Britain and 1940 : history, myth, and popular memory / Malcolm Smith.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Smith, Malcolm, 1947-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Great Britain--History--George VI, 1936-1952.

Great Britain.

History.

World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Western Front.

World War, 1939-1945.

World War, 1939-1945--Great Britain.

Physical Description:

178 pages : illustrations ; 22 cm

Other Title:

Britain & 1940

Place of Publication:

London ; New York : Routledge, 2000.

Summary:

1940 was the most significant year in European history this century. For Britain it was 'the finest hour', the beginning of the People's War. Britain and 1940, explores what the year meant for the people of Britain then and now. Malcolm Smith explores the great fear that a second world war would perhaps mean the end of British civilization and charts the development of the myths of Dunkirk, the Battle of Britain and the Blitz, and the great influence they have had on our national consciousness and on attitudes to the outside world.

Contents:

2 The projection of war, 1918 to 1939 10

3 To Dunkirk 29

4 Invasion and the Battle of Britain 52

5 The Blitz 70

6 Wartime politics and popular culture 91

7 Refighting the war: Attlee to Blair 111

8 America, Europe and the world 130.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [161]-171) and index.

ISBN:

0415010500

041524076X

OCLC:

44769406