Don't Panic: Britain Prepares for Invasion, 1940 - Softcover

Rowe, Mark

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0752456091 ISBN 13: 9780752456096

Publisher: The History Press Ltd, 2010

Synopsis

Between May and October 1940, following Hitler’s invasion of western Europe and the evacuation of the Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk, it was feared that the Germans would invade Britain. Over a million men volunteered for the Home Guard, beaches were covered with barbed wire, and pillboxes were scattered across the countryside. But even amid this frenzy of preparation, many Britons were indifferent to the perceived threat. In Don’t Panic, Mark Rowe presents the definitive account of Britain’s ‘finest hour’. Using diaries, official documents and many previously unpublished photographs, he recounts the history of the invasion that never was, including how Churchill interfered with the defence of Whitehall, the many false alarms such as the ‘Battle of Bewdley’, and the general who boasted his orders were ‘grandiloquent b*ll*cks’. Moreover, it shows how the people of Britain sought to defend their island against a truly formidable enemy, and how their preparations arguably prevented the invasion from ever taking place.

About this title

Product Description

Between May and October 1940, following Hitler's invasion of western Europe and the evacuation of the Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk, it was feared that the Germans would invade Britain. Over a million men volunteered for the Home Guard, beaches were covered with barbed wire, and pillboxes were scattered across the countryside.

Review

full of fascinating asides and anecdotes that add to the overall storyline ... richly illustrated throughout --Book of the Month, Britain at War magazine, June 2010

Rich in anecdotes drawn from hitherto unexplored material in local newspapers and county record offices ... best of all Rowe peppers his narrative with numerous photographs, which both add colour and help to bring the text alive. --History Today

Edition details

• Publisher: The History Press Ltd
• Publication date: 2010
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0752456091
• ISBN 13: 9780752456096
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 192