May Madness

Abstract

On 10 May 1940, the world spun into dizzying action. Germany invaded Holland and Belgium. Winston Churchill became Prime Minister of Britain, the feeble Chamberlain government having tottered and fallen during the debate on the Norwegian campaign. The military authorities came to Home Secretary Sir John Anderson, and ‘represented that, in view of the imminent risk of invasion it was … of the utmost importance that every male alien between 16 and 70 should be removed forthwith from the coastal strip which … was the part of the country likely, if invasion took place, to be affected’ (so, at least, Sir John told the House of Commons on 22 August).