This paper, by making use of newly discovered sources from archives across the Commonwealth, reimagines the history of the British and Commonwealth Armies in the Second World War. It relates performance on the battlefield, between 1940 and 1945, not only to military/institutional factors but also to the public philosophies and political economies of empire. Additionally, the paper addresses the experience of fighting and how it influenced the political perspectives and aspirations of ordinary soldiers. By analysing the voting behaviours of soldiers during the Second World War, the paper links, for the first time, some of the most profound moments of social change in the twentieth century, such as the post-war extension of the welfare state, and the institutionalization of apartheid in South Africa, with the experience of fighting. It shows that from the exigencies of combat cohesion a greater belief in and desire for social cohesion emerged.

Dr. Jonathan Fennell is a Lecturer in Defence Studies and Co-Director of the Second World War Research Group at King’s College London. He was awarded a Doctorate from the University of Oxford in 2008 and his first book, Combat and Morale in the North African Campaign, was published in 2011 by Cambridge University Press. He has had papers published in "War in History", the "Journal of Strategic Studies", the "Journal of Military and Strategic Studies", "Air Power Review" and a recent Oxford University Press edited collection on combat cohesion. His current research bridges the gap between traditional military histories of the British, Australian, Canadian, Indian, New Zealand and South African armies in the Second World War and the mainstream political, social and economic histories of those countries.

Venue:  Sir Michael Howard Centre, KCL, London WC2R 2LS, UK

Time:  17:30 - 18:30

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Contact:

Sir Michael Howard Centre

Department of War Studies

King’s College London

London WC2R 2LS

United Kingdom

smhc@kcl.ac.uk