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The Home Guard: A Military and Political History
The extraordinarily popular British television program "Dad's Army" suggests that Britain's Home Guard during the Second World War was home to charming incompetence and lighthearted buffoonery. In 1940, however, the threat of a German invasion of Britain appeared very real. S. P. MacKenzie's
detailed and readable history of the Home Guard offers a new perspective on the men who took up the challenge. Despite its popular image of old men and teenagers playing soldiers, the Home Guard, often as large as the wartime army, became an astonishingly strong political force in its own right.
Quite literally the people in arms, it proved able to exert a good deal of influence on policy.
The Home Guard was never called upon to fulfil its military role, though there was a brief attempt to resurrect it in the 1950s. Since then it has been largely neglected by military historians and there have been few serious examinations of the part it played in the Home Front. This book fills
that gap.
detailed and readable history of the Home Guard offers a new perspective on the men who took up the challenge. Despite its popular image of old men and teenagers playing soldiers, the Home Guard, often as large as the wartime army, became an astonishingly strong political force in its own right.
Quite literally the people in arms, it proved able to exert a good deal of influence on policy.
The Home Guard was never called upon to fulfil its military role, though there was a brief attempt to resurrect it in the 1950s. Since then it has been largely neglected by military historians and there have been few serious examinations of the part it played in the Home Front. This book fills
that gap.
276 pages, Paperback
First published May 18, 1995
About the author
S.P. MacKenzie
15 books1 followerSimon MacKenzie was educated at the University of Toronto and received a PhD from the University of Oxford in 1989. He currently teaches at the University of South Carolina.
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April 13, 2024
I've always thought that 'Dad's Army' was meant to be a sitcom, but after reading this book, I'm starting to wonder if it was actually a documentary!
MacKenzie has produced a readable and often amusing history of the Home Guard. While making it clear that the Home Guard wasn't quite the vital defence force of contemporary propaganda, he does pay tribute to the important contribution the Home Guard made to the war effort, and above all, to their bravery and enthusiasm. An interesting account of a somewhat overlooked aspect of World War 2. Recommended to anyone with an interest in British military or social history in the mid 20th century.
MacKenzie has produced a readable and often amusing history of the Home Guard. While making it clear that the Home Guard wasn't quite the vital defence force of contemporary propaganda, he does pay tribute to the important contribution the Home Guard made to the war effort, and above all, to their bravery and enthusiasm. An interesting account of a somewhat overlooked aspect of World War 2. Recommended to anyone with an interest in British military or social history in the mid 20th century.
Displaying 1 of 1 review