Eighty years ago this week postwar planning looms larger in British politics

 

Churchill's son-in-law Edwin Duncan Sandys became the youngest member of the Cabinet when he was promoted to Minister of Works. He moved on from organizing the defence against V weapons to planning post war reconstruction. The black-out was ended for central districts of London where it had been in force since 1939. V weapons were still striking the capital but they were unguided.

A White paper set out proposals for the recruitment of civil servants during what was now being called the reconstruction period after the imminent end to the war in Europe. A proportion of job vacancies would be reserved for those whose war service had deprived them of the chance of beginning their working lives at the civil service: three quarters at top level,  two-thirds of mid-ranking posts and half of clerical jobs. It was recognised that this would skew recruitment towards men, so a number of the remaining jobs would be held for women. 

The city of Metz fell to American forces under General Patton. His attack into Lorraine had degenerated into attritional warfare with severe allied casualties similar to the Huertgen Forest and Scheldt battles. The terrain favoured defence and the weather was atrocious. Aware of his aggression and imagination the Germans had reinforced the Lorraine front. The ring of powerful forts surrounding the city were left in German hands.