Fighting the People's War: The British and Commonwealth Armies and the Second World War (Armies of the Second World War)

In Citizen Armies, It Matters Enormously That Soldiers Should, As Oliver Cromwell Put It, Know What They Fight For And Love What They Know; The Fundamentals Of Victory Or Defeat 'often Have To Be Sought Far From The Battlefield, In Political, Social, And Economic Factors'. This Study Of The British And Commonwealth Armies In The Second World War, A Fighting Force Made Up Predominantly Of Contingents From Britain, Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand And South Africa, Explores Not Only The Material Culture And History Of Great Armies In A World War, But Also The Political, Social, And Economic Factors That Influenced Their Behaviour And Experience In The Period Running Up To And During The Largest Conflagration Of The Twentieth Century-- Inter-war -- Mobilisation -- Defeat In The West -- The Middle East -- The Far East -- The Great Imperial Morale Crisis -- Victory In North Africa -- New Guinea And Burma -- The Mediterranean -- Remobilisation -- Cassino -- Transformation In The Jungle -- D-day -- Normandy -- The Victory Campaigns -- Soldiers And Social Change. Jonathan Fennell. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Fighting the People's War is an unprecedented, panoramic history of the 'citizen armies' of the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand and South Africa, who together made up the British and Commonwealth armies in the Second World War. Drawing on new sources to reveal the true wartime experience of the ordinary rank and file, Jonathan Fennell fundamentally challenges our understanding of the War and of the relationship between conflict and socio-political change. He uncovers how fractures on the home front had profound implications for the performance of the British and Commonwealth armies and he traces how soldiers' political beliefs, many of which emerged as a consequence of their combat experience, proved instrumental to the socio-political changes of the postwar era. Fighting the People's War transforms our understanding of how the great battles were won and lost as well as how the postwar societies were forged. Fighting The People's War Is An Unprecedented, Panoramic History Of The 'citizen Armies' Of The United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand And South Africa, The Core Of The British And Commonwealth Armies In The Second World War. Drawing On New Sources To Reveal The True Wartime Experience Of The Ordinary Rank And File, Jonathan Fennell Fundamentally Challenges Our Understanding Of The War And Of The Relationship Between Conflict And Socio-political Change. He Uncovers How Fractures On The Home Front Had Profound Implications For The Performance Of The British And Commonwealth Armies And He Traces How Soldiers' Political Beliefs, Many Of Which Emerged As A Consequence Of Their Combat Experience, Proved Instrumental To The Socio-political Changes Of The Postwar Era. Fighting The People's War Transforms Our Understanding Of How The Great Battles Were Won And Lost As Well As How The Postwar Societies Were Forged. "In citizen armies, it matters enormously that soldiers should, as Oliver Cromwell put it, know what they fight for and love what they know; the fundamentals of victory or defeat 'often have to be sought far from the battlefield, in political, social, and economic factors'. This study of the British and Commonwealth armies in the Second World War, a fighting force made up predominantly of contingents from Britain, Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand and South Africa, explores not only the material culture and history of great armies in a world war, but also the political, social, and economic factors that influenced their behaviour and experience in the period running up to and during the largest conflagration of the twentieth century"-- Provided by publisher Jonathan Fennell captures for the first time the true wartime experience of the ordinary soldiers from across the empire who made up the British and Commonwealth armies. He analyses why the great battles were won and lost and how the men that fought went on to change the world.