Britain Occupied Europe and the Brotherhood that Helped turn the tide of war.
Lynne Olson is an excellent story teller and very readable***** 2/3/19 Kindle
After seeing the Polish resistance museum in London I found this book interesting
Prime Minister Disraeli declared that now that Britain mastered the sea she had "outgrown the continent of Europe." Britain as an island nation was never comfortable with alliances and had great prejudges against foreigners.
In May June 1940 in less than a month the UK became haven for 6 governments occupied by Hitler. Czechoslovakia, Poland, Norway ,Holland, Belgium and Luxembourg as well as self appointed de Gaulle of France.
We find that hundreds of Poles played a critical role in winning the war but the war was shown as a American. British, Soviet triumph.
The role BBC played. Till Churchill replaced Neville Chamberlain the radio represented Britain which meant the policy of the Prime Minister. Ed Murrow's broadcast back to the US told the truth. He convinced the BBC to let the public have the facts of the defeat so that when there is a victory BBC will be credible. Later hundreds of coded messages were sent over open radio to the different undergrounds group on open radio. The Dutch queen, Norwegian king and de Gaul all spoke on BBC.
Up to 1939 Britain had no conscription
The cooperation in London of all the exile governments planted the seed of European unification after the war. Britain reverted to her aloofness but eventually joined the EEC in 1973.
Germany occupied Norway but the government and gold and merchant marine got away. Norway had been at peace for over a century and was neutral during WW1. Haakon had offered to send a warship to rescue Tsar Nicholas II and his family in 1917. Germany depended on Swedish iron and Churchill wanted to stop this. In 1940 British ships stared laying mines on the Norwegian coast. Willy Brandt lived 7 years in Norway and fled to Sweden. British troops were sent to Norway and captured the port of Narvik and drove the Germans backs later Britain was stunned when Chamberlain announced the evacuation of British troops because they were needed at home. Norsk Hydro - all their heavy water was bought by IG Farben Norsk Hydro factory had to be destroyed by a secret force.
Belgium under Albert I in 1914 halted the German advance in the battle of the Yser which gave the allies controle of key ports then. Leopold was an Eton boy who had military training and build a strong army despite his government, he understood the dangers of a weak country but kept neutrality. But it was Belguim forces that kept the Germans at bay while the British evacuated Dunkirk. When Churchill took over to fortify his position after all the disasters the blame was pinned only the allies who did not defend themselves.
Belgium Leopold III his first wife Astrid was Swedish and popular but in 1941 he married a Flemish girl while imprisoned in Germany. He was forced to abdicate and his brother Charles became regent to his son Baudouin. The king cannot marry a Walloon or a Flemish.
Belgium Leopold III his first wife Astrid was Swedish and popular but in 1941 he married a Flemish girl while imprisoned in Germany. He was forced to abdicate and his brother Charles became regent to his son Baudouin. The king cannot marry a Walloon or a Flemish.
Nobody expected the German breakthrough on the Meuse. Dunkirk is considered a British victory but French forces at Lille helped the British forces keep the Germans at bay. More than 100 000 French soldiers were evacuated also but this was only a British afterthought. The French government fled Paris making no arrangement for it's defence and total chaos on the way south. De Gaulle said that Petain and Weygand planned to arrest him, and got help to escape to London. A Vichy court sentence him to death for treason. Reynaud had legally handed overpower to Petain who was now the legitimate government.
French scientists escaped. France is interesting it had about 22000 collaborators. Under Vichy the Germans had full cooperation and Petain did the Nazi work for them. Surprisingly French living already in England supported him. It took a long time for the Marquis to get it act together and de Gaul was unknown and building up a French army outside France. The attack against Vichy Dakar failed. In France the underground slowly started spreading newspapers.
When the American started succeeding in North Africa the feeling of defeat in France shifted and then the Germans took over ruling Vichy directly.
When the war started going badly in Russia, it did not end in 6 weeks Germany started taking slave labour to work in armaments in Germany. At this stage Jean Moulin arrived at de Gaul with information about how to contact the Marqui and its set up. A high % of Jews were involved in this, and the ordinary people who were not involved gave a lot of support.
Roosevelt wanted to set up an American military government but de Gaule came in and wanted to be in charge. With the Paris uprising Eisenhower.,got a message that he must enter Paris quickly as Hitler wanted it destroyed it, while de Gaul was worried that the French communists would take over. The German general Dietrich von Choltitzl did not carry out Hitler's instruction and destroy Paris.
1831 The Netherland had been offered permanent neutrality The Netherland rescued Paul Kruger during the Boer War and gave Kaiser Wilhelm II asylum in 1918.
Wilhelmina fled the Germans on a British ship and wanted to make a stand with the Dutch army in Zealand but the British never allowed her to return. Hollands gold was also taken out to the US.
The whole operation in the Netherlands was a total disaster as the first spies arrived were caught and messages sent back in their name. The operators in London were amateurs and even though a key code was not used they just kept cooperating and the Abwehr who called this Engelspeil collected more than 50 agents and all weapons delivered. After this the Dutch government in exile got involved and it became secure. Young people were now being rounded up to be slave labour in Germany and so many people were hiding that this basically set up an underground system to protect them. Queen Wilhelmina returned to the liberated part of Holland before Germany capitulated and became a Queen of the people.
Wilhelmina fled the Germans on a British ship and wanted to make a stand with the Dutch army in Zealand but the British never allowed her to return. Hollands gold was also taken out to the US.
The whole operation in the Netherlands was a total disaster as the first spies arrived were caught and messages sent back in their name. The operators in London were amateurs and even though a key code was not used they just kept cooperating and the Abwehr who called this Engelspeil collected more than 50 agents and all weapons delivered. After this the Dutch government in exile got involved and it became secure. Young people were now being rounded up to be slave labour in Germany and so many people were hiding that this basically set up an underground system to protect them. Queen Wilhelmina returned to the liberated part of Holland before Germany capitulated and became a Queen of the people.
King Harkon of Norway had an English wife Queen Maud and Edward 7 was his uncle. He arrived in England with over 1400 soldiers and 1000 sailors more followed. The Norwegen navy and merchant navy took instruction from BBC came to Britain and they were requisition for the war.
Norway was still occupied at the end of the war and free Norwegian soldiers moved into take over running the country as the King Harken returned.
Norway was still occupied at the end of the war and free Norwegian soldiers moved into take over running the country as the King Harken returned.
When the Germans took the Sudetenland many Czech soldiers and pilots left the country, many joined up in Poland
Reinhard Heidrich assassination was the result of Stalin request for something to be done in that area. The reprisal was so harsh the Czech underground was so ruined that they could not sabotage military production there.
Reinhard Heidrich assassination was the result of Stalin request for something to be done in that area. The reprisal was so harsh the Czech underground was so ruined that they could not sabotage military production there.
The Poles defending Poland killed 16000 Germans and wounded 30000. The Poles were distrusted because of their defeat the Czechs were scorned as they did not fight. Most Polish flyers were battle hardened against the Germans
After the Katyn massacre was revealed Stalin cut off links to the Polish government and asked Churchill to do the same. Churchill was worried that after Russia had got back her territory she would leave the rest of the work to the West. Russia had informed Churchill that she was taking part of Polish territory. The Polish underground had helped both Britain and Russia but they would not benefit from this.
General Sikorsky crashed in a RAF plane as it took off from Gibraltar. That was the end of Poland's chances as he was the only figure of influence of world leaders and who could keep the factions united. Stalin certainly wanted to get rid of him and Philbi was the agent in that area, a later enquire found that there was not enough security at the airport. The General after him Mikolajczyk gave instructions to the Polish underground not to rise up against the Germans but we saw the failed Warsaw uprising. George Keenen informed the West that Stalin wanted Poland lock, stock and barrel.
With Dunkirk Britain had less than a tenth of the army that Germany had. 85000 Poles were amongst the fighters in France 20 000 of them got to England and another 8000 airman. There were about 5000 Czechs 1000 of them were airmen.
Von Halban and Kowarski came to Britain and set up an atomic reactor research program that later went to the US and became the Manhattan project.
In the Battle of Britain 20% of pilots were not British and half of them came from the British Commonwealth. The Polish squadron 303 were the most skilled pilots of all. When the Germans decided that the airfields were destroyed and they now could start against the cities before invasion this gave the airfields time to recover.
With Dunkirk Britain had less than a tenth of the army that Germany had. 85000 Poles were amongst the fighters in France 20 000 of them got to England and another 8000 airman. There were about 5000 Czechs 1000 of them were airmen.
Von Halban and Kowarski came to Britain and set up an atomic reactor research program that later went to the US and became the Manhattan project.
In the Battle of Britain 20% of pilots were not British and half of them came from the British Commonwealth. The Polish squadron 303 were the most skilled pilots of all. When the Germans decided that the airfields were destroyed and they now could start against the cities before invasion this gave the airfields time to recover.
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