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1942: Winston Churchill and Britain's Darkest Hour
A revelatory new work of popular history focused on the year 1942, as the fate of Britain—and Winston Churchill’s leadership—hangs in the balance.
Eighty years ago, Britain stood at the brink of defeat.
In 1942, a string of military disasters engulfed Britain in rapid succession : the collapse in Malaya; the biggest surrender in British history at Singapore; the passing of three large German warships through the Straits of Dover in broad daylight; the longest ever retreat through Burma to the gates of India; serious losses to Rommel's forces in North Africa; the siege of Malta and the surrender at Tobruk.
All of this occurred against the backdrop of catastrophic sinkings in the Atlantic and the Arctic convoys. People began to claim that Churchill was not up to the job and his leadership was failing badly. Public morale reached a new low. Taylor Downing’s 1942 explores the story of frustration and despair of that year, prompting Winston Churchill to demand of his army chief, "Have you not got a single general who can win battles?” Using newly discovered archival material, historian Taylor Downing shows just how unpopular Churchill became in 1942, with two votes attacking his leadership in the House of Commons and the emergence of a serious political rival.
Some argue that Britain's most precarious moment of the war was in 1940—when the nation stood up against the threat of German invasion during the Battle of Britain. But in 1942, Taylor Downing describes, in nail-biting detail, what was really Britain's darkest hour of World War II.
Eighty years ago, Britain stood at the brink of defeat.
In 1942, a string of military disasters engulfed Britain in rapid succession : the collapse in Malaya; the biggest surrender in British history at Singapore; the passing of three large German warships through the Straits of Dover in broad daylight; the longest ever retreat through Burma to the gates of India; serious losses to Rommel's forces in North Africa; the siege of Malta and the surrender at Tobruk.
All of this occurred against the backdrop of catastrophic sinkings in the Atlantic and the Arctic convoys. People began to claim that Churchill was not up to the job and his leadership was failing badly. Public morale reached a new low. Taylor Downing’s 1942 explores the story of frustration and despair of that year, prompting Winston Churchill to demand of his army chief, "Have you not got a single general who can win battles?” Using newly discovered archival material, historian Taylor Downing shows just how unpopular Churchill became in 1942, with two votes attacking his leadership in the House of Commons and the emergence of a serious political rival.
Some argue that Britain's most precarious moment of the war was in 1940—when the nation stood up against the threat of German invasion during the Battle of Britain. But in 1942, Taylor Downing describes, in nail-biting detail, what was really Britain's darkest hour of World War II.
432 pages, Hardcover
Published October 4, 2022
11 people are currently reading
72 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
July 21, 2024
This book gave a great perspective of the struggles of UK and individually of Winston Churchill in 1942 the dark days of WWII for Britain. Churchill barely survived the continued battle losses that befell the country at that time as they seemed to be doomed to defeat by Germany. The book was a learning experience for me even though I feel that I know a great deal about that time period
November 7, 2022
There is a tendency among casual students of World War II in Europe to slide from the Battle of Britain and then American's entry into the war to D-Day as if the intervening years were the preordained lead up to the final victorious campaign. As Churchill said when he heard the news of Pearl Harbor, and America's resultant entry into the war, he slept the sleep of the saved that night. However, the reality, as author Taylor Downing points out, is that 1942 was perhaps the most critical year of the war and the ultimate result was not a sure thing.
Churchill had rallied Britain and the Commonwealth to stand alone for the year from May 1940 to June 1941, when the Russians were brought into the fight by the German invasion and then the Americans by the Japanese attack in December, but 1942 began with a seemingly endless series of disasters. The Japanese seize Malaya and Singapore, forcing the surrender of a superior British-Australian-Indian force. The British were forced out of Burma and Australia was threatened. In the Western Desert Rommel inflicted defeat after defeat on the 8th Army. There was a strong possibility that the British could lose Egypt and the Suez Canal, as well as the Russians being driven to a separate peace.
The constant bad news undermined public confidence in Churchill as a war leader. It was anything but certain that he would remain in power. A serious rival for leadership arose in the form of Sir Stafford Cripps, a name that's faded into obscurity now. Had Churchill been replaced by Cripps the course of the war might have changed significantly. As it was, Churchill's skills as politician saved him, and possibly the western alliance. With the success of the 8th Army at Alamein in October and then the Anglo-American landings in North Africa, in November, Churchill's position was secured and the Allies began the march to victory.
The British government kept a watch on public attitudes through the Home Intelligence Unit and the Mass Observation organization, which conducted polls and interviews, and also employed "diarists" who kept journals of their own thoughts and what they heard from friends and neighbors, as well as overheard discussions in public places. The author makes good use of these resources to demonstrate the shifts in public opinion. One brief discussion of the war in the Western Desert impressed me particularly as being notably candid. The author takes the British Army to task for its pre-war culture which resulted in deficient tactics and leadership, as well as weapons, to fight a mobile, armored campaign in the desert. There seems often to be a disinclination to criticise the British Army, since I suppose, they won in the end.
Well worth the read f or any student of WWII.
Churchill had rallied Britain and the Commonwealth to stand alone for the year from May 1940 to June 1941, when the Russians were brought into the fight by the German invasion and then the Americans by the Japanese attack in December, but 1942 began with a seemingly endless series of disasters. The Japanese seize Malaya and Singapore, forcing the surrender of a superior British-Australian-Indian force. The British were forced out of Burma and Australia was threatened. In the Western Desert Rommel inflicted defeat after defeat on the 8th Army. There was a strong possibility that the British could lose Egypt and the Suez Canal, as well as the Russians being driven to a separate peace.
The constant bad news undermined public confidence in Churchill as a war leader. It was anything but certain that he would remain in power. A serious rival for leadership arose in the form of Sir Stafford Cripps, a name that's faded into obscurity now. Had Churchill been replaced by Cripps the course of the war might have changed significantly. As it was, Churchill's skills as politician saved him, and possibly the western alliance. With the success of the 8th Army at Alamein in October and then the Anglo-American landings in North Africa, in November, Churchill's position was secured and the Allies began the march to victory.
The British government kept a watch on public attitudes through the Home Intelligence Unit and the Mass Observation organization, which conducted polls and interviews, and also employed "diarists" who kept journals of their own thoughts and what they heard from friends and neighbors, as well as overheard discussions in public places. The author makes good use of these resources to demonstrate the shifts in public opinion. One brief discussion of the war in the Western Desert impressed me particularly as being notably candid. The author takes the British Army to task for its pre-war culture which resulted in deficient tactics and leadership, as well as weapons, to fight a mobile, armored campaign in the desert. There seems often to be a disinclination to criticise the British Army, since I suppose, they won in the end.
Well worth the read f or any student of WWII.
January 7, 2023
one of the best books of jaunury 2023
February 5, 2023
Lost interest in this book early in my reading.
January 9, 2024
Quite informative. Remarkable what Mr. Churchill and the people of Britain went through in 1942 and still, at the end of that dark and daunting year, remained standing, determined and valiant.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews