The ''History of the Second World War'' is the

official history An official history is a work of history which is sponsored, authorised or endorsed by its subject. The term is most commonly used for histories which are produced for a government. The term also applies to commissions from non-state bodies includin ...

of the British contribution to the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

and was published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office (HMSO). The immense project was sub-divided into areas to ease publication, ''United Kingdom Military Series'', the ''United Kingdom Civil Series'' for the civilian war effort; the ''Foreign Policy series'', the ''Intelligence series'' and the ''Medical series'' are eponymous. Other volumes not under the aegis of the series but published by HMSO may be read as adjuncts, covering matters not considered in great detail or at all, in one case, in the main series. Further volumes, published after the

privatisation Privatization (also privatisation in British English) can mean several different things, most commonly referring to moving something from the public sector into the private sector. It is also sometimes used as a synonym for deregulation when ...

of HMSO or in the series about the

Special Operations Executive The Special Operations Executive (SOE) was a secret British World War II organisation. It was officially formed on 22 July 1940 under Minister of Economic Warfare Hugh Dalton, from the amalgamation of three existing secret organisations. Its p ...

, are also useful. The volumes were intended to be read individually, rather than in series, which led to some overlapping. In their introductions to their parts of the series, Sir Keith Hancock and Sir James Butler wrote that this was to obviate a need to read more volumes than those covering that part of the war effort. Hancock edited the Civil Series and Butler the Military Series. The first volume appeared in 1949 and the last in 1993, with a revised edition of one volume appearing in 2004. An unorthodox decision was to cover the conflict from a theatre of operations point of view rather than by service, to acknowledge that military operations were intimately linked. The works published before 1970 lack references to unpublished sources until government archives were opened, to an extent, by the Public Records Act 1958 and the Public Records Act 1967. The works were published with only references to published sources because British constitutional conventions on the anonymity of government officials and ministers were followed, leading to a somewhat detached narrative style in some cases. A parallel series of volumes for official use were printed, which referenced the unpublished sources in manuscript, in red ink. A few official copies 'escaped' into public libraries and these additions can be seen.

Volumes

United Kingdom Military Series

* ''Grand Strategy'' ** ''Volume I'', Norman Gibbs, 1976 ** ''Volume II'', Sir James Butler, 1957 ** ''Volume III, Part 1'', J. M. A. Gwyer, 1964 ** ''Volume III, Part 2'', Sir James Butler, 1964 ** ''Volume IV'', Sir

Michael Howard Michael Howard, Baron Howard of Lympne (born Michael Hecht; 7 July 1941) is a British politician who served as Leader of the Conservative Party and Leader of the Opposition from November 2003 to December 2005. He previously held cabinet posit ...

, 1970 ** ''Volume V'', John Ehrman, 1956 ** ''Volume VI'', John Ehrman, 1956 * ''The War at Sea'' **
Volume I: The Defensive
', Captain

Stephen Roskill Captain Stephen Wentworth Roskill, (1 August 1903 – 4 November 1982) was a senior career officer of the Royal Navy, serving during the Second World War and, after his enforced medical retirement, served as the official historian of the Royal ...

, 1954 **
Volume II: The Period of Balance
', Captain Stephen Roskill, 1956 ** ''Volume III, Part 1: The Offensive'', Captain Stephen Roskill, 1960 ** ''Volume III, Part 2: The Offensive'', Captain Stephen Roskill, 1961 * ''The Strategic Air Offensive against Germany'' ** ''Volume I: Preparation'', Sir Charles Webster and

Noble Frankland Anthony Noble Frankland CB, CBE, DFC (4 July 1922 – 31 October 2019) was a British historian who served as Director General of the Imperial War Museum. Education Frankland attended Trinity College, Oxford from March 1941 to May 1942, and th ...

, 1961 ** ''Volume II: Endeavour'', Sir Charles Webster and Noble Frankland, 1961 ** ''Volume III: Victory'', Sir Charles Webster and Noble Frankland, 1961 ** ''Volume IV: Annexes and Appendices'', Sir Charles Webster and Noble Frankland, 1961 * ''Defence of the United Kingdom'',

Basil Collier John Basil Collier (1908–1983) was a British writer of books of military history, particularly military aviation, World War II and military and political strategy. Collier became a full-time professional writer in 1932. Before the war he was a ...

, 1957 *
The Campaign in Norway
', Thomas Derry, 1952 *
The War in France and Flanders, 1939–40
', Major Lionel Ellis, 1954 * ''Victory in the West'' ** ''Volume I: Battle of Normandy'', Major L. F. Ellis ''et al.'', 1962 ** ''Volume II: Defeat of Germany'', Major L. F. Ellis ''et al.'', 1968 * ''War against Japan'' ** ''Volume I: The Loss of Singapore'', Major-General

Stanley Kirby Major General Stanley Woodburn Kirby, (13 February 1895 − 19 July 1968) was a British Army officer who served in both World Wars. Personal Stanley Kirby was the son of Sir Woodburn Kirby, born in the Hendon district of London. He was educate ...

''et al.'', 1957 ** ''Volume II: India's Most Dangerous Hour'', Major-General Stanley Kirby ''et al.'', 1958 ** ''Volume III: The Decisive Battles'', Major-General Stanley Kirby ''et al.'', 1961 ** ''Volume IV: The Reconquest of Burma'', Major-General Stanley Kirby ''et al.'', 1965 ** ''Volume V: The Surrender of Japan'', Major-General Stanley Kirby ''et al.'', 1969 * ''The Mediterranean and Middle East'' ** ''Volume I: The Early Successes against Italy, to May 1941'', Major-General Ian Playfair ''et al.'', 1954 ** ''Volume II: The Germans Come to the Help of Their Ally, 1941'', Major-General I. S. O. Playfair ''et al.'', 1956 ** ''Volume III: British Fortunes Reach Their Lowest Ebb'', Major-General I. S. O. Playfair ''et al.'', 1960 ** ''Volume IV: The Destruction of the Axis Forces in Africa'', Major-General I. S. O. Playfair, Brigadier Charles Molony ''et al.'', 1966 ** ''Volume V: The Campaign in Sicily, 1943 and the Campaign in Italy, 3 September 1943 to 31 March 1944'', Brigadier Charles Molony ''et al.'', 1973 ** ''Volume VI, Part 1: Victory in the Mediterranean: 1 April to 4 June 1944'', General Sir William Jackson ''et al.'', 1984 ** ''Volume VI, Part 2: Victory in the Mediterranean: June to October 1944'', General Sir William Jackson ''et al.'', 1987 ** ''Volume VI, Part 3: Victory in the Mediterranean: November 1944 to May 1945'', General Sir William Jackson ''et al.'', 1988 * ''Civil Affairs and Military Government'' ** ''Central Organisation and Planning'', Frank Donnison, 1966 ** ''British Military Administration in the Far East, 1943–46'', Frank Donnison, 1956 ** ''North-West Europe, 1944–46'', Frank Donnison, 1961 ** ''Allied Administration of Italy'', Charles Harris, 1957

United Kingdom Civil Series

* Introductory **
British War Economy
', Keith Hancock and Margaret Gowing, 1949 **
Statistical Digest of the War
', Central Statistical Office, 1949 **

', Richard Titmuss, 1950 **
British War Production
',

Michael Postan Sir Michael Moissey Postan FBA (24 September 189912 December 1981) was a British historian. He was also known as Munia Postan. Biography Postan was born to a Jewish family in Bendery, in the Bessarabia Governorate of the Russian Empire, and stud ...

, 1952 * General Series ** ''Coal'', W. B. Court, 1951 ** ''Oil: A Study of Wartime Policy and Administration'', D. J. Payton-Smith, 1971 ** ''Studies in the Social Services'', Sheila Ferguson, 1978 ** ''Civil Defence'', T. H. O'Brien, 1955 ** ''Works and Buildings'', C. M. Kohan, 1952 ** ''Food'' *** ''Volume I: The Growth of Policy'', R. J. Hammond, 1951 *** ''Volume II: Studies in Administration and Control'', R. J. Hammond, 1956 *** ''Volume III: Studies in Administration and Control'', R. J. Hammond, 1962 ** ''Agriculture'', K. A. H. Murray, 1955 ** ''The Economic Blockade'' *** ''Volume I'', William Medlicott, 1952 *** ''Volume II'', William Medlicott, 1957 ** ''Inland Transport'', Christopher Savage, 1957 ** ''Merchant Shipping and the Demands of War'', Betty Behrens, 1955 ** ''North American Supply'', H. Duncan Hall, 1955 ** ''Manpower: Study of War-Time Policy and Administration'', H. M. D. Parker, 1957 ** ''Civil Industry and Trade'', Eric Hargreaves, 1952 ** ''Financial Policy, 1939–45'', Richard Sayers, 1956 * War Production ** ''Labour in the Munitions Industries'', P. Inman, 1957 ** ''The Control of Raw Materials'', Joel Hurstfield, 1953 ** ''The Administration of War Production'', J. D. Scott, 1955 ** ''Design and Development of Weapons: Studies in Government and Industrial Organisation'', M. M. Postan, 1964 ** ''Factories and Plant'', William Hornby, 1958 ** ''Contracts and Finance'', William Ashworth, 1953 ** ''Studies of Overseas Supply'', H. Duncan Hall, 1956

Foreign Policy

* ''British Foreign Policy in the Second World War'' **
Volume I
', Sir Llewellyn Woodward, 1970 **
Volume II
', Sir Llewellyn Woodward, 1971 **
Volume III
', Sir Llewellyn Woodward, 1971 **
Volume IV
', Sir Llewellyn Woodward, 1975 **
Volume V
', Sir Llewellyn Woodward, 1976 ** ''Abridged Version'', Sir Llewellyn Woodward, 1962

Intelligence

* ''British Intelligence in the Second World War'' ** ''Volume I: Its Influence on Strategy and Operations'', F. H. Hinsley ''et al.'', 1979 ** ''Volume II: Its Influence on Strategy and Operations'', F. H. Hinsley ''et al.'', 1981 ** ''Volume III, Part 1: Its Influence on Strategy and Operations'', F. H. Hinsley, E. E. Thomas, C. F. G. Ransom, R. C. Knight, 1984 ** ''Volume III, Part 2: Its Influence on Strategy and Operations'', F. H. Hinsley ''et al.'', 1988 ** ''Volume IV: Security and Counter-Intelligence'', F. H. Hinsley ''et al.'', 1990 ** ''Volume V: Strategic Deception'',

, 1990 ** ''Abridged Version'', F. H. Hinsley, 1993 * ''SOE in France'',

M. R. D. Foot Michael Richard Daniell Foot, (14 December 1919 – 18 February 2012) was a British political and military historian, and former British Army intelligence officer with the Special Operations Executive during the Second World War. Biography The ...

, 1966 (repr. 2004)

Medical Volumes

* ''The Emergency Medical Services'' ** ''Volume I: England and Wales'', edited by Cuthbert Dunn, 1952 ** ''Volume II: Scotland, Northern Ireland and Principal Air Raids on Industrial Centres in Great Britain'', edited by Cuthbert Dunn, 1953 * ''The Royal Air Force Medical Services'' ** ''Volume I: Administration'', edited by S. C. Rexford-Welch, 1954 ** ''Volume II: Command'', edited by S. C. Rexford-Welch, 1955 ** ''Volume III: Campaigns'', edited by S. C. Rexford-Welch, 1958 * ''The Royal Naval Medical Service'' ** ''Volume I: Administration'', Jack Coulter, 1953 ** ''Volume II: Operations'', Jack Coulter, 1955 * ''The Army Medical Services'' ** ''Administration'' *** ''Volume I'', Francis Crew, 1953 *** ''Volume II'', Francis Crew, 1955 ** ''Campaigns'' *** ''Volume I: France and Belgium, 1939–40, Norway, Battle of Britain, Libya, 1940–42, East Africa, Greece, 1941, Crete, Iraq, Syria, Persia, Madagascar, Malta'', Francis Crew, 1956 *** ''Volume II: Hong Kong, Malaya, Iceland and the Faroes, Libya, 1942–43, North-West Africa'', Francis Crew, 1957 *** ''Volume III: Sicily, Italy, Greece (1944–45)'', Francis Crew, 1959 *** ''Volume IV: North-West Europe'', Francis Crew, 1962 *** ''Volume V: Burma'', Francis Crew, 1966 * ''The Civilian Health and Medical Services'' ** ''Volume I: The Civilian Health Services; Other Civilian Health and Medical Services'': The Colonies, the Medical Services of the Ministry of Pensions,

Arthur MacNalty Sir Arthur Salusbury MacNalty (20 October 1880 – 11 April 1969) was the 8th Chief Medical Officer of the United Kingdom. Arthur MacNalty was also a ground breaking medical scientist. In 1908, early in his career, he joined with the Welshman Tho ...

, 1953 ** ''Volume II: Public Health in Scotland, Public Health in Northern Ireland'', Arthur MacNalty, 1955 * ''Medical Services at War: The Principal Lessons of the Second World War'', Arthur MacNalty, 1968 * ''Medicine and Pathology'',

Zachary Cope Sir Vincent Zachary Cope MD MS FRCS (14 February 1881 – 28 December 1974) was an English physician, surgeon, author, historian and poet perhaps best known for authoring the book ''Cope's Early Diagnosis of the Acute Abdomen'' from 1921 until ...

, 1952 * ''Surgery'', Zachary Cope, 1953 * ''Medical Research'', edited by F. H. K. Green and Major-General Sir Gordon Covell, 1953 * ''Casualties and Medical Statistics'', edited by William Franklin, 1972

Supplementary HMSO works

* ''The Royal Air Force, 1939–45'' **
Volume I: Fight at Odds
',

Denis Richards Denis Richards OBE (10 September 1910 – 25 November 2004) was a British historian. He is famous for his work on the history of the Royal Air Force, including the three-volume official history of the service during World War II, which was co- ...

, 1953 **
Volume II: Fight Avails
', Denis Richards and Hilary St George Saunders, 1953 **
Volume III: Fight is Won
', Hilary St George Saunders, 1954 * ''British Military Administration of Occupied Territories in Africa during the Years 1941–1947'', Major-General Francis Rodd, 1948

Other official departmental histories

A number of official histories were produced by government departments. The authors worked under the same conditions and had the same access to official files but their works did not appear in the History of the Second World War. * ''Britain and Atomic Energy 1939–1945'' Margaret Gowing, 1964.

Supplementary works from other publishers

* SOE Histories ** ''SOE in the Far East'', Charles Cruikshank, 1983 ** ''SOE in Scandinavia'', Charles Cruikshank, 1986 ** ''SOE in the Low Countries'', M. R. D. Foot, 2001 * ''Secret Flotillas'' ** ''Volume I: Clandestine Sea Operations to Brittany 1940–44'', Sir Brooks Richards, 2004 ** ''Volume II: Clandestine Sea Operations in the Mediterranean, North Africa and the Adriatic 1940–44'', Sir Brooks Richards, 2004 * ''Army'' Series, printed by the War Office, 30 volumes ** ''Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers'' *** ''Volume I Organisation and Operations'', Rowcroft, E. Bertram (1951) *** ''Volume II Technical'', Bloor, F. R. (1951) ** ''Supplies and Transport 2 volumes'', Boileau, D. W. (1954) ** ''Works service and Engineer stores'', Buchanan, A. G. B. (1953) ** ''Fighting, support and transport vehicles and the War Office provision for their provision'' *** ''Part 1 Common Problems'', Campagnac R. & Hayman P. E. G. (1951) *** ''Part 2 Unarmoured Vehicles'', Campagnac R. & Hayman P. E. G. (1951) ** ''Maintenance in the field 2 volumes'', Carter, J. A. H. (1952) ** ''Maps and Survey'', Clough, A. B. (1952) ** ''The Auxiliary Territorial Service'', Cowper, J. M. (1949) ** ''Movements'', Higham, J. B. & Knighton, E. A. (1955) ** ''Signal Communications'', Gravely, T. B. (1950) ** ''Quartering'', Magnay, A. D. (1949) ** ''Miscellaneous Q services'', Magnay, A. D. (1954) ** ''Mobilization'', McPherson, A. B. (1950) ** ''Discipline'', McPherson, A. B. (1950) ** ''Transportation'', Micklem, R. (1950) ** ''Army welfare'', Morgan, M. C. (1953) ** ''Ordnance services'', Officers of the directorate (1950) ** ''Airborne Forces'', Oatway, T. B. H. (1951) ** ''The development of artillery, tactics and equipment'', Pemberton, A. L. (1950) ** ''Manpower problems'', Pigott, A. J. K. (1949) ** ''Army Radar'', Sayer, A. P. (1950) ** ''Morale'', Sparrow, J. H. A. (1949) ** ''Personnel selection'', Ungerson, B. (1952) ** ''Military Engineering (field)'', Pakenham-Walsh, R. P. (1952) ** ''Administrative planning'', Wilson, H. W. (1952) ** ''Special Weapons and types of warfare'' 3 volumes, Wiseman, D. J. C. (1951–53) *** ''Volume I Gas Warfare'' *** ''Volume II Screening smoke, signal smoke, flame warfare insecticide & insect repellent & special common use equipment'' *** ''Volume III Visual & Sonic warfare'' * ''Royal Air Force'' Series, printed by the Air Ministry ** ''Airborne Forces'' (1951) ** ''Air/Sea Rescue'' (1952) ** ''Air Support'' (1956) ** ''Armament'' *** ''Volume I Bombs & Bombing Equipment'' (1952) *** ''Volume II Guns, Gunsights, Turrets, Ammunition and Pyrotechnics'' (1954) ** ''Maintenance'' (1954) ** ''Signals'' *** ''Volume I Organisation and Development'' (1958) *** ''Volume II Telecommunications'' (1958) *** ''Volume III Aircraft Radio'' (1956) *** ''Volume IV Radar in Raid Reporting'' (1950) *** ''Volume V Fighter Control and Interception'' (1952) *** ''Volume VI Radio in Maritime Warfare'' (1954) *** ''Volume VII Radio Counter-Measures'' (1950) ** ''Works'' (1956)

Footnotes

References

External links

Hypertext versions of some volumes at HyperWar
{{Commonwealth official histories Historiography Series of history books about World War II United Kingdom in World War II Book series introduced in 1949 Official military history books