Andrew Rawson

This is the history of Britain’s armaments industry during the Second World War. It begins with the rearmament before the war and shows how a shadow industry was prepared, in response to German aggression. See how industry was organised and programmed, before learning how armaments were researched, designed and developed. The narrative then looks at how enlistment was controlled, how skilled workers were deployed and how manufacturing was diluted, to allow tens of thousands of unemployed men and women to play their part. The story continues with an explanation of the importance of the coal and oil industries, followed by the development of the metal industries. It then looks at the huge amounts of imports and merchant shipping required, as well as the American Lend Lease programme. See how factories equipped the Royal Air Force, so it could fight the Battle of Britain, and reequipped the British Army following the disaster at Dunkirk. Also learn how the shipyards worked around the clock on warships and merchant ships, so the Royal Navy could defend the nation and protect the supply convoys. See how the lessons learnt on the battlefield helped modify early factory designs into practical ones. Learn how the war changed relations between the government, the employers, the unions, and the workforce. See how issues could cause widespread industrial unrest, as the cost of living rose and the rules became stricter. Also learn how the desire to improve production improved health and safety at work, welfare arrangements and developed management and human resources. We also see how the Luftwaffe attempt to cripple British industry with its aerial Blitz. The story ends with a nation being pushed to its limits for a second time in thirty years, before suddenly demobilising, again leaving the British people wondering what the future would hold for them.

This is the history of Britain’s munitions industry in the First World War. It begins with the shortages caused by an expanding army required to fight in trenches, then shows how the country was organised, with the expansion of private companies and the introduction of state owned factories. It also explains how new laws regulated industry.The narrative describes how production was initially estimated, until experience illustrated how the armed services’ demands could be met. It also looks at the problems caused by unchecked enlistment, which took no account of men’s skills, and the attempts to recall key workers from the armed services.The story continues with the raw materials, such as coal, which was dug by one million miners, and the huge amounts of iron ore imported from Spain. Learn how Britain’s steel industry struggled to make enough forgings for shells, while many more were imported from North America. See how manufacturing issues were resolved, while battlefield experience led to modifications being made. Also see how the nation’s chemical industry expanded to produce enough explosives before working out how to make large amounts of lethal gases.Learn how the war required the relations between the government, the employers, the unions, and the workforce to change; in some cases, forever. See how diluting production allowed the workforce to increase and how tens of thousands of women entered the factories. Also hear how various issues caused widespread industrial unrest at times, as the cost of living rose and the rules became stricter. On a positive note, a desire to improve production increased awareness of health and safety, as well as the benefits of positive welfare.The story ends with a nation being pushed to its limits suddenly demobilising, leaving everyone wondering what the future would hold for them.

On 19 February 1945, Operation Detachment began with US marine forces storming Iwo Jima, aiming to capture the island and its airfields. This was the first campaign on Japanese soil and would result in some of the fiercest fighting in the Pacific. A brutal example of war at all costs, the defending garrison fought to almost the last man; it was a fight they couldn’t hope to win against the superior US numbers, but they exacted horrific casualties on the invading forces before their ultimate defeat.In this concise account, Andrew Rawson uses timelines, diary extracts and detailed profiles to explain the lead-up to the campaign, the battle itself and its legacy, while maps and rarely published photographs place you in the centre of the unfolding action. With painful lessons learned, this vital battle of the Pacific theatre would inform US strategies and actions through the rest of the war, and here Rawson shows exactly how and why.