1942: Britain at the Brink

by Taylor Downing

In 1942 there was a domestic crisis in Britain. Public morale collapsed with a widespread feeling that Winston Churchill was no longer the right man to lead the nation. In the course of the crisis, motions of No-Confidence were debated in Parliament. A credible rival for Prime Minister emerged. This panic followed a series of major military fiascos. If its war effort folded, Britain would have had to negotiate a truce with Hitler. Had Britain been forced out of the war by this in 1942, it would have been almost impossible for the US to fight back in Europe. The survival of fascism, the outcome of the titanic battles on the Eastern Front and the ultimate result of the war could all have been very different.

1942 tells the story of this precarious moment when the British people nearly lost it.

Genres: History, World War II

432 pages, Hardcover

First published January 20, 2022

Reviews

[William Fisher · Rating 5 out of 5]

An engaging read telling the warts and all story of Britain and Churchill’s challenges in the war year of 1942. Busts many of the myths surrounding the Churchill legend while still giving the man his due for wartime leadership.

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well written and extremely interesting. I feel I have gained a much wider understanding of Churchill as a PM and Minister of Defence. 7.5/10

[Steve Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic read. Attention to detail in specific area of the war and the use of material from Mass Observation gives a superb insight into the downs and ups of 1942. The book moves the reader away from the common expectation that the war was won as soon as America entered to highlight the continued difficulties and that much was still very much in the balance. The insights into Churchill’s standing and his moods got across his real emotional state and the difficulties of his own position.