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"Churchill's portrayal of the war the British Empire fought against Japan, as set out in his six-volume memoir entitled The Second World War, was so successful that the boundaries and limitations which he placed on the historical narrative of the war in the Far East are, to some extent, still discernable today. Drawn from extensive archival research, this superbly written and highly engaging work examines Churchill's depiction of the advent of war with Japan; the fall of Hong Kong, Malaya, and Singapore;the series of crises in India between 1942 and 1943; and the Indian Army, and their role in the reconquest of Burma. Concluding with a survey of the length to which Churchill went to protect his narrative, this work highlights how Churchill mythologised wartime Anglo-American relations in his memoirs in order to foster a united post-war 'special relationship'. In brief, this book asks what, if anything, did Churchill hide behind history?"--
List of contents
Introduction 1. From Memoir to History 2. Churchill's British Empire 3. Churchill's Imperial War with Japan 4. Churchill's Imperial Losses: Hong Kong, Malaya, Singapore 5. Churchill's India, 1942 to 1943 6. Churchill's Indian Army, and the Reconquest of Burma 7. From Memoir to History, Part II Conclusion
About the author
Cat Wilson was awarded her doctorate in 2012 from Hull University, UK and has presented her research both nationally and internationally. She is a member of the British Commission for Military History as well as the British Empire at War research group. This is her first major publication.
Report
"Dr. Cat Wilson studies Winston Churchill's treatment of India and the war against Japan in his six volume-memoirs of the war. ... Churchill on the Far East in The Second World War is a thorough academic study that makes many interesting points and successfully fills the gaps in the historical literature regarding Churchill's memoirs and the Far East." (A blog on Winston Churchill, winstonchurchillblog.wordpress.com, March, 2016)
"This book is an excellent treatment of Churchill's historical sleight of hand. Closely-argued, it deserves a wide readership. Perhaps finally historians of the Second World War, and the general public, will be able to liberate themselves from Churchill's distorting sway." (Chandar S. Sundaram, Reviews in History, March, 2016)
