Raising Churchill's Army: The British Army and the War against Germany 1919-1945 [Hardcover]

David French (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 13, 2000 | ISBN-10: 0198206410 | ISBN-13: 978-0198206415

This is the first detailed analysis of the combat capability of the British army in the Second World War. It sweeps away the myth that the army suffered from poor morale, and that it only won its battles through the use of 'brute force' and by reverting to the techniques of the First World War. Few soldiers were actively eager to close with the enemy, but the morale of the army never collapsed and its combat capability steadily improved from 1942 onwards.

Editorial Reviews

Review

`It will become required reading for any study of the British experience in the Second World War.' The Journal of Military History

`French's book is a must read for any serious student of British military history. It is also a necessary study for all modern military commanders; the lessons of doctrinal evaluation and creation, as well as implementation, that are dealt with have great applicability for today.' Greg Kennedy, Journal of Defence Studies

`Here, for the first time, is a thorough and scholarly dissection of the vital elements that were responsible for moulding the British Army into what it was and what it became during the war.' Greg Kennedy, Journal of Defence Studies

`David French has written the definitive study of how and why the British Army fought the way it did in the Second World War. This work, along with his previous four books on British strategic thought and the First World War, establishes French as one of Britain's foremost historians. His most recent book is not buttons, trumpets and battlefield tour history: it is military history for adults.' Greg Kennedy, Journal of Defence Studies

`a comprehensive, well-researched, and thoughtful study.' Robert Larson, American Historical Review

`arresting new study ... a bold book - the boldness of its conception too easily taken for granted - as stimulating and discriminating as anything in the field since the iconoclastic Firepower: British Army Weapons and Theories of War 1904-1945 (1982) by Shelford Bidwell and Dominick Graham ... His work is a comprehensive exercise in ground-clearing, and a searching assessment of each element of fighting power ... here is the Lockean underlabourer lovingly at work, cool under fire in the beaten zone, removing some of the rubbish that lies in the way of knowledge. It is a noble calling, and it makes a convincing book.' Alex Danchev, Times Literary Supplement

`As French weaves together his argument, he provides many useful bits of information about the British Army. The writing style is such that non-specialists will have little trouble following French's argument. It is a formidable study of the British Army before and during the Second World War.' Dr. Matthews Hughes, University College Northampton, RUSI.

`French's study is based on an exhaustive examination of previously unused primary material, and as such it will stand as the definitive work on the structure of the British Army between 1919 and 1945 ... it will win a devoted following from specialists in the history of World War II.' John P. Rossi, History, Summer 2000.

`masterful and fascinating book ... not just a military history but a carefully woven account of the political, economic, social, and personal elements that illustrate the way that an army is equipped and led, and how and why it fights.' I.M. Roth, CHOICE, Jan 2001.

`His book deserves a wider audience than its title suggests. Highly recommended.' I.M. Roth, CHOICE, Jan 2001.

About the Author

David French is a Professor of History at University College London.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (July 13, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0198206410
• ISBN-13: 978-0198206415
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,330,068 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Objective appraisal of a much-debated issue, June 5, 2002

By 

Carter A. Malkasian (Huntington Beach, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Raising Churchill's Army: The British Army and the War against Germany 1919-1945 (Hardcover)

Ever since Carlo D'Este's DECISION IN NORMANDY was published, the performance of the British Army in Europe in the Second World War has been a subject of much debate. The army has been accused of having poor morale, poor leadership, poor tactics, poor operational strategy, poor equipment, and just about anything derisive that could be written about an army. Some of these accusations are well supported by historical evidence, other accusations have little basis. David French's RAISING CHURCHILL'S ARMY presents an assessment of the British Army in the Second World War, that is strongly supported by historical evidence. He disproves many accusations against the army while concentrating on its principal failing, an inadequate indoctrination of combined arms tactics. Anyone interested in understanding (or attacking) the British performance in the Second World War should read this book.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Slightly dry but informative analysis, June 1, 2009

By 

John E. Larsen "Larso" (Brisbane, Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Raising Churchill's Army: The British Army and the War against Germany 1919-1945 (Paperback)

I was expecting a book about the expansion of regiments, brigades and the creation of new divisions but it's a lot more in depth than that. It's about the creation of an army that could defeat the Germans, through changing tactics, communications and weapons. It's somewhat of a dry read but the argument is very strong that the British, despite their best intentions simply failed to develop their soldiers in a fashion that could beat the Germans. In the end the army had to go about things within its limitations.

There's quite a bit of good detail to support all this. The difference proper communications made is very well argued. I also learned, after reading about it for years - why British tanks had such a limited turret ring. Another quote that stuck in my mind was a British officers dismissal of a German exercise in the 1930s with the comment - when in 'battle' all the German responded "in the same way", implying that British flexibility made for superiority - except the Germans were actually showing the strength of drill, which allowed even junior officers to attack/react quickly in appropriate manners - whereas the absence of drills in the British army and the wide variety of interpretation of the 'manual' was actually a significant weakness. Montgomery saw this and drills, common to all units, became a focus as the war went on.

There is not a great deal of battle accounts but more the findings that followed - again, in the authors opinion, often misinterpreted by the British command. He does look at weapons and the use of artillery in particular and does discuss the manpower issues that the British faced. As I said a bit dry but I liked it. It was informative and looked at things from angles I had never considered.

The blurb on the back adds this "the first serious analysis of the combat capability of the British army in WW2. It sweeps away the myth that the army suffered from poor morale, and that it only won, by adopting Haig WW1 type tactics. Interwar strategy identified technology as the means to reduce casualties but shortages and "doctrine" were great weaknesses"

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Required reading for understanding how the British Army operated during the Second World War, June 8, 2011

By 

Carl (U.K.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Raising Churchill's Army: The British Army and the War against Germany 1919-1945 (Paperback)

If anyone wants to understand why the British Army fought the Second World War the way they did, this is the book for you. In fact I would say it is essential reading for anyone interested in the British contribution during the war.

French looks at how the British Army learnt from the lessons of the First World War and applied them in the inter-war years but points out how they did not go far enough and establish common doctrine. He analyses how the various factors of the inter-war years, lack of common doctrine, lack of the needed equipment, economic and political factors played their role in the setbacks the British Army saw during the first half of the war; but also how they played their role in the few successes the army was able to achieve at the same time.

French then examines the second half of the war and when the equipment the army needed finally started to arrive in the numbers required, how manpower shortages effected the operational and tactical ability of the army, and how key personalities, such as Bernard Montgomery, asserted their influence on the army and began to correct the flaws within; leading to a force that was confident it could take on and defeat their opponents, which it did.