OXFORD'S WAR: 1939-1945

1-251560

Details how Oxford played a unique part in the national endeavor to defend Britain in the Second World War. Thanks to its proximity to London, the city provided an alternative base for civil servants from the Ministry of Food, the Foreign Office, the Ministry of Home Security, the Ministry of Information, and the Ministry of Works. The Admiralty, the War Office, the Air Ministry, MI5, and Bletchley Park all also had a presence in Oxford. Draws on first-hand narratives and the University of Oxford's archival material to reveal the essential role Oxford played in producing military intelligence, creating propaganda, and developing radar and the atomic bomb. Also explores how the university provided sanctuary for academics fleeing fascism who in turn made significant contributions in their fields of expertise, painting an astonishing picture of the war's profound impact on an ancient seat of learning. Contains 35 color plates and 10 halftones.