The People's War and Peace, 1939–1951 (A-level only) Key Terms

Appeasement

A diplomatic policy aimed at avoiding conflict by making concessions to an aggressor, notably used by Chamberlain towards Hitler.

Welfare State

A system in which the government takes responsibility for the economic and social well-being of its citizens, significantly expanded under Labour post-1945.

Post-war Economic Readjustment

The process of transitioning from a wartime economy to a peacetime economy, involving changes in production, employment, and government policy.

Labour's Economic Policies

A series of measures implemented by the Labour government from 1945 to 1951, including nationalisation and welfare reforms, aimed at stabilizing the economy.

Conscription

Mandatory enlistment for military service, introduced in Britain during World War II to meet the demands of total war.

Civil Liberties

The personal freedoms that are protected from government interference, which were restricted during the war for security reasons.

Labour divisions

Internal conflicts within the Labour Party that weakened its position and contributed to its electoral defeat in 1951.

Conservative reorganisation

The restructuring of the Conservative Party in the late 1940s and early 1950s, which helped it regain power in the 1951 election.