Their Finest Hour

Front Cover
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 1948 - Biography & Autobiography - 683 pages
Churchill's account of the eight uneasy, dangerous months from May to December 1940, as Britain stands isolated and Germany follows its warpath.

In Their Finest Hour, Winston Churchill describes the invasion of France and a growing sense of dismay in Britain. Should Britain meet France's desperate pleas for reinforcements or conserve their resources in preparation for the inevitable German assault?

In the book's second half, entitled simply "Alone," Churchill discusses Great Britain's position as the last stronghold against German conquest: the battle for control of the skies over Britain, diplomatic efforts to draw the United States into the war, and the spreading global conflict.

Their Finest Hour is part of the epic six-volume account of World War II told from the viewpoint of a man who led in the fight against tyranny, and enriched with extensive primary sources including memos, letters, orders, speeches, and telegrams, day-by-day accounts of reactions as the drama intensifies.

Throughout these volumes, we read the strategies and counterstrategies unfold in response to Hitler's conquest of Europe, planned invasion of England, and assault on Russia, in a mesmerizing account of the crucial decisions made as the fate of the world hangs in the balance.

From inside the book

Contents

THE NATIONAL COALITION
5
THE BATTLE OF FRANCE
25
The Forward Movements starting May 10
29
The Opposing Forces May 13
37
THE BATTLE OF FRANCE
47
Situation Evening May 18
50
Battle of Arras May 2122
63
IV
66
State of Readiness of Infantry Divisions 239243
239
THE INVASION PROBLEM
247
OPERATION SEA LION
266
Sketch Map of German Invasion Plan
273
Chapter Page
281
Graph of Battle of Britain
298
BASES
353
EGYPT AND THE MIDDLE EAST
369

Situation at Nightfall May 25
75
THE DELIVERANCE OF DUNKIRK
87
Situation May 28
93
THE RUSH FOR THE SPOILS
105
BACK TO FRANCE
122
The Opposing Forces on the Western Flank June 5 1940
132
HOME DEFENCE June
143
The Last Stand of the French Army June 1940
170
THE BORDEAUX ARMISTICE
175
ADMIRAL DARLAN AND THE FRENCH FLEET ORAN
197
THE APPARATUS OF COUNTERATTACK
213
AT
225
Disposition of Main Fleets in Mediterranean June 14 1940
389
RELATIONS WITH VICHY AND SPAIN
449
General Map of N W France and Belgium facing
462
MUSSOLINI ATTACKS GREECE
470
LENDLEASE
488
Desert Victory December 1940January 1941
545
A Minutes and Telegrams MayDecember 1940
559
B Loss by Enemy Action of British Allied
637
Correspondence relating to Dakar between
645
F List of Abbreviations
651
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About the author (1948)

The grandson of the former British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill, Winston S. Churchill is an author whose books include the best-selling Six Days of War. He was a journalist; former war correspondent; and a member of the British Parliament from 1970-1997.