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14.3.42 [George Orwell]

March 14, 2012 in Beaverbrook, Churchill, Cripps, Germany, India, Political, Russia, War-time, war by orwelldiaries

I reopen this diary after an interval of about 6 months, the war being once again in a new phase.

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4.3.41 [George Orwell]

March 4, 2011 in Political, Wallington, War-time, crocuses, hares, snowdrops, wallflowers, war by orwelldiaries

At Wallington.  Crocuses out everywhere, a few wallflowers budding, snowdrops just at their best.  Couples of hares sitting about in the winter wheat and gazing at one another.  Now and again in this war, at intervals of months, you get your nose above water for a few moments and notice that the earth is still going round the sun.

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12.9.40 [George Orwell]

September 12, 2010 in Churchill, East End, Elephant and Castle, Hitler, Ireland, Political, Scotland, South Coast, War-time, Warsaw, West End, air force, air-raids, bombs, destruction, garage hand, homeless, invasion, patriotism, pessimism, profit, revolution, rich, south London, stephen spender, war by orwelldiaries

As soon as the air-raids began seriously it was noticeable that people were much readier than before to talk to strangers in the street. . . . . This morning met a youth of about 20, in dirty overalls, perhaps a garage hand.  Very embittered and defeatist about the war, and horrified by the destruction he had seen in South London.  He said that Churchill had visited the bombed area near the Elephant[1] and at a spot where 20 out of 22 houses had been destroyed, remarked that it was “not so bad”.  The youth: “I’d have wrung his bloody neck if he’d said it to me.” He was pessimistic about the war, considered Hitler was sure to win and would reduce London to much the same state as Warsaw.  He spoke bitterly about the people rendered homeless in South London and eagerly took up my point when I said the empty houses in the West End should be requisitioned for them.  He considered that all wars were fought for the profit of the rich, but agreed with me that this one would probably end in revolution.  With all this he was not unpatriotic.  Part of his grouch was that he had tried to join the Air Force 4 times in the last 6 months, and always been put off.

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