I Introduction

Boris Johnson’s book The Churchill Factor starts by taking the reader back to Tuesday, 28 May 1940, and a small meeting room in the House of Commons. The Belgian army has just surrendered and the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk is just beginning. The subject under discussion is a potential peace offer from Hitler. The French are in favour of engaging with it, as are Lord Halifax, the Foreign Secretary, and Neville Chamberlain, who until two weeks earlier had been PM. The only person firmly against engaging in any talks with the Führer was the new PM, Winston Churchill. His view ultimately prevailed (but only just).