NATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS CURRICULUM SUPPORT
History
Annotated Bibliography for
Britain at War and Peace
1939-51
[ADVANCED HIGHER]
Sydney Wood


First published 2000
Electronic version 2001
© Learning and Teaching Scotland 2000
This publication may be reproduced in whole or in part for educational
purposes by educational establishments in Scotland provided that no profit
accrues at any stage.
Acknowledgement
Learning and Teaching Scotland gratefully acknowledge this contribution to
the Higher Still support programme for History.
ISBN 1 85955 883 6
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CONTENTS
Introduction
iv
Section 1:
General histories and studies of themes
1
Section 2:
Military studies and general war histories
5
Section 3:
Churchill
11
Section 4:
Biographies and autobiographies
15
Section 5:
The home front – general histories
19
Section 6:
The home front – special aspects
23
Section 7:
Women’s experiences of wartime
27
Section 8:
Studies of 1945–1951
31
Section 9:
Other resources
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iii
INTRODUCTION
This field of study provides an opportunity for students to investigate a key
period in British history. The importance of the topic is shown by the
continuing strength of interest in it. It is a time to which politicians and
journalists often refer; it is commemorated in war memorials, annual
ceremonies and events, and even in the visible remains that survive on the
landscape. Films, television and radio programmes continue to draw on the
period.
The range of resources available is huge and continues to expand. Those
listed in this publication cover the main areas of the Advanced Higher
History curriculum and include both primary and secondary sources.
However, this bibliography cannot be completely comprehensive for so richly
resourced a field of study.
The quantity and variety of resources points up one of the major merits of
this field of study for there is material to serve the needs of both teachers and
students, and to sustain both the general course and many different
dissertations. There are resources that can readily be put into students’ hands
and others whose usage may require teacher guidance; there are publications
providing broad coverage and others that pro be in detail into particular
aspects of the course.
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SECTION 1
Adelman, Paul, British Politics in the 1930s and 1940s , Cambridge:
Cambridge Universit y Press, 1987
This volume is part of the series ‘Topics in History’ produced for older
school students; it consists of an introductory survey followed by chapters
built around a series of primary sources. Each chapter contains several
banks of source-based questions and paragraphs of text that link together
the numerous sources. About half of the material relates to the curriculum.
The book’s main value lies in the sources and questions and as such it will
be of some value to teachers.
Adelman, Paul, Britai n: Dom estic Politics 1939 –1964, London:
Hodder & Stoughton, 1994
This is one of the very useful books in the ‘Access to History’ series that
is aimed at older school students and first year undergraduates. More than
half of the contents is of direct relevance to the curriculum. The book
includes a detailed chronological table and a helpful ‘Further Rea ding’
section. Each chapter is constructed on a standard format, i.e. a text
survey that includes a small number of primary source extracts and is very
clearly and helpfully subdivided followed by a ‘Making Notes on …’
section that offers a short commentary on key issues in the chapter and is
rounded off by questions based on the written and cartoon sources within
the chapter. Finally, there are overviews of important aspects of each
chapter provided as diagrams.
This is a useful and accessible resource.
Brand, Carl F, The British Labour Party , London: O xf ord
University Press, 1965
Although published many years ago, this book still provides a sound and
clear narrative of the Party’s history. Around a quarter of the text relates
to the syllabus. The author holds the achievements of 1945–51 in high
regard and ‘a social revolution greater in scope and significance than many
political revolutions’ (p266). This text is useful for building up initial
notes on the topic.
Bruley, Sue, Wom en in Britain since 1900, Basingstoke: Macmillan,
1999
This short outline study is part of the useful ‘Social History in
Perspective’ series. A little over a quarter of it deals with the curriculum,
but it is the kind of short study that students could read to place this pa rt
of the curriculum in a wider context. It is very readable. Each chapter
attempts to outline the situation of women at work and at home together
with the education, status and opportunities that were available to them.
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Each chapter is sub-divided; a small number of primary source quotations
are included. Students will find this an easy -to-use book.
Butler, Law rence and Jones, Harriet (eds) , Britain in the Twentieth
Century: A Docum entary Reader , Vol II, O xf ord: Heinemann, 1995
Well over half of this source collection consists of items of direct
relevance to the curriculum. Each source is preceded by a short paragraph
that provides relevant background. There are sections on the war, on
politics and social reform, on Labour in office, on the post -war period, on
labour economic and welfare policies, and on post -war foreign and
imperial policies. This is an invaluable resource upon which teachers will
repeatedly draw.
Clarke, Peter, Hope and Glory: Britain 1900 –1990, London:
Penguin, 1996
This inexpensive history of twentieth-century Britain includes two
chapters (around sixty pages) that deal with the syllabus. The chapters are
sub-divided and the text is clearly written and highly academic in style.
These two chapters (‘Guilty Men, 1937–45’ and ‘Let Us Face the Future,
1945–55’) will provide a good outline survey of the course that students
will benefit from reading and from which they could usefully make notes.
Hinton, James, Labour and Socialism : A History of the British
Labour Movem ent 1867 –1974, Brighton: Harvester Press, 1983
One of the chapters in this book is devoted to the period and provides a
clear and useful outline survey, written in a concise if somewhat dry style.
Laybourn, Keith, The Rise of Labour: The British Labour Party
1890–1979, London: Arnold, 1988
This short book is aimed at undergraduate readers. About a quarter of it is
relevant to the curriculum. This is not a straightforward narrative. The
author comments on sources and on issues that have led to differences and
debate as well as providing his own account of events. This makes it a
useful book once students have built up initial understanding of the topic,
for they can conveniently gather data on historians’ differing
interpretations in a highly efficient fashion.
Marwick, Arthur, Bri tain in the Century of Total War: War, Peace
and Social Change 1900 –1962, London: Penguin, 1970
About thirty per cent of this book deals directly with the syllabus. The
author asserts ‘this book is about the social effects of modern war’ (p9)
and includes in his work a short chapter dealing with his much criticised
views on the importance of war as an instrument of social change. This
book may be best used as a source of comparisons of the author’s
viewpoints on issues in the course concerned with the effects of war in
order to compare them with the views of other historians. Given the
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relative brevity and clarity of the text, this kind of exercise in comparison
is one that students could usefully undertake.
Miliband, Ralph, Parliam entary Socialism , London: Merlin Press,
1964
This book provides a sustained left wing critique of the Labour Party’s
past and includes three chapters of direct relevance to the curriculum. The
author evaluates Labour policies against his own view of socialism and is
frustrated by Labour’s very cautious commitment to parliamentary
procedures. He places great emphasis on Labour’s links with trade unions.
This is a useful study for students to use to compare the author’s views
with those of other historians.
Pugh, Martin, Wom en and t he Wom en’s Movem ent in Britain 1914 –
1959, Basingstoke: Macmillan, 1992
Around a third of this relatively brief book deals with the period in
question. Numerous statistical tables are included in the text. It is written
reasonably clearly and the chapters are usefully sub -divided. The author
specialises in this particular dimension of the past and writes with detailed
authority. This book provides a useful overview and a context for more
detailed studies.
Pugh, Martin, State and Society: British Political and Social History
1870–1992, London: Arnold, 1994
History departments will find this a valuable textbook that can be used on
a number of courses. The section of direct relevance to the curriculum is
necessarily relatively brief, but it is clear, concise, usefully sub-divided
and the kind of text to which students can be directed to build up initial
notes on the syllabus. The author is generally supportive of Labour
policies and rejects the views of those who have attacked the c ost of its
post-war warfare programme.
Taylor, A J P, English History 1914 –1945, Oxf ord: Oxf ord
University Press, 1965
Although this book has been available for many years and covers
considerably more than the required syllabus, the author writes so clear ly
and entertainingly, and holds such distinctive views, that this is a text well
worth possessing. Students will benefit from studying the four relevant
chapters (thirteen to sixteen); teachers will find Taylor’s views can be
usefully compared with those of other historians.
Tiratsoo, Nick (ed), From Blitz to Blair: A New History of Britai n
since 1939, London: Weidenf eld & Nicolson, 1997
The first four of the eight essays in this book relate to the curriculum.
They provide useful evaluative surveys of the war and the post-war years,
surveys that consider policies and problems and sometimes refer to the
views of other historians. All are written in a highly readable style and
will be of considerable value to students who should study each essay once
they have built up a basic knowledge of the topic.
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SECTION 2
Bailey, Chris How ard, The Royal Naval Museum Book of the Battle
of the Atlantic: The Corvettes and their Crews: An Oral History ,
Stroud: Alan Sutton, 1994
As the title indicates this is a collection of vivid recollections from the
crews of corvettes on convoy duty. They illustrate life on board as well as
experiences in battle. The detail provided will be useful to students
working on relevant dissertations.
Barnett, Correlli, Engage the Enem y m ore closely: The Royal Navy
in the Second World War , London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1991
This is a clear, readable survey that covers naval operations in
considerable detail.
Barnett, Correlli, The Audit of War: The Illusion and Reality of
Britain as a Gr eat Nation, London: Macmillan, 1986
Once students have developed a reasonable overall understanding of the
course, this book is well worth studying. The author argues that many of
the roots of the post-war industrial decline of Britain are to be found in the
war itself. He identifies in British policymakers a desire to play a world
role and to reconstruct British society, which were beyond the country’s
means and which drew away resources from appropriate investment in the
economy. Even under the pressures of war he maintains that Britain
seemed incapable of radical thinking, not least in the failure to develop an
educational policy to meet the country’s real needs.
This is a substantial work but is vigorously argued and should be within
students’ capability – even if all they study are the introductory and
concluding sections of the argument. This work is invaluable because, set
against others, it shows very clearly that historians can disagree. Its
contents are also highly relevant for the post -war years.
Dilks, David, Retreat from Power: Studies i n Britain’s Foreign
Policy of the 20t h Century , Basingstoke: Macmillan, 1981
This collection of essays includes a most useful study of British military
preparations for the Second World War by Michael Howard .
Fraser, David, And We Shall Shock Them : The British Arm y in the
Second World War , London: Cassell, 1999 edition
Photographs of military leaders and thirty maps are included in this
comprehensive survey. A number of primary source extracts appear amid
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the clearly written and detailed text. This is a useful and serious study that
will help develop a whole variety of topics, from the state of the pre -war
army to its role in a whole range of campaigns – with the emphasis on the
battle with Germany and Italy rather than Japan. Students will be able to
research material for essays, deepen their note outlines and investigate
dissertation topics from this book.
Harris, Arthur, Bom ber Offensive , London: Greenhill, 1998 edition
This text originally appeared in 1947. Arthur Harris covers the whole of
the war period. The author remains a controversial figure and it is
therefore very important to have his own account of, and justification for,
the bomber offensive. His belief in the power of massive bomber strik es
on German cities is made clear and vigorously defended. This book will
provide very useful source extracts for teacher use. Students pursuing this
topic as a dissertation will benefit from studying Harris’s own views.
Hastings, Max, Bom ber Comm and , London: Michael Joseph, 1979
This sizeable and highly readable account of the British bomber offensive
draws on a wide range of sources (including the evidence of participants)
and has numerous source extracts embedded in the text. The author traces
British thinking about the use of bombers in the years 1917 –1940 before
dealing with the evolution of bombing strategy during the conflict. His
account includes the experiences of specific squadrons. His conclusion
(p352) is that ‘the cost of the bomber offens ive in life, treasure and moral
superiority over the enemy tragically outstripped the results that it
achieved’.
Hastings, Max, Overl ord: D Day and the Battle for Norm andy 1944 ,
London: Michael Joseph, 1984
This is a substantial study of Operation Overlor d. The author uses
eyewitness accounts of survivors from both sides and provides a very
useful range of maps as well as photographs and line drawings
accompanied by note summaries of key weapons in the conflict. The text
contains numerous, vivid, personal recollections of aspects of the conflict.
This account is written with clarity and authority and will be invaluable to
students who choose to study this topic in depth.
Horne, Alistair and Montgomery, David, The Lonely Leader: Monty
1944–1945, London: Macmillan, 1994
This detailed and illustrated study of one part of Montgomery’s leadership
is the combined work of a leading military historian and Montgomery’s
son. The first three chapters provide a survey up to May 1944 and the
preparations for D Day. Short quotations from primary sources feature
frequently in the text. The coverage of D Day to VE Day is written in a
vigorous style and will be easily followed by students. This will be a very
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helpful book for students seeking detail on Montgomery and on the British
army’s contribution to the final defeat of Germany.
Hough, Richard and Richards, Dennis, The Battle of Britain: The
Jubilee History , London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1989
This is a very substantial study of the conflict. It is illustrated, incl udes a
limited number of brief source extracts and deals with the events of the
battle in very great detail. A concluding twenty -page section provides
reminiscences from people involved as air and ground crew.
There is a danger that the detail might over whelm some students. But it is
a very readable book and could be used by students who are keen to work
on this topic for their dissertations.
Keegan, John (ed), Churchill’s Generals , London: Weidenf eld &
Nicolson, 1991
This book consists of seventeen studies of different British generals of the
Second World War, each by a different historian, together with an
introductory essay by the editor that focuses on Churchill’s control of the
military. Each essay is relatively brief – around fifteen pages – and
provides a useful account and evaluation of the general(s) concerned.
There are a number of studies here that students may well not need for the
purposes of this course. Nevertheless, this is a very useful work of
reference.
Keegan, John, The Second World War, London: Pimlico, 1997
Maps and photographs further enliven this work by a leading military
historian. The book provides a comprehensive overview of the whole war;
British involvement in the conflict can be picked out by careful use of the
chapter headings and the index. The material is organised into three
theatres of warfare – the West, the East and the Pacific, and each of these
is surveyed firstly up to 1943 and then for the rest of the war.
This is a highly readable book from which students cou ld pick directly
relevant material but which they would also benefit from reading in its
impressive entirety.
Latham, Colin and St obbs, Anne, Radar: A Wartim e Miracle ,
Stroud: Sutton, 1996
After a brief introduction, the chapters of this book are made up of the
recollections of people who developed and operated radar as well as the
fighter and bomber pilots to whom it was so valuable. The authors were
themselves radar specialists in the war. Numerous illustrations are
included in this study which will be useful for relevant dissertations.
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Macintyre, Donald, The Naval War Against Hitler , London:
Batsf ord, 1971
This book provides a survey of naval operations in the Atlantic and the
Mediterranean. It is heavily illustrated and contains helpful maps and
diagrams. It is a useful resource from which to derive teaching material
and a worthwhile study to be consulted by students working on relevant
dissertations.
Middlebrook, Martin, The Berlin Raids: RAF Bom ber Comm and,
Winter 1943–44 , London: Cassell, 2000
The author specialises in detailed studies of particular military events.
This book is based on several hundred interviews with combatants from
both sides and with German civilians, and covers the intense and costly
series of RAF raids on Berlin between August 1943 and March 1944. The
evidence is highly relevant to students pursuing in -depth studies into the
value and impact of Britain’s bombing offensive. There are twenty -nine
photographs and nineteen maps in what is a very clearly and vigorously
written text illuminated by numerous quotations from the interviewees.
Many of these quotations describe conflicts between aircraft, with
recollections from both British and German airmen. The author concludes
that, for Britain, the costs of this campaign were greater than could be
justified by the results that it achieved.
Hyde, H Montgomery, British Air Policy between the Wars , London:
Heinemann, 1976
This detailed study includes material on the preparations for war by the
RAF.
Overy, R J, The Air War 1939 –1945, London: Europa, 1980
This is a thoughtful, concise and academic survey of the use of airpower
by the various combatants in the Second World War. There are chapters
on the various possible uses of airpower, on leadership and training, on
science and research, and on the economics of aircraft production as well
as surveys of the air war in Europe and in the Far East.
Directly relevant material needs to be dug out of a wider context. This is
not an easy book to use; its relevance to dissertations evalu ating Britain’s
use of air power makes it very worthwhile, however.
Pelling, Henry, Britai n and t he Second World War, Glasgow :
Fontana, 1970
Introductory chapters that survey the events leading up to the outbreak of
war and the attitudes to war of various individuals and of the political
parties precede seven chapters that cover the actual war on a chronological
basis. Each chapter not only deals with major military events, it
interweaves narrative coverage of the impact of, and responses to, the war
in Britain – indeed over the whole book it is this impact on home affairs
that predominates. The final three chapters include reflections on British
wartime policies and a consideration of both home and world affairs in the
immediate post-war years.
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This clearly written book provides a valuable overall coverage of a
considerable part of the course and will be useful for student note -making
purposes.
Ray, John, The Battle of Britain: New Perspectives Behind the
Scenes of the Great Air War , London: Cassell, 199 4
This is a fairly brief, well organised, clearly written survey that covers
Dowding’s role, and the aircraft, strategy and tactics of this conflict rather
than the personal experiences of the pilots. The author is especially
concerned to discuss differences over tactics and divergent views on
Dowding’s importance. This will be a very useful book for students
working on relevant dissertations.
Terraine, John, The Right of the Line: The Royal Air Force in t he
European War 1939 –45, London: Hodder & Stoug hton, 1985
A very readable and vigorously written survey that is more sympathetic
than other studies to the bombing offensive.
Terraine, John, Business in Great Waters: The U –boat Wars 1916 –
1945, London: Octopus, 1989
This massive study by a leading military historian includes many sizeable
quotations from primary sources and a considerable number of
illustrations. So detailed a work makes it of value to those pursuing
relevant dissertations; there are 460 pages devoted to the 1939 –1945
period. The author writes clearly and with the authority of one who has
undertaken massive research on this most important topic. Students should
enjoy reading this work.
Thompson, Julian, The Im perial War Museum Book of The War at
Sea: The Royal Navy i n the Second World War, London: Sidgw ick &
Jackson, 1996
This well illustrated survey includes numerous quotations from those
involved in the naval war. It provides a comprehensive overall picture
covering the Mediterranean, Far East and Atlantic theatres in particular. I t
offers a clearly written narrative of events and experiences and would be a
very useful work of reference.
Verrier, Anthony, The Bom ber Offensive , London: Batsf ord, 1968
The author’s treatment of this topic begins with a useful survey of the
inter-war years in terms of the development of thinking about air power.
The account of the actual offensive is divided into 1939 –42, 1943 and
1944–45. The text is clearly written and detailed and there are a
considerable number of illustrations. It is very helpfu l to have a book that
focuses on the British role in the bombing of Germany. The author writes
critically yet sympathetically about the bombing campaign.
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Wright, Robert, Dowding and the Battle of Britain , London:
Macdonald, 1969
The author served with Dowding during the latter part of the Battle of
Britain and has written an account of Dowding’s life that is very
sympathetic to its central figure. He outlines Dowding’s early life,
focusing on his military and flying career and his work as the first
Commander-in-Chief of Fighter Command. The Battle of Britain is dealt
with in some detail. Students will find this work easy to follow; those who
are pursuing relevant dissertations will especially benefit from using it,
though the bias of the author should be noted.
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SECTION 3
Blake, Robert and Louis, William Roger (eds), Churchill, O xf ord:
Oxf ord University Press, 1993
This collection of twenty-nine essays by various experts on the period
provides very valuable studies of a whole range of relevant aspects of
Churchill’s life. For example, John Keegan discusses Churchill’s strategy,
Robert Blake examines how Churchill became Prime Minister, and Richard
Olland considers his dealings with the navy. This is a very useful book
both for students working on relevant dissertation and teachers gathering a
diversity of interpretations of Churchill’s policies.
Charmley, John , Churchill. The End of Gl ory: A Political
Biography , London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1993
This substantial biography is divided into three parts, the third of which
covers the years 1939–45 in around 270 pages. This book has aroused
considerable debate as its author, whilst paying tribute to Churchill’s
achievements, is highly critical of the overall effects of his policies in the
Second World War. He maintains (p649) ‘Churchill stood for the British
Empire, for British independence and for an anti -socialist vision of
Britain. By July 1945 the first of these was on the skids, the second was
dependent solely upon America and the third has just van ished in a Labour
election victory’.
The detail and the discussion involved in this book mean that students may
be better using this for dissertations than for the general course. Once
familiar with the overall syllabus, they should be able to follow the text.
Teachers should read this, if possible, in order to use extracts with their
students.
Gilbert, Martin, Finest Hour: Winston Churchill 1939 –41, London:
Heinemann, 1983
Martin Gilbert has worked on Churchill’s history for many years and in
this book uses well over a thousand pages to deal with the early part of the
war. His text includes numerous substantial quotations from people who
had dealings with Churchill and from Churchill’s own speeches and
writings. The author’s high regard for Churchil l shines through these
pages. So much detail may well overwhelm many students. This book
should be used in a selective fashion under teacher direction.
Gilbert, Martin, In Search of Churchill , London: Collins, 1994
The author has worked on documents relating to Churchill for thirty years
and has published numerous detailed studies. In this book he describes his
endless researches and at the same time comments on numerous facets of
Churchill’s life.
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This will be useful to teachers for finding selective q uotes to set against
the harsher judgement voiced by some other historians.
Gilbert, Martin (ed) , Churchill, New Jersey: Prentice -Hall, 1967
This short work provides a range of useful sources grouped into three
sections. The first consists of quotations from Churchill’s writings and
speeches; the second is made up of views on Churchill by his
contemporaries; the third section consists of comments on Churchill by
various distinguished people such as Isaiah Berlin, John F Kennedy and
Harold Wilson.
This work ranges over all of Churchill’s public life and so only a
proportion of it bears directly on the curriculum.
Lamb, Richard, Churchill as War Leader: Right or Wrong , London:
Bloomsbury, 1991
The whole of this study deals directly with the curriculum. Th e author is
open about his admiration for Churchill and believes that (p339) ‘without
him Britain would have succumbed in 1940’. However, he comments on
the misleading view of certain parts of the war conveyed by Churchill in
his memoirs when he deliberately excluded reference to such matters as
whether the Cabinet seriously discussed peace terms in 1940. He attacks
several of Churchill’s decisions, such as the sending of troops to Greece in
1941.
This is a useful book for reviewing Churchill’s strategic decisions. It is
clearly written and, even if all students read is the conclusion, they will
gain valuable insights from it.
Law lor, Sheila, Churchill and the Politics of War 1940 –41,
Cambridge: Cambri dge University Press, 1994
This book is derived from the author’s doctorate thesis and is written in a
fairly academic style. It provides useful discussion of the reactions of
British leaders to the disastrous opening of the war, the Battle of Britain
and the threat of invasion. The author then focuses o n the Middle East
theatre of conflict and explores government leaders’ views on strategy
there before examining the decision to send troops to Greece. The author
deals with the politics of the period rather than detailing military events.
There is an interesting discussion of the historiography of, and sources for,
the period. This is a useful work of reference.
Lee, J M, The Churchill Coalition , London: Batsf ord, 1980
The material in this book is organised in thematic rather than
chronological fashion. It includes studies of the management of the war,
parliament, strategy, the economy, social reform and diplomacy. Once
students are broadly familiar with the syllabus, this will be a useful
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reference work for further exploring particular issues. The te xt is fairly
densely written in a rather dry style.
Neville, Peter, Winston Churchill: Statesm an or Opportunist? ,
London: Hodder & St oughton, 1996
This short book usefully surveys the whole of Churchill’s life, raising
issues and referring to the views of specific historians in each of the
chapters. The book has been written for older school students and
undergraduates and is highly readable. Each chapter is clearly sub -divided
and concludes with a time-line of key points relevant to that chapter and
with several ‘points to consider’ some of which could be used for
discussion and some of which could serve as essay titles.
Although the detail on 1939–51 is rather brief, this book will be useful for
outlining Churchill’s career prior to 1939 and for encour aging students to
consider differing views on Churchill.
Pelling, Henry, Winston Churchill , London: Macmillan, 1974
About 160 pages of this biography relate to the period 1939 –1951. The
author provides a clear and detailed narrative and includes short so urce
extracts amid his text. Students investigating Churchill’s life in detail will
find that this text provides a very useful framework from which to build up
notes.
Ponting, Clive, Churchill , London: Si nclair -Stevenson, 1994
About 350 pages of this substantial book are directly relevant to the
course. The author is highly critical of the whole range of Churchill’s
activities and is determined to avoid basing his work on Churchill’s own
writings. He argues that the official biography was too dependent on
Churchill’s own interpretations of his life. Ponting tends to see Churchill
as far from enthusiastic about democracy or social progress and as an
ambitious and widely distrusted man.
The detail of this book means it will be best used by students for r elevant
dissertations. Its critical interpretations will be very helpful to teachers
seeking to show students the diversity of historians’ views on a key figure
of the period.
Rose, Norman, Churchill: An Unruly Life , London: Simon &
Schuster, 1994
About a hundred pages of this biography deal directly with the syllabus. It
is written in a lively style that students will readily follow and deals with
personal dimensions of Churchill’s life as well as his political career. The
author is cautious in his criticisms and describes the attributes and
achievements of a remarkable individual. This book will be a useful one
for students to read.
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Roskill, Stephen, Churchill and the Adm irals , London: Collins,
1972
This study explores the author’s chosen theme from 1 911 to 1945; three
quarters of the text relates to the 1939–45 period. In the final chapter the
author discusses both source material and aspects of the topic about which
historians have disagreed. Roskill considers that Churchill had a
decidedly romantic view of British sea power, a view related in part to his
belief in British imperialism’s importance. He is critical of several of
Churchill’s strategic decisions, of his preference for the bombing of
Germany over using airpower to support the navy, and of his handling of
his naval commanders. This is a useful book both for considering
Churchill as a war leader and for considering Britain’s war at sea.
Students will find no difficulties with its style and should use it for
relevant dissertations.
Straw son, John, Churchill and Hitler: In Vi ctory and Defeat ,
London: Constable, 1997
The author is an ex-soldier and military historian. He begins with a brief
general discussion before tackling the pre-war years, then deals with the
war by devoting a chapter to each year of the conflict. In each chapter the
author switches back and forth between the two men he is studying to
weave a very readable, detailed and informative narrative. His views
differ considerably from those of John Charmley (see p11) and he de votes
a significant part of his conclusion to rejecting Charmley’s more critical
views of Churchill. There is a good deal here; perhaps this book would be
best used by able students working on relevant dissertations.
Taylor, A J P; James, Robert Rhodes; Plumb, J H; Liddell Hart,
Basil; and Storr, Ant hony, Churchill: Four Faces and the Man ,
London: Allen Lane, 1969
The five essays in this book consider Churchill as a statesman, a politician,
an historian, a military strategist and as ‘the man’. They are a ll very
readable and, though they cover more than the 1939 –51 period, they will
be of interest to students who already know something about Churchill and
can reflect on the opinions being offered.
Wood, Ian S, Churchi ll , Basingstoke: Macmillan, 2000
This volume is part of the brief, concise and very useful ‘British History in
Perspective’ series. Churchill’s life is treated in a series of thematic
studies, e.g. ‘Churchill and Europe’, ‘Churchill and the USA’. This
clearly written study is well worth purchasing for student use.
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B IO G RAPH I E S AN D A UT O B IO G R APH I ES
SECTION 4
Aster, Sidney, Anthony Eden, London: Weidenf eld & Nicolson,
1976
About a third of this brief biography deals with matters of direct relevance
to the curriculum. This volume is one of a series aiming to make accounts
of Prime Ministers accessible to students. It is clearly written and helpful
for obtaining a better grasp of Eden’s role during the war years than is
commonly provided in general histories.
Avon, The Earl of , The Eden Mem ories: The Reckoning , London:
Cassell, 1965
This third volume of the memoirs of Anthony Eden covers the years 1938
to 1945. This is a substantial book, yet it is readable and could be used to
consider the value of autobiographies as well as for source extracts for
student study. The whole volume could be read by students working in
detail on evaluating Eden’s importance during this period.
Beckett, Frances, Clem Attlee: A Biography , London: Richard
Cohen Books, 1997
This book is by a journalist with a particular interest in political his tory.
It is illustrated, very readable and seeks to do justice to a man whom the
author clearly regards very highly and whose private personality was very
different from his public one. About 150 pages bear directly on the
syllabus. This will be useful to students engaged on relevant dissertations.
Beveridge, William, Power and Influence , New York: The
Beechhurst Press, nd
This is Beveridge’s account of his life, especially his public life. Around
a third of it is directly useful for the purpose of the curriculum. It is
written in a straightforward and accessible manner. Study of this source
would be a welcome addition to the researches of students working on the
welfare issue.
Brivati, Brian, Hugh Gaitskell , London: Ri chard Cohen, 1996
About eighty pages of this biography deal with the years 1939 –1951. The
material on Gaitskell’s part in the Attlee governments and especially on
his short period in office as Chancellor of the Exchequer will be especially
useful. The author is an historian who is bui lding on the much earlier
work by Gaitskell’s official biographer, Philip Williams. He writes in an
accessible style and includes a few source extracts – chiefly from Gaitskell
himself. This would be a useful book to have in the library.
HIST O RY
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B IO G RAPH I E S AN D A UT O B IO G R APH I ES
Bryant, Chris, Stafford Cripps: The First Modern Chancellor ,
London: Hodder & St oughton, 1997
Cripps was a key figure in the Labour Party in this period. He held office
for a time during the war and was a leading member of the post -war
government. Students will find this study very readable. The author
regards Cripps as an able administrator but notes his less than successful
efforts to deal with Indian Independence and his opposition to Britain’s
becoming more closely tied, politically, to Europe. This is an interest ing
study, valuable to students wishing to explore this fascinating character
more fully.
Bullock, Alan, The Li fe and Tim es of Ernest Bevin, Vol II Minist er
of Labour 1940 –1945, London: Heinemann, 1967
This very detailed study will be of special value to students pursuing
relevant dissertations. The author’s style is clear and accessible and there
are numerous short source extracts interspersed in the text. The author’s
aim is to provide an account of Bevin’s public career rather than his
private life, and he undoubtedly has a high regard for the man and his
achievements. Parts of this book could be used for particular studies (such
as Labour’s wartime entry into office and Labour’s success in the 1945
election). This is a useful reference work.
Bullock, Alan, Ernest Bevin: Foreign Secretary 1945 –1951, O xf ord:
Oxf ord University Press, 1985
This very detailed study reflects the author’s high estimation of Bevin’s
achievements. He rejects the views of those who argue that Bevin failed to
appreciate Britain’s diminished role in the world – ‘Far from agreeing that
Bevin saddled Britain with a world role she could not sustain, I suggest
that what he did was to provide his successors with the indispensable basis
of security in the Western Alliance on which they could then proceed to
make whatever adjustments were necessary’ (p847). This is a very useful
reference work for relevant dissertations. It is also a valuable source of
extracts that can be used to compare the differing views of historians.
Burridge, Trevor, Clem ent Attlee, London: Cape, 1985
About half of this book deals directly with the syllabus. The author
considers how Attlee was able to hold on to the Labour Party’s leadership
for so long and how he managed to hold together such a diverse collect ion
of individuals and groups. He pays tribute to Attlee’s political skills, his
knowledge of foreign affairs and his concern for domestic reform. This is
not a very critical study but it is clearly written, detailed, and very useful
for relevant dissertations.
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B IO G RAPH I E S AN D A UT O B IO G R APH I ES
Butler, R A, The Art of the Possible: The Mem oirs of Lord Butler ,
London: Hamish Hamilton, 1971
Nearly a hundred pages of this succinct biography deal with matters that
directly relate to the syllabus. The author writes in a very clear and
accessible style. This book is useful as a quarry for source extracts,
especially on foreign policy under Chamberlain, the 1944 Education Act
and Conservative defeat and recovery. It will also be helpful to students
engaged on relevant dissertations.
Campbell, John, Nye Bevan and the Mirage of British Socialism ,
London: Weidenf eld & Nicolson, 1987
Nearly half of this substantial biography has a direct bearing on the
syllabus, whilst the coverage of Bevan’s earlier years will be helpful to
those making a detailed study of this important politician. The author
argues that Michael Foot’s biography of Bevan ‘is quite exceptionally
partisan’ (pxi). This author holds Bevan in high regard yet sees him as
ultimately failing to win the British people for socialism. Sizeable quotes
from sources intersperse the text of this demanding yet readable work.
Harris, Kenneth, Attlee, London: Wei denf eld & Nicolson, 1982
This sizeable biography covers the whole of Attlee’s life; around sixty per
cent of it has a direct bearing on the curriculum. The clearly written text
contains numerous useful source extracts and there are thirty -three
illustrations. Attlee is a key figure in this period and a detailed work of
reference on him is therefore very useful. His personality and h is
importance make him a very worthwhile focus for detailed study for
dissertations. This is a book that it would be very worthwhile obtaining.
How ard, Anthony, Rab: The Life of R A Butler , London: Cape, 1987
Butler’s involvement in Chamberlain’s government, his work on education
during wartime and his role in reforming the Conservative Party after the
defeat of 1945 make him one of the individuals about whom all students
should know something and some may choose to study more fully. About
a hundred pages of this readable biography are devoted to the above
aspects of Butler’s life; students will find what is here to be useful and
very accessible.
Hyde, H Montgomery, Neville Cham berlain , London: Wei denf eld &
Nicolson, 1976
This brief biography will allow students to explore Chamberlain’s
background and early career as well as gathering material on his last
months in office. A third of the book is of direct relevance. There are
useful source extracts amid the text. This is a very readable outline survey
that students should have no difficulty in using. The author shows
considerable sympathy for Chamberlain’s situation and some of his
decisions.
HIST O RY
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B IO G RAPH I E S AN D A UT O B IO G R APH I ES
Pimlott, Ben, Hugh Dalton, London: Cape, 1985
This very considerable biography spans Dalton’s life; about half of it
relates to the syllabus. From becoming Minister of Economic Warfare in
1940 to serving as Minister for Town and Country Planning in the latter
stages of Attlee’s administration, Dalton was a leading figure in the
Labour Party. For a time he served as Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Detailed study of his life will probably be undertaken for relevant
dissertations, not for the overall course. For such students this book will
prove to be invaluable and very readable.
Pimlott, Ben (ed), The Second World War Diary of Hugh Dalton
1940–1945, London: Cape, 1986
Dalton kept a very detailed diary and this is therefore a substantial work. It
will be of value to teachers searching for source extracts and for students
working on relevant dissertations. The latt er will need considerable
support and guidance lest they become buried by the detail that is provided
here.
Ziegler, Philip, Mountbatten: The Official Biography , London:
Collins, 1985
This detailed study will be especially useful to students who choose to
study in depth the Attlee government’s imperial policies and especially its
policy towards India. Nearly 150 pages are devoted to this topic.
Coverage of the war years in terms of Mountbatten’s involvement in it
forms a section of similar length and would be useful for dissertations that
focus on Mountbatten’s career. As the official biographer, the author has
had full access to the Mountbatten archive. Though sympathetic to his
subject, the author is not wholly uncritical.
18
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TH E H O M E FRO N T – G E N ER AL H IS TO R I E S
SECTION 5
Briggs, Asa, Go To It ! Working for Victory on the Hom e Front
1939–1945, London: Mitchell Beazley, 2000
This is a very heavily illustrated outline survey of the home front. The
visual items have come from the Imperial War Museum’s collections.
Written sources are also included, placed in the text, and there are frequent
separately colour-coded sections many of which provide further sources –
though some consist of the author’s accounts of specific individuals or
circumstances. This is an easy-to-follow book produced for the general
public and provides an enjoyable introductory survey of working and
living conditions. It does not really set out to offer a critical evaluation of
policies of the period.
Brivati, Brian and Jones, Harriet, What Di fference Did the War
Make?, London: Leicester University Press, 1995 edition
This publication brings together well established historians and younger
scholars to consider the impact of the war on three themes: politics and
economics; society and the citizen; Britain’s role in the world. The themes
are subdivided into a number of aspects with a short essay on each. The
result is a useful series of discussions of important issues that students
would benefit from reading once they have a basic grasp of the course.
The three themes are not fully covered, rather certain dimensions of each
are explored. Thus the theme ‘society and the citizen’ includes
considerations of the Changing Nature of the State, Orwell and the post war Reconstruction of Citizenship, Change in British Youth Cu lture. A
copy of this book, to be consulted by able students, will be worth
obtaining.
Calder, Angus, The People’s War: Britain 1939 –1945, London:
Panther, 1971
This well established study of life in wartime Britain is very detailed and
is vigorously written. The author’s self-proclaimed intention is ‘to
describe, as accurately as possible, the effects of the war on civilian life’
(p17). The activities of politicians and brief accounts of key events
provide the background to studies of society and indus try, of attitudes and
beliefs. Calder has been criticised for his use of mass observation reports
but defends his position, arguing that they offer invaluable insights into
popular views. This is an essential book for a department to possess.
Calder, Angus, The Myth of the Blitz , London: Pimlico, 1992
This study of the war focuses especially on the years 1940 and 1941, the
period when Britain (and her Empire and Commonwealth) stood alone
against the Fascist powers. The author is very aware of how this p eriod
has been used subsequently, especially by politicians, and is concerned to
HIST O RY
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TH E H O M E FRO N T – G E N ER AL H IS TO R I E S
challenge that by arguing that what actually happened was decidedly
different from the image of episodes like the Blitz and Dunkirk. He
questions the images of a united, determined people achieving success
through their spirit, sense of community and enterprise; instead he points
to the presence of 60,000 conscientious objectors, the fleeing from London
of a quarter of the population, and the booing of Churchill and of royalty
when they visited bombed areas.
This is a readable, challenging and very worthwhile book. It is quite a
substantial work and is not the kind of book with which initially to study
this part of the war. Students who are doing relevant dissertations will
find it very helpful.
Calder, Angus and Sheridan, Dorot hy, Speak for Yourself: A Mass
Observation Anthology 1937 –49, London: Cape, 1984
This anthology comes from the mass observation archive at the University
of Sussex and covers the period 1937–1949. The data on daily life
gathered by mass observation came, especially, from Bolton and
Blackpool. The observers provide data on holidays, Labour Exchanges,
the Blitz, women’s experience of war and aspects of politics. This is a
very useful source for teaching and for reference for students engaged on
relevant dissertations.
Glass, Fiona and Marsden -Smedley, Philip, Articles of War: The
Spectator Book of World War II , London: Paladin Books, 1990
Articles from The Spectator magazine for the years 1938–1945 make up
the material in this book. It is organised in chapters that are each devoted
to a particular year of the war. The contributors include Diana Mosley,
Jan Masaryk, Graham Greene and numerous other people eminent in
literature or wider affairs. The articles cover a huge range of topics, such
as air-raid drill, pursuing animals who had escaped from a zoo during an
air-raid, D Day, VE Day and many other specific aspects of the conflict or
experiences of living through the war.
Teachers will need to skim through this collection to identify items of
particular relevance. The diversity of the items and the arbitrary approach
of clustering them together simply because they occur in the same year
makes this a somewhat awkward resource for students to use.
It is, perhaps, best seen as a book for teachers to use for lesson material
and source practice.
20
HI ST O RY
TH E H O M E FRO N T – G E N ER AL H IS TO R I E S
Longmate, Norman, How We Lived Then: A History of Everyday Life
during the Second World War , London: Hutchinson, 1971
There are numerous illustrations and a limited number of source extracts in
this sizeable study of the experiences of living through the war. Students
will find it readable and packed with interesting detail. The mass of
material that is here may best be used for references purposes once in itial
understanding has been established and for dissertations on themes drawn
from the home front aspects of the curriculum. This is, above all, a social
rather than a political or military history.
Marwick, Arthur, The Hom e Front: The British and the S econd
World War, London: Thames & Hudson, 1976
This is a heavily illustrated outline survey of the home front that follows a
chronological pattern and deals with all the major aspects of the topic.
The author has long argued the importance of war as a ve hicle for social
change and here he maintains (p11) ‘the Second World War did profoundly
change British Society’. The text will be easy for students to follow and
Marwick’s views can be usefully compared to those of other historians.
Pope, Rex, War and S ociety in Britain 1899 –1948, Harlow :
Longman, 1991
This little book is part of the ‘Seminar’ series and includes references to
further reading, and documentary sources, sixteen of which are of direct
use. The text will allow students to place the war’s impact in a wider
context, gain some knowledge of differing views among historians about
the effects of the war (this is an especially useful section), and develop
overviews of the war’s impact on people’s lives, attitudes and
expectations. It is a useful book that is well worth obtaining.
Smith, Harold L (ed), War and Social Change: British Society in the
Second World War , Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1986
This is a useful collection of essays by a wide range of historians on many
of the aspects of the home front. Students can be usefully directed to
particular essays that relate to relevant dissertations. Most of these essays
are written in an academic style. They especially focus on social policy,
social structure (e.g. the effects on class and on women) and on the debate
on state welfare.
Smith, Harold L, Brit ain in the Second World War: A Social
History, Manchester: Manchester Universi ty Press, 1996
This book is part of a series, ‘Documents in Contemporary History’, that
has been produced for use by students. The author’s initial twenty -sevenpage survey of relevant issues is clear, concise, conveniently sub -divided
and there is a very useful introduction. The documents are clustered
around twelve themes, such as Class, Women, Crime and Education. Each
source is introduced by a brief paragraph and most sources are relatively
HIST O RY
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TH E H O M E FRO N T – G E N ER AL H IS TO R I E S
brief, i.e. one or two paragraphs in length. An appendix of further reading
on each of the themes is provided.
This is a most useful book. The sources can be use d for teaching purposes
and especially for developing students’ source handling skills. Students
pursuing dissertations relevant to one or more of the themes can be
directed to read appropriate sources and follow up with further reading.
All the material here is of a very appropriate level of difficulty.
22
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TH E H O M E FRO N T – SP EC I A L A SP E C TS
SECTION 6
Addison, Paul, The Road to 1945: British Politics and the Second
World War, London: Cape, 1975
This well established work is of major importance for studying British
politics of the time. Sixteen photographs further enliven the very
accessible text. The author is especially concerned to set out the reasons
why the Labour Party achieved such success in 1945. He explores
Labour’s circumstances prior to its joining the government in 1940,
considers the effects of Labour’s coming to power, the importance of the
Beveridge Report and problems in the Conservative Party. Students
should be made familiar with Addison’s views, even if it is through
teacher-selected extracts. Students pursuing relevant dissertations should
certainly study this important book.
Blythe, Ronald, Private Words: Letters and Diaries from the Second
World War, London: Penguin, 1993
The extracts that make up this highly readable collection are arranged into
various topics each of which is introduced in terms of the author of the
source or sources that follow, and the context within which he/she writes.
Some of the sources are several pages long; all are informative,
entertaining and provide vivid insights into the experienc es of wartime.
This is a useful book that both teachers and pupils will benefit from
studying.
Brow n, Mike, Put that Light Out: Britain’s Civil Defence Services at
War 1939–1945, Stroud: Sutton, 1999
This publication provides a clear, well organised and fully illustrated
account of the training and work of the various civilian emergency
services. The text includes quotations from various people who were
involved in this work. This is essentially a descriptive rather than an
evaluative study. It is easy to use and would be a very helpful source of
further detail for students on this aspect of the curriculum.
Crosby, Travis L, The Im pact of Civilian Evacuation in t he Second
World War, London: Croom Helm, 1986
This detailed study surveys the evacuation is sue thoroughly and is
especially useful for discussing its consequences.
Gardiner, Juliet, Over Here: The GIs in Wartim e Britain , London:
Collins & Brow n, 1992
This very readable account of the impact of the American servicemen in
Britain, and of their experiences, is based on first-hand accounts.
HIST O RY
23
TH E H O M E FRO N T – SP EC I A L A SP E C TS
Harrison, Tom, Living through the Blitz , London: Collins, 1976
The material in this book is drawn from the Mass Observation archive and
deals with initial responses to air-raids, the London Blitz, the Coventry
Blitz, attacks on the Southern Ports and the Industrial North, and finally
with the effects of the Blitz on morale, industry, beliefs and society.
Extracts from MO reports are placed at frequent intervals amid the
author’s text.
This book’s main value lies in furnishing sources for questions and it is a
resource for students working on dissertations on the impact of the Blitz.
Hollingsw orth, Hilda, They Tied a Label on m y Coat , London:
Virago, 1991
This book provides the detailed reminiscences of just one evacuee. Hilda
Hollingsworth was sent from London to a Welsh mining village at the age
of 10, with a younger sister to care for and was not reunited with her
mother until the end of the war. She has written a very readable account
of her experiences and emotions.
Holman, Bob, The Evacuation: A Very Brit ish Revolution , O xf ord:
Lion Publishing, 1995
The author is a former evacuee and has interviewed other evacuees. He
includes quotations from their memories in his work. He traces the
organisation of the evacuation, its effects on those involved and on
government policy. This is a fairly brief and very readable book that goes
beyond narrative and takes the story up to post -war legislation on child
welfare.
Inglis, Rut h, The Chi ldren’s War: Evacuation 19 39–1945, London:
Collins, 1989
The author’s main interest lies in the experiences of childhood; she is not a
professional historian. This book proves both an account of the whole
process of evacuation as well as insight into the experiences of evacuees.
There are a considerable number of quotations from people who were
evacuees and the parents of evacuees. Coverage includes children who
were sent overseas. This book will be very helpful to students studying
this topic in detail. It is very readable.
Jeff reys, Kevin, The Churchill Coalition and Wartim e Politics ,
Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1991
A very readable and interesting discussion of wartime politics that should
be read along with Paul Addison’s study (see p23), which it criticises.
Kochan, Miriam, Britain’s Internees in the Second World War ,
London: Macmillan, 1983
This is a reasonably brief and succinct survey of British use of internment
based on newspaper reports and the personal experiences of twenty -five
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TH E H O M E FRO N T – SP EC I A L A SP E C TS
men and women who experienced internment. The background and the
procedures of the tribunals that implemented the policy are set out. The
material is organised into different aspects of the topic with text linking
extracts from the various internees’ experiences. Students eng aged in
relevant dissertations will find this a useful, easily followed, and
interesting book.
Mackenzie, S P, The Hom e Guard: The Real Story of Dad’s Army ,
Oxf ord: Oxf ord Uni versity Press, 1995
This inexpensive book provides substantial detail on a topi c that tends to
receive scant treatment. The author is an academic who takes his subject
seriously yet writes in a style that will be readily accessible to students. A
section of contemporary photographs and cartoons is included. The text is
structured as a chronological sequence; a limited number of brief source
extracts are embedded in the text. There is far more detail here than
required for the general syllabus, though teachers might at least look at the
conclusion. For students undertaking relevan t dissertations this will be a
most helpful resource.
Orw ell, George, The War Broadcasts , London: Penguin, 1987
A sizeable introduction dealing with Orwell, the BBC at the time and how
Orwell came to be involved with the Corporation, precedes the collecti on
of works by Orwell. The material covers the years 1942 and 1943 and
includes both scripts that Orwell himself broadcast and weekly war
commentaries written by Orwell but delivered by others. There are also
around a hundred pages of letters written by Orwell to contributors to the
BBC’s Indian Section (in which Orwell became a Talks Producer). Amid
this mass of material there are items of considerable interest and
importance, notably a talk ‘British Rations and the Submarine War’. A
considerable number of items are concerned with literary rather than
political and military matters. This is a book that will provide teachers
with some useful source material.
Reynolds, David, Rich Relations: The Am erican Occupation of
Britain 1942–1945, London: HarperCo llins, 1995
This detailed study is illustrated, includes a limited number of source
extracts and is the work of an historian who writes in a clear and readable
style. He surveys the impact on Britain of the three million American
Service personnel who were in the country, as well as dealing with their
lives. There are social, political and military dimensions to this work: it
will be invaluable to students wishing to explore the topic in detail as well
as very helpful to teachers as this aspect is not usually well covered in
general works.
HIST O RY
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TH E H O M E FRO N T – SP EC I A L A SP E C TS
Robertson, Seona and Wilson, Les, Scotland’s War , Edinburgh:
Mainstream, 1995
The reminiscences of Scots involved in the war make up the chapters of
this book: they were gathered as part of a television series. The ex tracts
are brief – no longer than a paragraph, linked by short sections of text, and
set out on heavily illustrated pages. The book is very accessible, a useful
quarry for sources, and helpful to students wishing to explore this aspect
of the curriculum.
Simpson, A W Brian, In the Highest Degree Odious: Detention
without trial in Warti m e Britain , Oxf ord: Oxf ord University Press,
1992
This is a lengthy and highly detailed study of one particular dimension of
the war. It is clearly written and chapters are conveniently sub-divided,
but what it provides goes far beyond the requirements of the basic course.
It is, however a dimension of the war that tends to be treated somewhat
sketchily in most books and for any student wishing to explore this
dimension for a dissertation this book will be invaluable. The author
examines the implementation of Regulation 18B (September 1939) of the
Emergency Powers Act which allowed the government to detain anyone it
regarded as potentially hostile. The author is highly cr itical of this
Regulation and of the security services who pressed for it. He suggests
that many who were detained were not dangerous and the war would not
have lasted longer had they been at liberty, although he also notes pro German activities that detention probably averted.
Waller, Jane and Vaughan -Rees, Michael, Blitz: The Civilian War
1940–45, London: Macdonald, 1990
Individual memories of people who endured German bombing attacks
make up this very useful collection of source material. Brief text s ections
introduce the themes of the book and the individuals whose reminiscences
are used. A good third of the book is devoted to London; the raid on
Coventry (in November 1940) is dealt with, and there is a section entitled
‘The Provinces’ which includes the Clydebank Blitz. The final chapter is
devoted to recollections of VI and V2 attacks. None of the material will
give students any difficulties and teachers will find this a useful resource
from which to derive sources for question-setting.
Wicks, Ben, Waiting f or the All Clear: True Stories from Survivors
of the Blitz, London: Bloomsbury, 1990
Recollections of survivors of the Blitz, briefly linked by text, make up the
chapters of this book. It is very readable and a rich resource for
sourcework. It covers the post-Dunkirk atmosphere and the Battle of
Britain as well as Blitz experiences from several places, especially
Coventry and London.
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WO M EN ’ S E XP ER I E N CE S O F WA R T IM E
SECTION 7
Hartley, Jenny, Hearts Undefeated: Wom en’s Writing of the Second
World War, London: Virago, 1994
This book consists of extracts from articles, journal memoirs and a variety
of books written by well over a hundred different women. Some of them
were (or became) well known, e.g. Barbara Cartland, Virginia Woolfe,
Beatrice Webb; others never achieved any particular eminence. The
extracts cover a huge variety of experiences – from attending the 1938
Nuremberg Rally to entering the death camps of Dachau and Buchenwald
in 1945. War work, coping with daily life, experiences in the armed
services and enduring the Blitz are all included. Very brief introductions
precede each section of extracts. Detail about each writer is provided in
an appendix. The collection is very substantial and teachers may wish to
direct students to particular extracts. This is a m ost valuable resource for
enlivening lessons, setting source-based questions and encouraging further
study.
Kerr, Dorothy Brew er, The Girls Behind t he Guns: With the ATS in
World War II , London: Robert Hale, 1990
The author served in the war, working on weapon control systems to
improve anti-aircraft gun accuracy. This is a personal account of her
experiences rather than a general history of the role of the ATS. It is very
readable and will be enjoyed by students who are interested in this topic.
Last, Nella, Nella Last’s War: A Mother’s Diary 1939 –45, London:
Sphere, 1983
This diary was kept for mass observation and details life in Barrow -inFurness. It is vivid, moving and highly readable.
McBryde, Brenda, A Nurse’s War , London: Chatto & Windus, 1979
This is one of many published wartime reminiscences but is of particular
interest since the author was a nurse who cared for civilians in the Blitz
and subsequently worked in a plastic surgery unit. She went to France not
long after D Day and served behind the lines as the army advanced from
Normandy to the Rhineland. Finally her recollections deal with her
involvement in caring for concentration camp survivors. She writes in a
most accessible style that is free from sentimentality; the range of aspects
covered make this an especially worthwhile source of insight into the
experience of being at war.
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Mant, Joan, All Muck and No Medals: Landgirls by Landgirls ,
Lew es: The Book Guild, 1994
The author was herself a landgirl. In this book she draws on her ow n
experiences and those of her contemporaries to survey the great variety of
work carried out by landgirls as well as providing accounts of domestic
life, social life and treatment by farmfolk. This is a most entertaining and
readable book useful for source extracts for teaching and for full analysis
by students engaged on relevant dissertations.
Nicolson, Mavis, What Did You Do in the War, Mumm y?, London:
Chatto & Windus, 1995
This is a collection of interviews with women who served in the war in the
armed services, civilian defence organisations and as landgirls. There are
thirty-one interviews in total. Each interviewee is briefly introduced.
This is a very vivid, readable, enjoyable and helpful publication. Extracts
from it could be used for source study and the whole book could be used
by students exploring in depth the effects of war on women’s lives.
Sheridan, Dorothy (ed), Am ong You Taki ng Notes: The Wartim e
Diary of Naom i Mitchison , O xf ord: OUP, 1986
A diary kept for mass observation that deta ils life in the village of
Carradale in Kintyre.
Summerf ield, Penny, Reconstructing Wom en’s Wartim e Lives ,
Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1998
The author draws on oral history sources to explore women’s sense of
themselves in wartime. It consists primarily of author text interspersed
with brief extracts from the memories of interviewees. This is a
challenging study, not a straightforward narrative of experiences, for the
author is concerned to stimulate thinking about the nature of oral history .
She challenged interviewees to consider the question ‘Did the war change
you?’ and to reflect on their various identities as war workers and as
domestic workers. The author argues that ‘recent feminism unsettles older
stories of opportunities for women’ (p285). This is a book that able
students working on relevant dissertations might look at late on in their
studies.
Summerf ield, Penny, Wom en Workers in the Second World War:
Production and Patriarchy in Conflict , London: Croom Helm, 1984
This work has been developed from a thesis for a higher degree. It is
relatively brief, academic in nature, but valuable for its evaluative
approach. The author surveys the opportunities for paid employment and
the burdens of domestic work prior to the war, before con sidering the
mobilisation of female labour, the problems of child care and shopping,
working hours and the impact of women workers on what had been male
areas of work in terms of dilution agreements with unions. The author
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concludes that ‘the implementation of official policy during the war did
little to alter, but rather reinforced, the unequal position of women in
society’ (p185). The author’s conclusions challenge those in several other
histories, making this an especially worthwhile study. Some studen ts may
not find it very accessible but teacher support to encourage persistence is
very desirable.
Tyrer, Nicola, They Fought in t he Fields: The Wom en’s Land Arm y
– The Story of a Forgotten Victory , London: Sinclair -Stevenson,
1996
The author is a journalist who has written an account rather than an
evaluation of the Land Army. A considerable part of the book consists of
the recollections of nine landgirls whom the author interviewed and there
are further source extracts amid the text. This is a very rea dable account
useful to students engaged on relevant dissertations.
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S TU DI E S O F 1 9 4 5 – 1 9 5 1
SECTION 8
Addison, Paul, Now the War is Over. A Social History of Britain
1945–1951, London: Pimlico, 1995
This well illustrated book was originally produced to accompany a
television series. The text includes a considerable number of source
extracts derived from people’s reminiscences of these years. This is
primarily a social history, and is a highly readable account of such topics
as schooling, welfare, home life, manufacturing an d the Festival of Britain
in 1951. It is relatively brief and represents the author’s view that this was
a highly unusual period – ‘the Indian summer of a late Victorian society
founded on industry and empire ... ideals of imperialism, trusteeship,
philanthropy and social progress still permeated the public life of the
1940s’ (p ix). Students should enjoy and benefit from reading this book.
Barnett, Corelli, The Lost Victory: British Dream s and British
Realities 1945–1950, London: Pan, 1996
The author provides a sustained, detailed and fierce critique of the Attlee
government. He examines foreign policy, social reforms and economic
policy and finds all of them to be at fault. The author’s style is vigorous
and makes for compulsive reading. Teachers may feel that selected
extracts should be used with most students; any student exploring aspects
of this period in more detail really ought to read this antidote to blander
accounts. Barnett’s views have been challenged by others, yet using his
work should form an essential part of encouraging students to appreciate
the differing views of historians.
(See also the author’s book The Audit of War (see p5) for further material
relevant to the post-war period.)
Brooke, Stephen, Ref orm and Reconstructi on: Britai n after the War
1945–1951, Manchest er: Manchester University Press, 1995
This book shares, with the rest of the ‘Documents in Contemporary
History’ series to which it belongs, a central aim of providing for students
a wide range of easily followed source items. A useful thirty-four-page
summary of the period precedes the sources; this is written in an academic
style that students will need to study very carefully. The sources are
grouped into five themes: social and economic reform; foreign policy;
colonial policy; class, society and culture; political responses to post -war
reform. They are drawn from private and official papers, newspapers and
pamphlets and some literary sources. Each source is preceded by a brief
note on its content and author. Nine ar e lengthy. This is an invaluable
book that is an essential purchase for teacher use to select sources on
which students can work.
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Dutton, Davi d, British Politics since 1945: The Rise and Fall of
Consensus, O xf ord: Blackw ell, 1991
The Historical Association commissioned this short book; 40% of the text
is of relevance to the curriculum. The author argues that, until well into
the 1960s, there was a broad consensus on policies between the two main
parties. He considers the views of other historians in a t ext that is
reasonably accessible and offers students a chance to discuss and reflect
on the post-war years.
Hennessy, Peter, Never Again: Britain 1945 –1951, London: Vint age,
1993
This detailed study of the post-war years includes over sixty illustrations
and has numerous most useful primary source extracts embedded in its
lively, entertaining, and clearly written text. A fifty -page first chapter
reviews the war years from the standpoint of everyday experiences and is
of considerable interest. Further chapters explore Labour’s 1945 success
and subsequent reconstruction policies, economic problems and strategies
and foreign and imperial policies. The final chapter – ‘Mid-century
Britain’ – provides a valuable discussion of relevant issues. Throughout
the whole work there is a strong focus on everyday experiences that are
vividly illustrated. This is a most useful and inexpensive publication that
students should enjoy reading as well as benefiting from its information
and insights.
Hubbard, Jane, We t hought it was Heaven Tom orrow , Pontef ract:
Yorkshire Art Circus, 1985
This is a collection of transcripts from interviews with elderly people who
were asked about their memories of 1945–1955. A number of photographs
are included. The contributors describe daily life and their responses to
the political events of the period. The book therefore provides useful
sources for classroom use and resource that could be used by students
undertaking detailed explorations of post -war social conditions.
Jeff erys, Kevi n, The Attlee Governm ents 1945 –1951, London:
Longman, 1992
This is a volume in the long-established ‘Seminar’ series. Its text is dotted
with references to the further works listed in the bibliography; eighteen
documents are located together after the tex t. The author outlines factors
determining Labour’s success in 1945 and the various policies that the
government pursued at home and abroad. In a six -page section,
‘Assessment’, he discusses the achievements and criticisms of Attlee’s
post-war administration. The text is written in a very succinct style and at
a fairly demanding level that, nevertheless, should be accessible to
students who work slowly and carefully. It provides a useful introductory
survey to these years and a number of sources that wi ll be of value in
terms of source-handling practice.
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Kaiser, Wolf ram, Using Europe, Abusi ng t he Europeans: Britain
and European Integration 1945 –63, Basingstoke: Macmillan, 1985
Although much of this book deals with the years after 1951, many surveys
tend to treat the issue of British attitudes to the emerging EEC so sketchily
that this fuller discussion is welcome. The first chapter provides around
twenty pages of text in which the author discusses the reasons for Britain’s
rather lofty attitude to the formation of the EEC and British determination
to draw the USA into commitment to the defence of Western Europe. This
is quite a useful reference work that could be used by students.
Morgan, Kenneth, The People’s Peace: Brit ish History 1945 –1989,
Oxf ord: Oxf ord Uni versity Press, 1990
About a fifth of this substantial history of post -war Britain relates to the
syllabus. It is written in a style that students will readily follow and
provides a clear narrative coverage of the people and events of the period.
It can be used for note-making, for the comparison of historians’ views on
aspects of the period and as an easily read survey that will help students to
inter-relate different dimensions of the period.
Saville, John, The Politics of Continuity: British Foreign Policy and
the Labour Governm ent 1945 –1946, London: Verso, 1993
Notes, references, a bibliography and appendices take up eighty pages of
this intensely detailed study of a short but crucial period in the conduct of
foreign affairs. The chapters deal with: the Mind of the Foreign Office;
Ernest Bevin as Foreign Secretary; Clement Attlee and the Middle East;
Some Economic Factors in Foreign Policy; the British Intervention in
Indo-China in 1945. This is a highly academic work, yet it is eminently
readable and the text is enlivened with numerous short quotations from
primary sources. The chapter on Ernest Bevin is very helpful, the
discussion of Attlee is enlightening, and the consideration of economic
factors and foreign policy is important. This i s a useful book to dip into.
Sked, Alan and Cook, Chris, Post-War Brit ain: A Political History ,
Harmondsw orth: Penguin, 1979
The authors deal chronologically with the period 1945 to 1969. Material
that is relevant to the curriculum makes up about thirty per cent of the
total and is organised in three chapters – on the 1945 elections, the 1945–
1950 ministry, and the 1950–1951 ministry. The vigorously written
narrative includes a small number of paragraph -sized primary sources.
Students should be able to follow the authors’ text and will find this a
useful resource from which to make notes on the main issues of the post 1945 period.
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Sissons, Michael and French, Philip, The Age of Austerity , London:
Hodder & Stoughton, 1963
This coverage of the 1945–1951 period is written in an accessible style by
a whole variety of different authors. The essays cover topics like ‘Spivs’
and ‘The New Look’ as well as more serious topics such as ‘Sir Stafford
Cripps’ and ‘Partition in India’. This book has been more recen tly
published by Penguin and a copy is well worth having in the library.
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SECTION 9
Evidence in the landscape
War memorials, pillboxes and the remains of coastal defences. Examples in
Scotland include the Churchill Barriers (Scapa Flow, Orkney); the S ecret
Bunker (near Anstruther, Fife); lines of concrete pillboxes following the coast
of East Lothian between Longniddry and Dunbar; and wartime airfields
(Leuchars, East Fortune, Turnberry, Crail).
Libraries and museums
Collections of photographs, reminiscences and objects. London is especially
rich in resources, e.g. The Cabinet War Rooms, King Charles Street – the
underground, protected accommodation used by Churchill, the War Cabinet
and the Chiefs of Staff, preserved and restored.
The Imperial War Museum, Lambeth Road, SE1 6HZ includes the following
facilities.
• Museum Website www.iwm.org.uk
• The Museum has a most helpful education service.
• Its Reading Room can be made available, by appointment, to sixth form
students; a wide range of printed material may be consulted here.
• The collections on display include objects, paintings, photographs,
documentary extracts, posters, models and recreations of Blitz and bomber
raid experiences.
• The Department of Documents has lists of material on: Con scientious
Objection, Evacuation, the Blitz, the Battle of Britain, Dunkirk, Nursing,
D Day, the Women’s Land Army. Actual documents may be consulted on
site. Tel 020 7416 5342 for Printed Books and Tel 020 7416 5222 for
documents.
• Mail order supplies can be identified by sending for the Mail Order leaflet.
Posters, document packs and audio and video material can be obtained.
The Museum will also obtain any books in print (Tel 01223 499345 for
this service and for the mail order service).
HMS Belfast, Symons Wharf, Vine Lane.
This cruiser was commissioned a month before the outbreak of war and saw
action in several areas.
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Videos
‘The World at War’ is available for sale and is a very fine collection of
material.
Programmes on the war feature regularly on television channels.
Journals
There is a huge array of relevant articles for teachers in such journals as:
Twentieth Century British History
Labour History Review
The Historical Journal
War in History
Websites
There are a large number of these, though they tend to come and go.
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