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Contents
Preface.............................................................xi
Acknowledgments.....................................................xv
ONE The Hinge of Fate The turning point. Two accounts. —
The awesomeness of the German tide. — Black Fortnight. —
Problems of British morale. — Distrust of Churchill. —
Opinions and sentiments. — "Outwardly calm, inwardly
anxious."............................................................1
TWO Friday, 24 May Hitler's halt order. — The Germans before Dunkirk. —
Calais. — Hitler and the Conservatives. — The two Rights. — Chamberlain. —
Appeasers. — Halifax. — The War Cabinet. — Churchill and Roosevelt. —
The British press. — "A slight increase in anxiety and a
slight decrease in optimism.".......................................39
THREE Saturday, 25 May An English weekend. — The French: Weygand and Pétain. —
Halifax and the Italian ambassador. — Churchill and the Defence Committee. —
"Depression is quite definitely up."................................82
FOUR Sunday, 26 May An agitated day. — Three meetings of the War Cabinet. —
Chamberlain, Halifax, Churchill. — Disagreements between Halifax and Churchill. —
Scarcity of news: "A mandate to delay judgment and not to
worry." — "In Westminster Abbey."..................................104
FIVE Monday, 27 May What was happening at Dunkirk. — The Belgians surrender. —
American considerations. — Three WarCabinets and a walk in the garden. —
"You'd have been better off playing cricket."......................136
SIX Tuesday, 28 May Morale, opinion, and the press. —
"We cannot possibly starve the public in this way." — Foreigners and refugees. —
Churchill's instructions and the first War Cabinet. —
His statement in the Commons. — The second War Cabinet. — Churchill's coup. —
He comes through...................................................162
SEVEN Survival A long-range view of the war. — The meaning of Dunkirk. —
"It is time to face up to facts." — Halifax redux. — An antiquated Britain. —
Churchill and Europe. — Fortissimo.................................187
Bibliography.......................................................221
Illustration Credits...............................................229
Index..............................................................231
| Price | Condition | Delivery | Seller | Action |
| $99.99 | Digital |
| WonderClub |
Brent Barnett
reviewed Five Days in London: May 1940 on September 21, 2012
Five Days in London: May 1940
Very competent historical analysis of a five day period in May 1940 (24th to 28th). This was early in Churchill's premiership, the BEF was in retreat and had reached Dunkirk, France was about to fall and Churchill had opposition within the cabinet from those who wanted to explore whether peace terms were possible.
This is history in detail and Lukacs does it rather well. The relationships between Churchill, Chamberlain and Halifax are examined in detail. Churchill was by no means secure at this time; most of the conservatives were supporters of Chamberlain and hated Churchill. Many pundits expected him to be a temporary PM. There was also stong feeling in the war cabinet that if peace negotiations were possible they should be pursued. This was a pivotal time, which Churchill survived, strengthening his position. Lukacs, whilst a Churchill fan, is not blind to his faults and Halifax, always painted as an arch-appeaser, is also given a fair hearing. The point is again made thet whilst Russia and the US won the war, Churchill ensured Britain did not lose it.
Lukacs is a historian I often disagree with, but here he does a good job marshalling all the detail and presenting his case. He also does a good line in sideswipes at other historians and commentators when he demolishes their arguments.
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