routledge+history+of+literature+in+english

The twentieth century: 1945 to the present
561
power. Right-wing extremism (known as Fascism) had
begun in Italy as a reaction against Bolshevism, and
spread to Germany and Spain. Hitler, however, had
territorial ambitions for Germany’s ‘Third Reich’ and
was viciously racist
1936–39 The Spanish Civil War. Britain did not officially support
either side, but many individuals opposed the victorious
General Franco’s right-wing political challenge to the
monarchist status quo (which was restored on Franco’s
death in 1975)
1938 Hitler’s German forces occupied Austria, following the
failure of diplomatic moves towards unification
1939 Hitler occupied Czechoslovakia, despite warnings from
Western neighbours, including Britain, which
strengthened alliances with other countries. When Hitler
invaded Poland, the Second World War was declared
1940 Winston Churchill (aged 66) became leader of the British
National government
1941 Japan, with its own territorial ambitions in Asia, attacked
the American naval base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii.
The United States of America joined the war in the
Pacific and in Europe
1945 Hitler’s forces were defeated in Europe, in the spring.
The war against Japan continued until August, when
the USA dropped the first two atomic bombs on
Hiroshima and Nagasaki
THE TWENTIETH CENTURY:
1945 TO THE PRESENT
1945 Britain’s first party political elections for many years
rejected Churchill, and a Labour-led government, under
Clement Attlee, was elected (to 1951). Major industries
(for example, railways, coal-mines) were nationalised
1946 The free National Health Service was established. The
League of Nations was dissolved, having never received
a political consensus. In its place, the United Nations
Organisation was established. The Western democracies
severely distrusted the politics of Stalin’s USSR, to
whom, as allies who had helped to win the war, a
major influence over the whole of Eastern Europe was