Cardiff And The Valleys At War 1939 45

When Britain declared war on Germany on 3 September 1939, Cardiff and its surroundings, like every other city, town, hamlet and village in the country, sent forth large numbers of young men to fight against the oppression of Hitler and the Nazis. This is a story not only of the war itself, but of the way war affected those far away from the battlefields, and of how a nation stood together in the face of a seemingly unstoppable force.The book pays particular attention to the way Welsh society changed during the war years, far reaching changes that are still felt in the country today. The book details the enormity of the human sacrifice paid by the people of Cardiff and its surrounding areas, but also contains many examples of the way ordinary people stood proud, defiant in their determination to bring about the downfall of the Nazis. Lavishly illustrated with over fifty original and modern-day photographs, this book is essential reading for anyone interest in military and social history.

A comprehensive account of the part played by Wales in WWII and the conflict's impact on every area of the country and all involved: civilians, factory workers, children (those evacuated to and those from Wales), national and regional politicians, soldiers, pacifists, writers, filmmakers and artists.

Looks at the Cardiff Pals and other local regiments who fought in the Great War and how the experience of war impacted on the area, from the initial enthusiasm for sorting out the German Kaiser in time for Christmas 1914, to the gradual realization of the enormity of human sacrifice the families of Cardiff were committed to as the war stretched out over the next four years. An important place for Coal export this book looks at how the balance between working and fighting was achieved by the Dockyard workersThe Great War affected everyone. At home there were wounded soldiers in military hospitals, refugees from Belgium and later on German prisoners of war. There were food and fuel shortages and disruption to schooling. The role of women changed dramatically and they undertook a variety of work undreamed of in peacetime. Meanwhile, men serving in the armed forces were scattered far and wide. Extracts from contemporary letters reveal their heroism and give insights into what it was like under battle conditions.

Beginning with a vivid account of the blitz in Wales, and ending with more than fifty personal stories from Welsh people who were touched by the war both at home and abroad, John O'Sullivan's book is a portrait of the principality between 1939 and 1945. He has collected the accounts of those in action overseas and on the Home Front during more than forty years as a journalist in South Wales.This book brings together many remarkable wartime accounts of Welsh men and women, including the stories of Arthur Felix Williams from Barry who led a guerrilla army in Burma; the Catholic priest from Newport who helped run the Vatican escape line and the football, rugby and cricket heroes of the Cardiff-based Sportsmen's Battalion who spend three years in Japanese prisoner-of-war camps.Also featured here are a wealth of historic images conveying the massive impact the Second World War had on both the landscape of Wales and its people. John O'Sullivan's fascinating picture of life in Wales during the war years will be essential reading for all those who lived through the conflict, and a valuable historical resource for those who want to find out what happened When Wales Went to War.

Showing how gender history contributes to existing understandings of the Second World War, this book offers detail and context on the national and transnational experiences of men and women during the war. Following a general introduction, the essays shed new light on the field and illustrate methods of working with a wide range of primary sources.

This book traces the social backgrounds, educational experiences and subsequent lives of women who attended the university colleges in Wales from their inception to the outbreak of the Second World War. Using a sample of 2,000 graduates, the book foregrounds the experience of working-class women and critically assesses the claim of social inclusivity built around education in Wales. It charts changes and continuities in women’s career prospects; explores graduates’ relationship with the communities in which they studied, lived, and worked; and, finally, examines the extensive networks which underpinned their personal and professional lives.