Monthly Archives: June 2010

30.6.40

This afternoon a parade in Regent’s Park[1] of the L.D.V. of the whole “zone”, i.e. 12 platoons of theoretically about 60 men each (actually a little under strength at present.) Predominantly old soldiers and, allowing for the dreadful appearance that … Continue reading →

Posted in Political, War-time | Tagged Crooms Hill, Cyril Connolly, hand-grenades, Italo Balbo, LDV, local defence squads, mouse, pacifists, parade, Regent's Park, rifles, Senussi, Thetis, working class | 5 Comments

29.6.40

Posted on 29 June by orwelldiaries

The British government has recognised de Gaulle[1], but apparently in some equivocal manner, i.e. it has not stated that it will not recognise the Pétain government. One very hopeful thing is that the press is on our side and retains … Continue reading →

Posted in Political, War-time | Tagged advertising, Charles de Gaulle, freedom of the press, newspapers, Petain, press | 4 Comments

28.6.40

Posted on 28 June by orwelldiaries

Horribly depressed by the way things are turning out. Went this morning for my medical board and was turned down, my grade being C., in which they aren’t at present taking any men in any corps…. what is appalling is … Continue reading →

Posted in Political, War-time | Tagged army, Bessarabia, Finland, Hitler, intelligentsia, invasion, medical board, Rumania, Russian | 11 Comments

27.6.40

Posted on 27 June by orwelldiaries

It appears that the night before last, during the air-raid alarm, many people all over London were woken by the All Clear signal, took that for a warning and went to the shelters and stayed there till morning, waiting for … Continue reading →

Posted in Political, War-time | Tagged air raid, all clear, aristocracy, Britain, Churchill, Communism, Falangist, France, Franco, german, Hitler, I.L.P., Italy, L. H. Myers, Madrid, MOI, Munich, Mussolini, New Leader, occupation, Petain, propaganda, Rab Butler, recruiting campaign, ruling class, Russia, Russo-German pact, Samuel Hoare, Spanish, Stalin, Tangier, U.S.S.R. | 7 Comments

25.6.40

Posted on 25 June by orwelldiaries

Last night an air raid warning about 1 a.m. It was a false alarm as regards London, but evidently there was a real raid somewhere. We got up and dressed, but did not go to the shelter. This is what … Continue reading →

Posted in Political, War-time | Tagged air raid, America, false alarm, gas masks, Germans, Home Service Battalions, left, shelter | 18 Comments

24.6.40

Posted on 24 June by orwelldiaries

The German armistice terms are much as expected. . . . What is interesting about the whole thing is the extent to which the traditional pattern of loyalties and honour is breaking down. Pétain, ironically enough, is the originator (at … Continue reading →

Posted in Political, War-time | Tagged Canada, capitalists, Churchill, class, collaboration, conquest, demotic speech, Duff-Cooper, Eileen, England, Flandin, France, Frenbch, French Communists, German armistice, Gwen, Hitler, Laval, LDV, left, Manifesto of Plain Men, Mass Observation, News Chronicle, pacifist, patriots, Petain, propaganda, red army, revolution, revolutionary government, revolutionary war, revolvers, Richard Acland, right, Russia, Spain, speeches, Stalin, Verdun, winter | 18 Comments

22.6.40

Posted on 22 June by orwelldiaries

No real news yet of the German terms to France. They are said to be “so complicated” as to need long discussion. I suppose one may assume that what is really happening is that the Germans on the one side … Continue reading →

Posted in Political, War-time | Tagged communists, Egypt, England, France, French Morocco, Germany, Gibraltar, Hitler, invasion, North Africa, Petain, Spain, Spanish Morocco, terms | 10 Comments

21.6.40

Posted on 21 June by orwelldiaries

No real news. I see from yesterday’s paper that Chiappe[1] has been elected president of the Paris Municipal Council, presumably under German pressure. So much for the claim that Hitler is the friend of the working classes, enemy of plutocracy, … Continue reading →

Posted in Political, War-time | Tagged Chiappe, drill, Hitler, LDV, officers, Paris Municipal Council | 7 Comments

20.6.40

Posted on 20 June by orwelldiaries

Went to the office of the [New Statesman][1] to see what line they are taking about home defence. C.[2], who is now in reality the big noise there, was rather against the “arm the people” line and said that its … Continue reading →

Posted in Political, War-time | Tagged air raid, arm the people, army, Bevan, bomb, Chamberlain, Churchill, Colonel Blimp, Compton Mackenzie, Dunkirk, George Strauss, German invasion, Glasgow, Hebrides, Hitler, India, intellectuals, Italy, LDV, Lloyd George, Namsos, new statesman, RAF, Rayner Heppenstall, retired colonels, revolutionary war, Richar Crossman, Scotland Yard, Spain, unblimping | 17 Comments

17.6.40

Posted on 17 June by orwelldiaries

The French have surrendered. This could be foreseen from last night’s broadcast and in fact should have been foreseeable when they failed to defend Paris, the one place where it might have been possible to stop the German tanks. Strategically … Continue reading →

Posted in Political, War-time | Tagged Canada, Canada House, evacuation, french, german, Gwen O’Shaughnessy, medals, navy, newspapers, Paris, patriotism, review, Scottish private, surrender, Underground | 9 Comments