| |
Preface |
xv |
| Chapter |
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Page |
| I. |
The Outbreak of War: Allied Plans and Organization |
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The British ultimatum |
1 |
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The Attitude of the Commonwealth |
2 |
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|
War Cabinet and Chiefs of Staff |
4 |
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|
Anglo-French Organisation and Strategy |
9 |
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|
Preparations at Home |
17 |
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The Supreme War Council Meets: The Attitude of the U.S.A. |
19 |
| II. |
The Forces and the Plans for Their Expansion |
|
| |
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The Royal Navy |
23 |
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The Army; the 55 Division Target |
27 |
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The Royal Air Force |
33 |
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Air Training; the Commonwealth Scheme |
39 |
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|
Manpower and Finance |
40 |
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The Contribution of the Dominions and India |
42 |
| III. |
The German War Machine. The Polish Campaign. The Near East |
|
| |
|
The German War Machine |
47 |
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|
Hitler's Grand Strategy |
51 |
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The Polish Campaign |
54 |
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Allied Reactions |
59 |
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Hitler's Peace Offer and War Plans |
61 |
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|
Allied Policy in the Balkans |
63 |
| IV. |
The Economic War: The First Phase |
|
| |
|
The Blockade of Germany |
71 |
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The Attack on British Trade |
80 |
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The Defense of British Trade |
83 |
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The Shipping Problem |
89 |
| V. |
The Northern Iron: Finland |
|
| |
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The Scandinavian Ore Traffic |
91 |
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The Proposal to Mine the Leads |
93 |
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The Russians Invade Finland |
94 |
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The Idea of an Allied Expedition to Scandinavia |
100 |
| |
|
German Plans |
104 |
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Allied Plans Develop |
105 |
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|
The Finns Make Peace |
112 |
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|
German Plans Develop |
114 |
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Political Consequences |
116 |
| VI. |
The Norwegian Campaign |
|
| |
|
The Supreme War Council of March 28 |
119 |
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|
The German Plan and Its Execution |
124 |
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Allied Decisions |
125 |
| |
|
The British Higher Command |
129 |
| |
|
Narvik: Battles and Delays |
131 |
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|
Attempts to Capture Trondheim |
134 |
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|
The Decision to Evacuate Central Norway |
139 |
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|
The Fall of the Chamberlain Government |
143 |
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|
The Capture and Evacuation of Narvik |
145 |
| |
|
Reflections on the Campaign |
146 |
| VII. |
The Build-Up in France |
|
| |
|
The B.E.F.: Concentration, Chain of Command, Equipment |
151 |
| |
|
The R.A.F. in France; B.A.F.F. |
153 |
| |
|
Proposed Lines of Allied Resistance |
157 |
| |
|
The Dyle Plan Accepted |
162 |
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|
Bombing Strategy |
165 |
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|
The General Strategical Situation |
171 |
| VIII. |
The Campaign in the Low Countries and France |
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| |
|
The German Plans; Enemy and Allied Dispositions; the German Attack |
175 |
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The Churchill Government |
179 |
| |
|
The Strategic Air Offensive Unleashed |
182 |
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|
The Course of the Battle; the French Appeal for More Fighters; the Question fo Withdrawal |
182 |
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|
Weygand Succeeds Gamelin; His Plan |
189 |
| |
|
Defense Measures at Home |
193 |
| |
|
Operation DYNAMO |
194 |
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|
The Battle of France; Further Appeals for Fighters |
196 |
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|
The Fall of the Reynaud Government; the Armistice |
202 |
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|
Churchill and de Gaulle Speak |
206 |
| IX. |
The Immediate Consequences of the French Collapse (1) |
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| |
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The Chiefs of Staff's Appreciation of 25 May |
209 |
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The Question of the French Fleet |
217 |
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The Action at Mers-el-Kebir |
221 |
| X. |
The Immediate COnsequences of the French Collapse (2) |
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| |
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The French Colonies |
229 |
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The New Naval Situation |
230 |
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The Vichy Government |
231 |
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The Blockade; Control at Source |
232 |
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The Shipping Problem |
237 |
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Spain and Portugal |
238 |
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The United States: the Destroyer-Bases Deal |
239 |
| XI. |
Reorganisation and Rearmament, May-August 1940 |
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| |
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The Central Machinery |
247 |
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Service Programmes Reviewed |
251 |
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Manpower |
257 |
| |
|
Combined Operations, S.O.E. |
258 |
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Commonwealth and Allied Forces |
261 |
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German Reorganization |
265 |
| XII. |
The Defence of the Island |
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| |
|
i. Preparations |
|
| |
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Early defensive measures |
267 |
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German plans |
269 |
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The organisation of Home Defence: the Channel Islands, Eire |
271 |
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|
ii. The Crisis |
|
| |
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SEA LION and the Luftwaffe |
284 |
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The Battle of Britain |
286 |
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SEA LION cancelled |
289 |
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How serious was the threat? |
290 |
| XIII. |
Italy Enters the War. Dakar |
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| |
|
Italian Strategy and Organisation |
295 |
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|
British Strategy and Forces |
298 |
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The Reinforcement of the Middle East |
307 |
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French Africa; Dakar |
312 |
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The Italian Offensive in Libya |
319 |
| XIV. |
Repercussions in the Far East |
|
| |
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Relations With Japan |
321 |
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The Naval Problem |
323 |
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The Defence of Singapore |
326 |
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The Closing of the Burma Road |
328 |
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Reinforcements for the Far East |
330 |
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|
Japanese Moves: The Tripartite Pact |
339 |
| XV. |
Strategy and Resources Reviewed, September-October 1940 |
|
| |
|
Exploratory Staff Talks With the Americans |
341 |
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An Appreciation of Future Strategy |
343 |
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Munitions and Service Programmes |
345 |
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The Scientific Contribution |
353 |
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The Organisation of Planning |
356 |
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Enemy Strategy: Spain; the Balkans |
358 |
| XVI. |
The Mediterranean and Middle East, November 1940-February 1941 |
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| |
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The Italians Invade Greece; British Assistance |
365 |
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Naval Operations and Plans; WORKSHOP |
370 |
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The Dodecanese and Turkey |
372 |
| |
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Wavell's Counter-Offensive in Libya |
374 |
| |
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The Offer of Further Help to Greece Declined; the Luftwaffe in Sicily |
375 |
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The East African Campaign |
378 |
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Teeth and Tail in the Middle East |
380 |
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The Renewed Decision to Offer Further Help to Greece |
382 |
| |
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German Strategy: North Africa and Greece |
385 |
| XVII. |
The Winter of 1940-41: Blitz and Blockade |
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| |
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The Economic War |
389 |
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The Blitz |
391 |
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The Blockade of the United Kingdom |
394 |
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The Shipping Situation |
397 |
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Coastal Command |
400 |
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The Blockade of the Axis: Oil |
403 |
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Leaks in the Blockade: Vichy |
406 |
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The Strategic Air Offensive: Area Bombing |
408 |
| XVIII. |
Neutrals Friendly and Unfriendly: November 1940-May 1941 |
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| |
|
The Changing Attitude of the United States |
417 |
| |
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The Origin of Lend-Lease |
420 |
| |
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The ABC Staff discussions at Washington |
423 |
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Vichy and the Free French |
427 |
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Spain and Portugal; Gibraltar |
430 |
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|
Rival Pressures on Vichy in May |
434 |
| XIX. |
The Mediterranean and Middle East, February-May 1941 |
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| |
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The Eden-Dill Mission and the Cabinet's Decision |
439 |
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The Dominions Issue |
447 |
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The Yugoslav Factor |
449 |
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Success in East Africa and At Sea |
449 |
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Rommel Attacks in Libya |
451 |
| |
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The Greek Campaign |
455 |
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|
The Iraq Episode |
460 |
| XX. |
The Battle of the Atlantic. The Service Programmes, March-June 1941 |
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| |
|
The Blockade of the United Kingdom Intensified |
465 |
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British Counter-Measures |
469 |
| |
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The Import Situation |
472 |
| |
|
American Help in the Atlantic |
473 |
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German Reactions |
475 |
| |
|
The Bismarck Episode |
476 |
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The Service Programmes: Tanks |
477 |
| |
|
Bombing Policy |
483 |
| |
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Combined Operations |
485 |
| XXI. |
The Far East, October 1940-June 1941 |
|
| |
|
The Situation in October 1940 |
487 |
| |
|
Sir R. Brooke-Popham's Appointment |
488 |
| |
|
Appreciation and Conferences |
490 |
| |
|
American Naval Strategy |
495 |
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The Tension in February |
497 |
| |
|
Dominion Misgivings |
500 |
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|
Further Conferences |
503 |
| |
|
Staff Warnings |
505 |
| XXII. |
The Mediterranean and Middle East, May-June 1941 |
|
| |
|
The Defence of Egypt |
509 |
| |
|
The Battle for Crete |
510 |
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|
Reactions at Home |
515 |
| |
|
The Syrian Campaign |
516 |
| |
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The End in East Africa |
523 |
| |
|
Disappointment in the Western Desert |
523 |
| |
|
The Replacement of Wavell |
527 |
| XXIII. |
The Russian Factor |
|
| |
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Anglo-Soviet Relations |
533 |
| |
|
German-Soviet Relations |
534 |
| |
|
Hitler's Time-Table |
538 |
| |
|
British Premonitions |
541 |
| |
|
The Germans Invade Russia |
544 |
| XXIV. |
Review of Strategy and Organisation, June 1941 |
|
| |
|
The End of British Isolation |
547 |
| |
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A 'Review of Future Strategy' |
547 |
| |
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The Major Decisions |
551 |
| |
|
The Machinery of Government: The Dominions and the Allies |
557 |
| |
|
The Supreme Direction |
560 |
| Index |
589 |
| |
|
References to Unpublished Sources |
605 |
| APPENDICES |
| I. |
Bombing Policy |
|
| |
|
(a) Allied policy, September 1939-May 1940 |
567 |
| |
|
(b) The German bombing of Rotterdam |
569 |
| II. |
British, Allied and Neutral Ship Losses, Showing Causes and Theatres (from Roskill, The War at Sea, Vol. I) |
|
| III. |
Note for the Foreign Secretary, February 1941 |
|
| IV. |
Exchange of Views Between the Prime Minister and the Chiefs of STaff, April-May 1941 |
|
| V. |
A List of the HOlders of Certain Appointments |
|
| VI. |
A List of CODE-NAMES |
|
| VII. |
Diagram of Principal War Cabinet Committees, March 1941 |
|
| Chronological Chart of Principal Military Events |
|
| MAPS |
| Maps 2, 11, 16, 18 and 19 were prepared for General Playfair's
The Mediterranean and Middle East; Map 3 for Captain Roskill's The War at Sea;
maps 5 and 7 for Major Ellis' The War in France and Flanders; maps 9 and 17
for Mr. Collier's The Defence of the United Kingdom; and maps 13 and 15 for
General Kirby's The War Against Japan. |
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|
Opp. page |
End Papers: |
Europe showing territories controlled by the Allies
and Axis respectively in September 1939, September 1940 and June 1941 |
|
| 1. |
Germany and Poland, 1st September 1939 |
51 |
| 2. |
The Balkans and the Middle East |
65 |
| 3. |
The North Sea |
75 |
| 4. |
The Scandinavian Countries, March 1940 |
91 |
| 5. |
The Western Theatre |
151 |
| 6. |
The Western Theatre: Defences, Winter 1939-1940 |
157 |
| 7. |
Situation on the Evening of 26 May 1940 |
190 |
| 8. |
The North and Central Atlantic Ocean |
231 |
| 9. |
Organisation for Home Defence, Summer 1940 |
279 |
| 10. |
SEA LION, mid-September 1940 |
285 |
| 11. |
The Mediterranean Sea |
295 |
| 12. |
North and Central Africa |
297 |
| 13. |
The Far Eastern Theatre |
320 |
| 14. |
Japanese Penetration in China, June 1939 (in text) |
322 |
| 15. |
Malaya |
335 |
| 16. |
Italian East Africa |
379 |
| 17. |
The German Night Offensive |
389 |
| 18. |
Greece and the Balkans, February-March 1941 |
439 |
| 19. |
Syria and Iraq |
461 |
| PHOTOGRAPHS |
| (These photographs are reproduced by permission of Messrs. Navana Vandyk Ltd.) |
| 1. |
Mr. Chamberlains' War Cabinet, 1939, with Sir John
Anderson, Mr. Eden and Sir Edward Bridges |
12 |
| 2. |
Mr. Churchill's War Cabinet, 1941 |
466 |
| 3. |
The Defence Committee (Operations, 1941 |
490 |