# Winston Churchill becomes prime minister (1940)

URL: https://english-history.com/timeline/1940-winston-churchill-becomes-prime-minister
Categories: ruler-change, main-event

Churchill replaced Chamberlain as Germany invaded western Europe. Within the broader Early 20Th Century & World Wars period, mass democracy, the two world wars, Irish partition, economic crisis and the rise of Labour remade the political and social order. This event is placed at 10 May 1940 in the chronology so it can be read alongside the political, military, social and cultural changes around it. His wartime leadership became central to Britain's national memory of resistance.

## Why it matters
His wartime leadership became central to Britain's national memory of resistance.

Ruler at the time: [George VI](https://english-history.com/rulers/george-vi)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia topic lookup — Winston Churchill becomes prime minister](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Search?search=Winston+Churchill+becomes+prime+minister&go=Go)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica topic lookup — Winston Churchill becomes prime minister](https://www.britannica.com/search?query=Winston+Churchill+becomes+prime+minister)
- [Wikipedia — Timeline of British history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_British_history)
- [The National Archives — twentieth-century resources](https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/)