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In 1938, England and France were trying desperately to avoid another war. Still reeling from the long-lasting effects of the First World War and the Great Depression, neither country wanted another expensive military conflict. With unemployment at an all-time high, and their citizens increasingly looking to communism and socialism for answers, both governments felt that it was in their best interest to appease Adolf Hitler, rather than oppose him. Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain believed fervently in the policy of appeasement, trusting Hitler’s promises of peace for Europe, and guided England accordingly.
Not all members of the British Parliament were convinced. A few stood firm in the belief that another war with Germany would be inevitable if Hitler were not stopped. With little encouragement from the government, and even less funding, it was left to them to try to prepare for a war while the rest of the world actively tried to avoid it. They were not alone, however. The coming conflict would ultimately be won by the ordinary men and women who stepped up to do extraordinary things in defense of their countries and their freedom – often at the cost of their own lives.
It is to the memory of those fearless men and women that this series is dedicated.
