The British Empire and the Second World War

In 1939 Hitler went to war not just with Great Britain; he also went to war with the whole of the British Empire. All parts of the empire joined the struggle and were involved in it from the beginning, undergoing huge changes and sometimes suffering great losses as a result. The war in the desert, the defense of Malta and the Malayan campaign, and the contribution of the empire as a whole in terms of supplies, communications and troops, all reflect the strategic importance of Britain's imperial status. Men and women not only from Australia, New Zealand and India but from many parts of Africa and the Middle East all played their part. The British Empire and the Second World War emphasizes a central fact about the Second World War that is often forgotten. Book jacket.

Ashley Jackson is Senior Lecturer in Defense Studies, King's College London