Articles tagged with: Second World War

08 Jun History

From the jaws of victory: How Churchill lost the 1945 election

Having led us through our ‘darkest hour’, Churchill was convinced the country would reward him – but in 1945 the British people decided against the wartime leader as PM of the peace

27 Mar Books & culture

Louise Jones reviews 'WAR PAINT: Women at War'

A compelling exploration of the work of female artists on the frontlines, Margy Kinmonth’s powerful film explores women’s perspectives on war – and doesn’t shy away from looking at the use of rape as a weapon

04 Feb Books & culture

A 'celebration of daring individuals': Tobias Ellwood reviews 'SAS Rogue Heroes'

Combining high-octane action with a sprinkling of creative licence, SAS Rogue Heroes is a thrilling dramatisation of the story of the remarkable men who rewrote the rules of modern warfare

27 Jan Books & culture

'Impeccable scholarship': Lord Lexden reviews 'British Christians and the Third Reich'

Andrew Chandler has produced a long overdue and powerful exploration of how British Churches and their congregations responded to Hitler’s Nazi regime

12 Nov 2024 Books & culture

'Astonishing': Lord Stevenson reviews 'Blitz'

A visceral portrayal of people enduring the horrors of nightly bombing, Steve McQueen’s superb film calls out to be seen on a big screen

14 Oct 2024 Books & culture

'Moving': Baroness Hayter reviews 'Lee'

Make time to see this portrait of the preeminent female war photographer Lee Miller – just don’t make my mistake and go on your own

25 Jul 2024 Books & culture

'Vivid and arresting': Lord Browne and Russell Clarke review 'The Traitor of Arnhem'

Building a convincing case for the identity of the agents who ensured the frustration of the Allied military operation at Arnhem, Robert Verkaik has delivered a well-researched and intriguing book

24 May 2024 Books & culture

Lord Lexden reviews '44 Days in Prague'

Ann Shukman has produced a vivid and scrupulously fair investigation into her grandfather Walter Runciman’s role in the doomed pre-war mission to broker a peace deal between the Czechoslovak Republic and its Sudeten German minority

23 May 2024 Books & culture

The film that beat Barbie at the Italian box office: Baroness Bonham-Carter reviews 'There’s Still Tomorrow'

Capturing the country’s contradictions, with themes that still resonate today, Paola Cortellesi’s depiction of women breaking with the traditional family order in post-war Italy is a harrowing – but ultimately uplifting – film

14 May 2024 Books & culture

Lord Sandwich reviews: 'I Seek a Kind Person'

The extraordinary story of how Julian Borger’s father was rescued from the Nazis by two Welsh school teachers, this forensically researched and moving book is a testament to humanity’s remarkable capacity for kindness

30 Jan 2024 Books & culture

The banality of evil: Lord Pickles reviews 'The Zone of Interest'

Featuring strong, nuanced performances, Jonathan Glazer’s film is a brilliant and chilling depiction of how the Holocaust happened in plain sight

20 Dec 2023 Books & culture

A valuable book: Lord Lexden reviews 'Once a King: The Lost Memoir of Edward VIII'

Making her literary debut in fine style, Jane Marguerite Tippett has turned Edward VIII’s previously unseen jottings into a first-rate biographical study

06 Dec 2023 Foreign affairs

Conflicting judgment: Starmer at the ICJ

Keir Starmer’s experience of seeking to prove a genocide at The Hague has helped his response to the Gaza conflict, say fellow lawyers on the case, but some Labour MPs think otherwise

24 Oct 2023 Books & culture

Hauntingly accurate: Lord Dubs reviews 'One Life'

This moving portrayal of Nicholas Winton, the man who saved hundreds of children’s lives during the Holocaust – including mine – holds an especially important message at this time

18 Jul 2023 Books & culture

An important work: Lord Dubs reviews 'Hitler, Stalin, Mum and Dad'

An awesomely researched tale of displacement, new beginnings and the collective trauma suffered by Jews, Lord Finkelstein has made an important contribution to the history of central and eastern Europe

15 May 2023 Books & culture

A witty, fast-paced production: Sarah Atherton reviews 'Operation Mincemeat'

It may be an unusual plot for a musical but this comedy based on a secret World War Two mission to outwit the Nazis comes highly recommended

06 Feb 2023 Books & culture

Moving and uplifting: Lord Collins reviews 'Allegiance'

This unlikely musical based on American actor George Takei’s experience of internment during the Second World War is a celebration of the human spirit overcoming adversity

05 Dec 2022 History

Hidden history: Parliament's secret Second World War munitions factory

After the horrors of the Blitz, with much of Parliament in ruins, staff hatched a secret plan: as Zoe Crowther reports, a hidden factory was created in the basements of the Commons to help the war effort.

01 Dec 2022 Books & culture

'Fascinating': Flick Drummond reviews 'In the Shadows'

Lord Ashcroft's history of the Intelligence Corps is both insightful and enjoyable