Leadership and Responsibility in the Second World War: Essays in Honour of Robert Vogel

Abstract

LEADERSHIP AND RESPONSIBILITY IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR: Essays in Honour of Robert Vogel Edited by Brian P. Farrell Montreal & Kingston: McGill-Queen's University Press, 2004. xxix, 273pp, $75.00 cloth (ISBN 0-7735-2643-9), $27.95 paper (ISBN 0-7735-2731-1)A natural consequence of the development of complex national defence organizations in the Second World War was a vastly expanded notion of national leadership, no longer usefully described in terms of discrete decisions by kings, cabinet, and military commanders. Charged with political, military, economic, and social responsibilities, servants of the state represented an array of institutions working toward a common goal in an environment that was more often competitive than communally supportive.Underscoring this diversity in performing national duties, editor Brian P. Farrell of the National University of Singapore offers a Festschrift celebrating the life and work of the late Robert Vogel. Leadership and Responsibility in the Second World War is an eclectic anthology reflecting the wide range of interests of the McGill University professor's colleagues and students. Farrell has marshalled a rather unusual compilation of essays exploring the contributions of military, diplomatic, and even scientific fields during time of war.One of the most satisfying elements of this publication is Vogel's essay on Neville Chamberlain and the issue of appeasement during the interwar years. In an almost-completed draft, Vogel leaves an exceptional legacy of his work that underlines the difficulties of pursuing a position of strength when a state has limited capabilities to support an assertive foreign policy. This becomes an even more thoughtful piece on the propriety of making every effort to avoid war were the reader to contrast Chamberlain's efforts with a doctrine of preemption in the name of national interests. Aaron Krishtalka's essay on the old Tories and their impact on British foreign policy during the Chamberlain years and Trevor Burridge's sampling on Clement Atlee round out this section on statesmen and politicians. Krishtalka offers a unique perspective on party loyalties during times of crisis whereas little is to be gained from Burridge's decidedly uncritical assessment of Atlee.With the slightest of transitions, Neil Cameron opens the section on officials and diplomats by presenting a study on British war scientists. While Churchill's passion for the development of aerial mines and research undertaken by the committee for the scientific study of air defence on constructing a death ray are intriguing side-stories, Cameron describes interestingly how Britain saw Germany not only as a military opponent but as a scientific rival as well. Sidney Aster's offering on the diplomatic difficulties of Sir William Deeds in contending with Soviet foreign ministers Maxim Litvinov and Vyacheslav Molotov is especially commendable. …