Finest Years Read Online Free

against Regulation 1AA (on unofficial strikes), 280; prejudices on British imperialist attitudes, 316; on WSC’s claiming credit for victories, 343; on WSC’s reluctance to address domestic issues, 422; on prospects in 1945 general election, 579
    Beveridge, Sir William, 238; Report (1942), 254
    Bevin, Ernest: qualities, 10, 273; and proposed union of Ireland, 72; popular image, 111; and public disappointment at inertia in war, 112; Pownall disparages, 140; in war cabinet, 140; on failing aircraft productivity, 276; left-wing attacks on, 281; regulates unofficial strikes, 281; demands a victory, 302; rallies workers, 399–400; confronts WSC over Woolton’s future, 423; discusses maintaining coalition government with Eden, 486
    Bevir, Tony, 144
    Billancourt, France: Renault factory bombed, 247
    Birkenhead, F.E. Smith, 1st Earl of, 193, 202
    Birse, Maj. (interpreter), 327
    Bizerta, 376
    Black, Rosemary, 302
    Bletchley Park: decrypts Ultra signals, 84–5; intercepts U-boat signals, 158, 337; secrecy over, 159; WSC visits and authorises more resources, 204; see also Ultra
    Blunt, Anthony, 321
    Blunt, Maggie Joy, 305, 334
    Bock, Field Marshal Fedor von, 58
    Bohlen, Charles, 224, 434
    Bonham Carter, Lady Violet, 238, 371
    Borneo, 477
    Borrow, George, 30
    Boulogne: evacuated, 24
    Bracken, Brendan ( later Viscount): serves under WSC, 11; relations with WSC, 17, 145–6; appointed to Privy Council, 44; qualities and character, 145–6; meets Hopkins, 180, 181; welcomes Winant as US ambassador, 185; WSC criticises Time magazine to, 295; on battle of Alamein, 337, 339; letter from Jack Jones, 399; disparages Hopkins, 513; at cabinet meetings, 545; and Conservative defeat in 1945 election, 589
    Bridges, Sir Edward, xviii, 11, 17, 144
    Britain: early military defeats, xvi-xvii; German air threat to, 13; and German invasion threat, 18, 24, 30, 67–9, 73–4, 81, 87, 94–7, 100–1, 103, 123–4, 207, 217; ruling classes’ defeatism, 27, 33; casualties in France (1940), 53n, 58; military weakness after fall of France, 57; scepticism about victory in summer 1940, 61–2; US views on, 64–5, 184, 258, 298–9, 361; available military equipment in June 1940, 66; bombed by Luftwaffe, 73, 78–80, 97–9, 107; US aid for, 73, 170–2, 183–4; financial difficulties, 86, 172–4, 548, 585; casualties from air attacks, 97, 137, 480; life and conditions in, 107–8; nature of war cabinet, 140; aid to Russia, 150, 158, 160, 165–7, 480; colonial policy, 151; view of Soviet Union, 151, 154–5, 159–60, 167–8, 304, 306, 332, 346, 370, 382, 445–6, 576; fear of airborne attack, 158; Arctic convoys to Russia, 166, 251, 290, 323, 330, 337, 352, 358, 372; popular exasperation at military inaction, 168, 335; casualties, 169; shortage of supplies and equipment, 170; assets sold in USA, 173; anti-Americanism in, 174–7, 189, 214–15, 370–2, 482; import requirements, 220; underestimates US leadership and capabilities, 226; apathy and discontent in, 253; aircraft design and development, 269–70; domestic administration, 272–3; regulations and restrictions, 275–6; class tensions and industrial unrest, 276–82; scientific innovations, 276; incomes and earnings, 277; health standards, 279–80; treaty of alliance with Russia (1942), 291–3; army strength and deployment (mid–1942), 294; meagreness of public information, 307; preponderance of forces over US in North Africa, 358; forces concentrated for invasion of France, 358; troop deployment, 368; effect of blackout on morale, 371; impedes US plans for early D-Day, 385–6, 388, 391, 396; leftwing hostility to conduct of war, 396–7; special forces and commandos, 404; by-election results (1944), 443–4; total war casualties, 450; industrial disputes, 476; low morale before D-Day, 476; miners’ strikes (1943), 399; (1944), 476; working relations with Americans,