Clement Attlee
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- Опубліковано 2 січ 2014
- Properly entitled 'The improbable Mr Attlee', this film by Professor David Reynolds examines the career and premiership of Clement Attlee, the Labour prime minister of Britain from 1945 to 1951. It charts the attempt to introduce large-scale socialism into post-war Britain, and it will be of value to students of the politics and the period. See also 'The 1945 UK General Election', also on this channel. Uploaded for educational purposes only. Any advertising that appears is unbidden.
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Born post-war, single-parent family on benefit, university, good career, now only in retirement do I understand what I owe to the 1945 government. They gave me a chance. Thankyou.
Scroungers
They certainly gave many more British people a chance to be someone as we are all aware of what would have happened under another Tory government. Its scandalous to witness these wealthy tories today strip the NHS out of sheer spite and they've created a 2 Tier system where our treatment (Even access to treatment!) is based on your lifestyle and if you meet the judgemental ideas of being worthy of help by our much feted NHS staff. I write this on a day that Junior Doctors are striking for more pay. God help my son and his future...
The 60s started to ruin this and the 90s put a nail in the coffin to this.
As Tony Benn said, Attlee's government thought that if they could spend so much for the war effort, then why shouldn't they be able to spend so much on making people's lives better. Thank you Mr. Attlee, for our wonderful NHS.
Eddy Westby he undoubtably should be thanked for the NHS. Maybe some of the dead Palestinians and Indians caused by Attlee's hurried withdrawals just to save a few quid could have used it.
TheJMascis666 True, true
because it was all borrowed money from Uncle Sam, pal!
@@redwine2664 The stinking Americans got the money back you oaf
@Hissam Ullah If you read about the Mountbatten time in India you will know that he had little to do with the decision making of the partition, or our withdrawal. It was all decided back home in Westminster, in advance of his arrival, and he was sent out as a stooge. Go see the film.
The improbable Mr Attlee was one of the UK's most innovative prime ministers whom history often overlooks
I'm in total agreement. Attlee was monumental both at home and abroad. I cannot think of another 20th century Prime Minister to match Churchill’s accomplishments other than Attlee.
@@Doobydoobydoo1974 Well said
Is ant told her that he is the son og hiltlres unmarried wife
@@Doobydoobydoo1974 - Thatcher was very close.
@@Doobydoobydoo1974 Thatcher was far greater than the overrated Churchill, or Attlee.
In a functional democracy, public health, public education, and public accountability, are indispensable preconditions.
No, in a functional first world society they are
While I would not say I am a Labour voter, I have to say Clement Atlee is criminally underrated and unkown as a prime minister. Looking at the challenge and difficulty his government had to face makes today look like paradise.
If by underrated you mean the end of the indigenous English lifestyle and way of life, you're quite right. All the immigration is all thanks to Attlee. England would be Venezuela had Labour and Attlee had their way by 51 and all business and industry fall under the purview of government. Only Lenin could have been seen as a greater man....
"But there’s a side to Attlee that has been overlooked by historians: his intimate relationship with British intelligence and the significant part he played in the formation of Britain’s Cold War “secret state”, which laid the foundations for its current intelligence setup. The truth would leave many of Attlee’s admirers on the left today aghast."
@@crforfreedom7407 i hope you did not use HNS then
Britain was in HUGE debt to the US - that was the biggest issue IMHO....
was he a criminal like most other politicians?
Instead of far off imperial assets that benefited the few. Atlee's Labour government invested in people. He made modern Britain. A wealthy modern country.
He had reminds me of a bloke trying to renovate a house without a budget.
Are you kidding? The UK has been a pauper since WWII compared to before. Attlee had a part in it, though most of the loss in wealth was due to wars and giving up the empire.
Yes. By stealing from other countries. (Coup D'etat 1953).
@@californiaslastgasp6847 Like they said, the time of empire saw immense riches, but only for the elite. Attlee helped spread wealth across the population but now Neoliberalism has slowly eroded that.
@@californiaslastgasp6847 The empire was no longer profitable. As the natives get more educated and more rifles keeping controll will become more costly. Eventually britian would have collapsed from atrittion fighting all over the world. And all the war crimes and genocides it would have had to commit to keep its empire would have strained us relations and probably get you kicked from NATO as you would be a liability, really dooming britain.
One has to admire both Truman and Attlee who followed in the footsteps of giants. But their low-key, belied an internal strength and power.
Ok.
Truman😂😂😂😂😂
Admire the man who dropped atomic bombs on Japan despite knowing they had been trying to surrender since a may and knowing full well that it could start an arms race that could possibly destroy the world
@@BattlestarZenobiaThere were elements of the Japanese Government that wanted Peace but that's not the same as surrendering and they didn't even have enough support for that to make it happen.
To anyone interested in finding out more about Attlee I thoroughly recommend “Citizen Clem” by John Bew . I just finished reading it, and my already great appreciation for Clem has been heightened even more. An inspiring, moving and outstanding read for anyone, regardless of political opinion
Fully agree, fantastic book
100% agree. Excellent book.
@@That_Random_Bloke Should I read the book before watching the documentary?
Fantastic book. Obviously biographies are usually favourable but you get a real sense that he’s the pm with the most integrity we’ve ever had.
@@jmccullough662 No, but the book will give you a far deeper insight into his background, his war service and the rivalries within the Labour Party. Both are extremely enjoyable.
This is a PM that rebuilt & created big projects that improved normal people's lives immeasurably after the greatest of conflicts. This is the UK's greatest PM.
+ProblemChimp this is the PM who started the rise into current levels of debt and inflation.
what are you talking about, the debt was less and inflation was higher back then
FurryAminal wasn't the Asquith in 1914? We only paid off the last of the debts from both WW1 and WW2 in the 1990s.
Clement Attlee was Britain's worst PM. Attlee was a conservative who infiltrated and destroyed the British Labour Party. Attlee was instrumental in dismantling Britain's Empire, flooding the UK with immigrants, subordinating Great Britain to the USA via NATO and establishing a Zionist State in Israel. 'He looked and spoke like an insignificant elderly clerk, without distinction in the voice, manner or substance of his discourse. To realise that this little nonentity is the Parliamentary Leader of the Labour Party... and presumably the future P.M. [Prime Minister] is pitiable.' Beatrice Webb, 1940. Attlee advocated that the Labour Party abandon Socialism for Social Liberalism and described himself as 'Left of Centre'. The Labour Party has been a Liberal offshoot of the Conservative party ever since, dominated by its Right faction. Attlee's policies were never sustainable and were smoke & mirrors to distract you from the real mission - the total abject submission of the UK to the USA, the LR complete destruction of British industry, the disintegration of the UK & a commitment to the project of a Greater Israel at the commons expense. Nationising industry, legislating on 'fair wages' is a sure way to condemn it to inefficiency and complete inability to compete in a world market. Attlee taxed the wealth of the country, destroying its source and squandered everything on unsustainable social programmes. That UK industry is today a total graveyard is testimony to Attlee's ruinous policies.
People today trash on him, but I doubt Churchill or Thatcher could have done any different or better in the circumstances he faced.
A modest man who is the best peacetime prime minister of the united kingdom and Churchill's deputy through the war, a political giant
his government did make mistakes, particularly over korea, but on the whole he achieved more in 6 1/2 years than any other government before or since (even Asquith and Thatcher).
Sadly, a man like Attlee wouldn't make it in politics today, socially awkward, uncharismatic and unflamboyant.
The greatest prime minister or politician ever. A true great.
alexwagbo Yes,Churchill's snide remarks re. Attlee were quite out of place.
Churchill and Attlee were great friends. Attlee had a picture of himself and Churchill and the king on his mantle
So true and I think every year we see how he was the best we ever had
Can't help seeing Patrick Stewart in a biopic of Atlee if ever one were to be made.......................and I think it's about time one was.
He's far too old.
@@markharrison2544 -- Makeup departments can do wonders!
@@gregb6469 Stewart is older than Attlee was when he died.
He may be older but he has 'aged well' if u compare him when he took on the role of Picard in Star Trek with now that is apparent.
Also he certainly has the talent to do Attlee justice And his heart would be in it as he is a Labour supporter.
@@markharrison2544 That's wrong Stewart is 78 and Attlee was 84 when he died.
although I've been a professional musician since the age of 12, I studied history in college and have remained a devoted lover of history most of my life. Dr Brown has given us so many excellent videos, that history remains a vibrant topic!
+David Maslow Thank you, David. There are plenty more to come, but as my website explains, I'm working under certain restrictions at the moment! Regards - Alan.
The song starting at 26:28 ("The Wind on the Lake") is one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard. This is a wonderful documentary for so many (admittedly more important) reasons, but this song gives "The Improbable Mr Attlee" a special place in my heart.
Thank you so much for posting this.
BBC documentaries are the best by a country mile. Thanks for sharing; Dr Alan Brown.
Thanks for the upload, never learnt about Attlee in our History GCSE course
THank you very much for having so many gems like these on your Channel
Good documentary Alan. It,s me again Andreas from Cyprus. My father served Clement Atlee when Atlee was pm. Dad you used to work in Regent Palace Hotel, Lodon. My father commented that Atlee was a very kind man, and simple in his behaviour, and even made way for the waiters to serve him. That surprised my father, who was 19 yrs old, as they looked upon Atlee not only as British pm but also a reformer.
meant ...dad used to ... and also ...London...
Hi Andreas, glad you enjoyed another film! I have another concerning Attlee that I will upload soon, so be sure to check for it. My old History tutor at university also knew Attlee personally, and he described the man in a very similar way to your Dad. it seems he was a true 'gentleman' but also a wily political performer who knew how to handle a difficult Cabinet. Thanks again - Alan.
Alan Brown You are most welcome. I really enjoy watching the documentaries. Thanks. Andreas.
Probably the era I have the most respect for! Despite all its problems, financial and internal, one can't deny that the labour party under Attlee did give Britain a state that benefited everyone, and continues to do so all these years later. Despite all the changes and inefficiencies attached to it, the basic access to human welfare and care, to which I believe everyone is entitled, is still there. Why we don't hear more about this age and its lessons and yet we have the era of Thatcherism rammed down our throats as if it was so wonderful is a mystery to me and I think reflects the unfortunate change in society as a result of the Thatcher era and it reflects certain upper 'agendas'.
Excellent comment, thank you very much.
Yes it really annoys me when I hear Mrs Thatcher described as "The PM who saved Britain".. If any could even remotely lay claim to that title it would be Atlee. Even Mrs Thatcher admired him and described him as "All substance and no show", while Churchill led the country during the war, Atlee ran it and would shape it for decades to come.
sonofcy She was instrumental in saving Britain. Good old Jim admitted if he were younger he would have left the UK. That IMF bailout was due to horrible mismanagement. Lee Kuan Yew a committed socialist admitted that in aggregate terms government owned industry typically cant outperform private industry. He said in the last Charlie Rose interview the incentive to work devilish hours is greater when you are doing it for personal gain.
Peter Bradshaw But why should we have to live in this system where intrinsic self worth is only measured materially? Health wise, working devilishly long hours is not good, and what's more, with the currant legislation as regard employers rights over employees, there is no guarantee that working long and hard will get you any where. It my mind, Thatcher regressed this country back to the 30's. So called economic liberalism really being a mask for sclerotic cronyism (although, it is possible Thatcher herself did not intend this, but it was inevitable when you prioritise mere 'profit motive' over all else) I will concede that someone like her was necessary to deal with union militancy and, indeed, there were areas such as heavy industry that the Government had no business being in, as well as extortionate taxation. But its a shame she lasted beyond 1985 in my opinion.
Key infrastructural services such as health and transport for an industrialised nation do work as privatized entities, as we see from the fact that we have the highest fares in Europe for the lowest return and also how badly private care trusts run NHS hospitals. I don't see Thatcher's legacy benefitting anyone over the course of time other than the very rich. I don't think it can be denied that, in terms of national quality of life, what the Labour government did after the war has had a more lasting impact and benefitted the population the most.
Excuse me...of course the line in the second paragraph should read '...health and transport for an industrialised nation DON'T work as privatized entities'.
David Reynolds is the Wayne Gretzky of 20th century history documentaries. He always makes a beautiful goal. Thanks for uploading this too!
Fascinating! Thanks so much for posting it.
Probably one of the best ends to any documentary with that limerick and the look of joy on Reynolds' face :-)
Thanks for all the videos
Can't Thank You enough for sharing these video's
Best prime minister in british history
Britain is yet to have a real prime minister. That is a future probability.
This is a great channel. Right or wrong, as an American I've always seen British history as my own, no different than, say, the American Civil War, and my interest cannot end with the Revolutionary War or the First Continental Congress.
***** Thank you! Stay in touch because I still have some fine films to share. Regards - Alan.
Fascinating. Thank you so much...
I simply love this channel. So educational and entertaining at the same time.
That's good to hear. Mohamed, thank you for the comment.
Thanks for the upload!!
These are trully wonderful documentaries. Thanks so very much. Garry Harriman, South Carolina, USA and a very grateful British ex pat.
Love your channel. Keep up the good work and thanks for the uploads
Thank you, Touria!
I hope the Labour candidates and party are watching this documentary.
+AmNotHere911 I'm sure corbyn will never forget attlee, bevin and benn
RED D looks like he has now
Look at the poor selection standing for the leadership now!
Good documentary. This professor is a good presentOR!
This documentary is so heavy on Shostakovitch. I love it!
In the beginning of the video, there was some of Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet.
Lovely music, I agree.
Hard to believe Tony Blair came from the same party.
True, Paul. Attlee was 'old socialism', not the 'champagne' variety of Blair and co!
Alan Brown do you have any films on Nye Bevan?
Sorry, Paul, I don't.
+Paul “pknitty86” Knittel why they were both moderates
Thats not what people were saying at the time.
Thanks for the upload, it's a boon for anyone interested in History's improbable characters,
My old History tutor adored Attlee, but we separated in our opinions as I neared the end of my degree. Although I think he had some wonderful ideas for the nation, and he was truly a sincere man, he allowed the socialist's habit of wanting everything too soon to divert him from a more measured programme of recovery which might have delivered prosperity for a while. As it was, the creation of the NHS nearly bankrupted the UK.
Alan Brown I think the most interesting scenario would be what if Bevin had gone to the treasury (as Attlee planned to). With a strong chancellor at the centre of the government, Britain's economic recovery would have probably been much more stable, and might have led to a british "wirtschaftswunder"
I really enjoy the documentaries presented by Professor David Reynolds - his knowledge and passion for his topics draws you in. He presents an excellent documentary on Stalin which is also on UA-cam.
America should have hung it's head in shame over the loans interest, it almost crippled the UK for decades. It says something for Atlees' government that the UK still managed to bring in the NHS, build much needed housing etc even with this millstone around its neck. The sum borrowed was paltry when viewed in light of the USA's wealth at the time. I well remember post war shortages and deprivation. Rationing only finally finished in 1953 and we went without so much to fund this debt. I can see my poor widowed mother bursting into tears when it was announced that bread was to be rationed in the late 40's. It was the staple food along with potatoes that kept us from severe hunger.
Richard DavisThe Americans only joined in the war after Pearl Harbour when their own interests were affected..............they didn't form an army for the sake of the UK or the rest of Europe.
After World War 1 we were trying to avoid another disastrous war only 20 years after the first.
In hindsight, (and isn't that a wonderful thing?) we were wrong and we left intervention too late.
.We might indeed have avoided war but finally joined in when the counties bordering Germany fell one by one to the Nazis, were we wrong to do this?
Don't tell me the USA never made a dreadful decision! Vietnam comes to mind.
Sue Harvey The British, along with the French, created the conditions for WWII with the Versailles Treaty at the conclusion of WWI and with non-enforcement of those conditions. The U.S. was against those conditions.
We didn't ask England to come to our aid in Vietnam. We did not create the conditions for our involvement in Vietnam. We did not ask England for loans. It's a false comparison. It's "Pearl Harbor", by the way.
OllytheOl
I am not a member of the U.S. Government.
+Richard Davis Actually the Americans did request that Britain supply troops to Vietnam,thankfully we refused to send them.
migspit
If that is true, and I don't think that it is, it was a bit ungrateful of the Brits. The U.S. did send an entire army across the Atlantic Ocean to assist the British and all of Europe, didn't they?
A wonderful prime minister who genuinely cared for his people and there lives we need his like back again
Clement Atlee, Churchill, MacMillan and Wilson - what a superb set of PMs
Thanks very interesting.
CR Attlee headed the first post war Labour Government and the achievements of that Government were remarkable and set the tone for years ahead -witness the achievements of the NHS still highly regarded 70 years on. Indeed to this day the reforms of then hold good and set the tone right up to this day..
I love Reynolds' clipped delivery!
Oh, if only my country, the United States had something like the National Health, we'd all be better off health wise that is.
+David Maslow Really? Do you want to wait more than four hours in ER, do you want to wait 6 months to a year for an operation, 7 weeks to begin cancer treatment after months waiting to see a consultant? Do you want skeleton crew working on weekends in hospitals? Do you want to not be able to receive certain drugs because they are too expensive? Do you want to wait a week to see a family doctor?
+Iain1962 In the U.S., no insurance, no health care! Something is better than nothing I've always felt.
+David Maslow You have a different problem in the US, Tort law. If a medical practitioner makes a mistake he/she can be sued for ridiculous sums, this forces them to have expensive insurance policies for which in return the insurance companies force them to do more than might be necessary to guard against being sued, which makes it all very expensive. If there was a cap on awards to people who have suffered malpractice (say 1 or 2 million dollars max) then healthcare would be much cheaper for all. Believe me you do not want a nationalised health system it's just rationing, anything that is handed out "for free" results in queues and low standards, I have lived in many countries and the health care in the UK is atrocious by comparison.
+Iain1962 A good observation!
There is no perfect system. Even in Switzerland they have their problems. I think national insurance that is bare bones with private supplementary insurance is about as good as we can get.
Fascinating! Much stuff new to me: thanks.
Coming from a Labour background I was brought up on The Spirit of 1945, the great social interventions have been undermined by The Conservatives ... "Its time for Labour" to come back into government and renew those social economic structures and renew The Spirit Of 1945.
The labour party aint like that anymore
Blair shat at everything
Thanks Dr Brown!
+David Maslow You're welcome, David! Regards - Alan.
Another Gooden. Thanks Dr Brown.
Clement Attlee is undoubtedly the best British Prime Minister ever, the only one where I can say I supported his major politics
He's an anathema for neoliberals and conservative cranks, that's why he's next to unknown today. He's at odds with the current ideological orthodoxy.
I may not be Brittish, but after watching the documentary, observing all the information implied, I recognize Attlee's achievements.
Professor Reynolds is a consummate actor. Bravo! 👏
Historian you mean that brings his topic is lifer . All this against the backdrop to Shostakovich's Leningrad symphony , slow , gradual and optimistic recovery.
Very interesting ; Here we have a man who thought and more and said less as David REYNOLDS says the complete ooposite of Churchills, description . A man who was more that meets the eye . His government probably acheived more socially in 5 years than 100 years previosly . That done in post war austerity . No future government would acheive as much . Perhaps the National unity created by the war ; was a major factor in all this social change . It was not long before prosperity in the 50s and a long reign of tory government s Macmillan 's phrase You've Never Had It So good was not due to him , for the ordinary person , All the major social and economic reforms were made by Atllee's government .
Anthony Brown You Liberals love free lunch, where do you think the government gets money from? You talk and act as though prosperity arises through government and central planning, when it is the market. Attlee blew the nations wealth leading to the ultimate decline after being bailed out by the IMF.
your faith in the market is religious what is money? but a means of exchange . What do you think quantitive easing is ? it proves money has no real value
Anyone can blow the wealth of the nation on socialism and personal freedom decline stealing future economic growth from the future, see my post at the top Singapore v Uk today. Attlee policies essential lead to the future bail out by the IMF. I dont think you really have any idea what QE is, that money was monetizing the debt debasing the currency to pay for socialism, another failed government institution- the Bank of England.
Anthony Brown people like you are just apologists for capitalism it was corporate greed that caused the financial meltdown and governments bailed them out . they use the markets for financial gain and never pay for their failure . People like Hitler can wipe out these people in a few years .
+Liberal Hunter "Attlee blew the nations wealth leading to the ultimate decline after being bailed out by the IMF." What nonsense. You can only be referring to the 1956 bailout, but if you watched the damned video you're posting under, you'd know that Attlee's government was running a surplus until his Chancellor came down (fatally) ill *at the same time* as his foreign minister, leading to him miscalculating and adding a wholly unnecessary additional £2bn to the defense budget.
Unless your argument's that liberals overspend on defense (lmfao) you're chatting shit, mate.
Unfortunately for Britain they could never rise above their past, always wanting to live in the "glory" of its ancient history. Still does.
While Churchill was flamboyant and travelled around, Attlee DID the spade work.
3:36 That catchy instrumental is from Shostakovich's Leningrad Symphony.
im just really diggin the narrator's impersonations.
During WW2 Britain had made striking advances in the theoretical development of a nuclear weapon - to the astonishment of the visiting American scientific deputation - but were unable (because of military and economic pressures) to fund the necessary building of the infrastructure to create a bomb. So, we freely handed over our atomic secrets to the USA, on the understanding that Britain would be given all the details of the advances made in the Manhattan Project. Unhappily, America reneged on the deal causing profound anger within the Labour Government, giving them a powerful incentive to unilaterally develop a British bomb, which they did (successfully) but at great cost, at a time when Great Britain was still struggling with the aftermath of a war which had almost bankrupted the country. (UK)
Incredible good documentary. good humor, gets across the importance of what happened, in the time when the US managed to establish the shackles of US unipolarity.
Yes,the good old days,when everyone had bugger all
when I first entered Britain in 1959, I believe I saw WW2 ruins still in view. I also found currency controls in the UK while in Turkey and Germany and Greece we had no controls. Attlee would have made a good cryptographer at Bletcheley :)
How things might have been without the financial contingencies of two world wars, the worst winter of the centuries and a new war in Korea.
A much underestimated man what he created in his 1945 government transformed society and the consensus held for 35 years. Rest in peace Clement Attlee thank you for all you gave us
Great documentary. I also went to Haileybury and I think he’s by far our best old boy although to be honest I only really discovered that after I left the school. I remember a week before Labour’s landslide victory of May 1997, we had a mock election complete with guest speaker Michael Portillo! The Tories won with 70% of vote, 20% for the Lib Dems and just 10% for Labour. I’m glad to say it’s the only time I voted for the Tories.
i don’t think many schools could have a former pupil who ranks close to attlee
politics never changes does it, great documentary
Kavon Fortin Thank you, Kavon, and I agree.
Love Prokoviev Romeo and Juliet in the background.
The UK’s greatest ever PM
Fantastic documentary. Can anyone please tell me the name of the classical music played between 1:43 and 2:50 at the start.
NEIL EASTON
Romeo and juliet op:64 act 3 - 48
Well done Proff David Reynolds.
and a Bristol accent to do Ernie Bevin prowd
4.41 Spitting image of Captain Mainwaring!
Classical music buffs: could somebody tell me what the very first piece is? Ominous, sounds like a march. Could be Shostakovich or Stravinsky.
what's the music that starts at 20:35?
one of the best Prime Ministers ever that everyone ignores simply because he's not Churchill and a Tory
Clem attlee is my great hero. I named my teddy bear after Clem attlee. I have had my teddy for 56years.
Rosemary Prior Your teddy would have probably been better with money than his namesake.
He is a True Hero!! Best PM ever!!! Amazing Social Reforms in times of Austerity! Inspirational!! Britain needs Jeremy Corbyn now!! Many Similarities!!! 2 very Clever Men! We need more of them!!
People say Churchill is as the greatest prime minister in British history but they forget Atlee’s role in the Second World War, his creation of the modern welfare state, and the establishment of the NHS. He is also commended for continuing the 'Special Relationship' with the US and active involvement in NATO.
Here in the USA we're always beat over the head with Churchill vs Chamberlain appeasement etc, etc. - a heroic template for a very specific situation abused for stupid incursions ever since. you have to go out of your way to find out about the greatest British PM of the 20th century. Attlee was amazing - his values, his agility, his ability to pick strong leaders like Bevan and Bevin and Cripps, his courage to stand alone, his anti-pomposity. He is one of my heroes, try finding another like him. When we think of those controversial/disastrous/over-hasty disengagements of 47, we should always remember that Britain was bankrupt and going it alone. I wonder , though, if US help would have been welcomed in Palestine at that time....
Please shut up.
Britain's greatest Prime Minister.
Paul Harris He had his achievements, he also had his flaws.
But then again, who doesn't!
How many the times has the support for Americans cost us independence, reputation and dire economic consequences. Korea, Iraq, Afghanistan. Wilson did such an amazing job to keep Britain out of Vietnam. If the Labour Government had taken advantage of the economic upturn by staying out of Korea, who knows what may have happened. Hugh Gatskill was a disaster, both as Chancellor and astonishingly he lost the 1959 election. Morisson should have be made Chancellor and younger MPs brought into the Government. Atlee was a great person. Lovely Limerick at the end
British soldiers served in the Vietnam War.
Churchill speaks to R.V. Jones late 1946
Jones - "I told him that I did not like the way the country was going, with strikes and the clamour for a 40-hour week..."
Churchill - "I could have given them a 40-hour week - if they would work for 40 hours!"
pg. 522 "Most Secret War" R.V. Jones (C) 1978
Not a man for the post war period, not then anyway.
You have to love Churchill ! The IDGAF about your feelings snaps but was very sensitive and not easily offended...tho militarialy he more mistakes and bungles than Monty even tho both got everyone needlessly killed for very little gain
This is so helpful for my A level history course, thank you! Do you know of any docs on the Conservative ascendancy that ensued after?
Hi, thank you. If it's A2 history you are doing, that must be coming up very shortly. Andrew Marr spent some time in his TV series on the post-Attlee political world, but I cannot find sufficient footage on UA-cam to point you towards. Perhaps the best on line might be Vernon Bogdanor with his lecture on the 1951-65 consensus. I've watched it myself, in relatively small does because it is rather one-dimensional, but it's packed full of information on the subject you want. You can find it here: Britain in the 20th Century: The Conservative Reaction, 1951-1965 Good luck with the rest of your exams.
Thank you very much, if only i found your channel sooner!
Then please tell your friends and lecturers. I'm told UA-cam channels can disappear in a flash, but the films might be of use to others while they are here! Best wishes - Alan.
Alan Brown Hello again! I was wondering if you knew of any docs based around the 2nd Labour government and economic depression? I've found lots of others for my course but there's a gap in my inventory for that period.
Thank you:)
MrGadrc Sorry, no. There was a series from the mid-nineties called "The People's Century" which contained some of that material (you might find some of it online) but I don't have them in my collection. Looks like you're stuck with the books on this one!
John Osborne's (Look Back in Anger author) mother would threaten her son: " If you don't eat up your dinner, you will grow-up looking like Clement Attlee."
Attlee wasn't taken in by the cant of drawing room socialism, communism, capitalism, the markets, or any other "ism." He was also a realist who gave the UK its independent nuclear deterrent after the Yanks withheld it, despite Britain's contribution to the Manhattan Project, probably costing more than the NHS to produce, despite Britain's huge wartime debt, described by Keynes as a financial Dunkirk.
He was a superb cabinet manager overseeing 347 Acts of Parliament, nationalization of key industries and a huge loan from the US. Bevan I and Bevan II were inspired choices for getting the NHS and nationalisation rolling and getting the UK out of India. Attlee knew that keeping them in the tent pissing out, was much safer than having them outside pissing in.
The currency crises of 1947 ended convertibility and reintroduced exchange controls. A palace coup to defenestrate Clem was deftly deflected by getting rid of Dalton and appointing another plotter, Cripps as Economics Minister and no. 2 to Clem and Chancellor of the Exchequer. Cripps introduced wage and import freezing and calorie intake was lower than in the last year of the war. However, Cripps was a productivity man who managed to get industry going again, reducing some of the austere rationing.
Further positivity was experienced by the Marshall Plan which enriched Britain to the tune of nearly $3.25 billion.
Bevan was also instrumental in the creation of NATO thereby uniting the democracies against the Soviet threat.
1949 however, saw the collapse of the Pound with Cripps resigning and Attlee taking charge at the Treasury. Labour devalued the Pound by 30%. 1950 saw an election Labour scraping home by 5 seats. An exhausted Labour now even saw a balance of payments surplus for the first time.
However, the Korean War in 1950 threw another spanner in the works with an unaffordable war budget that split the cabinet and forced the resignation of Nye Bevan. Ernest Bevan had already departed due to ill health.
Britain owes a huge debt to Clem and his mates. Churchill may have won the War but Clem and co. won the peace.
However, the British people were eventually tired of austerity and post war rationing and kicked Clem out and brought back Winston and 13 years of Tory rule. Apart from the period between 1973 and today, during EU membership, Britain has been a mess and looks like it is reverting to same under a new generation of Tories.
Incidentally, Attlee was a highly enthusiastic Terpsichore-an apparently. Put that in your cabbage and boil it, Mrs Osborne.
Well done Prof. Reynolds. Wonderful programme.
A man who truly worked for the people and protected the working class, we’ll never again have politicians of this calibre.
Keir Starmer is worthless. Labour has lost its way.
One day, Labour will find it's way.
And then he accepted an Earldom his grandson is a Tory peer in the House of Lords. Now Labour thinks that ordinary people's lives will be better once the House of Lords is gone...ridiculous how is having more elected corrupt politicians somehow better. End Life Peerages for one. And once the last Life Peer dies or resigns then no more in the Lords and bring back hereditary peers and only have the monarch male new ones not the Prime Minister
its a real shame Atlee has no role in The Crown
I can see Sir Ben Kingsley playing Attlee in a biopic, you heard it here first folks
What about Mark Rylance?
Great programme about a great man. But who at the BBC signed off the impressions clearly was having an off day 😂
Atlee had a quiet manner unlike many of the loud mouthed treacherous AH's that were to follow. Well done Mr. Atlee, well done.
A great upload, though I don't think Clem wanted to bring in 'large scale socialism', a lot of social and some economic reform, with dollops of socialism. But in a pragmatic sense, not really idealogically. Never for the sake of it.
I agree. He was less the communist and ore the social realist. thanks for the comments - much appreciated.
SSCFPA Very Sensible Social reformer! Clever Man!!! His Policies are similar to Corbyn's! It's what we need now!!
Clement Attlee set up our most vital and long lasting cherished services. He accomplished so much.
Interesting documentary. So have I got this right ? Near the end of the programme it's stated that the Labour government, although had fought many economic woes, actually laid the foundation for a better economic future for the UK that was enjoyed by many of the Conservative years ( 1951- 1964) ?
I'm a huge fan of David Reynolds, and he is having a ball here!
It looks good in retrospect, but as one who lived through that period after the war, it was hell - awful weather, rationing, and austerity.
I lived in England from 1970 to 1973 as a US military dependent. By our standards, England was a third world country then. We lived in a small, middle class village about 20 miles outside London. The majority of our neighbors didn't have a car, television, fridge, or washing machine. Their homes were tiny and sparsely furnished. Women went shopping every day, put perishables in the pantry and hoped they didn't spoil. By our standards, they were very poor, even though middle class.
I recently looked up our old village. It's full of large new homes that go for £700K. Times have changed...
I thank you for this usefull information about African imigration to U.K.
+Alfred Borg You're very welcome, Alfred.
Firstly, allow me to congratulate the uploader for this brilliant documentary.
Attlee had some great visionary ideas, however he couldn't really afford to pull them off.
The whole documentary is riddled with great triumphs for "Clem" with some massive mistakes to boot, which I suppose could be said for any politician.
"Even Mrs Thatcher didn't dismantle the NHS." True but Mr Cameron is giving it a good go.
MrMetalover666 Thatcher had a Good go too! Closed many hospitals!!
The one great British Prime Minister!
23:00
Actually the US did share its nuclear secrets with the Soviet Union, but that was through espionage.
The only real nuclear secret was the fact that nuclear weapons do not exist and that nobody can therefore produce one.
@51:54 Anyone else thinks Patrick Stewart looks a lot like Atlee did? It's in the profile.
Yes!