Their Darkest Hour: The Hidden History of the Home Front 1939-1945

by Stuart Hylton

The traditional image of the Home Front in the Second World War is of cheery Londoners, singing along to Vera Lynn on the radio and making do and mending as bombs burst all around them. But there was another side to life in wartime Britain, a side many would like to forget. Questionable governmental procedures often hindered Britain's chances of winning the war. Incredibly meticulous plans were devised for protecting the nation's art treasures, yet little preparation was made for the civil defense of its population. A catalogue of authoritarian blunders shows in frightening detail just how close Britain came to becoming a totalitarian state. Propaganda fed to the people bore scant relation to the facts, and dark forces like racism found a ready outlet in wartime society. Crime continued to flourish, and the class tensions in pre-war society were often thrown into sharp relief. This is a stimulating, unsentimental portrait of a nation at arms.

Genres: History, World War II, Nonfiction

192 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2001

Reviews

[Wendy Percival · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating background to some of the lesser known (and in some cases, ridiculous) aspects of life on the home front during WW2. Some of the incidences will make you laugh out loud, others will make you despair at the absurdity. An easy and entertaining read. Useful bibliography at the back if you want to learn more.

[Kazimiera pendrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a good book I really enjoyed it . The book was very well written and informative. it portrays a view of Britain during wartime that dispels some of the myths . I would recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in the history of The Second War especially the home front.

[Ipswichblade · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book about the darker side of the home front