Albrecht Kesselring
(1885–1960)German air force chief and field-marshal who demonstrated great skill as an army commander in World War II, particularly during the defensive campaign in Italy.Commissioned in the Bavarian ...
Aneurin Bevan
(b. 15 Nov. 1897, d. 6 July 1960).British politician Born in Tredegar, Monmouthshire, he started work in a coalmine at the age of 13. He was active in the South Wales Miners' Federation, and was ...
Arthur Harris
(b. 13 Apr. 1892, d. 5 Apr. 1984).Head of British Bomber Command 1942–5 Born in Cheltenham, he joined the Royal Flying Corps in 1915, after having fought as a soldier in South‐West Africa. He rose ...
Beveridge Report
A report on social security, prepared by Sir William Beveridge during the Second World War, and published in 1944 as Full Employment in a Free Society. This was widely regarded as the basis for the ...
Cabinet Mission Plan
(16 May 1946)The last viable attempt to come to a peaceful solution to Indian independence and partition. The Indian elections of 1945–6 were won in the Hindu‐dominated constituencies by the ...
Charles de Gaulle
(1890–1970)French general and statesman, head of government (1944–46), President (1959–69). He served in the French army during World War I, and during World War II was a member of the Cabinet at the ...
Conservative Party
The less reformist of the (normally) two main parties in British politics. It has a longer history than any other political party, perhaps anywhere, with an institutional continuity under that name ...
Edward VIII
(1894–1972),king of Great Britain and Ireland, emperor of India (1936). Edward was the eldest son of George, duke of York, later King George V. A brief period at Oxford was followed by non‐combatant ...
Ernest Bevin
(1881–1951)British trade unionist and politician.Originally a farm worker in his native Somerset, he formed a branch of the Docker's Union in Bristol in 1910 and was one of the founders of the ...
Fabian Society
The Society took its name from the Roman dictator Fabius, nicknamed ‘Cunctator’, or delayer. It was founded in 1884 by a group of middle‐class intellectuals to further ‘the reconstruction of Society ...
Fabians
British socialists aiming at gradual social change through democratic means. The Fabian Society was founded in 1884 by a group of intellectuals who believed that new political pressures were needed ...
Frederick Alexander Lindemann
(1886–1957)German-born British physicist, who became scientific adviser to Winston Churchill and was created a viscount in 1956.The son of a wealthy Alsatian businessman, he was educated at schools ...
General Strike
The instrument by which syndicalists believed capitalism would be brought to its knees. The General Strike in Britain in May 1926 was not led by syndicalists, nor was it successful.
George Alfred Brown
(1914–85).Brown was one of the Labour Party's most colourful characters, becoming deputy leader (1960–70) and foreign secretary (1966–8). He entered Parliament in 1945 and occupied several minor ...
George Lansbury
(b. 22 Feb. 1859, d. 7 May 1940).British Labour leader 1931–5 Born near Lowestoft, Suffolk, Lansbury emigrated to Australia in 1884, but had an unsuccessful time there, and returned a year later. He ...
George VI
(1894–1952)King of the United Kingdom (1936–52) and the last Emperor of India (until 1947).Second son of George V, he was born at Sandringham House in Norfolk and was known as Prince Albert until his ...
Harold Laski
(1893 –1950)Political theorist Harold Laski was born in Manchester, England, and worked as a journalist before turning to teaching—successively at McGill University, Harvard University, and after ...
Harold Wilson
(1916–1995)British politician and Labour prime minister (1964–70; 1974–76), noted for his tactical skills in maintaining positive government with a very small majority. He was knighted in 1976 and ...
Herbert Morrison
(b. 3 Jan. 1888, d. 6 Mar. 1965).British Labour politician Born in Brixton, he left school at 14, and held a variety of jobs, ranging from shop assistant to telephone operator. The loss of sight in ...
Hugh Dalton
(b. Glamorganshire, 26 Aug. 1887; d. 13 Feb. 1962)British; Chancellor of the Exchequer 1945–7, Baron (life peer) 1960 The son of a Church of England canon, Dalton was educated at Eton and King's ...
