The days from May 24 to May 28; 1940 altered the course of the history of this century; as the members of the British War Cabinet debated whether to negotiate with Hitler or to continue what became known as the Second World War. The decisive importance of these five days is the focus of John Lukacs’s magisterial new book.Lukacs takes us hour by hour into the critical unfolding of events at 10 Downing Street; where Churchill and the members of his cabinet were painfully considering their war responsibilities. We see how the military disasters taking place on the Continent—particularly the plight of the nearly 400;000 British soldiers bottled up in Dunkirk—affected Churchill’s fragile political situation; for he had been prime minister only a fortnight and was regarded as impetuous and hotheaded even by many of his own party. Lukacs also investigates the mood of the British people; drawing on newspaper and Mass-Observation reports that show how the citizenry; though only partly informed about the dangers that faced them; nevertheless began to support Churchill’s determination to stand fast.Other historians have dealt with Churchill’s difficulties during this period; using the partial revelations of certain memoirs and private and public papers. But Lukacs is the first to convey the drama and importance of these days; and he does so in a compelling narrative that combines deep knowledge with high literary style.
#1335473 in Books 1993-09-10Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.02 x .89 x 5.98l; 1.27 #File Name: 0300054475380 pages
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. VERY EMMOTIONAL BOOK!By Strong willedThis is a great read for any person and I highly recommended to anyone who wants to know what exactly happened during the Holocaust. Many of the stories that were told by adults who were just children at the time of the war are very sad. This book was well written and I strongly support the effort for those who suffered through the Holocaust to be given the chance to tell their story; for the truth must be told!0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Five StarsBy aunt debbiewonderful stories. book sent in a timely manner. book in good condition. price excellant.3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. Forgotten voices...By Sabrina Van GoethemPeople who know me personally; know that I have an interest in what happened during WWII; and more specifically the Holocaust. For years; I have been trying to find the psychological explanation behind the genocide. What turned ordinary people like you and me into monsters; capable of committing such crimes?There are many books about the Holocaust; but almost all of them are geared towards what happened to the adults. Very few books focus on the fate of children. 'Children with a Star' by Deborah Dwork tries to fill that gap.The book is divided into 7 chapters and each chapter deals with a certain aspect of children's lives. It starts out at the beginning of the war; when new rules such as not being allowed to go to school anymore would have affected the children. Later on; it moves towards transit camps and ghettos; until finally the life of children in slave labor or death camps is told.The book is also illustrated and the photos provide a face to put to the names mentioned in the book; making it much more personal. When I saw a group picture of children I found myself wondering how many of those happy little faces would still have been alive by the end of the war...Whilst it's obvious the author did a lot of research for this book; I'm not convinced she got it across to the readers very well. The sections which come from interviews with survivors were very clear; but the parts inbetween were often difficult to read. And with difficult; I don't mean because of the subject of the book. In my opinion; the author often uses a difficult way to tell something which could have been said more easily: sentences are way too long and use too difficult words. I have to admit I had to restrain myself from skipping parts.I think that if a different writing style would have been adopted; maybe it would make this book more accessible to a larger audience. The Holocaust is after all tough enough to read about as it is.I still haven't found the answer to my question: how? How were perfectly normal people brainwashed in such a way that they would forgo all humanity and act like animals? Maybe one day; I will have the answer...
