War Office

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8.8.40 [George Orwell]

August 8, 2010 in Belgians, Bolshevik, Churchill, Egypt, H G Wells, Italy, Lord Swinton, Perim, Political, Red Sea, War Office, War-time, Zouaves, british somaliland, french, lecture, refugees by orwelldiaries

The Italian attack on Egypt, or rather on British Somaliland, has begun. No real news yet, but the papers hint that Somaliland can’t be held with the troops we have there. The important point is Perim, loss of which would practically close the Red Sea.

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10.6.40 [George Orwell]

June 10, 2010 in Allied troops, Germans, Italy, Madrid, Narvik, Norway, Paris, Political, Spain, War Office, War-time, fascists, taxi-driver by orwelldiaries

Have just heard, though it is not in the papers, that Italy has declared war…. The Allied troops are withdrawing from Norway, the reason given being that they can be used elsewhere and Narvik after its capture was rendered useless to the Germans. But in fact Narvik will not be necessary to them till the winter, it wouldn’t have been much use anyway when Norway had ceased to be neutral, and I shouldn’t have thought that the Allies had enough troops in Norway to make much difference. The real reason is probably so as not to have to waste warships.

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