World in the Balance: The Perilous Months of June-October 1940

by Brooke C. Stoddard

In mid-1940, the British Expeditionary Force desperately attempted to flee the small French port of Dunkirk and reach British shores. France was falling, and the men were well aware that the German army had already conquered Poland, Denmark, Norway, Holland, and Belgium. Only Britain remained. Churchill then proclaimed to the House of Commons, “Hitler will have to break us in this island or lose the war.” There were, perhaps, no more telling words spoken in World War II. For the following five months, Great Britain waged a heroic, and clandestine, struggle with Nazi Germany—one both psychological and diplomatic—over the fate of the world. World in the Balance recounts these pivotal months. Rallying after Churchill’s speeches, destroying the French fleet so it would not fall to the Germans, fending off Nazi agents from former King Edward VIII, weakening England’s defenses to build up those of Egypt, establishing a dedication to secret radar, and engaging in deft diplomacy—notably saving Gibraltar by keeping Spain neutral and successfully courting favor in the United States—set all the pieces in place for eventual victory over Axis fascism.

278 pages, Hardcover

First published February 1, 2011

About the author

Former writer at Time-Life Books

Former Editor of Military Heritage Magazine

Interested in history, particularly:

History of Technology
World War II
Greek and Roman History
Founding of the USA Republic
Civil War and Guilded Age
Business History

Reviews

[Jim Zubricky · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I'm still a little over a quarter through the book, I have to say that the author gives outstanding accounts of the beginnings of Bletchley Park and the sinking of the French fleet at Mers-El-Kebir. Those two alone has made this book outstanding in my eyes. Hopefully the rest of the book will be as compelling as the first quarter!

[Doug · Rating 5 out of 5]

very good book. enjoyed learning so much about those five very important months in 1940,