Eighty Years Ago This Week

  Hugh Trevor-Roper, history don turned wartime intelligence officer, published the results of the investigation that he had undertaken into the fate of Hitler at the behest of the British authorities. The investigation aimed to remove the veil of mystery cast by the Soviets who had occupied Berlin and with it the Fuehrerbunker so were thus far better placed to know the truth.  The Nazis had claimed that Hitler had died fighting . Stalin preferred to hold out the possibility that or, even claim, that Hitler had survived. The democratic states could be accused of harbouring Hitler with the intention of restoring Nazism.  Trevor-Roper had established the truth that Hitler had shot himself after Eva Braun, whom he had just married, died by poison. The Soviets did not respond in any way and it took another five years before they accepted something approaching the truth. In the meanwhile  Trevor-Roper had written a book on Hitler's last days which made h...

  The British blundered ever deeper into the fight for Indonesian independence. In breach of a local agreement, leaflets were dropped on the city of Surabaya demanding that arms be surrendered. Surabya was a stronghold of anti-colonialism, partly inspired by the radio broadcasts of "Surabaya Sue," a Glasgow-born hotelier. The leaflets provoked violence against British troops in the city who were there to repatriate internees rather than to restore Dutch colonial rule. Brigadier Mallaby, their commander, made a fatal error by driving into the centre with no escort and almost unarmed. Outside a bank, where some of his troops were besieged, he was killed in confused circumstances. More in reprisal than anything else, the British unleashed a division strength attack on the Indonesian forces with air and tank support. The city was almost destroyed and 10,000 or more people were killed.  Mallaby's wrecked Lincoln became an image of the fight for independence. The Norwegian Fasc...

  The French (including women for the first time) went to the polls. They voted almost unanimously for a new constitution and by a majority of two-thirds that any new constitution would be put to a popular vote. The second proposal had aroused fears that it would serve to repeat Napoleon III's rule by plebiscite.  De Gaulle  had advocated a yes vote on both so as to avoid the new assembly having sovereign status. Voters also chose the assembly which would deliberate the new constitution. The Communists emerged as the largest party with 26% of the vote and 158 seats followed by the Catholic MRP, 23% and 152 seats . Blocs of smaller parties took 24% but only 97 seats. The Communists had campaigned against a referendum on a new constitution and the MRP offered "fidelity" to de Gaulle. The socialists came third with 22% and 142 seats. The Communists' goal of a coalition between themselves and the socialists had been thwarted by the socialists who saw the danger of domina...

  The British government published the bill to nationalise the Bank of England in line with its manifesto. The discussions between Hugh Dalton, Chancellor of the Exchequer and Bank Governor, Lord Catto had gone the Bank's way. The normally over-bearing and arrogant Etonian intellectual, raised in exalted Court circles, had been outmanoeuvred by the low profile Scot, who had worked his way up from being a clerk in a shipping office. Shareholders would be fully compensated and control of the Bank would remain with its Court of Directors. It was also given an explicit role in supervising the banking system but Catto evaded Dalton's attempt to force on the Bank the power to dictate to banks the assets they held.   Serious fighting broke out in Indochina, now Vietnam, where the Viet-Minh independence movement under Ho Chi Min had established  an autonomous government. The Viet Minh tried to take control of Saigon airfield and the radio station. This had been been overth...

      France's Vichy prime minister Pierre Laval was tried for collaboration and passing intelligence to the enemy. Unlike the trial of Marshal Petain which had been conducted decorously in light of defendant's reputation and standing the entire court, notably the jurors who hurled abuse at him, showed open hostility. Laval was given little opportunity to speak and made vigorous use of what freedom he was given. In protest at the conduct of the trial he refused to remain in court. He was sentenced to death on all counts. Britain's ports were almost shut down by a series of unofficial strikes. The strikers chiefly aimed at an increase in or simple introduction of a fixed wage; they were mostly employed on a casual basis and paid piecework. The return to their usual ports of men deployed elsewhere during the war also provoked discontent. The general secretary of the TGWU Arthur Deakin which represented dockers was close to Ernie Bevin who had been a key Labour minister in t...