ABSTRACT
Lloyd George came in with a flood of promises to improve the manpower situation. Lloyd George became premier in undisguised alliance, even dependence upon, the Unionists. One half of the Liberal Party had reduced itself to impotence: the other steadily began to betray everything Gladstonian Liberalism stood forThe lacklustre tenure of Neville Chamberlain as manpower controller, a period of fewer men and galloping exemptions. The strength of the British Expeditionary Force peaked in 1917, and it would thereafter inevitably decline unless there were some radical departure in policy. Conscription had been introduced in 1916. The Lloyd George government was no different. While it was acting with greater vigour and effectiveness against dissent. Meanwhile, events in Europe, by providing an example to British dissenters, were increasing the association of dissent with existing grievances. And also providing a programme and vehicles through which it could be expressed.
