Why England Slept [Hardcover]

John F. Kennedy (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0313228744 | ISBN-13: 978-0313228742 | Publication Date: October 16, 1981

Written by John F. Kennedy in 1940 when he was still in college and reprinted in 1961 when he was president, this book is an appraisal of the tragic events of the thirties that led to World War II. It is an account of England's unpreparedness for war and a study of the shortcomings of democracy when confronted by the menace of totalitarianism.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 252 pages
• Publisher: Greenwood Press Reprint (October 16, 1981)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0313228744
• ISBN-13: 978-0313228742
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.7 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #896,537 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Insightful Look At The World, December 2, 2003

By 

Paula D. Matuskey (Ellicott City, MD) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Why England Slept (Hardcover)

First let me say I've been a fan of JFK for many years. And yet I had never read this book. As the 40th anniversary of his death approached, I decided to read this book and was stunned by how wise his analysis was of the British situation prior to WWII. His observations about Churchill were quite right, and his assessment of why England hung back when other parts of Europe were falling was so clear and correct, that I had to keep reminding myself that this was written in 1940. I also could see how he used these observations to craft his own view of foreign policy and defense for when he became President. I'm glad I read this book. It's well worth the time.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Real Time Development of a War, November 2, 2009

By 

James Gallen (St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.A.) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Why England Slept (Hardcover)

Written in 1940, "Why England Slept" is a concise examination of the forces during the 1930s that prevented Britain from rearming until war seemed inevitable. Author John F. Kennedy, a 23 year old Harvard graduate at the time of his writing, presents a balanced and in depth analysis with the intention of aiding his country to learn from England's mistakes.

This book intertwines history with political analysis. It seeks to find reasons, not to assign blame. It emphasizes the strong current of pacifism prevalent in Britain and elsewhere in much of Europe during the 1930s. It was this consensus of opinion which prevented Britannia's leaders from leading it into necessary preparations. Peace movements of that era advanced tenets which others would adopt later. The concept that arms lead to war and that unilateral disarmament would ensure peace would, after nearly costing the West its life, be resurrected during the Cold War. This work also points out how attitudes toward Germany changed during the decade. The Versailles Treaty had cut Germany down to size, in part, by granting independence to Austria and placing millions of Germans in Italy, Czechoslovakia and Poland. An appreciation gradually grew that the Versailles borders would not be perpetual and that some adjustment in Germany's favor was reasonable. For that reason, Hitler's early demands were afforded a hearing in England until increasing German aggression turned public opinion against its authors. As public opinion stiffened, so did British resolve to stand up to aggressors. Only then did rearmament have the political support to make it a a reality. England was then in a race for its life. Germany's clandestine preparation for aggression gave it a two year lead over its more peaceful rivals. Kennedy illustrates how Britain's industrial organization placed it at a disadvantage in military manufacturing in comparison to the U.S. and Germany.

Besides the reflections on the events leading up to the world situation in 1940, Kennedy gives a glimpse into his political views when the contrasts the strengths and weaknesses democracies versus those of totalitarian regimes. We can now see how those beliefs influenced the course of the Cold War over which Kennedy exercised such an influence for a time.

This book is a period piece. Unlike later writers, Kennedy did not know the end of the story. The reader gains a different perspective from comments such as, if Hitler prevails, if England wins or if England falls."Why England Slept" gives us a real time analysis of the making of the greatest war in history. For that it is a worthwhile read.

27 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A surprisingly insightful view of pre war Europe and America, April 19, 2002

By 

Tony Sanchez (Virginia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Why England Slept (Hardcover)

This review will not likely be read by anyone for years or if ever, unless the book receives a new publication, but let's set the record straight, did JFK solely write this book? Who knows and who cares anymore. At least there isn't the plagiarizing charge that accompanies the 21st century's current popular historians. Kennedy put his name on the cover and left himself open for criticism or acclaim.

The book is drably written and without many of the lively anecdotes typical of current nonfiction. The book, though, in analyzing England & Europe's political and economic condition provides a perspective to the often asked question of "Why didn't the world act to stop Hitler before he opened hostilities?" Kennedy nearly prophesizes the later U.S. involvement in the war. Unfortunately, the post war perspective of whether earlier action against Hitler should have been initiated is colored by historians' accepting of Churchill's later self serving reviews of the pre-war years. Kennedy's book gives some perspective to Churchill's role of those pre-war years (e.g., Churchill at first argued to increase armament to keep up with the French, not Germany), and the likelihood of whether more serious action would have been possible at the time (not likely by any single nation). There were things in this book that I had not earlier encountered in my numerous readings of WWII.