Published by Primary Source Microfilm

PREM 3 and PREM 4 from the Public Record Office, London

"I felt as if I were walking with destiny, and that all my past life had been but a preparation for this hour." -- Winston Churchill, May 10, 1940

In cooperation with the Public Record Office (PRO), Primary Source Microfilm now publishes the private Office Papers relating to the period of Britain's inspirational wartime Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill's greatest triumph: sustaining British resistance to the German onslaught and the ultimate defeat of Mussolini and Hitler in World War II.

By taking on the new and intentionally ill-defined role of Minister of Defence, as well as that of Prime Minister, Churchill gave himself an unprecedented degree of authority and supervision over defensive and offensive military operations.

This collection of papers from Churchill's wartime premiership includes his annotated memoranda, discussion documents and telegrams. It constitutes a unique archive that offers a rare insight into national and international strategy and military tactics, as well as the vital part that Churchill played in them.

Formerly in Churchill's personal possession, these papers were subsequently identified as public records and transferred to the PRO. Other documents sent or received by Churchill in the course of his long career are now known as The Churchill Papers and are held at Churchill College, Cambridge.

Publication of Churchill's private office papers between 1940 and 1945 consists of two classes: operational papers (PREM 3) and confidential papers (PREM 4).

Operational Papers (PREM 3)

The Prime Minister's Operational Correspondence and Papers relate to the conduct of World War II, reflecting the activities of the Prime Minister in his role as Minister of Defence. They were kept in the War Cabinet Office close to the subterranean War Room. The papers detail a wide range of international wartime activities from military operations in Africa to Germany's unconditional surrender, events in the Balkans and the Australian war effort and a medical report and interview with Hitler's Deputy Rudolph Hess.

Strategic material pertaining to the British war effort in individual countries is listed in alphabetical order and offers insight into propaganda in enemy countries, prisoners of war, occupied territories, security and naval and land equipment and special operations. The following examples illustrate the depth of information contained in the Operational Papers:

Germany

• Air Chief Marshal Harris papers on damage to German cities
• Capture of von Papen
• German Air Force and Fleet
• Plans to undermine German morale
• Reparations
• Unconditional surrender and occupation
• War Office Intelligence Summaries

• Dunkirk
• French international relations during the war--Charles de Gaulle and Winston Churchill, de Gaulle and Franklin Roosevelt
• French participation in Western Europe
• Proposed Anglo-French treaty
• Resistance movements
• Secret cipher telegrams

• Burma National Army
• Establishment and control of Anzac area
• Hong Kong and China--the defense of Hong Kong, Chinese withdrawal from Burma
• India and Ceylon--troop reinforcements and economic situation during the war
• Involvement of Australia and New Zealand--requirements, troop deployment, possible invasions of Australia and New Zealand
• Japanese declaration of war, Japanese intentions and Japanese atrocities

• Germany and relations with the Balkans
• Operations in Yugoslavia, Greece and Bulgaria
• Yalta declaration on liberated Europe
• Yugoslavia--relations with Tito and meetings with King Peter, plus military and political situation in Serbia

• Aircraft--condition, losses, production of and repair to blockades and food supplies
• Bombing policy and organization--bombing of Berlin and other German and Italian cities
• Civil defense--air raid shelters and air raids
• Crossbow rockets and pilot-less aircraft
• Inquiries into the morale of troops
• Meetings of the chiefs of staff and joint planning committee
• Women's services in the war

The Confidential Correspondence and Papers contain material relating to the work of the British civil departments during the war, which was kept at 10 Downing Street. The Papers detail a plethora of wartime activity and policies concerning issues on the home-front--from education to finance through to reports on home morale, the National Health Service and the visit of foreign politicians and dignitaries to England during the war. The material is essential for 20th-century social, political, economic, and military historians.

Finance

• Gold and dollar balances
• International Monetary Fund
• Loans from the United States
• Operation of Lend Lease
• Post-war economic cooperation

• Anti-British articles in the United States press
• Correspondence with officials from Spain, Greece, Italy, Albania, Belgium and other key countries involved in the war
• Speeches by Adolf Hitler
• Telegrams exchanged with President Roosevelt
• Visit of United States congressmen

• Organization of the War Office
• Post-war defense organization
• Reform of the foreign service
• Security policy and the disclosure of classified information to the French

• "Careless talk" and loss of documents
• Home morale, absenteeism and factory hours worked
• Horne Guard
• Preparations for invasion by air
• Policies for internment of enemy aliens
• Sir Oswald Mosley and the Blackshirts
• The National Health Service
• Wales and Scotland

• Colonial development and welfare
• Post-war control of the colonies
• Proposed Imperial War Cabinet
• Release of Indian political prisoners and civil disturbances
• Telegrams and correspondence exchanged with Gandhi, Jinnah and Chiang Kai-Shek

In all, the Operational and Confidential Papers present a unique archival resource of World War II, both in terms of military operations and wartime organization and the effect of war on Great Britain and the mobilization of the country to the war effort. The list and indexes facilitate access to both classes of papers. This collection is of immeasurable importance and can be utilized by scholars, researchers, students and the general public alike, undertaking studies in:

• British and European politics and government
• Contemporary European history
• Economic history
• Imperial history
• Military history
• Political history
• Social history
• Social science
• World War II studies

Complete Collection: 291 reels