1940: MYTH AND REALITY. by Ponting, Clive - 1990

London: Hamish Hamilton, 1990. 263 pp, large 8vo (9 1/2" H). "(Ponting's) historical detective work uncovers, with devastating effect, the often disturbing facts which have been deliberately hidden until now. He reveals governmental blunders and incompetence and the subsequent attempts at covering them up. This is the story of a bankrupt and virtually powerless Britain, its population low in morale and forced to suffer squalid makeshift conditions. Even the closely guarded secret of Britain's attempts at appeasement at a late stage, after Churchill had become Prime Minister, has been carefully reconstructed. On the edge of defeat, the country had to rely on the United States to enable it to continue in the war. (He) does not denigrate the heroism of individuals remembered for their bravery, but he gives a startling account of Dunkirk, of the British government's stormy relations with France, the RAF's role in the Battle of Britain and Churchill 's leadership. We see the government on the brink of forcing Ulster into a united Ireland, and the use of an actor to impersonate Churchill in his famous broadcasts over the radio - ." Slight wrinkling at top/bottom of spine, light soiling mark on top of text block. Dust jacket has very light edge wear/wrinkling - mainly at top of spine and flap-folds, slight fading to spine colour, one tiny closed tear at bottom for front flap-fold.. First Edition.. Hard Cover. Very Good/Very Good.