Title Graphic

HISTORY OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR

UNITED KINGDOM CIVIL SERIES

Edited by W. K. HANCOCK

BRITISH WAR ECONOMY

By W. K. Hancock

Fellow of All Souls, Oxford; Chichele Professor of Economic History

and

M. M. Gowing

B.Sc. (Econ.)

LONDON 1949
HMSO


CONTENTS

Page
PREFACE vii

PART I: PERSPECTIVE


CHAPTER I: PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE

i.
The Tradition of War Finance
3
ii.
The Beginnings of Economic Control
12
iii.
Towards Coordination
29


CHAPTER II: BETWEEN THE WARS

i.
The Processes of Planning 41
ii.
The First Phase: Concept of a Great War 46
iii.
The Second Phase: Rearmament 62

PART II: PERIOD OF THE ANGLO-FRENCH
ALLIANCE


Statistical Summary
75


CHAPTER III: ORGANISATION AT THE CENTRE

i.
Powers of Government
83
ii.
Mechanism of Government 88
iii.
Strategical Background 95


CHAPTER IV: CASH AND CARRY

i.
Overseas Supply 101
ii.
Cash 106
iii.
Carry 120


CHAPTER V: MOBILISATION

i.
The First Phase 136
ii.
Manpower Policy
143


CHAPTER VI: TOWARDS A LEVEL ECONOMY

i.
Introductory 151
ii.
Financial and Price Policies 156
iii.
The Civilian Economy 172


CHAPTER VII: INTER-ALLIED WAR ECONOMY

i.
Preparations 179
ii.
The Record of Nine Months 184
--v--

PART III: FROM DUNKIRK TO PEARL HARBOR


Statistical Summary
199


CHAPTER VIII: 'IF NECESSARY FOR YEARS, IF NECESSARY, ALONE'

i.
Alone
209


CHAPTER IX: LEND-LEASE
i.
Growth of American Support 224
ii.
First Fruits of Lend-Lease
235


CHAPTER X: WAR TRANSPORT
i.
The Effects of the Fall of France on Shipping 248
ii.
The Shipping Struggle
254
iii.
Inland Transport
268


CHAPTER XI: MANPOWER
i.
Dimensions of the Task 281
ii.
Methods of Achievement
296


CHAPTER XII: THE COST OF INCREASING EFFORT
i.
'Hardship our Garment' 315
ii.
The Inflationary Gap
325

PART IV: FROM PEARL HARBOR TO
NORMANDY


Statistical Summary
347


CHAPTER XIII: THE NEW PROPORTIONS OF THE WAR

i.
Economc Aspects of the New Alliances
359
ii.
British-American Procedure
378
iii.
Strategy
405


CHAPTER XIV: OUTLINE OF SHIPPING
i.
The Effects of Pearl Harbor 412
ii.
The Months of Crisis
417
iii.
Towards D-Day
435


CHAPTER XV: MANPOWER
i.
Manpower Budgeting 438
ii.
Implementing the Budgets
452

--vi--



CHAPTER XVI: COAL AND TRANSPORT

i.
Introductory
466
ii.
Coal
467
iii.
Transport
480


CHAPTER XVII: THE CIVILIAN ECONOMY

i.
The Lean Years
491
ii.
Financial Policy
501

PART V: AFTER NORMANDY


CHAPTER XVIII: STAGE TWO

i.
The Task Ahead
515
ii.
Britain's Dilemma
518
iii. Anglo-American Negotiations
524


CHAPTER XIX: TOWARDS PEACE

i.
Wartime Reconstruction Plans
534
ii.
Some Costs of the War
546


INDEX
559


UNPUBLISHED SOURCES
589

--vii--


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