exchange for German reassurances that they would seek no more territory in Europe in the so-called Munich Agreement of 1938. <ref>Hastings, p. 134</ref> Within months, Hitler had broken the agreement and by 1939, it was widely expected that Europe would once again be plunged into war. Churchill, had predicted much of this and the British public recognized that their government’s had been wrong. <ref> Hastings, p. 119</ref> Many believed that if Churchill had been heeded, Hitler may have been stopped. Churchill became the most popular politician in Britain. Many began to call for him to lead the country. These people even included those who had previously derided him as a crank. Churchill was viewed as remarkably prescient and who potentially understood Germany's ultimate goals better than anyone else in Parliament.
==Outbreak of War==
[[File: Wc0107-04780r.jpg|thumbnail|300px|left|Winston Churchill- 1940]]In September 1939, the German war machine invaded Poland and Europe was once more at war. The British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlin declared war on Nazi Germany. The British adopted a cautious policy. The send the British Expeditionary Force to France . The Allied British and they and the French adopted a defensive posture and waited for a German attack. This was the period of the Phoney War, where the allies waited for Hitler’s next move.<ref> Hastings, p. 117 </ref> Chamberlin knew that Churchill, was wildly popular, and he invited him to join the war cabinet and the First Lord of the Admiralty, on the day that Britain declared war on Germany. Churchill began to prepare the British navy for war against Germany. Many believed that Chamberlin invited Churchill to join the war cabinet to ensure that he did not cause problems for the government in the House of Commons. It proved to be a popular move and the public welcomed Churchill’s return to the cabinet, they saw him a leader, someone who could beat the Germans. Poland was defeated within weeks by Germany and after the Molotov-Rippentrop pact, Hitler could turn his attention to the western allies. Churchill wanted to adopt an aggressive approach and wanted the British and French to attack Germany and he proposed that the Allies occupy Norway, to prevent it from falling into the hands of the Germans.<ref> Hastings, 211</ref> In the Spring of 1940, the German navy and army attacked Norway, even though it was a neutral nation. The country was of great strategic importance and it was the main source of Germany's iron ore. <ref>Hastings, p. 117 </ref>
Many believed that Chamberlin invited Churchill to join the war cabinet to ensure that he did not cause problems for the government in the House of Commons. It proved to be a popular move and the public welcomed Churchill’s return to the cabinet. Poland was defeated within weeks by Germany and after the Molotov-Rippentrop pact, Hitler turned his attention west towards France. Churchill argued strongly in favor of an aggressive strategy. He wanted the British and French to attack Germany and he proposed that the Allies occupy Norway, to prevent it from falling into the hands of the Germans.<ref>Hastings, 211</ref> In the Spring of 1940, the German navy and army attacked Norway, even though it was a neutral nation. Like Churchill, Germany realized that Norway had great strategic importance. When Germany invaded Norway it was the main source of their iron ore and they need to keep Norway's iron ore following to Germany. <ref>Hastings, p. 117 </ref> ==Battle of Norway== The Allies dispatched forces to Norway to help the Norwegian army to beat back the German invaders, but it was too late. The Germans had landed paratroopers in the country and rapidly reinforced these forces with several divisions of German infantry . Germany quickly and they had easily defeated the Norwegian army. The French and the British arrived too late and in too few numbers.The Norwegian army regrouped in the north of the country, here they were joined by British and French forces. There were several fierce battles and the Allies out up a fierce resistance. The Allies and the Norwegian were forced to evacuate their units from the Norwegian port of Narvik, taking with them the king of Norway and his government. The ‘loss’ of Norway caused consternation in Britain and many feared that it could be used as a base to attack the British mainland. Once again Churchill had been proven right and if he had been heeded the allies could have held Norway. The public outcry over Norway meant that people had lost faith in the Conservative government and resulted in calls for the resignation of Neville Chamberlin.<ref> Hastings, 213</ref> Many Conservatives believed that it was time for a change, for the good of the country.
==Churchill’s appointment as Prime Minister May 1940==
On May 10th, the Germans invaded western Europe.<ref> ''The Times of London'', 11 May 1940 </ref> They launched coordinated attacks on the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. London was in a panic and many believed that a German victory was inevitable. The British people demanded that a National Government, be put in place, comprising the Conservative, Labour and the Liberal Party. It was believed that such were the dangers that only a National Government, as in World War I could save the country. It was widely believed that Lord Halifax would become prime minister, but he was unwilling. He had been too much associated with the appeasement policy of Europe and he . It was rumored that Halifax had been even rumored to have favored seeking peace with the GermansGermany. The public was overwhelmingly in favor favored Churchill, and they saw him as someone who could lead their country to victory, however. However, many of the British political elite believed that Churchill was too much of a maverick and was too unpredictable. Perhaps crucially, in the appointment of Churchill was the reaction of favored by the British armed forces. He was genuinely popular with the rank and file and the . Additionally, British officers and was widely seen saw Churchill as someone who would could successfully fight the GermansGermany.
==National Hero==
==Conclusion==
The appointment of Winston Churchill, as Prime Minister was a remarkable turn of events. He had long been in the political wildernessfor some time. However, his tireless opposition to the appeasement of Hitler and , his great oratory skills, and writingsensured that he remained a political force during this time. Eventually, made him hugely popular his firmly held beliefs and courage increased his popularity in Britain, despite, and even overcame the British Establishment distrusting 's distrust of him. Ultimately, it This led his country to call on him at its darkest hour. <div class="portal" style="width:85%;"> ==Related DailyHistory.org Articles==*[[What were the goals of the Axis powers and the Soviet Union during World War Two?]]*[[How Did the German Military Develop Blitzkrieg?]]*[[What was his history the impact of long-term opposition to the Nazis Irish Famine on Ireland and his never-say-die attitude that led to him becoming the leader world?]]*[[How did Mussolini become Prime Minister of Italy?]]*[[The Nazi triumph: how did Adolf Hitler become the Fuehrer of Britain, Germany?]]*[[Why was France defeated in its life-or-death struggle with Hitler.1940?]]</div>{{mediawiki:WWII}}
==References==
[[Category:British History]] [[Category:Military History]][[Category:World War Two History]][[Category:European History]] [[Category:20th Century History]]
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