The debate over rearmament in the north east of England between November 1931 and November 1935

Abstract

The thesis examines the debate over rearmament that took place between the general elections of 1931 and 1935. The period is divided into two. The time between November 1931 and October 1933, and from October 1933 to November 1935. The region is restricted to the area between the Tyne and the Tees, and West to Durham. This area depended for much of its employment and prosperity on the industries of shipbuilding, coal, engineering and iron and steel, and therefore would be much affected by a turn up in production due to rearmament. The author attempts to gauge public opinion on the rearmament issue by examining the written word, in books, periodicals, documents, newspapers and minutes of groups. The activities of local pressure groups is noted as well as national groups with local branches. Reports of local meetings and demonstrations over the rearmament issue are examined, as well as the results of local elections and the Peace Ballot organised by the League of Nations Union. Local politicians provided a lot of information in speeches and articles they wrote at the time as well as books written later. The debate itself, and public opinion, changed as international events influenced the debate. The optimism of the World Disarmament Conference was followed by the pessimism of its failure. Worries over the rise of Fascism, the weakness of the League of Nations and the rearmament of other nations all influenced the debate until the General election of 1935 and the return of a national government committed to rearmament.