THE BATTLE FOR SUPPLIES

 E.V.Francis (author of Britain’s Economic Strategy), Jonathan Cape 1^st Edition 1942. A rare book, 184 pages, crown octavo.

According to the jacket notes;

‘Total war can only be fought successfully as a world war. It requires the mobilization of world resources and their deployment in accordance with a world strategy.

The Nazis, for all their vast territorial gains, have been unable to fulfil these conditions. Their European Empire is far from being self-sufficient at the high levels of production needed to sustain full mechanized warfare. Nor are it’s armies able to free themselves from the limitations of a land strategy.

The reason for their failure to drive home their successes is lack of sea power, for this is ultimately the key to world supplies and strategy.

Mr. Francis examines the economic implications of British sea versus Nazi land strategy, the role of air power in economic warfare, and the effect of the blockade generally upon war production and transport within the New European Order.

This is only one side of the picture. On the other is the power of the Navy to safeguard the ever-widening lines of sea supplies by which British, American and Russian war production is being co-ordinated and brought to bear upon the Nazis on the present fighting fronts.

The economic and strategic advantages of sea power cannot be fully exploited, however, until the superior war potential of the Allies is translated into an actual superiority of tanks and aeroplanes at every point of decisive conflict.

 Until that is done, the Nazi lead in military resources exposes the Allies to great dangers. This book sums up the situation in the light of our first experience of total war.’

There is a paper dust jacket which is rubbed and worn and has a small split at the base of the spine and down the front leading edge and tips. There is also what seems like a water stain down the front leading edge of the jacket although it does not seem to have gone anywhere else. It does however, make the book look in much worse condition than it actually is, and so for this reason, we have photographed the book without its jacket, although it does have one.

There is an odd light stain and minor sunning to the boards, but the pages themselves are clean and tightly bound. On the rear sleeve fold, (of the jacket), there is a ‘London Calling Overseas‘ bulletin, aimed at the world. At the bottom of this bulletin is the statement, ‘ Whilst malicious rumour springs up in every land, the news from London keeps to the facts. Throughout Europe men and women are risking imprisonment and even death to hear this news, because they know it tells them the truth.’

The book is split into three parts:

Economic Strategy, in which are included Sea Power and Supplies, Pitfalls of Neutrality, and Sea and Air Blockade

 Part Two;

Nazi War Resources, Germany’s Supply Problem, Substitutes and Synthetics, Invasion of Russia, and Continental Transport

 Part Three;

 Arsenals of Democracy, The Imperial War Effort, All-Out American Aid, The Atlantic Life-Line, Total World War, which ends with a section headed ‘ Nazi Nemesis’.This is quite a rare book published three years into the war and would make an excellent research aid for anyone writing about the period.

A rare item, written and published at the height of World War 2, when the outcome was far from certain