The British Home Front during the ‘Phoney War” and the “Blitz”

While concentrating on the events of 1940 proper, British journalist and author Rippon takes a look at life in Britain from the outbreak of W.W. II in September of 1939 through the end of 1940. He opens with an account of events during the Winter of 1939-1940, the worst in Europe in more than a century.

Rippon then devotes individual chapters to look at various aspects of life during the year. We get a look at rationing and wartime improvisation, the participation of women in society and industry, sports, the “problem” of conscientious objectors, the origins and rise of the Home Guard, air raid precautions, the question of “enemy aliens” (many of whom were actually fugitives from fascism), scrap drives, trade unionism, and more. Several chapters deal with “The Blitz”, one even on crime during those desperate days.

Rippon nicely weaves together anecdotes and stories of actual individuals that help illustrate the overall experience of these months. One interesting impression gained from Rippon’s account of life during the “Phoney War” is that the protracted period of relative calm before the fall of France, which left Britain facing the most serious threat to its security in centuries, enabled the populace to become used to the emergency measures that they would need when the real war began.

Britain, 1940 is a good read for anyone with an interest the Second World War and particularly for those seeking to better understand why Britain managed to persevere during those most dangerous days.

---///---

StrategyPage reviews are published in cooperation with The New York Military Affairs Symposium