Month: September 2024

Winning the Battle of Britain

On By Marc NadeauIn Air Marshal Hugh Dowding, Battle of Britain, James Holland, Leadership, Penguin Random House Canada, Royal Air Force, Royal Navy, Winston ChurchillLeave a comment

Since the Battle of Britain officially ended on October 31st, 1940, a review of The Battle of Britain by James Holland in the Ladybird Expert Series (Penguin Random House) remains timely in the aftermath of the commemoration of the 84th anniversary of that pivotal episode of World War II on September 15th – just a few days ago.

I might have written it before, but the greatest merit of James Holland’s book in this collection is to offer the reader the most important aspects of the battles he writes about. The Battle of Britain certainly makes no exception to that rule.

Right from the beginning, Adolf Hitler is aware that he needs to knock Britain out of the war, if he is to be successful in his ambitions. The prospects of appeasement decreased as Winston Churchill grew stronger in his role as Prime Minister. After the successful British evacuation at Dunkirk, the feldgrau horde needs to take London by force. But “it would be suicidal to attempt a Channel crossing without command of the skies and sea lanes secure.”

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How Churchill and Dowding saved Britain and the World

On By Marc NadeauIn Air Marshal Hugh Dowding, Battle of Britain, History, Leadership, Luftwaffe, Martin Dugard, Penguin Random House Canada, Royal Air Force, Squadron Leader Roger Bushell, Uncategorized, Winston Churchill, World War IILeave a comment

“Nothing great will ever be achieved without great men, and men are great only if they are determined to be so”, said Charles de Gaulle – Winston Churchill’s brother in arm during World War II. Resilience is the common thread of Martin Dugard’s new book Taking London: Winston Churchill and the Fight to Save Civilization (Dutton).

While de Gaulle escaped France with only 2 suitcases aboard the RAF plane that flew him into history on June 17, 1940, Churchill wasn’t much more gifted politically when he was asked to become Prime Minister a month earlier. The author reminds the reader that he was the second choice to occupy the role and that he had “no political currency beyond his words and beliefs.”

Yet, he had to keep the country – and the free world – safe from the claws of Nazism. Alone. A longtime admirer and promoter of the Royal Navy – which ruled the waves for centuries – Churchill had no choice but to realize that Nelson’s heirs couldn’t save Britain. Along with his legendary courage, the Royal Air Force was his only asset.

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