Anthony Eden

Robert Anthony Eden, 1st Earl of Avon, KG, MC, PC (12 June 1897 – 14 January 1977) was a British Conservative politician, who was Prime Minister from 1955 to 1957. He was also Foreign Secretary for three periods between 1935 and 1955, including during the Second World War. In the post-war years, Eden was a protagonist of the change in ...

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Documents about Anthony Eden

Monday 8th January 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Churchill announces progress in tackling magnetic mines to Cabinet. 20 German staff in Moscow to assist against Finns
person Anthony Eden
person Samuel Hoare
person Winston Churchill
place Finland
place East Germany
place Moscow
 

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet informed of finance deal with Turks, new government in China by Japan. Rumour Hitler's HQ moved to Dutch frontier
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Adolf Hitler
place Finland
place Turkey
organisation New Zealand Treasury
 

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet discusses strategy for the Middle East and possibility of Italian pilots supporting Finland against the Russians
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Samuel Hoare
person Kingsley Wood
person Arthur Robinson (Australian politician)
person Oliver Stanley
place Great Britain
place Afghanistan
place Greece
place Finland
place Turkey
place Kenya
place West Germany
place Iran
organisation Hopatcong High School
 

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet discusses propaganda, pensions and possible despatch of 60 fighter planes for Finland.
person Anthony Eden
person Samuel Hoare
person Franklin D. Roosevelt
person Ernest Brown
place Finland
place East Germany
 

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet discusses supply and manpower. 48th Division moved to France, joining the British Expeditionary Force
person Anthony Eden
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Ernest Brown
person Andrew Duncan
person Neville Chamberlain
person John Simon, 1st Viscount Simon
person Oliver Stanley
organisation New Zealand Treasury
 

Meeting minutes

extract Progress in Italy talks, Soviets may swap Polish territory for German aid in Finland, explosion at Royal Gunpowder Factory
person Anthony Eden
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Ernest Brown
person Andrew Duncan
person Neville Chamberlain
person Arthur Robinson (Australian politician)
person John Simon, 1st Viscount Simon
person Oliver Stanley
place Greece
place Finland
place Slovakia
place Brussels
organisation United States Navy
 

Recruitment of Palestinian Armed Forces - Release of British Garrison.

extract Anthony Eden reports progress in recruiting Palestinian forces to allow a reduction in British troops in the territory
person Anthony Eden
place Europe
 

Meeting minutes

extract Churchill announces loss HMS Exmouth. Finns bomb Kronstadt, Baltiski. German press accuse UK of violating Dutch neutrality
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Winston Churchill
person Neville Chamberlain
person John Simon, 1st Viscount Simon
person Oliver Stanley
place Finland
organisation New Zealand Treasury
organisation BBC
 

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet discusses US plans to disrupt Axis trade, agrees volunteers to Finns. Japan protests seizure of vessel Asama Maru
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Samuel Hoare
person Kingsley Wood
person Arthur Robinson (Australian politician)
person John Simon, 1st Viscount Simon
place Greece
place Finland
place Russian Empire
place West Germany
organisation New Zealand Treasury
 

Meeting minutes

extract U-boat sighted Swansea. Japanese Ambassador warns of “incalculable possibilities” over Asama Maru seizure.
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Harold Wilson
place Finland
place Egypt
organisation New Zealand Treasury
 

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet “doubtful” over use of colonial forces. Discusses price and wage control and solutions to Asama Maru dispute
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Kingsley Wood
person John Simon, 1st Viscount Simon
place Finland
place Tokyo
place Rome
organisation New Zealand Treasury
 

Meeting minutes

extract Secret Annexe: Anthony Eden warns of potential IRA plot to attack N.Ireland and/or kidnap British ambassador to Eire
person Anthony Eden
person John Maffey, 1st Baron Rugby
place Northern Ireland
 

Meeting minutes

extract Anti-British demonstrations in Tokyo, Yokohama. PM intervenes to keep down numbers of British volunteers for Finland
person Anthony Eden
person Samuel Hoare
place Finland
place Vatican City
 

Negotiations with Italy.

extract Eden warns favourable trading conditions offered to Italy in pursuit of a settlement may alienate Dominion governments
person Anthony Eden
place Turkey
place Africa
 

Meeting minutes

extract Snowfall hampering air ops. Cabinet argues export deal with Italy extensively. Note of regret to Japan over ship seizure
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Kingsley Wood
person Woodrow Wilson
place Greece
place Finland
place Hong Kong
place Morocco
organisation New Zealand Treasury
 

Palestine. Illegal Jewish Military Organisation.

extract Two more illegal Jewish paramilitary weapons caches seized in Palestine, reports Colonial Secretary Anthony Eden
person Anthony Eden
 

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet suppresses report on health, housing conditions in West Indies. PM: “Would inflict serious damage on war effort”
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Samuel Hoare
person John Reith, 1st Baron Reith
place Finland
place Caribbean
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
 

Meeting minutes

extract U-Boat U-55 sunk by HMS Fowey. Soviet Ambassador urges British government to remain neutral over Finland
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Samuel Hoare
person Adolf Hitler
person Kingsley Wood
place Newcastle upon Tyne
place Finland
place East Germany
 

Thursday 1st February 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Air Minister updates on 144 aircraft destined for use by Finns. British Ambassador in Tokyo close to deal over Asama Maru
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Samuel Hoare
person Kingsley Wood
place Finland
place Washington
 

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet discuss new talks with Indian political leaders. First Australian and NZ troops now en route from Sri Lanka
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Samuel Hoare
person Woodrow Wilson
place Finland
place Brussels
organisation New Zealand Treasury
 

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet agrees meat rationing to begin 11th March. Air Ministry concerned by resilience of German Heinkel aircraft
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Samuel Hoare
place Finland
place Gisborne, New Zealand
 

Meeting minutes

extract Russia delivers "a series of hammer blows” against Finland. Lord Halifax: Mussolini “no longer convinced” of Nazi victory
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Stafford Cripps
person E. F. L. Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax
person John Anderson (Australian politician)
person Kingsley Wood
place Finland
place Gisborne, New Zealand
place Iran
organisation New Zealand Treasury
organisation Hopatcong High School
 

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet informed execution of two Coventry bombers causing tension in Irish Republic. Germ warfare preparedness discussed
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Samuel Hoare
person Kingsley Wood
person John Simon, 1st Viscount Simon
place Finland
organisation United States Navy
 

Meeting minutes

extract Serious shipping losses. Air Officials consider sending bomber force to attack German fleet
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Kingsley Wood
person Ernest Brown
place Finland
place Rome
organisation Ministry of Supply
organisation New Zealand Treasury
 

Meeting minutes

extract Australian, NZ forces arrive Middle East. Finnish Minister states "no danger of collapse for a number of weeks at least"
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Kingsley Wood
place Newcastle upon Tyne
place Finland
place Egypt
place Malta
place Africa
organisation KEF
 

Meeting minutes

extract Blizzard conditions reported from Finland. Cabinet discusses legal justification for intervention in Norwegian territory
person Anthony Eden
person Samuel Hoare
person Woodrow Wilson
place Heligoland
place Finland
organisation New Zealand Treasury
 

Meeting minutes

extract After extended debate Cabinet agrees to postpone decision on mining Norwegian waters to prevent German attack for a week
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Walter Hines Page
person Samuel Hoare
person Kingsley Wood
person Swedes (Germanic tribe)
person Woodrow Wilson
place Finland
organisation New Zealand Treasury
 

Meeting minutes

extract Norway suggests arbitration over naval dispute. Cabinet discusses statement on its planned blockade of Norwegian waters
person Anthony Eden
person John Simon, 1st Viscount Simon
place Finland
place Helsinki
organisation New Zealand Treasury
organisation United States Navy
 

Meeting minutes

extract Two U-Boats sunk. Opposition Leaders express concern Norwegian blockade would represent lowering of UK’s “moral stature”
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Sumner Welles
person Samuel Hoare
person Richard Kiel
person Theodore Roosevelt, Jr.
place Finland
place Europe
place Berlin
place Tokyo
place Rome
place Iran
 

Meeting minutes

extract Finns forced to withdraw to second line of Mannerheim defence system. Rumour Germany anxious to mediate in this conflict
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim
person Woodrow Wilson
place Finland
place East Germany
place Gisborne, New Zealand
place Turkey
organisation New Zealand Treasury
 

Friday 1st March 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet told shipping situation “greatest bottleneck" in whole war effort. Losses cause 10% cut in projected food supply
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Samuel Hoare
person Harold Wilson
person Andrew Duncan
person John Simon, 1st Viscount Simon
place Great Britain
place Finland
place Isle of Portland
place Narvik
organisation Ministry of Supply
organisation New Zealand Treasury
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Meeting minutes

extract US military attaché requests data on British forces and plans. Cabinet directs Foreign Office to refuse
extract German attacks on shipping now reaching as far west as Isle of Wight. UK has no technology to intercept night air attacks
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Sumner Welles
person John Vereker, 6th Viscount Gort
person Samuel Hoare
person John Simon, 1st Viscount Simon
person Oliver Stanley
person Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim
person Woodrow Wilson
place Heligoland
place Finland
place Europe
organisation New Zealand Treasury
organisation RAF Coastal Command
organisation French Army
 

Meeting minutes

extract Rumours of new German bomber operating at 35,000 feet. Unity Mitford refused permission to move to Scottish island
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Samuel Hoare
person Kingsley Wood
person John Simon, 1st Viscount Simon
place Aruba
place Finland
place Iceland
place Caribbean
place Rome
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
 

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
 

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet informed of German raid on British lines in the Saarland. Two soldiers killed, 16 captured
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Stafford Cripps
person Samuel Hoare
person Kingsley Wood
person Ernest Brown
person Harold Wilson
person Andrew Duncan
place Finland
place Egypt
place Rome
organisation New Zealand Treasury
organisation RAF Coastal Command
 

Meeting minutes

extract Deputy Chief of Naval Staff reports unsuccessful German attempt to mine harbour entrance of UK's Home Fleet at Scapa Flow
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person John Simon, 1st Viscount Simon
place Finland
place Caribbean
place Liverpool
place Jamaica
organisation Scapa
 

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
 

Sunday 12th May 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Germans advancing in Holland, Belgium. RAF has lost 76 aircraft in 48 hours. UK forces continuing to retreat in Norway
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Neville Chamberlain
place Great Britain
place Halifax Peninsula
 

Meeting minutes

extract Prime Minister to send personal message to President Roosevelt to attempt to gain more American support
extract Lord Halifax warns of “fresh outburst of Italian animosity”. He is now “less confident” that Mussolini will not go to war
extract Situation in Holland “very precarious”. German tanks advancing along whole western front. French forces being pushed back
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person Franklin D. Roosevelt
person E. F. L. Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax
place Halifax Peninsula
 

Meeting minutes

extract Chief of Air Staff has received naval intelligence suggesting Italy “seeking an excuse for entering the war”
extract Lord Halifax urges consideration of possibility of German paratroop attack on Ireland. Eire government to be informed
extract Belgian Ambassador complains British troops moving through Brussels which his government has declared an open city
extract Lord Gort reports “satisfactory” position of British Expeditionary Force. Belgians and French withdrawing to Antwerp line
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person George Cadogan, 3rd Earl Cadogan
person John Vereker, 6th Viscount Gort
place Halifax Peninsula
place Gibraltar
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
place Rome
organisation Royal Marines
 

Meeting minutes

extract UK force in Norway told to expect no new troops to support operations around Narvik. Town will be captured “any moment”
extract PM orders 12 new fighter squadrons in a month. Air Production Minister to discuss how to meet “impossible” target
extract Air Chief: Germans made “considerable advance” overnight. Situation “very serious”. Information Minister to warn public
extract PM reports on visit to France. Demanded "supreme effort" in exchange for more aircraft because of "grave risk" to UK
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Theodore Roosevelt, Jr.
place Great Britain
place Halifax Peninsula
place Narvik
place Paris
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation Hopatcong High School
 

Meeting minutes

extract Halifax announces signs “some arrangement” with USSR possible. Stafford Cripps to be sent to Moscow to explore agreement
extract Telegram from Ankara warns of secret Italian full mobilisation within 48 hours. Rumour Germans have crossed Brenner Pass
extract Japan has requested “economic advantages” from Dutch East Indies. Halifax to inform US of these “sinister” demands
extract Information Minister reports UK air attacks on Germany “being hushed up”. Suggests they are “not ready to retaliate”
extract PM: “On the whole” military situation in France “better”. RAF have “covered themselves with glory”
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Stafford Cripps
person Samuel Hoare
person Sydney Brenner
place Great Britain
place Ankara
place Egypt
place Brussels
place Madrid
place Iceland
place Moscow
place Cairo
place Madrid, New York
organisation KEF
 

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet agrees no further refugees should be admitted to UK until the military situation becomes clearer
extract UK Ambassador Belgrade reports rumour Germany may make peace offer before a “decisive attack” on England
extract Halifax and Churchill express concern at UK operations in Norway. Force used “urgently needed elsewhere”
extract As “precautionary measure” PM directs Admiralty to gather large number of small vessels ready to proceed to French coast
extract Le Havre subjected to intense air attack overnight. RAF has lost a further 23 aircraft in last 24 hours
extract German units advancing on Arras, held by "partially trained" 23rd Division. BEF holding: “Tired but in very good heart”
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Samuel Hoare
person Francisco Franco
person John Reith, 1st Baron Reith
place Great Britain
place Lancaster, Lancashire
place Halifax Peninsula
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation Home Office
organisation Hopatcong High School
 

Meeting minutes

extract PM does not feel “every aspect of the problem” covered. Cabinet to reconsider elements of the planning over the next week
extract UK to send demolition parties to Calais, Boulogne. PM: “no immediate risk of Germans occupying French ports in strength”
extract BEF "seen practically no fighting so far". Casualties around 500. Refugees are hampering military and need to be cleared
extract General Ironside criticises French "indecision". "Nothing wrong" with army in Flanders. General Billotte "doing nothing"
extract PM: “No reason” counter-attack on Cambrai should not succeed. Force must "fight hard under open warfare conditions”
extract PM stresses "overwhelming" Allied superiority of numbers in France. “Very small" German forces holding captured towns.
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Alan Keyes
place Great Britain
place Lancaster, Lancashire
place Halifax Peninsula
place Narvik
 

Meeting minutes

extract Sir Stafford Cripps has suggested buying aircraft from USSR - direct or via Chinese government. Lord Halifax to pursue
extract Churchill reports on meetings in France. PM Reynaud called possible UK success at Narvik an “enheartening contribution”
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Stafford Cripps
person Winston Churchill
person Paul Reynaud
place Halifax Peninsula
place Narvik
 

Meeting minutes

extract Chamberlain circulates proposed new restrictions on enemy and neutral aliens in UK. PM favours deportation
extract US warns of planned German sabotage of UK communication centres. Home Secretary: "All possible steps" already being taken
extract Dunkirk filled with French soldiers. Only “certain small” UK units. General Ironside warns town may not hold more troops
extract Three British battalions holding position in Calais as town is shelled. So far unable to clear forward road to St. Omer
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Franklin D. Roosevelt
person Alan Keyes
place Great Britain
place Halifax Peninsula
place Calais
place Rome
organisation Home Office
organisation Royal Air Force
 

Meeting minutes

extract PM: Night bombing of Middlesbrough “welcome stimulus” to domestic air raid precautions. Urges penalties for unprepared
extract German aircraft confused with returning UK bombers overnight. Attacks on Yorkshire, E Anglia. Damage and casualties minor
extract Churchill: “Imperative we should hold on to Calais”. “Heartening message” to be sent to British forces there
extract Calais force held at Cassel, Belgians facing Courtrai attack, French only holding part of Amiens and outskirts of Peronne
extract General Ironside: Gort's communications almost severed. Unclear if he is advancing to ports, Amiens or “fighting it out”
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson (Australian politician)
person Winston Churchill
person Robert Vansittart, 1st Baron Vansittart
person Alan Keyes
place Great Britain
place Morocco
place Portsmouth
 

Meeting minutes

extract War Cabinet informed French Prime Minister Paul Reynaud arriving in London for meetings with British government
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Paul Reynaud
place Halifax Peninsula
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
 

Meeting minutes

extract War Secretary Eden: “Now clear” Calais has fallen. UK troops "cut off from the quay", holding positions in the streets
extract No information on Army casualties. “Some personnel” withdrawn from France. Ship leaving Dunkirk “heavily attacked”
extract PM informs War Cabinet King Leopold of Belgium seeking Armistice - to take effect from Midnight. “Certainly not heroic”
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson (Australian politician)
person Alan Keyes
place Halifax Peninsula
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation Belgian Land Component
 

Meeting minutes

extract PM opposed. US “given us practically no help in the war”, keep "everything which would help us for their own defence”
extract British Ambassador to Washington suggests lease of UK bases overseas to America to help pay war debts
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson (Australian politician)
person John Dill
person Theodore Roosevelt, Jr.
place Halifax Peninsula
place Brussels
place Iceland
place Bermuda
place Washington
organisation RAF Coastal Command
organisation Hopatcong High School
organisation Indian National Congress
 

Meeting minutes

extract UK Ambassador Rome says Italy's entry into the war “now a certainty” and the delay can “no longer be reckoned in months”
extract Cabinet informed French and Norwegian troops have occupied Narvik Decision on UK to evacuate postponed http://ow.ly/1Rvsg
extract RAF switching from continuous patrols over Dunkirk to “occasional patrols of much greater strength”
extract HMS Wakeful and HMS Grafton sunk while evacuating troops. Over 630 casualties
extract PM: Latest information from Admiralty that 40,000 BEF troops now returned to UK. 2000 men being evacuated every hour
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Herbert Morrison
person John Vereker, 6th Viscount Gort
person Franklin D. Roosevelt
person Kingsley Wood
place Great Britain
place Halifax Peninsula
place Morocco
place Rome
 

Meeting minutes

extract Evacuation of children from vulnerable UK coastal towns to begin in 72 hours. London registration will begin June 3rd
extract Cabinet discuss possible German plans for invasion of UK and home defence. PM suggests using gas to defend UK beaches
extract Home Secretary prepares deportation of 1,500 Italians (“desperate characters”) if Anglo-Italian relations worsen further
extract French government makes clear their intention to approach Signor Mussolini without the UK
extract Air Chief: Bad weather over France "in our favour" preventing Germany bombing beaches
extract Admiralty and War Office put number of troops evacuated at over 100,000. Information Minister to tell press of withdrawal
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Clive Anderson
person Theodore Roosevelt, Jr.
place Halifax Peninsula
place Dunkirk
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation United States Navy
 

Meeting minutes

extract Latest evacuation figures (1200 BST) 139, 244 returned from BEF, 14811 Allied troops. Evacuees classed as casualties 9480
extract Rumours Germans developing amphibious tanks for UK landings. Beach mines being produced at rate of 10,000 a week
extract In last 24 hours 5 ships have been sunk, 3 on fire, 4 damaged. 222 Navy vessels and 665 ships and boats used in operation
extract First Sea Lord has ordered "equal opportunities" for British and French troops for embarkation from beaches
extract Eden to order Lord Gort's departure for his own safety. French troops to be evacuated until "not safe" for UK to remain
extract First Sea Lord says "swell on the beaches" delaying embarkations. Will "probably abate later"
extract Signs of major German attack; unclear for today or tomorrow. Lord Gort hopes most remaining troops will sail tonight
extract War Secretary Eden reports Dunkirk evacuation figures as at 0700 BST: 133,878 men from BEF and 11,666 Allied troops
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person George Cadogan, 3rd Earl Cadogan
person John Vereker, 6th Viscount Gort
person Ernest Bevin
person E. F. L. Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax
place Portugal
place Halifax Peninsula
place Lisbon, New York
place Rome
organisation RAF Coastal Command
organisation United States Navy
organisation United States Congress
 

Sunday 2nd June 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Commander in Chief Home Forces to report to Cabinet within 48 hours on progress of preparations against invasion of UK
extract PM urges General Staff to work on “problem of defeating tanks”. General Dill says this being “intensively examined”
extract Halifax: Everything points to Italy “having decided to come into the war against us”. Italy cargo ships to be intercepted
extract Evacuation figures from Dunkirk at 1200 BST: 276,030 men removed. (215,369 British, 59,866 Allied troops)
extract Reynaud requests three UK division be redeployed to Western front and RAF fighters to be based in French aerodromes
extract Telegram from PM Reynaud: “We have indications of an early attack at several points on the Front”
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person George Cadogan, 3rd Earl Cadogan
person Maxime Weygand
person Winston Churchill
person Edward Spears
person Paul Reynaud
place Halifax Peninsula
place Dunkirk
organisation British Army
organisation French Army
 

Meeting minutes

extract General Ironside briefs on Home Defence plans: police powers, road blocks, production of new “Ironsides”
extract Intelligence report that Italians may make ultimatum to Allies. PM: "Our rejection should take the form of an air attack"
extract General Dill:”No doubt” Germans planning attack towards Paris. Expects this “in four or five days' time, or even earlier”
extract First Sea Lord: Navy "keeping a look-out for individual British soldiers who might reach the French coast"
extract General Dill: 20,700 men remain "unaccounted for. Most of these must have been killed or taken prisoner."
extract General Dill informs Cabinet "final measure" of Dunkirk evacuation completed overnight. Men evacuated (0000 BST) 310,216
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Herbert Morrison
person Theodore Roosevelt, Jr.
place Great Britain
place Dunkirk
place Paris
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation RAF Coastal Command
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
organisation United States Navy
 

Preparations for Home Defence.

extract Eden lays out status of home defence: 300,000 defence volunteers, 47 coastal batteries, progress on preventing landings
person Anthony Eden
place Northern Ireland
organisation Government of Canada
 

Meeting minutes

extract UK 51st Division madeto give ground after heavy attack. "Generally speaking" position "more satisfactory" than expected
extract Germans have penetrated Front 10-12 miles, French counterattacking “energetically”. PM: French Command gaining confidence
extract Air Chief reports 134 air raids on UK overnight. Very little damage, casualties "very few". No intercepts by RAF fighters
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Dill
place Malta
 

Meeting minutes

extract US Embassy in Germany informs government that UK's ambassador to Belgium Sir Laurence Oliphant is a prisoner in Berlin
extract Rumour received from Barcelona of German “secret weapon”: aircraft painted in British colours to attack Royal Navy
extract UK 51st Division “very hard pressed”, situation “cause for considerable anxiety”. No reinforcements for 2-3 days
extract PM: French seem to be resisting German attack “fairly well” in spite of the weight of the assault
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person John Anderson (Australian politician)
person Clive Anderson
place Greece
place Brussels
place Berlin, New York
organisation Royal Navy
 

Meeting minutes

extract Report Egypt wishes to remain neutral in UK-Italy conflict. Egyptian PM told with "brutal straightness" this impossible
extract General Dill: Situation in France "generally more favourable". But concern at possible German breakthrough near Rouen
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person John Anderson (Australian politician)
place Egypt
place Gisborne, New Zealand
place Halifax Peninsula
place Iceland
 

Meeting minutes

extract General Dill: Battle "in progress along the whole Western Front." PM Reynaud again urges fast despatch of UK forces
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Charles de Gaulle
person Paul Reynaud
place Iceland
place Narvik
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
place Rome
place Libya
organisation United States Congress
 

Meeting minutes

extract General Dill: "Generally speaking" French holding German attacks. "Real anxiety" whether they have adequate reserves
extract Chief of Naval Staff fears German claims to have sunk HMS Glorious “almost certainly true”
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Francisco Franco
place Halifax Peninsula
place Sudan
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation RAF Coastal Command
 

Meeting minutes

extract Home Security Minister now taking into custody Italians resident in the UK. Cabinet keen to deport "as many as possible"
extract General Dill: French "fighting well", German advance "much slower" than expected. News scant due to move of French HQ
extract UK Ambassador Paris reports French morale "now everywhere good", sees "a general determination to fight to a finish"
extract PM to go to France for Supreme War Council meeting. Aims to find out French intentions, discourage move to separate peace
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson (Australian politician)
person John Dill
place Portugal
place Egypt
place Halifax Peninsula
place Turkey
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
 

Meeting minutes

extract PM Churchill: A "chapter in the war" now closing. "We must now concentrate everything on the defence of this island"
extract Eden: French politicians in favour of peace with Germany "might find themselves strong enough" to overthrow PM Reynaud
extract General Weygand to declare Paris an open city. "Full of defenceless people", will "not see it destroyed" by bombardment
extract PM: "Defeatist" Marshal Petain has "made up his mind that peace must be made". He is "a dangerous man at this juncture"
extract General Weygand: French army "almost completely exhausted". General de Gaulle supports "carrying on a guerrilla warfare"
extract PM: Talks with French "studiously polite and dignified" but clear that France "near the end of organised resistance"
extract War Cabinet meeting again on PM's return from talks with French. General Dill reports UK 52nd division now in France
extract UK Ambassador Cairo recommends installing new "loyal" PM in Egypt. If King objects, to be told "comply or get out"
extract Damage from overnight Italian bombing raids on Malta "neglible". RAF attacked targets in Italian Libya, Eritrea
extract French Command blocked some UK planes from bombing runs on Italy overnight. Halifax: "Prompted by fear of reprisals"
extract German advanced elements must be expected in Paris within 24-48 hours. State of the city's defences not known
extract Signs of heavy attack east of Rheims. Situation west of Rouen very obscure. Position of remains of 51st division critical
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Charles de Gaulle
person Stephen King
person John Anderson (Australian politician)
place Greece
place Egypt
place Halifax Peninsula
place Turkey
place Malta
place Eritrea
place Libya
 

Meeting minutes

extract General Dill: Dangerous "thrust towards Verdun" by Germans. "If successful, would turn the Maginot Line"
extract PM: If France refuse terms Hitler's only course to "smash this island". Then America in the war "within a fortnight"
extract Halifax: France must be made to see that Armistice "a slippery slope" to loss of their fleet and eventually their liberty
extract PM Reynaud to appeal for "maximum help" short of an expeditionary force from US. France to "hold on" for US response
extract Statement by US President "much heartened" French government. Churchill: "As near as possible to a declaration of war"
extract Churchill: PM Reynaud asked that France be released from agreement not to make a separate peace with Germany
extract Telegram from Roosevelt to PM Reynaud: US "doing everything in its power" to make war material available to Allies
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Franklin D. Roosevelt
person John Anderson (Australian politician)
person Adolf Hitler
person Winston Churchill
place Halifax Peninsula
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
organisation United States Congress
 

Meeting minutes

extract Press uncertainty over possible announcement of neutrality by Spain. UK Ambassador: "We should take nothing for granted"
extract Turkey considering whether to declare war on Italy. Egyptian government has severed diplomatic relations
extract UK 52nd division having a "very good" morale effect on French. Eden: Their arrival "might make all the difference"
extract General Dill: Germans claim to be "within 12 miles of Paris already", capital being encircled. Rheims cut off to the east
extract PM Churchill and Lord Halifax in France for further meeting with French government. PM to return tonight to brief Cabinet
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Dill
place Great Britain
place Lancaster, Lancashire
place Greece
place Egypt
place Turkey
place Paris
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation Home Office
organisation Royal Air Force
 

Meeting minutes

extract Belgian PM and 50 staff flown into London from Nantes. 1000 Canadian troops arriving for defence of Iceland today
extract Eden: Report from Information Minister on UK public opinion "not very encouraging". PM to broadcast speech on 18th
extract South African PM calls for UK occupation of Irish ports ahead of Germany. Chamberlain: UK should "insist" on IRA roundup
extract PM Reynaud offers meeting in France this afternoon. Churchill declines, UK sending assent for France to ask for terms
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Charles de Gaulle
person John Anderson (Australian politician)
person Winston Churchill
person Archibald Sinclair, 1st Viscount Thurso
person Neville Chamberlain
person Paul Reynaud
place South Africa
place Halifax Peninsula
place Iceland
place London, Ontario
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
 

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet told French have ceased fire. Petain has broadcast that “with a broken heart” he requested Armistice last night
extract General Dill: UK must "take a leaf out of the Germans book", organise special squadrons of Storm Troopers. Cabinet agrees
extract Anthony Eden warns local defence volunteers "largely a broomstick army". Shortage of good officers in home defence forces
extract Halifax: “No information” on Soviet plan in Baltic. Clear extension of influence in Lithuania, similar designs on Estonia
extract Belgian Foreign Minister requests facilities for evacuation of 30-35,000 Belgian troops to UK. PM: We will “do our best”
extract Cabinet directs telegram permitting French to negotiate Armistice only in exchange for their fleet be resent to M. Petain
extract RAF ordered to evacuate from south of France. BEF now evacuating via Nantes and Cherbourg. 50,000 troops currently remain
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person Ronnie Campbell
person Farouk of Egypt
place Great Britain
place Russian Empire
place Egypt
place Halifax Peninsula
place West Germany
organisation Royal Air Force
organisation German Army
organisation British Army
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation Hopatcong High School
organisation House of Lords
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
 

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet Secretary: Cabinet members “consulted again individually” on de Gaulle broadcast. Now agree should be allowed
extract Cabinet adopts plan by Lord Halifax for return of Emperor to Abyssinia. UK to foment anti-Italian action in the country
extract Cabinet agrees de Gaulle should not broadcast as long it remains possible French government may act in Allied interests
extract General de Gaulle has submitted text of broadcast saying France not defeated and inviting French soldiers to rally to him
extract Stafford Cripps in Moscow warns he sees "no prospect of drawing the Soviet Union into a common front against Germany"
extract Navy Vice Chief: SS Lancastria sunk in Loire yesterday with 3,000 troops on board. Not yet possible to assess casualties
extract Evacuation continuing from Cherbourg, St Nazaire, St Malo, Brest. 42,502 personnel returned to UK
extract Chief of Air Staff has despatched aircraft to Bordeaux after Polish reports General Sikorski somewhere in France
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Charles de Gaulle
person Walter Hines Page
person Herbert Morrison
person Stafford Cripps
person Samuel Hoare
place East Germany
place Halifax Peninsula
place Moscow
place Narvik
place Malta
place Gibraltar
place Kenya
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation Air Force F.C.
organisation RAF Coastal Command
 

Use of Public Schools for the Expansion of the Army.

extract War Secretary proposes public schools be taken over for training troops Education Secretary opposes http://ow.ly/239g4
person Anthony Eden
 

Monday 1st July 1940

Meeting minutes

extract War Cabinet approves despatch of troops from India to Iraq. Colonial Secretary: Early introduction of force "essential"
extract PM: Growth in scheme to evacuate children abroad "defeatist", must be "sternly discouraged". Entry to scheme to be closed
extract General Dill: De Gaulle has been addressing French troops in UK. 1,900 volunteers have been assembled at White City
extract Admiralty reports ten Italian submarines have been sunk in three weeks since Italy joined war
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Charles de Gaulle
person Clive Anderson
person Robert Craigie (diplomat)
person Leo Amery
place Great Britain
place Halifax Peninsula
place Madagascar
place Iraq
place Hong Kong
place British Cameroons
place North America
place Nigeria
place Syria
place Burma
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation Home Office
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation French Foreign Legion
 

Meeting minutes

extract Halifax informs Cabinet President Roosevelt has agreed to joint Anglo-American "technical naval discussions" in London
extract Minister of Labour admits that over 75,000 women registered for war work in London alone have no jobs available for them
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person Samuel Hoare
person Archibald Sinclair, 1st Viscount Thurso
person Clement Attlee
person Robert Craigie (diplomat)
place Portugal
place Halifax Peninsula
place North America
place Tokyo
organisation Home Office
organisation Air Force F.C.
organisation Royal Air Force
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
organisation Royal Navy
 

Meeting minutes

extract "Energetic protest" from French Embassy over UK naval action. Warns situation so grave "impossible to foretell" response
extract PM to send personal telegram to President Roosevelt making "further strong appeal" for US to supply destroyers to Britain
extract Dominions Secretary informs Cabinet that Eire government will "turn a blind eye" to UK ships in Irish territorial waters
extract Lord Halifax registers "disfavour" at Cabinet's view that Burma Road should be closed. Believes Japanese position "bluff"
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person Stafford Cripps
person John Maffey, 1st Baron Rugby
person Robert Craigie (diplomat)
person Chiang Kai-shek
place Great Britain
place Halifax Peninsula
place Singapore
place Gibraltar
place Republic of China
place Burma
organisation Home Office
organisation Hopatcong High School
organisation Morning Star (UK newspaper)
 

Preparation against Invasion.

extract War Secretary asks Cabinet to affirm principal that civilians not "authorised to use lethal weapons" to resist invasion
person Anthony Eden
 

Meeting minutes

extract Minister of Food requests Cabinet approve tea rationing with immediate effect. Margarine to be rationed within two weeks
extract Members of French overseas missions in UK to be temporarily "segregated" at Worcester College, Oxford
extract Chief of Air Staff reports 27 casualties overnight in bomb attacks on south coast ports and shipping in Straits of Dover
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person Archibald Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell
person Charles de Gaulle
person Stafford Cripps
person Richard Kiel
person Robert Vansittart, 1st Baron Vansittart
place Kassala
place Egypt
place Isle of Portland
place Sudan
place Malta
place Gibraltar
place Libya
organisation Home Office
organisation RAF Coastal Command
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Meeting minutes

extract Attlee warns of "disquiet" in House of Commons over conditions in UK internment camps. Cabinet asks him investigate
extract Cabinet concerned at likely fall of Japanese government. May be replaced by anti-British regime "who might declare war"
extract Halifax: Signs France will not "close down" relations with UK entirely. Proposes UK Consul at Vichy. Cabinet accepts
extract Admiralty to tell France UK will "take no further action" against French ships in French Colonial or North African ports
extract General Dill: "No doubt" Germans assembling force in Norway. "Might" be for raid on Scotland, Shetland, Orkney or Faroes
extract Air Chief: “Harassing raids” on south and west coast ports yesterday. (Docks, shipping). Casualties “greater than usual”
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person Jean Bart
person Robert Vansittart, 1st Baron Vansittart
place Halifax Peninsula
place Eyre Peninsula
place Turkey
place Malta
place Gibraltar
organisation Home Office
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Meeting minutes

extract War Secretary requests leave for the Army be resumed "on a limited scale". Stoppage having "bad effect". Cabinet approves
extract Air Chief: Overnight enemy action slight. Minelaying in Thames Estuary, Harwich areas, attacks on Bristol, Kent, Suffolk
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Charles de Gaulle
person Clement Attlee
person Robert Craigie (diplomat)
place Guernsey
place Halifax Peninsula
place Malta
place Europe
place Gibraltar
place Kenya
place Bristol
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation Home Office
organisation RAF Coastal Command
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
 

Proposal to offer a Brigade of London Irish for Service in Eire.

extract Eden dismisses proposal for offer of London Irish battalion to Eire government. Points out less than 30% of unit Irish
person Anthony Eden
place London, Ontario
place Northern Ireland
 

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet moves control of camps from War to Home Office. Internees "actively hostile" to fascist regimes to be released
extract Chamberlain tells Cabinet he is "disturbed greatly" by a "large number of complaints" over internment conditions
extract Food Ministry to add vitamins to white bread for public health. Public will not "eat brown bread if they could get white"
extract 11,000 French sailors at Aintree "becoming very restive". War Cabinet approves immediate repatriation in French ships
extract Air Chief reports little activity due to weather conditions. German losses in last two days amount to two "possibles"
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person Neville Chamberlain
place Somaliland
place Egypt
place Halifax Peninsula
organisation Home Office
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
 

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet rejects plan to transfer British fascists to St. Helena. To be kept in UK "under suitable conditions"
extract Cabinet divided over a response to the recent speech by Herr Hitler. PM Churchill to consult more widely
extract Halifax warns of impact of possible US oil embargo on UK stocks, Japan may be "stung" into seizing Dutch East Indies
extract First Sea Lord: Enemy air attacks on Malta continuing, three raids yesterday. "Only slight damage"
extract Air Chief: Enemy air activity concentrated against Channel shipping and Straits of Dover. "A few isolated raids" inland
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Hugh Dalton
person John Maffey, 1st Baron Rugby
person Adolf Hitler
person Clement Attlee
person Miles Lampson, 1st Baron Killearn
person Farouk of Egypt
place Hamburg
place Portugal
place Trondheim
place Egypt
place Halifax Peninsula
place Madrid
place Sicily
place Malta
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation Home Office
organisation New Zealand Treasury
organisation RAF Coastal Command
 

Meeting minutes

extract Despite "some risk" Cabinet agrees to supply arms and equipment to Eire to protect the country against German invasion
extract France refusing to resume diplomatic contact with UK without "unacceptable" conditions being met. Halifax to consider
extract Overnight air attack on Dover shipping "most serious attack yet experienced". 5 UK vessels sunk, 26 enemy aircraft downed
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Stafford Cripps
person Clement Attlee
place Lancaster, Lancashire
place Halifax Peninsula
place Moscow
place Turkey
place Europe
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation Home Office
organisation Royal Air Force
 

Meeting minutes

extract Intelligence from Geneva: Relations between Vichy ministers “very strained”, may lead to fall of government "at any time”
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person Maxime Weygand
person Clement Attlee
person Robert Craigie (diplomat)
place Great Britain
place Belgrade
place Moscow
place Geneva
place Turkey
place Istanbul
place Tokyo
 

Thursday 1st August 1940

Meeting minutes

extract PM: UK "considerably more secure" than 2 months ago. Now possible to take a "less rigid attitude" to internment of aliens
extract 7 UK subjects still held in Tokyo. "A certain number of Japanese subjects" will be arrested without prior notice to Japan
extract Press reporting US ban on aviation fuel exports. Effect on UK imports, attitude of Japan "not clear"
extract Stafford Cripps in Moscow complains Foreign Minister Molotov will not meet him. Halifax to discuss with USSR Ambassador
extract First Sea Lord: Nothing has been heard of H.M. Submarine Narwhal for over a week. She must therefore be regarded as lost
extract PM "glad" at boost in UK supply of fighter aircraft. Air Secretary: Supply of pilots "still not altogether satisfactory"
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Walter Citrine, 1st Baron Citrine
person Stafford Cripps
person Bob Kerslake
person Robert Craigie (diplomat)
person Leo Amery
place Afghanistan
place Moscow
place Singapore
place North China
place South America
place Tokyo
place Republic of China
place Burma
organisation Home Office
 

Meeting minutes

extract UK to support French Cameroon anti Vichy coup. De Gaulle to form "Council of Defence" from ranking colonial supporters
extract No official reaction from Japan over UK arrests. Halifax now suggests release of a prisoner to "keep the position fluid"
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Charles de Gaulle
person Clement Attlee
place Egypt
place Basra
place British Cameroons
place Sudan
place Nigeria
place Africa
organisation Home Office
organisation United States Navy
organisation Canadian Forces Maritime Command
 

Meeting minutes

extract UK diplomats recommend withdrawal of N. China garrisons. PM: Troops can reinforce Singapore, "might help our prestige"
extract Aircraft Production Minister: "Very anxious" to avoid any suspicion that Government "encouraging the holiday spirit"
extract Cabinet agrees relaxation of holiday rules to avoid "serious" effects on production. No announcement to be made
extract Minister of Labour proposes confiscating any wages of conscientious objectors higher than a private soldier's income
extract Cabinet approves seizure of Baltic shipping. Halifax: Will cause "trouble with Moscow" but necessary "as a pledge"
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person E. F. L. Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax
person Kingsley Wood
person Clement Attlee
person Andrew Duncan
person Frederick Marquis, 1st Earl of Woolton
place South Africa
place Singapore
place North China
place Tokyo
place Republic of China
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
 

Meeting minutes

extract Eden: "Strong Italian attack in three columns" developing against British Somaliland. Two columns heading towards capital
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Richard Kiel
person E. F. L. Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax
person Kingsley Wood
person Leo Amery
place Somaliland
place Malta
place North China
place Burma
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation British Army
organisation United States Navy
organisation Canadian Forces Maritime Command
 

Meeting minutes

extract Halifax: Despite Foreign Minister's denials "good deal of evidence" Japan intends invasion of French Indo-China
extract Halifax: Japan tension has "certainly relaxed". Considering release of one or two Japanese, third party mediation
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person Archibald Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Clement Attlee
person Robert Craigie (diplomat)
place Finland
place Moscow
place Gibraltar
place West Germany
organisation Home Office
 

Meeting minutes

extract Inquiry to be held into the selection of aliens for passage on the Arandora Star and conditions at Huyton Internment Camp
extract Air Chief: Air casualties yesterday 25, 60 enemy confirmed. Number of raids currently in progress including on Portsmouth
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Charles de Gaulle
person Clement Attlee
person William Anderson (RAAF officer)
place Somaliland
place Isle of Portland
place Gibraltar
place Toulon
organisation Home Office
 

Meeting minutes

extract Police reporting 45 parachutes found "abandoned by enemy parachutists" in Scotland, Derbyshire, Staffordshire, Yorkshire
extract General Dill: UK force in Somaliland under attack, "everywhere resisting stubbornly" but "tired after two days' fighting"
extract Air Chief: Final figures for fighting yesterday: Enemy 78 destroyed (certain), 33 probable. Our own 13 (10 pilots saved)
extract Air Chief: All raids yesterday intercepted. "Heavy losses inflicted on the enemy with few casualties to ourselves"
person Anthony Eden
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person John Anderson (Australian politician)
person Clement Attlee
person John Dill
person William Anderson (RAAF officer)
place Somaliland
place Turin
place Malta
organisation Home Office
 

Meeting minutes

extract General Dill: UK forces in Somaliland withdrawing after Italian attack "with hopelessly superior forces and fire power"
extract Home Secretary believes find of dropped German parachutes "plan to undermine morale". No evidence of paratroops landing
extract Air Secretary: Despite "intense air fighting" British figures carefully tested and "almost certainly under the mark"
extract UK Embassy Washington warns UK/German claims of downed aircraft "so contradictory" US may think both sides "telling lies"
extract Air Chief: Figures for fighting over UK yesterday: 8 RAF machines lost (3 pilots saved), 30 Enemy destroyed, 8 probable
extract Air Chief: RAF attacked targets overnight in France, Belgium and Holland. "Good results" against oil target near Bordeaux
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Clive Anderson
person William Anderson (RAAF officer)
place Somaliland
place Northern Ireland
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation Home Office
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Meeting minutes

extract PM: President Roosevelt hopes to begin supplying destroyers this week (up to 50) with additional rifles, aircraft, ships
extract Information Minister to address false press reports RAF has bombed 5 divisions of troops in France massing for invasion
extract Cabinet approves violating Swiss airspace in raids on N. Italy. Air Secretary: Necessary "to attack certain targets"
extract General Haining: Evacuation of our forces in British Somaliland complete with little loss. HMAS Hobart remaining in area
extract Cabinet express concern at ground losses of RAF aircraft, 40 destroyed at one aerodrome. Air Secretary to order inquiry
extract RAF report casualties today 22 machines lost (12 pilots saved). Enemy 126 confirmed, 26 probable and 13 downed by AA fire
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Walter Hines Page
person Kingsley Wood
person Bob Kerslake
person Archibald Sinclair, 1st Viscount Thurso
person Clement Attlee
person Frederick Marquis, 1st Earl of Woolton
place Somaliland
place Moscow
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation New Zealand Treasury
 

Meeting minutes

extract Halifax: Mussolini "heating up the atmosphere" but Italy "unlikely to declare war against Greece at the present time"
extract PM: Attitude of UK and US should be friends "each prepared to do what was possible to help the other" not quid pro quo
extract Cabinet calls US offer to formally exchange lease of UK base facilities for destroyers and weapons "out of the question"
person Anthony Eden
person William Lyon Mackenzie King
place South Africa
place Greece
place Bermuda
place Jamaica
place Newfoundland, Kentucky
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
organisation United States Army
 

Meeting minutes

extract War Cabinet agrees "every endeavour must be made to limit dollar expenditure to vital needs"
extract Air Chief: Attacks yesterday mainly small, by single aircraft along the East and SE coasts. "Good proportion" intercepted
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Herbert Morrison
person Kingsley Wood
place Greece
place East Germany
place Egypt
place Bermuda
place Singapore
place Washington
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation Hopatcong High School
organisation House of Commons of Canada
 

Meeting minutes

extract Halifax: Relations with Japan "somewhat improved" but relations between Italy and Greece "have deteriorated further"
extract PM: Looking to see "some kind of Council of Europe", European court, "an international air force", no harsh postwar terms
extract Cabinet forms committee to look at future of UK and "new Europe" after the war to make clear Britain's aims for fighting
person Anthony Eden
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person Adolf Hitler
person Clement Attlee
place Athens
place Greece
place Turkey
place Europe
organisation Home Office
organisation Air Force F.C.
organisation Royal Air Force
 

Meeting minutes

extract Halifax to assure Greek government UK will provide "immediate military and financial help" in event of attack by Italy
extract PM concerned at "heavy" merchant shipping losses, "serious" if they continue at this rate. Admiralty planning new tactics
extract Air raid casualty figures "fairly heavy". Cabinet agrees release: total "not high" compared to peace-time road casualties
extract Air Chief: Germans unload bombs whether or not targets located. RAF ordered to return bombs if targets cannot be located
extract Air Chief: Weather prevented some aircraft locating their target last night in mission to bomb military targets in Berlin
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person George Cadogan, 3rd Earl Cadogan
person Clement Attlee
place South Africa
place Athens
place Greece
place Gibraltar
place Burma
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Monday 2nd September 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Halifax: Agreement has been reached with the Americans over bases for destroyers. Meeting in London will follow
extract Cabinet notes air raid warnings are now "almost continuous" across SE England. Civilian casualties for August were 700
extract Churchill: Our own Air Force "stronger than ever", "every reason to be optimistic about the 1940 Air Battle of Britain"
extract PM reviews results of recent air fighting before Cabinet: "every right to be satisfied". Enemy may be at "maximum effort"
extract PM Churchill visiting Fighter Command during German air attack today. PM: "Very instructive" to watch deployment
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person Charles de Gaulle
person Herbert Morrison
person Samuel Hoare
person Clement Attlee
person Robert Craigie (diplomat)
place Fiji
place Tokyo
organisation Air Force F.C.
organisation Royal Air Force
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
organisation United States Department of State
organisation RAF Fighter Command
 

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet approves the use of troops on harvest work. "Arrangements to be made for them to get free beer"
extract Aircraft Production Minister reports unauthorised work stoppages in Solihull due to air raid warnings. Cabinet to discuss
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Walter Hines Page
person Kingsley Wood
place Singapore
place Europe
place Republic of China
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation House of Lords
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
organisation 335th Fighter Squadron
 

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet authorise Home Security Ministry to evacuate non-essential population of s.coast towns and Canterbury, Ipswitch
extract PM emphasises importance of attacking Calais and Boulogne to affect morale of Germans "assembled ready to invade" Britain
extract Home Security Minister: Hospitals hit "will be quickly repaired". All fires now under control despite renewed attack
extract Air Chief: "Considerable damage" done but "comparatively little effect" on factories engaged on war production
extract Air Chief: Enemy air activity yesterday "on a considerably reduced scale". Our losses 4, Enemy losses 7 (+3 probable)
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
place Gisborne, New Zealand
place Sudan
organisation Home Office
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation House of Lords
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
organisation KEF
 

Meeting minutes

extract PM Churchill tells Air Secretary Sinclair that his decision to reject indiscriminate bombing "may stand for the present"
extract Air Secretary tells PM that he will not issue new orders to RAF because UK policy is to attack "only military objectives"
extract Homeless in East End of London to be transferred to districts further west. Cabinet approves relief fund by Lord Mayor
extract First Sea Lord: Destroyers sweeping French coast to find small craft bound for UK. Report of force off Ostend "incorrect"
extract Air Chief: London attacks "quite indiscriminate". Cabinet agree RAF to unload bombs whether or not their target located
extract Air Chief: UK air casualties in last 24 hours 20 (15 pilots safe). Enemy: 52 destroyed, 11 more probable, 13 damaged
person Anthony Eden
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Ernest Brown
person Neville Chamberlain
place Halifax Peninsula
place Berlin
place Kenya
organisation Home Office
organisation New Zealand Treasury
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
 

Meeting minutes

extract Air Secretary to consider reprisals against one of 20 named German towns if indiscriminate attacks on London continue
extract Air Chief: Overnight raids on Germany "on the whole successful". Potsdam Station (Berlin) attacked, 6 direct hits claimed
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person Maxime Weygand
person Clement Attlee
place Halifax Peninsula
place Sudan
place Berlin
place Kenya
place Morocco
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
 

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet told dive-bombing attack carried out on Buckingham Palace. PM: "Too dangerous for Parliament to sit after dark"
extract Cabinet agree Tube should not be used as shelter. Police opposed and "more important" to keep it available for transport
extract Home Secretary: This tendency due in part to a number of street shelters having suffered direct hits
extract Health Minister: Silvertown evacuated due to failure of water supply. A reluctance to use public shelters in some areas
extract Health Minister: AA fire has transformed London morale. People who "clamoured to be taken away" now reluctant to leave
extract Air Chief: Enemy activity on "reduced scale" in past 24 hours, not more than 100 aircraft. No UK air casualties
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person Archibald Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person John Anderson (Australian politician)
person Malcolm MacDonald
person Archibald Sinclair, 1st Viscount Thurso
person Clive Anderson
person Andrew Duncan
place Egypt
place South America
organisation Home Office
organisation House of Lords
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
 

Meeting minutes

extract Home Secretary: "Some signs of organised demonstrations". Agree with PM, "necessary to take strong action"
extract PM: Report people seeking raid shelter entered Savoy Hotel. "Episodes of this kind could easily lead to serious trouble"
extract General Dill: In Egypt Sollum "now in the hands of the Italians". Signs of Italian advance in two columns towards Buq-buq
extract Air Chief: Fighting yesterday "most successful". Enemy "adopted bolder tactics...only to increase his losses"
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Andrew Greenwood
person Malcolm MacDonald
person Clement Attlee
person Leo Amery
place Egypt
place Berlin
place Burma
organisation Home Office
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
organisation Indian National Congress
 

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet agrees new honours for civilian bravery. George Cross suggested. PM: Civil population "now in the front line"
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person Clement Attlee
person John Dill
place Malta
 

Meeting minutes

extract Foreign Office: Swiss do not believe story UK overflights due to navigational errors. Flights to be suspended temporarily
extract General Dill: Two Italian columns have occupied Sidi Barrani. It now seem three divisions have crossed Egyptian frontier
extract Air Secretary: Bad weather cancelled all UK bomber missions last night. Two German machines downed, 1 by barrage balloon
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Malcolm MacDonald
person Kingsley Wood
person Clement Attlee
place Freetown
place Egypt
organisation Home Office
organisation Air Force F.C.
organisation RAF Coastal Command
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Meeting minutes

extract PM: Magnetic mines dropped on this country overnight. Blast will destroy glass "over a wide area". Glass to be conserved
extract Air Chef: Enemy activity mainly directed against London and SE yesterday. "A few raids" on Wales and the Midlands
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person Archibald Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell
person Clement Attlee
place Malta
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement
 

Meeting minutes

extract PM: US making "very large demands" over use of UK bases but "no further action" over supplying weapon. Diplomats to press
extract Foreign Office: Swiss took reply on airspace violations "fairly well". RAF now free to resume attacks on Northern Italy
extract Cabinet agrees UK will retaliate against German parachute mines "by dropping mines over Berlin"
extract Home Secretary: Considerable damage to London in last 24 hours. Continued dropping of parachute mines damaging wide area
extract First Sea Lord: Only 15 children reported safe from City of Benares. Cabinet consider ending overseas evacuation scheme
extract Air Chief: UK bombing to concentrate on "invasion ports". Attacks on Berlin to resume "as soon as the weather favourable"
extract Air Chief: Air casualties during past 24 hours twelve aircraft, but 9 pilots safe. Enemy 46 (+ 16 probable, 19 damaged)
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Kingsley Wood
person Clement Attlee
person Miles Lampson, 1st Baron Killearn
place Kassala
place Egypt
place Sudan
place Malta
place Nigeria
organisation Home Office
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
 

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet discusses report on the Black-out. PM hopes streets can be "cheerfully illuminated" by November 1941
extract War Secretary: "Bad" press photos "giving an exaggerated idea" of London damage. Information Minister "to take steps"
extract Home Secretary: Waterloo, Victoria, London Bridge stations restored to partial working. "Little damage" to Foreign Office
extract Air Secretary: Air casualties yesterday nil. Enemy 5. One Junker 88 captured complete and undamaged with crew and bombs
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Samuel Hoare
person Malcolm MacDonald
place West Germany
organisation Home Office
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Meeting minutes

extract PM: US has now agreed to release 250,000 further rifles to us. Negotiations proceeding over aircraft and flying boats
extract First Sea Lord: Severe loss by enemy attack on convoys approaching UK in last 3 days. 7 ships in one convoy, 4 in another
extract Air Chief: Number of enemy fighters crossed SE coast this morning. Casualties so far 9 aircraft. Enemy 10 (+5 probable)
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Charles de Gaulle
person William Lyon Mackenzie King
person Kingsley Wood
person Andrew Cunningham, 1st Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope
person Clement Attlee
person Andrew Duncan
place Egypt
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
place Libya
organisation Home Office
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Meeting minutes

extract War Secretary: 850 POWs in UK being added to at rate of 100 a week. Cabinet approves plan to send 1,000 to Newfoundland
extract Halifax: Japanese in Indo-China have "established themselves". Seems Japan has agreement with Vichy over this land force
extract Home Secretary: Overnight bombing "rather more intense than on recent nights". Direct hits sustained by several shelters
extract Air Chief: Air casualties yesterday 11 machines (8 pilots safe). Enemy 12 (+6 probable). 120 bombers despatched to Berlin
extract War Cabinet directs Information Minister to deny reports "emanating from Vichy regarding attempted British landings"
person Anthony Eden
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Charles de Gaulle
person Herbert Morrison
person Kingsley Wood
person Archibald Sinclair, 1st Viscount Thurso
person Clement Attlee
place South Africa
place City of London
place Newfoundland, Kentucky
organisation United States Navy
 

Meeting minutes

extract Home Secretary: Overnight attack on London mainly on north suburbs and just south of river. 13 parachute mines dropped
extract Cabinet debate Operation Menace. PM: "We should be careful of embarking upon new adventures with inadequate preparations"
extract War Secretary: Colonel Sandford Mission 101 has "penetrated some way into Abyssinia". Operations proceedingly sucessfully
extract Air Chief: Air casualties yesterday 4 aircraft (2 pilots safe). Enemy 26 certain, 8 probable. Weather "not good"
extract Air Chief: Enemy attack yesterday on Portland, Plymouth "unsuccessful". "Considerable damage" to aircraft works at Filton
person Anthony Eden
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person Richard Kiel
person Joachim von Ribbentrop
person William Anderson (RAAF officer)
place Kassala
place Egypt
place Rome
place Libya
organisation Home Office
organisation RAF Coastal Command
 

Meeting minutes

extract Home Secretary: London and Liverpool enemy's chief objectives in past 24 hours. Air Secretary to boost Liverpool defences
extract PM: German wireless has announced "Three-Power Pact" with Japan and Italy. Pact seems to be directed against USA
extract Cabinet agrees to maintain blockade of French colonies. Halifax: Difficult to alter our "join de Gaulle or starve" policy
extract PM: RAF construction/repair "nearly 2.5 times" number of machines destroyed. Fine achievement by Air Production Minister
extract Admiralty: First 5 Destroyers obtained from USA have arrived Belfast. SS Stratford, Ashantian and Port Denison torpedoed
extract Air Chief: Vickers Works severely damaged. Crewe attacked damage "slight". RAF lost 10 machines (7 pilots safe), Enemy 32
extract Air Chief: Great deal of enemy activity off Dutch coast and Dover yesterday, heavy attack on Isle of Wight & Southampton
person Anthony Eden
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Richard Kiel
person Kingsley Wood
person Theodore Roosevelt, Jr.
place Kassala
place Guernsey
place Portugal
place Egypt
place Madagascar
place Bermuda
place Tangier
place Liverpool
place Sudan
place Malta
place Dakar
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation Home Office
 

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet to temporarily suspend Government evacuation of children overseas. Parents still permitted to arrange privately
extract Cabinet cancel upcoming Newmarket race meeting but agrees "restricted number of race meetings should continue"
extract Sir Stafford Cripps in Moscow to "sound" M. Molotov on Soviet reaction to the new Pact between Germany, Italy and Japan
extract War Secretary Eden to consider request that military authorities make soldiers available to help clear London's streets
person Anthony Eden
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Stafford Cripps
person John Anderson (Australian politician)
person Clement Attlee
person Robert Craigie (diplomat)
place Egypt
place South Wales
place Moscow
place Liverpool
place Sudan
place East Anglia
organisation Home Office
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation KEF
 

Tuesday 1st October 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Australian PM "much disturbed" over Operation Menace failure. UK approach "strongly criticised". PM Churchill to respond
extract Air Chief: Air casualties yesterday 20 (12 pilots safe). Enemy 46 (+32 probable). Good results for RAF on Ostend, Berlin
person Anthony Eden
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person Charles de Gaulle
place Alexandria Troas
place Malta
place Africa
place Libya
place Toulon
 

Meeting minutes

extract Halifax to examine ways UK can inconvenience Japan "without ceasing to act politely". Trade interference already begun
extract PM: Reports of "indescribable conditions" in public shelter in Stepney. "Drastic action" called for to make building safe
extract Home Secretary: Outside London "most serious attacks" on Manchester. "Lucky hits" on railways. Details not yet available
extract Air Chief: 250 enemy aircraft attacked overnight. London main objective also Midlands, S.Wales. Oil plant at Purfleet hit
person Anthony Eden
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person Charles de Gaulle
person Samuel Hoare
person Clement Attlee
place South Africa
place Somaliland
place Gibraltar
place Berlin
place Morocco
organisation Home Office
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
 

Meeting minutes

extract PM orders ships to be diverted from anti-invasion duties to convoy escort. Winter weather renders invasion "not likely"
extract Air Chief: Only serious damage to De Havilland aircraft factory. All our own operations cancelled due to poor visibility
extract Air Chief: Enemy activity "on a much reduced scale" in past 24 hours, 80 aircraft during the day, 60 overnight
person Anthony Eden
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Charles de Gaulle
person Herbert Morrison
person Samuel Hoare
person Kingsley Wood
person Clement Attlee
place Great Britain
place Cranborne
place Halifax Peninsula
place Europe
place Gibraltar
place Dakar
place Madrid, New York
organisation Home Office
 

Meeting minutes

extract PM Churchill: "Intolerable that any newspaper should indulge in criticism and abuse...in a time of great national peril"
extract PM complains of "dangerous and sinister" Press criticism. Accuses HG Wells and Editors of advocating a "surrender peace"
extract PM argues with Halifax over "appeasement of Vichy". UK should "retaliate by bombarding Casablanca" if Gibraltar attacked
extract Halifax: Reports Herr Ribbentrop's Rome visit had "object of keeping Italy in the war". Our bombing having "great effect"
extract USA has inquired about use of Singapore "in the event of trouble in the Far East". PM: Japan has made "great" mistake
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Herbert Morrison
person Samuel Hoare
person Kingsley Wood
person Joachim von Ribbentrop
place Cranborne
place Halifax Peninsula
place Madrid
place Tangier
place Singapore
place Gibraltar
place Morocco
place Rome
place Libya
organisation Daily Mirror
 

Recruitment of Jewish Units for General Service in the British Army.

extract Eden approves recruitment by Dr. Chaim Weizmann of 10,000 Jews "for incorporation in Jewish units in the British Army"
person Anthony Eden
organisation British Army
 

Meeting minutes

extract Halifax: Report Germans "sending train-loads of gas" to Belgium. PM unhappy with UK gas preparations. Attlee to enquire
extract Halifax: UK Ambassador Tokyo has informed Japanese that the Burma Road will reopen. Interview "passed off satisfactorily"
extract Halifax: UK Minister in Bucharest preparing to leave. "No doubt that British subjects being ill-treated in Roumania"
extract First Sea Lord: 5 more US Destroyers received and first 50,000 of 250,000 US rifles delivered. More "on their way"
extract First Sea Lord: Reports of "arrival of certain of General de Gaulle's forces" at ports in French Equatorial Africa
person Anthony Eden
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Charles de Gaulle
person Herbert Morrison
person Kingsley Wood
person Clement Attlee
person Robert Craigie (diplomat)
place Cranborne
place Halifax Peninsula
place Singapore
place London, Ontario
place Africa
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation Home Office
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation Morning Star (UK newspaper)
organisation Daily Mirror
 

Meeting minutes

extract Halifax: Report invasion of UK postponed to Spring 1941. PM: "Premature to dismiss possibility of an attempt being made"
extract Air Chief: Enemy activity "rather heavier than usual" overnight. St. Paul's Cathedral hit, choir and altar badly damaged
extract Cabinet postpones Jewish recruiting campaign until US Presidential Election. Halifax: "No question" of abandoning scheme
extract Cabinet told Coventry aircraft factory strike now in 3rd week. Public feeling "said to be running high against strikers"
person Anthony Eden
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Herbert Morrison
person Stafford Cripps
person Kingsley Wood
person Clement Attlee
person John Dill
place East Germany
place Egypt
place Cranborne
place Halifax Peninsula
place Sudan
place Libreville
place Washington
place Africa
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation New Zealand Treasury
organisation British Army
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
 

Wednesday 13th November 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Eden briefs junior ministers on Egypt trip. Germans might find desert "a very different thing" from their usual fighting
person Anthony Eden
person Oliver Lyttelton, 1st Viscount Chandos
person Hugh Dalton
person Ernest Brown
person Frederick Marquis, 1st Earl of Woolton
person Farouk of Egypt
place Greece
place Egypt
place Sudan
place Kenya
place Cyprus
place Syria
 

Meeting minutes

extract Attorney General to consider legal action against Daily Worker newspaper for libellous cartoon of Labour Minister Bevin
extract PM: Utmost importance to build reserve of gas weapons. If enemy uses gas "we must be in a position to retaliate at once"
extract Greenwood: Damage in Birmingham "probably more serious" than Coventry but recovery in both cities "going ahead well"
extract Cabinet told an explosion has sunk the SS Patria carrying "illegal immigrants" to Palestine. 385 people unaccounted for
extract Halifax: Upshot of various reports that "probably not very much" settled at Berlin talks between Hitler and Molotov
extract General Dill: Italians landing at Durazzo, Valona to retrieve situation by extensive reinforcement. Vital to impede this
extract Admiralty reports "good progress" made in devising means for dealing with acoustic mines
person Anthony Eden
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Hugh Dalton
person Herbert Morrison
person Adolf Hitler
person Kingsley Wood
person Clement Attlee
person John Dill
person Andrew Duncan
place Wellington, Nevada
place Cranborne
place Halifax Peninsula
place Birmingham
place Belgrade
place Turkey
place Sudan
place Malta
place Gibraltar
place Berlin
place Valona, California
place Bristol
place Bulgaria
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation Morning Star (UK newspaper)
organisation RAF Fighter Command
 

Meeting minutes

extract Air Secretary to investigate Vichy claims RAF has bombed Marseilles. Lord Halifax requests "facts as quickly as possible"
extract Air Chief: RAF attacked Kiel, Wilhelmshaven overnight. One of our pilots thought he obtained a direct hit on the Tirpitz
person Anthony Eden
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Richard Kiel
person Kingsley Wood
person John Dill
place Cranborne
place Halifax Peninsula
place Tangier
place Malta
place Africa
place Lisbon, New York
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation United States Navy
 

Monday 2nd December 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet rejects plea from General Wavell to deport SS Patria survivors from Palestine. Decision to admit them will stand
extract PM: It might be that the President is waiting "for the election atmosphere to disperse before taking any striking action"
extract PM Churchill: "Rather chilled" by attitude of the United States since the Election
extract Morrison: Fire situation in Southampton remains "serious" but Fire Brigade have "stood up very well to their ordeal"
extract General Dill: Greek forces between 10 and 25 miles into Albanian territory. Thought they will attempt to advance further
extract Admiralty: German Destroyers proving "faster than ours". Measures being considered to give ours "an extra turn of speed"
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person Oliver Lyttelton, 1st Viscount Chandos
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Herbert Morrison
person Malcolm MacDonald
person Kingsley Wood
person Ernest Brown
person Clement Attlee
person Theodore Roosevelt, Jr.
place Cranborne
place Halifax Peninsula
place Turkey
place Sudan
place Africa
organisation Home Office
organisation RAF Coastal Command
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
 

Illegal immigrants into Palestine from S.S. Patria.

extract General Wavell protests Cabinet decision to allow SS Patria survivors to enter Palestine. "Disastrous" for Arab opinion
person Anthony Eden
place Egypt
 

Meeting minutes

extract Halifax: Diplomats in Washington and Geneva receiving reports of "growing restiveness and discontent in Italy"
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Samuel Hoare
person Kingsley Wood
person Clement Attlee
person John Dill
person Andrew Duncan
place Greece
place Cranborne
place Halifax Peninsula
place Birmingham
place North America
place Sicily
place Valona, California
place Bristol
place Madrid, New York
organisation New Zealand Treasury
organisation RAF Coastal Command
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
organisation RAF Fighter Command
 

Recruitment for Fire, Police and Civil Defence Services.

extract War Secretary to divert 16,000 men from recruitment to armed forces into Civil Defence. Will also release trained firemen
person Anthony Eden
organisation Home Office
 

Thursday 2nd January 1941

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet approves Chancellor's plan of economic action against Eire. Irish food imports and shipping to be disrupted
extract American Naval Attaché in London to be informed of defects in US supplied Destroyers. President not to be told directly
extract President expects financial aid bill for UK to be passed around February 15th. Possible to meet our payments until then
extract President Roosevelt proposes sending Red Cross food aid to France and Spain. PM: Not politically possible to oppose this
extract General Heywood reports "very rigorous conditions" on Greek Front causing frostbite but Greek forces "in very good heart"
extract Air Chief: Last night's attack on Bremen appears "from preliminary reports to have been highly successful"
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Herbert Morrison
person Ernest Bevin
person Clement Attlee
person John Dill
person Frederick Marquis, 1st Earl of Woolton
place South Africa
place Greece
place Cranborne
place Gibraltar
place Washington
organisation Home Office
organisation International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement
 

The question of bombing the Roumanian Oilfields.

extract Eden: Any attack on Roumania's oilfields would "certainly" put the lives of British embassy staff in Bucharest at risk
person Anthony Eden
place Greece
place Turkey
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
 

Meeting minutes

extract Eden: News from Bulgaria "disquieting". A number of indications government coming "under strong pressure from Germany"
extract PM: Attack "brilliantly executed", casualties "extraordinarily small". No need to emphasise there was not "much fighting"
extract General Dill: 25,000 prisoners taken at capture of Bardia "including 2 Corps Commanders and 4 Senior Generals"
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person Archibald Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Samuel Hoare
person Kingsley Wood
person Clement Attlee
person John Dill
place Gibraltar
place Albania
place Bulgaria
place West Germany
place Libya
organisation Royal Air Force
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
 

Attitude of His Majesty's Government towards the Emperor Haile Selassie and the position of Italian East Africa in the event of an Enemy Defeat.

extract Foreign Secretary Eden reaffirms UK's commitment "to an independent Ethiopia" and the recapture of British Somaliland
person Anthony Eden
person Archibald Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell
place Great Britain
place Somaliland
place Sudan
place Ethiopia
place Kismayo
place Eritrea
place Rome
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Meeting minutes

extract PM: We must consider whether we can "now afford some further assistance to Greece" by reinforcing our air detachment
extract Chiefs of Staff: We have "greatly relieved the pressure on our forces in the Middle East"
extract Chiefs of Staff: Operations in the last month have accounted for a third of the total Italian strength in Libya
extract Cabinet informed total number of prisoners captured at Bardia now over 32,000. Rapid advance being made towards Tobruk
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person John Anderson (Australian politician)
person Kingsley Wood
place Greece
place Libya
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation Hopatcong High School
 

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet approves seizure of 4 French ships. Vessels to be held until Vichy releases Allied vessels held in French ports
extract Admiralty: Attacks on UK shipping now "on a greatly reduced scale" due to wintry weather and "our protective measures"
extract Unconfirmed reports Gazala (30 miles west of Tobruk) abandoned by the enemy. 35 enemy aircraft "burnt out and abandoned"
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Hugh Dalton
person Ernest Bevin
person Kingsley Wood
person Clement Attlee
person Leo Amery
place Cranborne
place Gibraltar
place Tobruk
place Burma
organisation Home Office
 

Meeting minutes

extract Renewed warning of German plans for gas attack. "Very few people" now carry gas masks. Home Secretary to consider steps
extract Morrison: "Sporadic, but widespread" air attack yesterday. "As many as 100 people might be trapped" by bomb in Lambeth
extract Air Chief: Overnight raid on Wilhelmshaven "very successful". Two enemy machines brought down near London last night
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Hugh Dalton
person Herbert Morrison
person E. F. L. Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax
person Kingsley Wood
person Clement Attlee
person John Dill
person Andrew Duncan
place Greece
place Cranborne
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation New Zealand Treasury
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation House of Lords
 

Meeting minutes

extract General Dill: Preparations for attack on Tobruk delayed owing to sand storms. Italians falling back on the Kassala front
extract Admiralty: Damage to HMS Illustrious not serious but 10 ships lost in last 4 days, 3 by U-boat action, 3 by raider action
extract PM: Important to maintain strong air defence at Malta. Fighter reinforcements must be sent, AA ammunition reserve checked
extract "Cheerful telegram" from Air Officer Commanding Malta: about 37 enemy aircraft downed in the recent heavy air attacks
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Oliver Lyttelton, 1st Viscount Chandos
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Herbert Morrison
person Clement Attlee
place Greece
place Cranborne
place Malta
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
place Libya
organisation Home Office
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation Hopatcong High School
 

Meeting minutes

extract Eden urges Yugoslavia and Turkey to make clear they would regard any German infiltration of Bulgaria as an open invasion
extract Weather on Continent makes invasion unlikely in next few weeks. War Secretary to consider extended leave for Home Forces
extract Information Minister to publicise an Italian cavalry charge on Sudan Front. Cavalry charged our gun position, losing 25
extract General Dill: Italian retreat continuing on Kassala front but Italians fighting better than in Libya
extract PM to send "private congratulatory telegram to General Wavell" on Tobruk capture. Number of prisoners taken not yet known
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Herbert Morrison
person Clement Attlee
place Kassala
place Greece
place Cranborne
place Turkey
place Sudan
place Ethiopia
place Africa
place Bulgaria
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
place Libya
organisation Home Office
 

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet agrees "some easement" of ban on Press and broadcast publicity of anti-gas measures
extract PM: President hopes "Lease-Lend" Bill will be passed into law "towards the end of February"
extract PM Churchill: President Roosevelt has requested a cable of "a list of our most immediate demands" for the next few months
extract Eden: Warning Belgian King "might make a deal" with Germany. Private messages should be sent "to stiffen his attitude"
extract PM: "White population in Abyssinia" might be "in great danger" if anti-Italian revolt spreads. Eden to watch situation
extract General Dill: In Eritrea our forces are closing in on positions round Agordat and Barentu. Over 1,100 prisoners captured
extract General Dill: In Libya, the enemy force at Mechili "stronger than anticipated" but plans are in hand for dealing with it
extract Air Chief: Evidence 20% of German air strength moved from aerodromes facing UK to other theatres or to German interior
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Herbert Morrison
person Kingsley Wood
person Ernest Brown
person John Dill
person Andrew Duncan
place Cranborne
place Eyre Peninsula
place Eritrea
place Africa
organisation Home Office
organisation Royal Air Force
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation United States Navy
organisation Royal Navy
 

Supply of Aircraft to China from the United States.

extract Eden "at a loss" over US demands that 100 aircraft ordered by UK be released to China. Their attitude "extraordinary"
person Anthony Eden
person Chiang Kai-shek
place Greece
place Republic of China
 

Meeting minutes

extract Eden: Vichy's new economic proposals have "little relation to reality". UK will refuse to "make large concessions"
extract PM: Position "an anxious one and must be carefully watched". Defence Committee reviewing Eastern Mediterranean area
extract Cabinet discuss Balkans. Death of General Metaxas "a serious loss". Clear some German infiltration of Bulgaria occurring
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Samuel Hoare
person Kingsley Wood
person Clement Attlee
place Cranborne
place Ethiopia
place Morocco
place Africa
place Bulgaria
 

Monday 3rd February 1941

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet approves construction of Burma-China railway if border agreed. Secretary of State to inform Burmese government
extract Eden: Resignation of Iraq government "not to be regretted". New one "not very satisfactory but might be only a stop-gap"
extract General Wavell reports enemy making "determined stand in difficult country" in Eritrea. Rapid progress "unlikely"
extract General Heywood: Greek First Corps "in good heart". Few casualties suffered from the enemy, but many from frost bite
extract Admiralty: Swordfish bombers attacked dam in Sardinia. Met heavy anti-aircraft fire, claimed 3 hits on dam with torpedoes
extract Air Chief: Enemy aircraft have dropped bombs and mines in the Suez Canal. A number of the mines have now been detonated
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Archibald Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Herbert Morrison
person Rashid Ali al-Gaylani
person Kingsley Wood
person Ernest Brown
person Clement Attlee
person John Dill
place Greece
place Cranborne
place Iraq
place Eritrea
place Washington
place Morocco
place Africa
place Burma
organisation Home Office
 

Meeting minutes

extract UK Ambassador Tokyo warns of "possibility of Japanese control over Indo-China". Chiefs of Staff to consider implications
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Samuel Hoare
person Bob Kerslake
person Robert Craigie (diplomat)
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
 

Co-operation with the Netherlands East Indies.

extract Foreign Secretary Eden proposes mutual defence pact with Dutch East Indies and Burma, Malaya and Borneo
person Anthony Eden
place Hong Kong
place Burma
organisation Hopatcong High School
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
organisation Government of Canada
 

Developments at Vichy.

extract Eden: "Germans will stand no more delaying tactics from Marshal Petain". Renewed pressure for their use of French fleet
person Anthony Eden
person Maxime Weygand
person Adolf Hitler
place Paris
place Tunisia
place Syria
place Toulon
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
organisation French Navy
 

Meeting minutes

extract PM: US to despatch 250,000 more rifles and 50m rounds of ammunition. This cargo must be distributed between several ships
extract General Dill: Signs of Italian movements out of Benghazi. General Wavell has ordered our Forces to press on rapidly
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Archibald Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Herbert Morrison
person Malcolm MacDonald
person Ernest Brown
person Clement Attlee
person John Dill
person Leo Amery
place Cranborne
place Turkey
place Burma
place Libya
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
 

The "Asaka Maru".

extract Eden: But "strongest possible reaction" if vessel intercepted. It will resist - "first-class incident may be anticipated"
extract Eden: Japan seeking protection for Asaka Maru bound for Berlin. "Impertinent" and to "organise a joint front against us"
person Anthony Eden
person E. F. L. Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax
place Europe
place South America
place Berlin
place Tokyo
organisation Royal Navy
 

Meeting minutes

extract Foreign Secretary Eden to consult President Roosevelt on whether to detain the Asaka Maru at "the risk of war" with Japan
extract PM Churchill: In what way should our forces in the Middle East now be employed?
extract Admiralty: 24,000 tons of merchant shipping lost since last report made to the War Cabinet
person Anthony Eden
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Herbert Morrison
person Duff Cooper
person Francisco Franco
person E. F. L. Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax
person Kingsley Wood
person Ernest Brown
person Archibald Sinclair, 1st Viscount Thurso
person Clement Attlee
person John Dill
place Cranborne
place Gibraltar
place Republic of China
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
place Libya
organisation Home Office
organisation RAF Coastal Command
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation House of Lords
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
 

Political and economic relations with Belgium.

extract Eden: Belgian government willing to pool gold reserves with us in exchange for trade concessions after the war
person Anthony Eden
place Great Britain
place Europe
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
 

Wednesday 23rd April 1941

Conditions in Poland.

extract Eden circulates letter from exiled Polish President to Pope: "Millions of human beings are threatened with extermination"
person Anthony Eden
organisation Advanced Micro Devices
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
 

Policy towards Turkey.

extract Eden: "Most we can hope for" from Turks "benevolent neutrality". In our interest to supply and support their armed forces
person Anthony Eden
place Great Britain
place Greece
place Egypt
place Iraq
place Turkey
place Basra
place Europe
place Istanbul
place Cyprus
place Alexandria
place Syria
place Bulgaria
 

Monday 12th May 1941

Co-operation with the Netherlands Government regarding mutual support in the event of Japanese aggression.

extract Foreign Secretary Eden recommends UK supports Netherlands in the event of Japanese aggression against Dutch East Indies
person Anthony Eden
place New Caledonia
place Singapore
place Europe
organisation Hopatcong High School
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Reform of the Diplomatic Service.

extract Eden calls for reform of the diplomatic service. Service should "become more representative of this country as a whole"
person Anthony Eden
organisation United States Navy
 

Our Arab Policy.

extract Eden outlines UK "Arab Policy". "No change" in Palestine, establish friendly Iraq government, "bring Syria over to us"
person Anthony Eden
place Iraq
place Turkey
place Syria
 

Future of Cyprus.

extract Eden: "Strong case" for ceding Cyprus to Greece after war. Suggest talks now to avoid German offer to "quisling" Athens
person Anthony Eden
place Great Britain
place Athens
place Greece
place Egypt
place Turkey
place Malta
place Cyprus
place Alexandria
place Syria
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
 

Wednesday 25th June 1941

Supplies to Turkey.

extract Foreign Secretary Eden urges continuing military supplies to Turkey in spite of new Turco-German agreement
person Anthony Eden
place Egypt
place Turkey
 

Thursday 3rd July 1941

Co-operation with the Netherlands Government regarding mutual support in the event of Japanese aggression.

extract Eden drafts mutual defence agreement with Dutch East Indies in the event of Japanese "armed action"
person Anthony Eden
place New Caledonia
place Singapore
place Thailand
 

Meeting minutes

extract PM: All defences to very highest state of anti-invasion efficiency by September 1st. "No vigilance should be relaxed"
extract General Dill: Russians do not seem to have lost confidence. Their latest type of fighter "doing well"
extract General Dill: Progress continues to be slow in Syria. Telegram sent to C-in-C Middle East urging "a quick decision"
extract Air Chief: During last two days we have made successful raids on shipping at Tripoli, during which five enemy vessels hit
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
place Moscow
place Syria
place Libya
organisation RAF Coastal Command
 

Japanese intentions in Indo-China.

extract Eden: We have "sure information" Japan not intending action in Eastern Siberia but will seize staging areas in Indo-China
person Anthony Eden
place Great Britain
place Singapore
place Shanghai
place Thailand
place Washington
place Republic of China