Cabinet papers from February 1940

Thursday 1st February 1940

Lord Stamp's Paper.

extract First Lord of the Admiralty Winston Churchill circulates paper criticising government policy on war finance and manpower
person Winston Churchill
organisation Air Force F.C.
 

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
 

Friday 2nd February 1940

Vote A Estimates.

extract Air Minister suggests Parliament no longer be informed of exact strength of armed forces to avoid “helping the enemy”
person Kingsley Wood
 

Meeting minutes

extract Secret Annexe: French plan for Petsamo attack “waste of effort”. Pressure on Sweden and Norway to assist Finns agreed
place Murmansk
place Finland
place Paris
 

Meeting minutes

extract Secret Annexe: After debate PM Chamberlain resolves not to commute sentences of IRA Coventry bicycle bombers
person John Maffey, 1st Baron Rugby
organisation Home Office
 

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
 

Saturday 3rd February 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Finns successfully repel heavy attack on Summa by Russian armoured sleighs. Return of 9 Germans by Britain pacifies Japan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Kingsley Wood
place Finland
place Stockholm
 

Sunday 4th February 1940

Policy of His Majesty's Government in regard to Palestine.

extract Prime Minister Chamberlain outlines government policy on Palestine and sale of land to non-Arabs
place West Germany
 

Monday 5th February 1940

Burma. Tenth Fortnightly Report submitted by the Secretary of State of Burma, covering the Period 16th-31st January 1940.

extract Burma and India Secretary Lord Zetland reports sectarian rioting in Rangoon. 683 arrested
place Burma
 

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
 

Wednesday 7th February 1940

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 Supreme War Council agrees to send 3 divisions to Finland. PM: “Finland must not be allowed to disappear off the map”
person Alexander Cadogan
person Stafford Cripps
person Sydney Brenner
person Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim
place Finland
place Russian Empire
place Trondheim
place East Germany
place Hungary
place Moscow
place Republic of China
place Rome
place West Germany
organisation New Zealand Treasury
 

Meeting minutes

extract Informal notes on recent meetings: London red balloon scare, jokes about Sir Stafford Cripps
person Stafford Cripps
person E. F. L. Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax
place Finland
place Moscow
 

Meeting minutes

extract President Roosevelt sends Sumner Welles peace mission to European capitals
person Sumner Welles
person Adolf Hitler
place Great Britain
place Finland
place Russian Empire
place Vatican City
place Europe
place Berlin
place Washington
 

Publication of news of results of Air Raids.

extract Air and Home Security Ministers urge that news of air raids not be suppressed warning secrecy risks “grave public alarm”
person Kingsley Wood
person John Anderson (Maine)
 

Thursday 8th February 1940

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 Halifax to ministers: “hope of peace without a blood bath”, Stafford Cripps reports Soviets “uneasy” with Nazi alliance
person Stafford Cripps
person Adolf Hitler
person Roger Keyes, 1st Baron Keyes
place Finland
place Russian Empire
place East Germany
place Halifax Peninsula
place Moscow
place Europe
place Bulgaria
place West Germany
place Iran
organisation Morning Star (UK newspaper)
organisation Labour Party (UK)
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
 

Friday 9th February 1940

Our National Resources in Relation to our War Effort.

extract Chancellor of the Exchequer Sir John Simon warns of projected £400m balance of payments deficit by summer 1940
person John Simon, 1st Viscount Simon
organisation New Zealand Treasury
 

Meeting minutes

extract War Secretary upbeat on Finland conflict. Finns suffering casualties but press reports Mannerheim Line broken unconfirmed
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Franklin D. Roosevelt
person Kingsley Wood
place Finland
place Liverpool
place Burma
 

Saturday 10th February 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Collapse of Italy talks as Mussolini rejects agreement with the UK over arms sales
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Walter Hines Page
person Walter Citrine, 1st Baron Citrine
person John Anderson (Australian politician)
place Finland
place Rome
 

Meeting minutes

extract Secret Annexe: Plans to sabotage Baku oil wells and to justify force in Norway even if Finns winning against Soviet force
place Murmansk
place Finland
place Syria
 

Monday 12th February 1940

Supply and Production. Civil Defence Report No. 5. Report by the Minister of Home Security for January, 1940.

extract Minister of Home Security reports over two million bomb shelters issued to British householders
person John Anderson (Maine)
 

Meeting minutes

extract Finns urgently request more guns and ammunition. Churchill airs dissatisfaction with Palestine land policy
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Walter Citrine, 1st Baron Citrine
person Samuel Hoare
person Kingsley Wood
person Winston Churchill
person Harold Wilson
person Arthur Greenwood
place Finland
place Rome
 

Anglo-American Relations.

extract UK Ambassador Washington: “The period of easy going we have enjoyed over here in the past has come to an end”
place Slovakia
place Washington
 

Tuesday 13th February 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Anti-German comments by Italian Senator encourage Lord Halifax to “go rather slowly” in relations with Italy
place Rome
 

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet discuss UK's difficult financial position. Finnish Minister warns of "deepest anxiety" and "tremendous strain"
person Ronnie Campbell
place Caribbean
place Denmark
organisation Ministry of Supply
organisation British Army
 

Meeting minutes

extract War Office warns news of despatch of ski unit to Finland “becoming public property”. Unit to be sent to train in France.
place Finland
 

Wednesday 14th February 1940

Military Assistance to Finland.

extract Secret memo by MP Philip Noel Baker outlines in detail situation on Finnish-Russian front “and the prospects of peace”
person Joseph Stalin
place Great Britain
place Finland
place Russian Empire
place East Germany
place Moscow
place Stockholm
place Denmark
 

The Employment of Allied Land Forces in Scandinavia and Finland.

extract Chiefs of Staff list planned forces to be landed at Narvik to seize Swedish iron ore fields and assist Finland
place Finland
place Russian Empire
place Trondheim
place Stockholm
 

Meeting minutes

extract “Considerable rise” in shipping losses. “Fresh attacks of great intensity” by Russians. Spy network plan for Middle East.
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Samuel Hoare
person Kingsley Wood
place Finland
place Rome
 

Protection of Oslo against Air Attack.

extract Military inform Cabinet Britain has no ability to defend Oslo from air attack beyond unrestricted air warfare on Germany
place East Germany
 

Thursday 15th February 1940

Meeting minutes

extract PM Chamberlain: “good chance that Italian policy might develop in the direction that we desire”
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Samuel Hoare
person Malcolm MacDonald
person Ernest Brown
place Great Britain
place Finland
 

Friday 16th February 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Finns forced to abandon some front-line positions. UK Ambassador Rome reports “no prospect” of economic deal with Italy
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Franklin D. Roosevelt
person Kingsley Wood
person Theodore Roosevelt, Jr.
person John Simon, 1st Viscount Simon
place Finland
place Bulgaria
organisation New Zealand Treasury
organisation United States Navy
 

Role of Australian Forces in the Middle East.

extract War Office responds to request by Australian PM Menzies to outline expected role of Australian forces in Middle East
place Afghanistan
place Sudan
 

Meeting minutes

extract Navy circulates detailed timetable for UK military action in Finland
place Finland
place Oslo
place Stockholm
organisation British Army
organisation United States Navy
 

Saturday 17th February 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Informal notes on recent meetings: Churchill’s “glee” and “rush tactics”. Foreign Secretary “not having any”
person Winston Churchill
place Finland
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
 

Meeting minutes

extract Harold Macmillan MP reports from Finland of grave situation and “urgent need” of artillery, ammunition and aircraft
extract Cabinet informed 300+ British POWs recovered from Altmark. Jubilant Admiralty and Information Ministry prepare statements
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Walter Hines Page
person John Anderson (Australian politician)
person Theodore Roosevelt, Jr.
place Finland
 

Meeting minutes

extract Secret Annexe: Foreign Office to rewrite News of the World article by ex-War Secretary Hore-Belisha without his knowledge
place Finland
organisation ING Group
 

Burma. Eleventh Fortnightly Report submitted by the Secretary of State for Burma covering the period 1st-15th February 1940.

extract Reports Burma riots continuing. Governor promises Dominion status after “hard work and proof of the capacity to govern”
place Burma
 

Sunday 18th February 1940

Scandinavia - Assistance to Finland. The Time Factor.

extract Chiefs of Staff announce earliest date for landing troops in Finland is 20th March
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim
place Finland
organisation Hopatcong High School
 

Monday 19th February 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Churchill reports loss of HMS Daring. UK naval casualties estimated to have reached 2700 since the start of the war
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Samuel Hoare
person Kingsley Wood
person Winston Churchill
place Finland
place Narvik
organisation New Zealand Treasury
 

Meeting minutes

extract Secret Annexe: First Lord of the Admiralty Winston Churchill anxious to mine Norwegian territorial waters
place Finland
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
 

Tuesday 20th February 1940

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
 

Force "Stratford". The Time Factor.

extract Chiefs of Staff report that secret Force Stratford for occupation of Norwegian ports could leave UK 26th February
 

Wednesday 21st February 1940

Meeting minutes

extract UK Ambassador Rome regards Italian entry into the war on the side of Germany as “not probable”
person Miles Lampson, 1st Baron Killearn
place Finland
place Egypt
place West Germany
 

Meeting minutes

extract Air Chief expresses concern that German paratroops could prevent occupation of Stavanger
place Murmansk
place Finland
 

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
 

Thursday 22nd February 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Finnish Government urges Allies to apply pressure on Russians to bring hostilities to an end. Cabinet doubtful
person Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim
place Finland
place Russian Empire
place Helsinki
place Stockholm
place West Germany
 

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
 

Memorandum by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. Translation of a memorandum from the French Ambassador advocating the immediate occupation of the principal Norwegian ports.

extract French urge British Navy to immediately occupy Norwegian ports in order to protect Allied shipping. Cabinet to consider
place Finland
organisation United States Navy
organisation Royal Navy
organisation French Navy
 

Meeting minutes

extract PM informs junior ministers Finnish Mannerheim Line still holding but “future somewhat obscure”. Lord Haw-Haw discussed
place Finland
place Europe
 

Friday 23rd February 1940

Hostilities with Russia: Attitude of Iran.

extract Iranian government proposes co-ordinating offensive plans with UK for war against Russia
place Iraq
place Iran
 

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

Saturday 24th February 1940

Scandinavia.

extract Lord Halifax proposes to inform French that Britain no longer supports plan to occupy Norwegian ports
place Finland
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
 

Finland and Russia.

extract Halifax reports more discussions with “ridiculous and sinister” Soviet Ambassador. Reluctantly resolves to approach Finns
place Finland
place Helsinki
place Stockholm
 

Monday 26th February 1940

Numbers of Allied and German Divisions.

extract War Secretary Oliver Stanley calculates current German army strength at 157 divisions (over 1.5m troops)
person Oliver Stanley
 

Meeting minutes

extract Secret Annexe: French attack on Norway rejected. Britain to offer full support to Finland and Sweden if they join Allies
place Finland
place Russian Empire
place Stockholm
place West Germany
organisation German Army
 

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
 

Action in Norwegian Territorial Waters.

extract Foreign Secretary Lord Halifax: German use of neutral waters “intolerable”, “wholly illegal and cruelly inhumane”
person E. F. L. Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax
 

Tuesday 27th February 1940

Employment of Allied Land Forces in Scandinavia and Finland.

extract Chiefs of Staff warn that only two, rather than three, divisions will be available to fight in Scandinavia
place Finland
 

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 Halifax reports Finns unwilling to join Allies without support of other Scandinavian nations. Soviets have offered pact
place Finland
 

Wednesday 28th February 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Finnish Minister urges despatch of British force be hurried. Chiefs of Staff say arrival date cannot be brought forward
place Finland
place Helsinki
place Narvik
 

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
 

Thursday 29th February 1940

Meeting minutes

extract PM Chamberlain directs Cabinet to abandon plan to mine Norwegian waters. Winston Churchill registers his opposition
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Sumner Welles
person Winston Churchill
place Finland
place Europe
place Oslo