The turning point. Two accounts. – The awesomeness of the
German tide. – Black Fortnight. – Problems of British
morale. – Distrust of Churchill. – Opinions and sentiments. –
“Outwardly calm, inwardly anxious.”
Hitler’s halt order. – The Germans before
Dunkirk. – Calais. – Hitler and the Conservatives. – The two
Rights. – Chamberlain. -Appeasers. – Halifax. – The War
Cabinet. – Churchill and Roosevelt. – The British press. –
“A slight increase in anxiety and a slight
decrease in optimism.”
An English weekend. – The French: Weygand and
Pétain. – Halifax and the Italian ambassador. – Churchill and
the Defence Committee. – “Depression is quite definitely up.”
An agitated day. – Three meetings of the War Cabinet. –
Chamberlain, Halifax, Churchill. – Disagreements between
Halifax and Churchill. – Scarcity of news: “A mandate to delay
judgment and not to worry” – “In Westminster Abbey.”
What was happening at Dunkirk. – The Belgians
surrender. – American considerations. – Three War Cabinets
and a walk in the garden.—“You’d have been better
off playing cricket.”
Momie, opinion, and the press. – “We cannot possibly starve
the public in this way.” – Foreigners and refugees. – Churchill’s
instructions and the first War Cabinet. – His statement in the
Commons. – The second War Cabinet. – Churchill’s coup-
He comes through.
A long-range view of the war. – The meaning of Dunkirk. –
“It is time to face up to facts” – Halifax redux. – An
antiquated Britain. – Churchill and Europe. – Fortissimo.