If Hitler Comes: Preparing for Invasion: Scotland 1940

by Gordon Barclay

Overview

Between May 1940 and the summer of 1941 the British people expected a German invasion that, had it succeeded, would have enslaved them into the Nazis' racist war. This period saw an unparalleled effort to prepare the defence of the UK against invasion. Scotland's nationally important heavy industries, vital Royal Navy bases, and one of the UK's key ports, were very vulnerable to the sort of airborne attack that had devastated the defences of Belgium. Everyone was certain that a Fifth Column of Nazi sympathisers and agents was working actively to spread rumours and despair, and to aid the invasion forces, and in reality the country was far from united. Although the 1939 - 45 War is the most written-about war in history there is no account of the heroic efforts made in those months to prepare Scotland for the inevitable invasion, and how the defences were intended to be used. This book tells that story, against the wider history of the period and its people, and describes what was built, and what now survives.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780857905895
Publisher:	Birlinn, Limited
Publication date:	03/23/2021
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	288
File size:	15 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Gordon Barclay graduated in archaeology from Edinburgh University (MA 1976, PhD 2001), and subsequently worked at Historic Scotland, firstly directing excavations and then as a Principal Inspector running the archaeology and scheduling programmes. He retired at the end of 2009 as Head of Policy. He has been editor of Scotland's premier archaeological journal, Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland and FORT, the journal of the Fortress Studies Group.

Gordon Barclay graduated in archaeology from Edinburgh University (MA 1976, PhD 2001), and subsequently worked at Historic Scotland, firstly directing excavations and then as a Principal Inspector running the archaeology and scheduling programmes. He retired at the end of 2009 as Head of Policy. He has been editor of Scotland's premier archaeological journal, Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland and FORT, the journal of the Fortress Studies Group.

Editorial Reviews

"This history of defense construction in Scotland describes how the Scottish prepared for an expected invasion by the Nazis during period 1939-1941, focusing on the period May 1940 to July 1941. The book details transportation infrastructure and the construction of military bases and various structures and barriers, concentrating on defense efforts on coastal beaches and harbors. The study explores shows how defense plans changed in response to shifts in defense policy and the misconceptions of those planning the defenses, including misunderstanding of German military strategies. B&w historical and contemporary photos and maps are included."

ProtoView

This history of defense construction in Scotland describes how the Scottish prepared for an expected invasion by the Nazis during period 1939-1941, focusing on the period May 1940 to July 1941. The book details transportation infrastructure and the construction of military bases and various structures and barriers, concentrating on defense efforts on coastal beaches and harbors. The study explores shows how defense plans changed in response to shifts in defense policy and the misconceptions of those planning the defenses, including misunderstanding of German military strategies. B&w historical and contemporary photos and maps are included.

Protoview