Ministers at War

Starred review from January 1, 2015
During World War II, Britain was guided by a group of talented, ambitious rivals who put aside their differences to defeat their common enemy. Here's a look at how they worked together-and how it fell apart just as victory was in hand.Schneer (History/Georgia Institute of Tech.; The Balfour Declaration, 2010) shows the inner workings of Winston Churchill's cabinet during that critical period. After ousting Neville Chamberlain, whose appeasement of Hitler let the Germans gain momentum in their plans to dominate Europe, Churchill put together a coalition government. It combined fellow conservatives Anthony Eden, Lord Halifax and newspaper magnate Lord Beaverbrook with Labor Party leaders Clement Atlee, Ernest Bevin and Stafford Cripps. All saw themselves as capable of stepping into the top office, and several, even while the fight against Germany continued, made moves to seize that office. All three of the Labor ministers saw Churchill's domestic policies as weaknesses; Cripps, in addition, argued for a stronger effort to relieve the Soviet Union after Hitler's invasion. The Tories, for their part, never really trusted Churchill, and his concessions to Labor during the war did nothing to reassure them. Schneer details their maneuvers both in the cabinet meetings and in Parliament, along with their private thoughts, as revealed in letters, journals and other documents. Each of the major players is given a full turn in the spotlight as events brought him to the foreground. The result is a striking look inside the British government during a time when some of the most interesting characters of a challenging era were fighting for both the nation's salvation and their own ambitions. Churchill's role as a wartime leader is well-known from a myriad of histories, but this is one of the best recent treatments of his role as a head of government. Clear, thoroughly entertaining and full of lively detail.

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Starred review from March 1, 2015

Similar to Abraham Lincoln's notable "Team of Rivals" during the Civil War, Winston Churchill--newly installed as prime minister of the UK in May 1940--surrounded himself with a group of remarkable British politicians who represented both the Conservative and the Labour parties during World War II. This team included Anthony Eden and Clement Attlee, both of whom later served as prime minister; business tycoon Lord Beaverbrook, who held a host of positions from minister of supply to Lord Privy Seal; Stafford Cripps, who was minister of aircraft production among other roles; and trade union leader Ernest Bevin, who gained additional prominence once Attlee became prime minister. Schneer, (history, Georgia Tech Univ.; The Balfour Declaration) has crafted a smoothly written and insightful examination of the men who aided Churchill during the years fraught with danger from the Nazi war machine. These strong-willed individuals sometimes intrigued against their leader but ultimately fell in line and worked with the indomitable Churchill for the good of the cause. VERDICT For most readers, this will be a book that cannot be put down until the last page is reached. An exceptional history on an extremely important topic, which should be acquired by all libraries.--Ed Goedeken, Iowa State Univ. Lib., Ames

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