The myth as I loved it: 'The Navy's here' -- The British guarantee to Poland of March 1939 -- Plucky little Poland -- Appeasement and pacifism from Fulham to Bridgwater, or 'the left has its cake and eats it' -- The war we couldn't afford -- America first -- The invasion that never was -- In peril on the sea -- Gomorrah -- Orderly and humane -- Conclusion: From phoney war to phoney victory

"Was World War II really the 'Good War'? In the years since the declaration of peace in 1945 many myths have sprung up around the conflict in the victorious nations. In this book, Peter Hitchens deconstructs the many fables which have become associated with the narrative of the 'Good War'. Whilst not criticising or doubting the need for war against Nazi Germany at some stage, Hitchens does query whether September 1939 was the right moment, or the independence of Poland the right issue. He points out that in the summer of 1939 Britain and France were wholly unprepared for a major European war and that this quickly became apparent in the conflict that ensued. He also rejects the retroactive claim that Britain went to war in 1939 to save the Jewish population of Europe. On the contrary, the beginning and intensification of war made it easier for Germany to begin the policy of mass murder in secret as well as closing most escape routes. In a provocative, but deeply-researched book, Hitchens questions the most common assumptions surrounding World War II, turning on its head the myth of Britain's role in a 'Good War'."--Publisher's description