The Royal Navy's Home Fleet in World War II (Studies in Military & Strategic History)

This book marks the first comprehensive history of Britain's naval bulwark, the Home Fleet. It illuminates the vital role that fleet played in preserving Britain as a base of operations against Hitler. We see portrayed the hard days of blockade, patrol, and battle that encompassed the Home Fleet's war. And we see how that war was made harder by weaknesses at the Admiralty and by the damaging interference of the Minister of Defence - Winston Churchill. If Hitler Was To Be Defeated, 'fortress Britain' Would Have To Hold Out. Only Britain Could Act As A Launching Pad For The Bomber Offensive, Cover The Dispatch Of Supplies To The Red Army And Act As A Springboard For Us Troops To Assault Nazi-dominated Europe. Key To Britain's Survival Was The Home Fleet. Yet This Vital Command Has Not, Until Now, Enjoyed A History Of Its Own. This Book Tells How The Home Fleet Served As The Ultimate Guarantor Of Britain's Sea-lanes And Of Her Very Survival. Despite Severe Disadvantages, The Home Fleet Preserved Control Of The 'narrow Seas' And Ensured That The Usa Could Participate Fully In The War Against Hitler, That The Convoys To Murmansk Would Get Through, And That The Third Reich Would Be Doomed. Hampered By Nagging Interference From Churchill And The Admiralty, The Home Fleet Nevertheless Accomplished A Crucial Mission And Helped Win World War Ii.--jacket. 1. The Royal Navy And The Home Fleet: Men, Material, Strategy, 1919-1939 -- 2. The Home Fleet At The Outset Of War -- 3. Cat And Mouse: German Initiatives, British Reactions, October 1939-march 1940 -- 4. Norway: A Man-made Disaster, April-june 1940 -- 5. Thin Grey Line: The Home Fleet In The Defence Of Great Britain, June 1940-june 1941 -- 6. The Germans Roll The Dice: April-june 1941 -- 7. The Hard Road To Murmansk: June 1941-may 1943 -- 8. The Path To Victory: May 1943-may 1945. James P. Levy. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 197-202) And Index. Cover......Page 1 Contents......Page 8 List of Illustrations......Page 9 List of Tables......Page 10 Acknowledgements......Page 11 List of Abbreviations......Page 13 Introduction......Page 14 1 The Royal Navy and the Home Fleet: Men, Material, Strategy, 1919–1939......Page 20 2 The Home Fleet at the Outset of War......Page 38 3 Cat and Mouse: German Initiatives, British Reactions, October 1939–March 1940......Page 54 4 Norway: A Man-Made Disaster, April–June 1940......Page 69 5 Thin Grey Line: The Home Fleet in the Defence of Great Britain, June 1940–June 1941......Page 87 6 The Germans Roll the Dice: April–June 1941......Page 101 7 The Hard Road to Murmansk: June 1941–May 1943......Page 127 8 The Path to Victory: May 1943–May 1945......Page 153 Conclusion......Page 171 Notes......Page 182 Bibliography......Page 216 A......Page 222 B......Page 223 C......Page 224 D......Page 225 F......Page 226 G......Page 228 H......Page 229 I......Page 230 K......Page 231 M......Page 232 N......Page 233 P......Page 234 R......Page 235 S......Page 237 T......Page 239 V......Page 240 Z......Page 241 If Hitler was to be defeated, 'fortress Britain; would have to hold out. Only Britain could act as a launching pad for the Bomber Offensive, cover the dispatch of supplies to the Red Army, and act as a springboard for US troops to assault Nazi-dominated Europe. Key to Britain's survival was the Home Fleet. Yet this vital command has not, until now, enjoyed a history of her own. This book tells how the Home Fleet served as the ultimate guarantor of Britain's sealanes and of her very survival. Despite severe handicaps, the Home Fleet preserved control of the 'narrow seas', ensuring that the US would fully participate in the war against Hitler, that the convoys to Murmansk would get through, and that the Third Reich would be doomed. Despite nagging interference from Churchill and the Admiralty, the Home Fleet accomplished a crucial mission and helped win World War II 'Levy tells a general story, but he tells it well, with a good deal of interesting observations along the way.' - Geoffrey Till, War in History