South Africa

Country

The Republic of South Africa (also referred to as South Africa, SA or RSA) is a state in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with 2,798 kilometres (1,739 mi) of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans. To the north of the country lie the neighbouring territories of Namibia, Botswana and ...

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Documents about South Africa

Monday 8th January 1940

Analysis of German Propaganda, December 1-15, 1939.

extract Foreign Secretary Lord Halifax presents an analysis of the main themes in Nazi propaganda at the beginning of December
person E. F. L. Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax
place South Africa
place Great Britain
place Finland
place Slovakia
place Russian Empire
place Egypt
place Iraq
place Europe
place Syria
organisation Labour Party (UK)
 

Thursday 21st March 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Paul Reynaud likely to be new Prime Minister of France. No change in policy apparent after Hitler-Mussolini meeting
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Adolf Hitler
place South Africa
place Great Britain
place Paris
place Rome
organisation Home Office
organisation Royal Air Force
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation Hopatcong High School
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
organisation Home Fleet
 

Monday 27th May 1940

Meeting minutes

extract PM argues Air Ministry exaggerating extent of German air superiority. Praises Hurricane as “fine fighting machine”
extract Naval vessels standing by for re-embarkation in Dunkirk area. “Awaiting information" on points selected for operation.”
extract Belgian line near Comines Canal in “grave danger of collapse”. British 5th and 48th divisions sent to reinforce
extract Troops in Calais “still holding out with great gallantry”. Evacuated troops replaced by “other men of the same unit”
person John Vereker, 6th Viscount Gort
person James Craig, 1st Viscount Craigavon
place South Africa
place Dunkirk
place Narvik
place Paris
place South America
place West Germany
organisation Luftwaffe
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
organisation United States Navy
organisation Royal Navy
organisation Belgian Land Component
 

Saturday 15th June 1940

Evacuation of Children from Great Britain Overseas.

extract Home Security Minister presents possible programme for evacuation of UK children to Dominion countries and America
person John Anderson (Maine)
place South Africa
place Great Britain
organisation Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (Netherlands)
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
 

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 French formally complain about de Gaulle broadcasts, recent statements by PM. Demand recall of UK consuls in N.Africa
extract War Cabinet informed that a Franco-Italian Armistice has been signed. No news is available as to its provisions
extract Halifax argues for return of destroyers to Sweden in exchange for their cancelling US aircraft contracts. Cabinet assents
person Charles de Gaulle
person Stephen King
person William Lyon Mackenzie King
person Clive Anderson
place South Africa
place Great Britain
place Lancaster, Lancashire
place North America
organisation Home Office
organisation Hopatcong High School
organisation Royal Navy
organisation French Foreign Legion
 

Meeting minutes

extract Royal Navy to transport an estimated 20,000 men back to France from tonight
extract PM: Desirable to remove from UK as soon as possible all French troops not volunteering "to remain and carry on the fight"
person Archibald Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell
person Walter Hines Page
person John Vereker, 6th Viscount Gort
person Miles Lampson, 1st Baron Killearn
place South Africa
place New York, Lincolnshire
place Somaliland
place Egypt
place Iceland
place Malta
place Algeria
place Morocco
place Africa
organisation Hopatcong High School
organisation Royal Navy
organisation Royal Marines
 

Saturday 13th July 1940

Meeting minutes

extract UK monitoring Belgian and Polish gold stocks transferred to Senegal. Plan to move former to S. Africa with Congo as cover
place South Africa
place Dakar
place Africa
organisation New Zealand Treasury
 

Implications of French Hostility.

extract Chiefs of Staff examine implications of French hostility. Warn of "considerable added Naval commitment"
person Jean Bart
place South Africa
place Freetown
place Somaliland
place Egypt
place Madagascar
place Caribbean
place Malta
place Gibraltar
place Dakar
place Alexandria
place Syria
place Libya
organisation French Navy
organisation French Air Force
 

Peace proposals by Germany.

extract Dominions Secretary warns Allies of likely attempt by Herr Hitler to launch peace conference and blame UK for conflict
person William Patrick Stuart-Houston
person Adolf Hitler
place South Africa
place Europe
place South America
organisation United States Navy
 

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet waters down proposed naval blockade. PM has "grave doubts", Attorney-General says plan breaches international law
extract Dominions governments to be told their requirements for aircraft cannot be met due to "peril of invasion" facing Britain
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person Clement Attlee
place South Africa
place North America
place Europe
place Kenya
place Africa
organisation United States Department of State
organisation United States Navy
organisation Royal Navy
organisation Government of Canada
 

Thursday 1st August 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Eden: 44 UK and Empire divisions to rise to 55. PM "not content" with fewer than 7 more tank divisions by summer 1941
place South Africa
place Egypt
place Iceland
 

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
 

Gold and Exchange Resources. Summary of Position.

extract Chancellor "seriously perturbed" at UK's gold and foreign exchange reserves. Britain "out of gold by the end of December"
person William Patrick Stuart-Houston
person Kingsley Wood
place South Africa
place New York, Lincolnshire
place Egypt
place Iraq
place North America
place Sudan
place South America
place Newfoundland, Kentucky
place Burma
organisation Ministry of Supply
organisation New Zealand Treasury
organisation Bank of England
 

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 Supply Minister: Better to risk the financial side than risk losing the war. Suggests part sale of West Indies to USA
extract PM refuses to rule out requisition of wedding rings and gold ornaments. "Striking gesture" for "shaming the Americans"
person William Lyon Mackenzie King
place South Africa
place Caribbean
place North America
organisation New Zealand Treasury
organisation Bank of England
 

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
 

Meeting minutes

extract Halifax: Looks as if whole of French Equatorial Africa and Cameroons as well as Chad territory "swinging away" from Vichy
extract PM Churchill: We can "not afford to allow any of our aerodromes to be out of action"
extract PM complains arrangements for filling aerodrome bomb craters "very inadequate". Runways must be repaired within 24 hours
extract Beaverbrook: Recent air fighting has made considerable inroads on reserves. Effect of bombing on production "not serious"
extract PM: In view of German indiscriminate bombing considering temporary "marked departure" from bombing only military targets
extract Air Chief: Bombing of Berlin targets last night "most successful". PM to send congratulatory message to Bomber Command
person Alexander Cadogan
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Charles de Gaulle
person William Lyon Mackenzie King
place South Africa
place New Caledonia
place Bermuda
place Caribbean
place British Cameroons
place Washington
place Africa
place Newfoundland, Kentucky
place Chad
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
 

Meeting minutes

extract Air Secretary: Nothing in the last few weeks has shaken the conviction we can hold our own in the air battle of 1940
extract PM: Air losses on both sides "tending to approximate". UK "getting through our reserves of aircraft at a dangerous rate"
place South Africa
place Great Britain
organisation Air Force F.C.
organisation Royal Air Force
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
 

Tuesday 24th September 1940

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
 

Wednesday 2nd October 1940

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 Air Secretary: RAF shows increase of 600 aircraft between May and September. Estimated German strength down by 2,000
extract Air Secretary briefing junior Ministers: Hurricane "not a match" for Messerschmidt. "Spitfire retains its superiority"
person Ernest Brown
place South Africa
organisation Luftwaffe
 

Air Reinforcements for the Middle East.

extract Air Chief: "We are justified in assuming that a most serious danger is already developing in the Middle Eastern theatre"
extract Air Chief approves limited air reinforcements for Middle East. PM: RAF "still vastly inferior in numbers" to Luftwaffe
place South Africa
place Wellington, Nevada
place Malta
organisation Air Force F.C.
organisation RAF Coastal Command
 

Meeting minutes

extract PM satisfied "central nucleus of Government should not move". Church House Westminster set as alternative for Parliament
extract Home Security Minister: Damage to two tube stations has made public realise "practically no kind of shelter" invulnerable
extract Attlee: Newspaper proprietors recognise some recent articles "mischievous". "Appeared somewhat chastened" after meeting
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Charles de Gaulle
person Herbert Morrison
person Samuel Hoare
person Kingsley Wood
person Leo Amery
person Chiang Kai-shek
place South Africa
place Egypt
place Cranborne
place Alexandria
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation Home Office
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
organisation Indian National Congress
organisation United States Congress
organisation Daily Mirror
 

Saturday 16th November 1940

Reports for the Month of October 1940 for India, Burma and the Colonies, Protectorates and Mandated Territories.

extract India Secretary: New outbreak of civil disobedience in Hyderabad State. "Not clear" what Gandhi's next intention might be
person Charles de Gaulle
person William Patrick Stuart-Houston
place South Africa
place Great Britain
place Greece
place Somaliland
place Russian Empire
place Egypt
place Hong Kong
place Caribbean
place Singapore
place Jamaica
place Gibraltar
place Cyprus
place Syria
place Africa
place Burma
organisation Royal Air Force
organisation Indian National Congress
organisation Congress Working Committee
 

Wednesday 11th December 1940

Reports for the Month of November 1940 for the Dominions, India, Burma and the Colonies, Protectorates and Mandated Territories.

extract India Secretary: Civil disobedience continuing and spreading. Mr. Gandhi has extended considerably his anti-war campaign
person Charles de Gaulle
place South Africa
place Greece
place Egypt
place Hong Kong
place Singapore
place Jamaica
place Kenya
place Burma
organisation Air Force F.C.
organisation Royal Air Force
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
organisation United States Navy
organisation Royal Navy
organisation Government of Canada
 

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
 

Thursday 27th February 1941

Meeting minutes

extract PM Churchill "deeply moved" by assent of Dominion Governments. They have "responded magnificently" to severe proposals
extract PM Menzies: Australian government concurs in the proposed use of two Australian divisions in Greece
person Archibald Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell
person Harold Wilson
place South Africa
place Republic of Macedonia
place Greece
place Egypt
place Turkey
place Albania
place Bulgaria
place Libya
 

Monday 24th March 1941

Oil Position. Monthly Report for February, 1941, submitted by the Secretary for Petroleum.

extract Petroleum Minister will end "Help your Neighbour" scheme of extra petrol for organised free lifts at the end of the month
person Geoffrey Lloyd, Baron Geoffrey-Lloyd
place South Africa
place Hong Kong
place Malta
place Kenya
place Africa
organisation Royal Air Force
 

Thursday 29th May 1941

Military Policy for East Africa.

extract War Secretary sees prospect to "reduce very considerably" forces employed in Italian East Africa, as campaign nearing end
person David Margesson, 1st Viscount Margesson
place South Africa
place Somaliland
place Sudan
place Ethiopia
place Eritrea
place Africa
place Libya
 

Monday 30th June 1941

Meeting minutes

extract Soviet Ambassador told UK with Russia "up to the hilt in all military and economic measures for the defeat of Germany"
extract Cabinet authorises Foreign Secretary Eden to telegraph terms for a cessation of hostilities in Syria
extract Eden: Of utmost importance Syria operation concluded as early as possible. Delay having unhappy effect on other countries
extract General Dill: Russian military position appears very grave although German air and land losses have been considerable
extract General Dill: Palmyra now completely surrounded. Further reinforcements being sent to Syria
extract Air Chief: Heavy losses of bombers over last week "due to phenomenal light conditions". PM: "Our attacks must continue"
person Claude Auchinleck
person Archibald Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell
person George Cadogan, 3rd Earl Cadogan
person Oliver Lyttelton, 1st Viscount Chandos
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Charles de Gaulle
person Max Aitken, Lord Beaverbrook
person Walter Hines Page
place South Africa
place Murmansk
place East Germany
place Cranborne
place Iceland
place Moscow
place Cairo
place Turkey
place Syria
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
place West Germany
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
 

Saturday 5th July 1941

The Middle East. Telegram from Field-Marshal Smuts.

extract Telegram from General Smuts: "Apart from small irritating set-backs, our cause has really improved very much this spring"
place South Africa
place Russian Empire
place Cairo
place Syria
place West Germany