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Palgrave Macmillan

The British Expeditionary Force, 1939-40

  • Book
  • © 2015

Overview

Authors:
  1. Edward Smalley

    1. University of Kent, UK

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Table of contents (8 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xiv
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  2. Introduction

    • Edward Smalley
    Pages 1-14

  3. Campaign Overview

    • Edward Smalley
    Pages 15-36

  4. Training

    • Edward Smalley
    Pages 37-83

  5. Communications: Prelude to Collapse

    • Edward Smalley
    Pages 84-111

  6. Communications: Collapse

    • Edward Smalley
    Pages 112-140

  7. Discipline

    • Edward Smalley
    Pages 141-175

  8. Headquarters and Staff

    • Edward Smalley
    Pages 176-217

  9. Conclusion

    • Edward Smalley
    Pages 218-223

  10. Back Matter

    Pages 224-272
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Keywords

About this book

Between September 1939 and June 1940, the British Expeditionary Force confronted the German threat to France and Flanders with a confused mind-set, an uncertain skills-set and an uncompetitive capability. This book explores the formation's origins, the scale of defeat in France and the campaign's considerable legacy.

Reviews

“Edward Smalley’s thorough study traces the origins of the poor performance in 1939-1940 through the previous twenty years … . impressive contribution to our understanding of the BEF’s deficiencies in 1939-1940. … this book would at once be added to the select list of essential reading.” (Professor Brian Bond, British Journal for Military History, Vol. 2 (1), November, 2015)

Authors and Affiliations

  • University of Kent, UK

    Edward Smalley

About the author

Dr Edward Smalley is an independent scholar, who studied history at the University of Kent, UK. His main research interest is British military history, particularly in the inter-war and Second World War period.

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