With the beginning of the First World War David Lloyd George, as Chancellor, tried to ensure that the country's finances were in a state as to be able to pursue the war successfully. It became increasingly clear that the economic structures of British industry were not flexible enough to allow this to happen, so with his experience as the President of the Board of Trade Lloyd George did much to bring about the necessary changes in industry. By the time of the formation of the coalition government in 1915 Lloyd George was attempting to establish a Ministry of Munitions and in May of the same year he was appointed as Minister for Munitions.