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    Cabinet's Finest Hour

    Page 30
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      Germany: air force strength, 160, 164–8; Austrian occupation, 23, 52; Bomber Command attacks, 96; British air attack strategy, 160; economic blockade, 144n7, 161–3, 183; economic and military weakness, 183–5; food and raw material shortages, 143, 161; Kristallnacht, 35; Low Countries invasion, 75, 79; morale, 199; Norway invasion, 57–8, 61; oil reserves, 143; Rhineland occupation, 22; Russian non-aggression pact, 42; strategic factors for defeat, 143–5

      Gibraltar, 141, 142, 211

      Göring, Hermann, 3

      Gort, Lord, 113, 124, 126, 130, 132, 152, 182, 184, 197; Churchill’s criticism, 120, 214

      Gosling, Harry, 8

      Grandi, Dino, 142

      Greenwood, Arthur, 205, 242; against appeasement, 23; alcohol problems, 20–21, 28; Attlee’s confidence in him, 2, 26; British Strategy in the Near Future (economic effects), 144n7, 159–67, 213; by-election success (1932), 15; Commons speeches, 2–3, 27, 30, 59, 64; and Council for the Study of International Relations, 4; critical of Reynaud’s appeal, 194, 226; draft biography, 15, 15n26; drunkenness, 20–21; election loss (1931), 13; and General Strike, 9; on a German blockade, 144n7; ill health, 28, 29; Labour Party deputy leader, 2, 20, 21; Labour Party leadership challenges, 19–20, 25; Labour Party research department, 21; on Labour’s potential wartime contribution, 29–30; Minister of Health, 11; Ministry of Health PPS, 7; newspaper acclaim, 27, 30; post-war reconstruction, 4; pre-war career, 2, 4; rearmament policy, 22–3; refusal to serve under Chamberlain, 28, 70–71; War Cabinet (Minister without Portfolio), 76, 209, 216, 222, 223, 226

      Grey, Sir Edward, 227, 264–5

      Griffiths, Jim, 64

      Guilty Men (Cato), 239–42

      Gulf War (1991), 257, 263

      Haldane, Lord, 227

      Halifax, Lord: appeasement, 32, 241; appointed US Ambassador, 243, 244; and Butler’s defeatism, 240; Cadogan’s influence, 33–4, 215; and Chamberlain, 31, 219; defeatism, 228; differences with Churchill, 176–80, 193, 195, 220–23, 244–5; draft telegram to Roosevelt, 229–30; Foreign Secretary, 32; on French factories, 138; Hitler visit (1937), 32; Lord President of the Council, 31; meeting with Italian Ambassador, 151–5; and Mussolini, 94–5; Polish Guarantee, 38–9; potential successor to Chamberlain, 71–4, 77, 212; prospects for continuing without France, 138; rejection of appeasement, 33–4, 35–6; relations with Churchill, 73, 212; and Soviet Union, 42; support for French Italian peace overtures, 225–6; Viceroy of India, 73, 212; War Cabinet discussions, 149, 193, 194, 195

      Henderson, Arthur, 4, 5, 13, 16

      Héring, General Pierre, 123

      Hitler, Adolf: Austrian occupation, 23, 52; Boothby meeting, 46–7; Churchill’s refusal to contact, 209; Halifax visit (1937), 32; invasion of Poland, 1–3; Lloyd George visit, 86; meetings with Chamberlain, 33; Munich meeting, 34, 35; Mussolini meeting, 56; Mussolini’s likely view according to Halifax, 144, 211; visit to Calais, 121, 218

      Hoare, Sir Samuel, 17, 241, 244

      Hoare-Laval Pact (1935), 17, 47

      Home of the Hirsel, Lord, 251

      Hoon, Geoff, 266

      Hopkins, Harry, 101–2

      House of Commons: Churchill on Belgian Armistice (28 May), 189–91; Churchill speech (4 June), 232–3, 247; Churchill on war situation and French fleet (4 July), 238–9; Churchill’s first speech as Prime Minister (13 May), 78; Masonic Lodge, 25; non-confidence adjournment debate (7 May), 59–69, 89–90; Polish invasion debate (2 Sep 1939), 1–3; Saturday sittings, 1; Syria vote (2013), 267

      Hubris Syndrome, 35, 212

      impeachment, 264–5

      imports, 141, 163, 163–5

      Independent Labour Party, and World War I, 5

      Inskip, Thomas, 241

      intelligence system: Iraq failures, 264, 266–7; World War II, 147

      internment, 145

      Iraq War: Blair’s promise of support to Bush, 254, 265–6; Blair’s written statement, 263–4; Butler Report, 266–7; Chilcot Report, 210, 263–4, 265, 268; intelligence failures, 264, 266–7; UK decision-making, 262–6

      Ireland, request for US squadron visit, 103, 105

      Ironside, General Edmund, 119, 122, 160, 187, 205

      Ismay, General Hastings, 57, 113, 114, 122, 215, 217; and Churchill, 245; Churchill memos, 119–20; Churchill-Halifax relations, 244–5; pre-war career, 99n28; Viceroy of India, 99

      Israel, Suez Crisis, 249–54

      Italian peace proposals: British approach, 125, 144; Churchill’s opinion, 144, 209, 211; French approach, 127, 131, 133, 171, 172–4; Halifax memo on suggested approach (26 May), 169–75; Halifax memo on talks with Ambassador (25 May), 151–5; likely Italian terms, 142, 150–52, 211; Mussolini as mediator, 193, 194; Mussolini mediator role rejected, 197–9; Mussolini’s resentment, 173–5; Suggested Approach to Mussolini (24 May), 131–3; Suggested Approach to Mussolini (26 May), 169–75, 225; through US President, 131–3, 157, 171–5, 172, 198, 224–5, 230; Welles mission, 54–6

      Italy: Abyssian invasion, 17–18, 47, 241; Albanian invasion, 36; Anglo-Italian Agreement, 31; contraband control, 131, 151, 153; declaration of war, 234–5; sanctions, 22; strategic factors, 141

      Japan, 247

      Jean Bart (battleship), 236, 237

      Jenkins, Arthur, 28

      Jenkins, Roy, 28, 219, 226

      Jones, Tom, 86, 89

      Karslake, General, 134

      Kennedy, Joseph P., 246

      Keyes, Admiral Sir Roger, 60, 94, 119, 134, 152, 190, 205

      Kilmuir, Lord, 250

      King, William Lyon Mackenzie, 233, 237

      Kirkpatrick, Sir Ivone, 251

      labour, transfer of labour, 163–5

      Lander, Stephen, 258

      Lansbury, George, 11, 13, 15, 17–18, 248

      Lansdowne, Lord, 231

      Leach, Admiral Sir Henry, 255–6

      League of Nations, 17

      Leopold III, King of the Belgians: evacuation plans, 118–19, 134, 152, 182–4, 189; remains in Belgium, 190–92

      Litvinov, Maxim, 38, 40, 41

      Lloyd George, David, 4–5, 11, 41, 261; and Churchill’s Cabinet, 82–3, 84, 85, 86–9; Commons debate (May 1940), 66–7, 80–81, 86, 90; Commons debate (May 1941), 89–90; dislike of Chamberlain, 85, 86; refuses Washington ambassadorship, 89; visit to Hitler, 86

      Lloyd, John Selwyn, 251, 252

      local authorities, Defence Regulation No. 54B, 112–13

      Loraine, Sir Percy (Ambassador to Rome), 94, 173–5, 225, 235

      Lothian, Lord (Ambassador to Washington), 23, 157, 162, 173, 196, 243

      Lukacs, John, Five Days in London May 1940, 213, 214, 215, 219

      MacDonald, Ramsay, 5, 7–8, 10–13

      McGovern, John, 3

      Macmillan, Dorothy, 46

      Macmillan, Harold, 40, 46, 69, 253, 256

      Maisky, Ivan, 38

      Major, John, 257, 263

      Malta, 141, 142, 211

      Manning, David, 260, 265

      Margesson, David, 32, 68, 71

      Marshall, General George, 243

      May, Theresa, 268

      Meyer, Christopher, 262

      Mollet, Guy, 249, 254

      Molotov, Vyacheslav, 41

      Monckton, Sir Walter, 192

      morale, 160, 164, 198, 201

      Moran, Lord, 51

      Morrison, Herbert: 1931 election loss, 13, 14; Abyssinian invasion, 18; Bevin’s dislike of, 9; Commons adjournment debate (May 1940), 64–5; declines to challenge Attlee for leadership, 25–6; and Halifax, 32; Home Secretary, 243; Labour Party leadership candidate, 19–20; and London County Council, 14–15; and London Traffic Bill, 8–9; NEC membership, 14

      Mosley, Oswald, 11, 234

      Munich Agreement, 34–5, 219

      Mussolini, Benito, 17; Churchill’s personal message, 94–5, 109; and Hitler, 56, 144, 211; mediator role rejected, 197–9; Munich meeting, 34; personal motives, 224; possible role as mediator, 193, 194; Welles mission, 55–6; see also Italian peace proposals

      Nasser, Gamal Abdel, 249, 251, 252, 253

      National Security Council, 268


      National Union of Clerks, 5

      naval warfare: British fleet in event of surrender, 230, 233, 237; French fleet, 235, 236, 237–9; French resources, 185; request for US destroyers, 102–3, 104–6, 232, 235; strategic factors, 139–41, 158, 177–9

      Newall, Air Chief Marshal Sir Cyril, 111, 149, 160, 168, 187

      Nicholson, Brigadier C.N., 121n52

      Nicolson, Harold, 69

      Nixon, Richard, 21

      Norway, German invasion, 57–8, 61, 66–7

      Nott, John, 255

      Nutting, Anthony, 249, 250

      opinion polls, 214–15

      Peirse, Air Vice-Marshal Richard, 113, 160, 168

      Percival, A.E., 149

      Pétain, Marshal Philippe, 230–31, 235

      Phillips, Admiral Sir Tom, 119n49, 160

      Poland, 1–3, 38–9

      Pound, Admiral Sir Dudley, 111, 149, 160, 187, 237

      Powell, Charles, 259

      Powell, Colin, 265–6

      Powell, Jonathan, 259, 265

      Powell, Sir Richard, 251

      public information, 147–9, 186, 192

      Quisling, Vidkun, 234n4

      refugees, in Britain, 145–7

      Reynaud, Paul, 55; on British withdrawal, 123, 124, 164; Churchill phone call on Mussolini proposal, 197–9, 224–5, 226; Churchill’s visits, 97–9, 113–14, 202, 230; Mussolini as intermediary, 193–4; possible approach to Italy, 169–71, 172–4, 173, 175, 218; proposed appeal to US, 194, 196; visit to Britain, 125–7, 134–6, 140–44

      Reynolds, David, 128, 211, 231, 244

      Rhineland, 22

      Ribbentrop, Joachim von, 42, 55, 85–6

      Richelieu (battleship), 236, 237

      Roberts, Andrew, The Holy Fox, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 39, 71, 72, 73, 213

      Roosevelt, Franklin D.: army equipment, 233; fireside chat (December 1940), 245–6, 247; Formal Naval Person Churchill correspondence, 101–6; Halifax draft telegram, 229–30; Italian peace proposals, 131–3, 157, 171–5, 172, 198, 224, 230; re-election, 242; relations with Churchill, 246–7; request for military equipment, 102–6, 213, 232, 235; Welles mission to Italy, 54–6

      Rumsfeld, Donald, 262

      Rundstedt, Gerd von, 218

      Salisbury, Lord: and Chamberlain, 77; Watching Committee, 43–4, 57, 69

      Samuel, Herbert, 31

      Sanderson, Lord, 264–5

      Shinwell, Emanuel (Manny), 25

      shipping: food and raw materials imports, 141, 163–5; see also naval warfare

      Silkin, Lewis, 14

      Simon, Sir John, 241

      Sinclair, Sir Archibald, 44, 59; and Churchill, 210; Minister for Air, 76, 89, 95, 168, 176, 214; War Cabinet, 215–16; WW I service, 210

      Singapore, 141

      Snowden, Philip, 11, 12

      Somerville, Admiral Sir James, 237

      Soviet Union, 38–42, 109–110

      Spanish Civil War, 22

      Spears, General Louis, 127, 132, 176, 182, 231

      Straw, Jack, 266

      Stuart, James, 46

      Suez Canal, 141

      Suez Crisis, 249–54

      Syria, Commons vote, 267

      Temple, William, Archbishop, 9

      Thatcher, Margaret, 255–7, 259, 262–3

      Thomas, Jimmy, 11, 12

      trade, food and raw materials imports, 141, 163–5

      Treachery Act (1940), 111–12

      Tunis, 142, 211

      United States: 9/11 attacks, 257–8; and Britain in event of surrender, 230, 233–4; economic and financial support, 135, 161–3, 213; isolationism, 101, 242; lend-lease options, 162, 247; Monroe Doctrine, 104; and Suez Crisis, 250, 253; Welles mission, 54–6; see also Roosevelt, Franklin D.

      Vansittart, Sir Robert, 193, 225

      Vietnam War, 262

      Villelume, Paul de, 113, 116–17, 122–3, 125–7

      Wall, Stephen, 260

      War Cabinet: cartoon, 208; comprehensive detail in Minutes, 210; effective decision-making, 107, 110, 112, 227–9; Labour contribution, 210–211; membership, 76–7, 93–4, 243

      War Cabinet Chiefs of Staff reports: British strategy in a Certain Eventuality (25 May), 135–49, 164–8; British Strategy in a Certain Eventuality (26 May), 177–9, 213–14; British Strategy in the Near Future (26 May), 156–60, 213, 216–17

      War Cabinet documents: Air Defence of Great Britain, 111; British Strategy in the Near Future – economic aspects (Greenwood), 144n7, 159–67, 213; Churchill note on morale, 201; Churchill phone call on Mussolini proposal, 197–9, 224–5; Halifax’s meeting with Italian Ambassador, 151–5; Italian peace proposal memos/telegrams, 131–3, 157, 169–75, 225; Reynaud visit aide memoire, 181–7

      War Cabinet meetings: First (26 May), 132–8; Second (26 May), 140–46, 211; Third (26 May), 148–52, 211; Fourth (27 May), 162–70, 215–16; Fifth (27 May), 172–80, 218–23; Sixth (27 May), 182–8, 223–4; Seventh (28 May), 190–92, 224–5; Eighth (28 May), 193–5, 225–6; Ninth (28 May), 196, 229; informal (26 May), 215; June 1940, 236–7; see also Cabinet meeting, 28 May 1940

      Welles, Sumner, 54–6

      Weygand, General Maxime, 113–15, 123–4, 132, 140, 144

      Wilkinson, Ellen, 24–5 Wilson, Harold, 21, 262

      Wilson, Sir Horace, 241–2

      Wood, Sir Kingsley, 94, 166, 241, 243

      World War I: Attlee’s service, 6; Churchill’s service, 49; Gallipoli, 6, 49; Haldane’s Berlin Mission (1912), 227; Labour Party divisions, 5; Verdun, 230–31

      Zinoviev Letter, 7–8

     

     

     



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