Minister of Economic Warfare

The Minister of Economic Warfare was a British government position which existed during the Second World War. The minister was in charge of the Special Operations Executive.

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Documents about Minister of Economic Warfare

Friday 23rd February 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Secret Annexe: Russia informs UK of required terms for settlement with Finland. Halifax to urge dialogue
place Great Britain
place Murmansk
place Finland
place Russian Empire
place East Germany
place Helsinki
place Iran
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
organisation Minister of Economic Warfare
organisation French Foreign Legion
 

Wednesday 6th March 1940

Meeting minutes

extract UK Ambassador Vatican passes on anxiety at Mussolini’s “increasingly pro-German course”
extract Cripps in Moscow says USSR wishes to improve relations with UK, does not want to be “too closely tied” to Germany
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Stafford Cripps
person Samuel Hoare
person Maxime Weygand
person Kingsley Wood
person John Simon, 1st Viscount Simon
place Hamburg
place Finland
place East Germany
place Moscow
place Turkey
place Rome
organisation Home Office
organisation Air Force F.C.
organisation RAF Coastal Command
organisation Minister of Economic Warfare
 

Military implications of hostilities with Russia in 1940.

extract Chiefs of Staff report on "military implications of hostilities with Russia in 1940"
place Great Britain
place Afghanistan
place Murmansk
place Finland
place Russian Empire
place Egypt
place Iraq
place Narvik
place Turkey
place Basra
place Syria
place West Germany
place Iran
organisation Air Force F.C.
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
organisation Minister of Economic Warfare
 

Meeting minutes

extract Secret understanding with Sweden delaying German ore imports at ports and railway stations. Von Ribbentrop to visit Rome
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Samuel Hoare
person Kingsley Wood
person Harold Wilson
person Joachim von Ribbentrop
place Heligoland
place Finland
place Iceland
place Narvik
place Denmark
place Rome
organisation New Zealand Treasury
organisation Minister of Economic Warfare
 

Meeting minutes

extract Approach to be made to Japanese government to limit trade with Germany and Russia. Military aid to Finland halted
place Great Britain
place Finland
place Russian Empire
place East Germany
place Hong Kong
place Europe
place Tokyo
place Iran
organisation New Zealand Treasury
organisation Royal Air Force
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation United States Department of State
organisation Minister of Economic Warfare
 

Supply and Production. Seventh Monthly Report of the Ministry of Supply covering the Month of February, 1940.

extract Supply Minister: Serious effects on production from February weather and flu outbreak. Explosives and ammo worst affected
place Finland
organisation Ministry of Supply
organisation New Zealand Treasury
organisation Minister of Economic Warfare
 

Publicity in Enemy Countries.

extract Halifax reports progress of leaflet dropping by RAF. “Produced considerable effect…even Germans cannot resist a picture”
person Richard Kiel
person Adolf Hitler
place Finland
place Paris
place Berlin
place Vienna
place Denmark
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
organisation Minister of Economic Warfare
 

Tuesday 2nd April 1940

The Air Strengths of Great Britain, France and Germany.

extract Air Ministry estimates German air force at 5000 aircraft, Britain has 1840. Projects 2146 by June to Germany’s 5350
person Kingsley Wood
place Great Britain
place Finland
organisation Air Force F.C.
organisation Minister of Economic Warfare
 

Meeting minutes

extract PM Chamberlain defers decision on prize money for the Navy to the end of the war
extract French War Minister Daladier continues to resist Rhine mining operation. PM Chamberlain to personally intervene
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Neville Chamberlain
organisation Home Office
organisation Air Force F.C.
organisation Royal Air Force
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
organisation United States Department of State
organisation Minister of Economic Warfare
organisation Scapa
organisation French Air Force
 

Meeting minutes

extract Japan trade talks proceeding well. Halifax warns Japanese ambassador not to raise status of Japan’s government in China
person Ronnie Campbell
person Robert Craigie (diplomat)
place Heligoland
place London, Ontario
place West Germany
organisation Home Office
organisation RAF Coastal Command
organisation Royal Air Force
organisation Minister of Economic Warfare
 

Saturday 25th May 1940

British strategy in a certain eventuality.

extract Without “full economic and financial support” from USA. Chiefs of Staff cannot see “any chance of success” in war effort
extract Chiefs of Staff circulate UK strategy for next phase of conflict. Paper assumes defeat of France, failure to evacuate BEF
place Portugal
place Russian Empire
place Egypt
place Iraq
place Eyre Peninsula
place Singapore
place Turkey
place Malta
place Europe
place Gibraltar
place Alexandria
place Africa
place Libya
organisation Air Force F.C.
organisation Minister of Economic Warfare
organisation Scapa
organisation United States Army
 

Saturday 15th June 1940

Plans to meet a certain eventuality: French Colonial Empire and Mandated Territories.

extract Chiefs of Staff circulate suggested strategies to encourage French overseas territories to continue assistance to Britain
person Chiang Kai-shek
place Freetown
place Aruba
place New Caledonia
place Somaliland
place Madagascar
place Iraq
place Caribbean
place Singapore
place Turkey
place Europe
place Gibraltar
place Dakar
place Beirut
place Morocco
place Syria
place Africa
place Newfoundland, Kentucky
place Burma
organisation Minister of Economic Warfare
organisation United States Congress
 

Meeting minutes

extract Admiralty suggests action against French oil stocks. Cabinet rejects as "act of war" with talks in N. Africa continuing
extract Pole, Czech troops arriving "in large numbers" in UK. Polish troops "good quality", Czechs must "be carefully sorted out"
extract 50-70 aircraft over UK last night. Bombing Midlands, East Anglia, Bristol targetting aerodromes and aero-engine factories
extract General Wavell reports on first 10 days fighting Italy in Middle East. Halifax: "Superiority of our troops" clear
extract Cabinet approves formation of Economic Mission to United States. Seeks permission to buy armaments on credit
person Archibald Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell
person Walter Hines Page
person E. F. L. Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax
place Gisborne, New Zealand
place East Anglia
place Africa
place Bristol
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation Home Office
organisation RAF Coastal Command
organisation Minister of Economic Warfare
organisation French Foreign Legion
 

Monday 22nd July 1940

Naval measures proposed to effect Contraband Control of the West Coast of Europe and North West Africa.

extract Despite "considerable difficulties" Admiralty widening naval blockade to entire western seaboard of Europe and NW Africa
place Portugal
place Europe
place Gibraltar
place London, Ontario
place Africa
organisation United States Department of State
organisation Minister of Economic Warfare
 

Wednesday 7th August 1940

Assistance to the Dutch in event of Japanese aggression in Netherlands East Indies.

extract Chiefs predict Japan would suffer "commercial ruin" with a year of UK/US sanctions. Confronting both "highly improbable"
place Singapore
place Europe
place Gibraltar
place Thailand
organisation Hopatcong High School
organisation United States Navy
organisation Minister of Economic Warfare
organisation United States Army
 

Saturday 28th September 1940

Spain, Gibraltar and Morocco.

extract Halifax warns of likely German "diversion" against Egypt or Iberian Peninsula. "Great pressure will be placed on Spain"
person Charles de Gaulle
person Francisco Franco
person Adolf Hitler
place Great Britain
place Portugal
place Egypt
place Halifax Peninsula
place Madrid
place Turkey
place Paris
place Europe
place Gibraltar
place Berlin
place Morocco
place Syria
place Africa
place Madrid, New York
organisation German Army
organisation Minister of Economic Warfare
 

Wednesday 9th October 1940

The Blockade and French West Africa.

extract Economic Warfare Minister calls for tightening of blockade on Vichy. UK has drifted "into a sort of half surrender"
person Hugh Dalton
place Europe
place Gibraltar
place Dakar
place South America
place Africa
organisation Minister of Economic Warfare
 

Tuesday 5th November 1940

Overseas Air Communications.

extract Air Minister asks for resources to improve Empire communications links. "Reasonably quick air-mail" will boost morale
place Athens
place Egypt
place Iraq
place Hong Kong
place Cairo
place North America
place Europe
place South America
place Khartoum
place Africa
place Lisbon, New York
place Burma
place Rome
organisation Royal Air Force
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
organisation Minister of Economic Warfare
organisation United States Army
 

Wednesday 18th December 1940

Report by the Far Eastern Committee.

extract Japan "likely to be encouraged by our enemies to attack British interests if she gets the chance", reports Foreign Office
person Chiang Kai-shek
place Portugal
place Turkey
place Europe
place Thailand
place Republic of China
place Burma
organisation New Zealand Treasury
organisation Minister of Economic Warfare
organisation Commonwealth of Nations
 

Meeting minutes

extract Morrison: Glasgow tramworkers refusing to work after "alert" sounded. Minister of Labour to take what action he can
extract Cabinet agrees to make further concessions to USA in Caribbean. Colonial Secretary: This will "lead to major friction"
extract PM Churchill: President's speech yesterday "satisfactory". US committed to "implacable hostility and resistance" to Axis
extract Eden: US Naval Attaché Berlin has given a "depressing account" of the lack of success of our bombing raids on Berlin
extract Morrison: Recent raid on Manchester and last night's attack make it clear our firewatching organisation is "inadequate"
extract PM Churchill: "Fullest publicity should be given to the damage caused". No military objectives were aimed at
extract Morrison: Overnight damage to London comparable in severity to 7th September raid. Over 300 casualties
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person George Cadogan, 3rd Earl Cadogan
person Herbert Morrison
person Telesforo Trinidad
place City of London
place Plymouth
place Hungary
place Bermuda
place Caribbean
place Manchester, New Hampshire
place Liverpool
place Gibraltar
place Berlin
organisation Home Office
organisation Minister of Economic Warfare
organisation United States Congress
 

Tuesday 4th March 1941

Meeting minutes

extract PM Churchill: "If resolutely tackled over the next four months, the position should show great improvement"
extract PM Churchill: "Above all, the offensive spirit must be retained in meeting the enemy's attacks on our merchant shipping"
extract PM Churchill: This is the Battle of the Atlantic which must be fought out in the shipyards and the docks, and on the seas
extract PM describes measures being taken to improve shipping situation, reduce the volume of merchant shipping awaiting repair
extract General Wavell predicts "difficulties" for German forces "if they tried to stage an early offensive against Cyrenaica"
extract Admiralty: Preliminary reports indicate raid against the Lofoten Islands "proceeding satisfactorily"
person Archibald Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell
place Gibraltar
place Tripoli, Greece
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
organisation Minister of Economic Warfare
 

Meeting minutes

extract PM: "A clear rebuff to our enemies". UK will recognise new government if it is "determined" to denounce Pact with Germany
extract Cabinet informed King Peter has seized authority in Yugoslavia, arrested Ministers, appointed new government
person Herbert Morrison
place Athens
place Greece
place Cranborne
place Belgrade
place South America
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
organisation Minister of Economic Warfare