Author Archives: secondbysecond

This week in the war, 1–7 July 1940: England’s Last War Against France

Posted on July 4, 2012 by secondbysecond

England’s last war against France—as recounted in Colin Smith’s book of that very title—was not fought in Napoleonic times. We are not talking Wellington versus Bonaparte at Waterloo. Rather: Winston Churchill versus Marshal Philip Petain, leader of Vichy France. Their war … Continue reading →

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Milestones: Reinhard Heydrich. The usurper meets his end.

Posted on June 27, 2012 by secondbysecond

This week finds me in Prague and in the company of friends—some of whom are World War II buffs. The beautiful old city is dominated by its castle, which was once home to the kings of Bohemia and still lodges … Continue reading →

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This week in the War, 24–30 June 1940: ‘A policeman’s lot is not a happy one’

Posted on June 25, 2012 by secondbysecond

Were Gilbert & Sullivan right? In a show-stopping number in their comic musical The Pirates of Penzance, the policemen’s chorus declares ‘A policeman’s lot is not a happy one.’ The action takes place near the English seaside town of Penzance … Continue reading →

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Milestones: The cadets of Saumur

Posted on June 20, 2012 by secondbysecond

In Saumur, there’s a marvellous tank museum—le Musee des Blindes, as it’s called in French—and I was there not so long ago. The tanks date from World War I up to modern times. There’s a WWII Panther and a King … Continue reading →

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This week in the War, 17–23 June 1940: Two tourists in Paris

Posted on June 17, 2012 by secondbysecond

Most visitors to Paris love the city—and I’m no exception; I adore it—and most come in July or August. It’s the time of year when Parisians flee to the countryside, abandoning their parks and boulevards to hordes of tourists. Paris … Continue reading →

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In the news: Ghosts of Olympics past

Posted on June 15, 2012 by secondbysecond

With this year’s London Olympics fast approaching, the topic of previous Olympic Games has garnered much attention in UK newspapers. An article in yesterday’s Guardian by Alex von Tunzelmann focussed on the Berlin Olympics of 1936 and the movie Olympia, … Continue reading →

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This week in the War, 10–16 June 1940: Faith, Hope, and Charity

Posted on June 12, 2012 by secondbysecond

The Italians had been watching from the sidelines. Suddenly, 10 June 1940, Benito Mussolini announced, in a grandiose speech from his balcony over Palazzo Venezia, that they were joining in the war on Germany’s side. Good timing. France was on … Continue reading →

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This week in the War, 3–9 June 1940: We shall fight on the beaches…

Posted on June 11, 2012 by secondbysecond

This week in the war, on 4 June 1940, Winston Churchill declares to the House of Commons that the nation will continue to fight, no matter what. “We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, … Continue reading →

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In the news/Book review: 6 June–Anniversary of D-Day

Posted on June 6, 2012 by secondbysecond

Today (6 June) is the day when veterans and dignitaries of the warring nations of WWII gather on the beaches of Normandy to give thanks, and to honour the fallen of 68 years ago. This week, tourists will fan out … Continue reading →

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Book review: Atonement by Ian McEwan

Posted on June 4, 2012 by secondbysecond

With summer on the way and time to spend at the beach (park? backyard?), you might take along Atonement—if you’ve not read the book already. Ian McEwan captures the pre-WWII life of the English gentry. His heroine, Briony, is a child … Continue reading →

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