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Greece, March 1941: The Politics of British Military Intervention

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 February 2009

Sheila Lawlor
Sheila Lawlor
Affiliation:
Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge
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Extract

On 10 May 1940, Hitler invaded Holland and Belgium. The same day Churchill became prime minister. The coincidence of these events was symptomatic of the subsequent relationship between British politics and British strategy. Churchill's coming to power was identified with the start of the real war. His remaining there would largely depend on the way in which he appeared to execute it.

Type
Articles
Information
The Historical Journal , Volume 25 , Issue 4 , December 1982 , pp. 933 - 946
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1982

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References

1 The introductory section which follows is based on the author's unpublished Ph.D. thesis (Cambridge, 1980). The paragraph that refers to the intelligence background is based on the conclusions of Hinsley, F. H. in British intelligence in the second World War (London, 1979), 1.Google Scholar

2 Hinsley, , British intelligence, 1, 259–61, 356–62.Google Scholar

3 The remainder of the introductory section is based on the author's unpublished Ph.D. thesis (Cambridge, 1980).

4 Eden to Churchill, 5 Mar. 1941 (written 4 Mar.), no. 313, PREM 3/309/2.

5 Ibid..

6 Ibid..

7 Ibid..

8 Ibid..

9 Ibid.. Also Eden to Churchill, 5 Mar. 1941 (no. 213), PREM 3/309/2; Cabinet, 5 Mar. 1941, CA to WM (41)24, CAB 65/22.

10 Chiefs of Staff, 5 Mar. 1941, COS (41)85, CAB 79/9.

11 Cabinet, 5 Mar. 1941, CA to WM (41)24, CAB 65/22.

12 Ibid..

13 Ibid..

14 Ibid..

15 Ibid.

16 Cabinet, 5 Mar. 1941, CA to WM (41)24, CAB 65/22.

17 Ibid..

18 Ibid..

19 Ibid.. Cadogan's attitude on the 5th at the cabinet contrasted with the view which he expressed in his diary on the 3rd, that ‘a forlorn hope in the Balkans will only do us harm-in France and Spain’; David, Dilks (ed.), The diaries of Sir Alexander Cadogan, 1938–45 (London, 1971), p.360.Google Scholar

20 Cabinet, 5 Mar. 1941, CA to WM (41)24, CAB 65/22.

21 Ibid..

22 Ibid..

23 Ibid..

24 Defence Committee, 5 Mar. 1941, DO (41)9, CAB 69/2.

25 Ibid..

26 Churchill to Eden, 5 Mar. 1941, appended to DO (41)9, CAB 69/2.

27 Defence Committee, 5 Mar. 1941, DO (41)9, CAB 69/2.

28 Churchill to Eden, 5 Mar. 1941, appended to DO (41)9, CAB 69/2.

29 Ibid..

30 Ibid..

31 Ibid.. See also the chiefs of staff ‘commentary’ appended to DO (41)9, CAB 69/2.

32 Although Wavell had wired Haining on the 3rd - that draft, which had been submitted to Dill for approval, put Wilson under the general direction of Papagos - the wire did not reach the war office until 18.10 on the 6th. See Wavell to Haining, 3 Mar. 1941 (0/45422 of 3/3), WO 106/2144. See also Eden to Churchill, 5 Mar. 1941 (no. 313), FREM 3/309/2.

33 Eden to Churchill, 5 Mar. 1941 (no. 314), PREM 3/309/2.

34 Churchill had written his wire explaining that it was ‘to prepare your [i.e. Eden's] mind for what, in the absence of facts very different from those now before us, will probably be expressed in the cabinet tomorrow’. Churchill to Eden, 5 Mar. 1941 in DO (41)9, CAB 69/2. See also Cadogan diary, 6 Mar. 1941, Dilks (ed.), Diaries, p. 361.

35 Telegrams 314 and 326. Cabinet, 6 Mar. 1941, CA to WM (41)25, CAB 65/22.

36 Telegrams 607, 608 and 327. Cabinet, 6 Mar. 1941, CA to WM (41)25, CAB 65/22. In addition there was a further telegram from Palairet reporting a conversation with the Greek king (no. 330).

37 Palairet to Eden, 6 Mar. 1941 (no. 327), appended to Cabinet, 6 Mar. 1941, WM (41)25, CAB 65/22.

38 Ibid..

39 Cabinet, 6 Mar. 1941, CA to WM (41)25, CAB 65/22.

40 Ibid..

41 Ibid..

42 Ibid..

43 Ibid..

44 Ibid..

45 Ibid..

46 Ibid..

47 Ibid..

48 Ibid..

49 Ibid..

50 Ibid..

51 Ibid..

52 Ibid..

53 Cadogan diary, 6 Mar. 1941, Dilks (ed.), Diaries, pp. 361–2.

54 FO Report…Annex 12, Record of meeting at GHQ ME, 5 p.m., 6 Mar. 1941, Avon papers, FO 954/33. YU/41/21.

55 Ibid..

56 Ibid..

57 Ibid..

58 Ibid..

59 Ibid..

60 Ibid..

61 Ibid..

62 Eden to Churchill, 6 Mar. 1941 (no. 455), WO 201/1996.

63 Cabinet, 7 Mar. 1941, CA to WM (41)26, CAB 65/22.

64 Ibid.. Also Churchill to Eden, 7 Mar. 1941 (no. 623), PREM 3/309/2.

65 Ibid..

66 Ibid..

67 Cabinet, 7 Mar. 1941, CA to WM (41)26, CAB 65/22.

68 Ibid..

69 Ibid..

70 Ibid..

71 Ibid..

72 Ibid..

73 Ibid..

74 Ibid...

75 Ibid...

76 Ibid..

77 Ibid..

78 Churchill to Eden, 7 Mar. 1941 (no. 632), PREM 3/309/2.