Cabinet papers from January 1940

Monday 1st January 1940

Palestine. Illegal Jewish Military Organisation.

extract Report circulated on Jewish paramilitary organisations operating in British-run Palestine
 

Saturday 6th January 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet meets to discuss Finnish progress against the Russians and the possibility of further assistance
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Samuel Hoare
place Finland
 

Meeting minutes

extract Secret annexe to yesterday's meeting: should Navy violate Norway's territorial waters to hamper German naval operations?
 

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)
 

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 Secret Annexe: Cabinet discusses Scandinavian neutrality and the personal motives of US Ambassador Kennedy
person Adolf Hitler
place Greece
place Narvik
place Stockholm
place Tokyo
place Denmark
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Tuesday 9th January 1940

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
 

Wednesday 10th January 1940

Despatch of Forces to Norwegian Ports.

extract War Office circulates plan for occupation of Norwegian ports: Stavanger, Bergen and Trondheim
organisation Hopatcong High School
 

Thursday 11th January 1940

Assistance to Finland.

extract War Office reports on all measures short of military action that could be deployed to assist Finland against Soviet forces
place Finland
place Turkey
 

Meeting minutes

extract PM meets with junior ministers. Warns Britons “must take the war more seriously” and response to Scandinavian situation
person Geoffrey Lloyd, Baron Geoffrey-Lloyd
person Joseph Stalin
person Andrew Duncan
person John Reith, 1st Baron Reith
place Finland
place Russian Empire
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Broadcast of Shipping Losses.

extract First Lord of the Admiralty, Winston Churchill instructs the BBC to report shipping losses weekly instead of nightly
person Winston Churchill
organisation BBC
 

Saturday 13th January 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Secret Annexe: War Office warns of new intelligence on German plan for attack on Belgium and Holland
person John Vereker, 6th Viscount Gort
person Adolf Hitler
person Roger Keyes, 1st Baron Keyes
place Brussels
organisation German Army
 

Meeting minutes

extract Finns suffering “from a merciless and incessant bombing of their towns” reports Brigadier Ling on return from Finland
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Kingsley Wood
person Oliver Stanley
place Finland
 

Sunday 14th January 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Informal notes on recent Cabinet meetings: Prime Minister unhappy at prospect of operations at Narvik (Norway)
place Finland
place Narvik
 

Monday 15th January 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Informal notes on meeting: “Foolish…no one had the least idea of what was involved.”
place Great Britain
place Kenya
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
 

Tuesday 16th January 1940

Scandinavia: Plan and Preparations.

extract Chiefs of Staff issue plans for military operations in Scandinavia
 

The Narvik Question.

extract Lord Halifax circulates draft cable from King George to King Haakon: apologies for UK interference with Norway shipping
person E. F. L. Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax
 

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
 

Wednesday 17th January 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Secret Annexe: Vatican passes on peace plan from German officers. PM opposes suggestion by Churchill of invasion of Sweden
person E. F. L. Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax
person Adolf Hitler
place Great Britain
place Finland
place Russian Empire
place Vatican City
place Oslo
place Stockholm
place Rome
place Czechoslovakia
organisation German Army
organisation Hopatcong High School
 

Thursday 18th January 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Informal notes on recent Cabinet meetings: “One of the most useful discussions which the War Cabinet has had”
person John Reith, 1st Baron Reith
person Roger Keyes, 1st Baron Keyes
place Finland
 

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
 

Friday 19th January 1940

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
 

Meeting minutes

extract Informal notes on recent Cabinet meetings. “Humourous communication…a good deal of avoidable confusion”
place Finland
 

Saturday 20th January 1940

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
 

Monday 22nd January 1940

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
 

Volunteers for Finland.

extract Cable from Lord Halifax to Paris shows government’s uncertainty over allowing British volunteers to fight in Finland
place Finland
place Moscow
place Paris
 

Tuesday 23rd January 1940

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
 

Wednesday 24th January 1940

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 Confidential Annexe: Intelligence reports of new German heavy bombers. Chamberlain suggests naval attack on Petsamo
person Neville Chamberlain
place Murmansk
place Finland
place Turin
organisation Royal Navy
 

Meeting minutes

extract Confidential Conclusions: Should Cabinet discuss fate of IRA prisoners? Churchill’s “sticky attitude” to Asama Maru policy
person Winston Churchill
 

Thursday 25th January 1940

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
 

Friday 26th January 1940

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
 

Civil Defence Report No. 11. Eleventh Report submitted by the Minister of Home Security covering the Period from Midnight 7th January, to Midnight 21st January, 1940.

extract Minister of Home Security reports that a high percentage of evacuated children have returned home, over 80% in some areas
person John Anderson (Maine)
place Finland
organisation Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (Netherlands)
 

Meeting minutes

extract Hostility from US Secretary of State, Ambassador Kennedy’s gambling, concern Germans have captured UK sonar technology
person Duff Cooper
place Finland
place Caribbean
 

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
 

Saturday 27th January 1940

Negotiations with Italy.

extract Lord Halifax reports on progress of negotiations with Italy. Hopes to stop German coal imports and buy arms and equipment
person E. F. L. Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax
person Sydney Brenner
place Russian Empire
place Europe
place London, Ontario
 

Sunday 28th January 1940

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
 

Intervention in Scandinavia: Plans and Implications.

extract Chiefs of Staff present plan of ops for Scandinavia: “Our first and best chance of wresting the initiative from Germany”
place Stockholm
 

Monday 29th January 1940

India and the War.

extract India Secretary Zetland forwards encrypted telegram from Viceroy in New Delhi before start of talks with Mr. Gandhi
place Burma
organisation Indian National Congress
organisation United States Congress
 

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 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
 

Tuesday 30th January 1940

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
 

Wednesday 31st January 1940

Meeting minutes

extract PM Chamberlain meets junior ministers. Suggests Hitler plans “siege war”, says he “expects peace feelers to be put out”
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
place Lancaster, Lancashire
place Finland
place Russian Empire
place Burma
place West Germany
organisation Hopatcong High School
 

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