The History of the Second World War is the official history of Britain's contribution to the Second World War and was published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office (HMSO). This immense project was sub-divided into areas to ease publication. Military operations are covered in the United Kingdom Military Series, the United Kingdom Civil Series covers aspects of the civilian war effortand the Foreign Policy series; the Intelligence series and the Medical series are eponymous. There are other volumes not under the aegis of the series but were published by HMSO and may be read as adjuncts, as they cover matters not considered in great detail or in one case at all in the main series. Further volumes, published either after the privatisation of HMSO or in the series about the Special Operations Executive, are also useful.
The volumes were intended to be read individually, rather than in series, which led to some overlapping but in their introductions to their parts of the series, Sir Keith Hancock and Sir James Butler wrote that this was to obviate a need to read more volumes than cover the part of the war effort being studied; Hancock edited the Civil Series and Butler the Military Series; the first volume appeared in 1949 and the last in 1993, with a revised edition of another volume appearing in 2004. An unorthodox decision was to cover the conflict from a theatre of operations point of view rather than by services, to acknowledge that military operations were intimately linked.
The original works lacked references to unpublished sources when published before 1970. Government archives were opened to an extent by the Public Records Act 1958 and the Public Records Act 1966. The works were published with only references to published sources. British constitutional conventions on the anonymity of government officials and ministers were also followed, leading to a somewhat detached narrative style in some cases. A parallel series of volumes for official use were printed, which referenced the unpublished sources in manuscript, in red ink. A few official copies escaped into public libraries and these additions can be seen.
Grand StrategyVolume I, N. H. Gibbs, 1976Volume II, Sir James Butler, 1957Volume III, Part 1, J. R. M. Gwyer, 1964Volume III, Part 2, Sir James Butler, 1964Volume IV, Sir Michael Howard, 1970Volume V, John Ehrman, 1956Volume VI, John Ehrman, 1956The War at SeaVolume I: The Defensive, Captain Stephen Roskill, 1954Volume II: The Period of Balance, Captain Stephen Roskill, 1956Volume III, Part 1: The Offensive, Captain Stephen Roskill, 1960Volume III, Part 2: The Offensive, Captain Stephen Roskill, 1961The Strategic Air Offensive Against GermanyVolume I: Preparation, Sir Charles Webster and Noble Frankland, 1961Volume II: Endeavour, Sir Charles Webster and Noble Frankland, 1961Volume III: Victory, Sir Charles Webster and Noble Frankland, 1961Volume IV: Annexes and Appendices, Sir Charles Webster and Noble Frankland, 1961Defence of the United Kingdom, Basil Collier, 1957The Campaign in Norway, Thomas Derry, 1952The War in France and Flanders, 1939–40, Major L. F. Ellis, 1954Victory in the WestVolume I: Battle of Normandy, Major L. F. Ellis et al., 1962Volume II: Defeat of Germany, Major L. F. Ellis et al., 1968War Against JapanVolume I: The Loss of Singapore, Major-General Stanley Woodburn Kirby et al., 1957Volume II: India's Most Dangerous Hour, Major-General Stanley Woodburn Kirby et al., 1958Volume III: The Decisive Battles, Major-General Stanley Woodburn Kirby et al., 1961Volume IV: The Reconquest of Burma, Major-General Stanley Woodburn Kirby et al., 1965Volume V: The Surrender of Japan, Major-General Stanley Woodburn Kirby et al., 1969The Mediterranean and Middle EastVolume I: The Early Successes Against Italy, to May 1941, Major-General I. S. O. Playfair et al., 1954Volume II: The Germans Come to the Help of Their Ally, 1941, Major-General I. S. O. Playfair et al., 1956Volume III: British Fortunes Reach Their Lowest Ebb, Major-General I. S. O. Playfair et al., 1960Volume IV: The Destruction of the Axis Forces in Africa, Major-General I. S. O. Playfair, Brigadier C. J. C. Molony et al., 1966Volume V: The Campaign in Sicily, 1943 and the Campaign in Italy, 3 September 1943 to 31 March 1944, Brigadier C. J. C. Molony et al., 1973Volume VI, Part 1: Victory in the Mediterranean: 1 April to 4 June 1944, General Sir William Jackson et al., 1984Volume VI, Part 2: Victory in the Mediterranean: June to October 1944, General Sir William Jackson et al., 1987Volume VI, Part 3: Victory in the Mediterranean: November 1944 to May 1945, General Sir William Jackson et al., 1988Civil Affairs and Military GovernmentCentral Organisation and Planning, Frank Donnison, 1966North-West Europe, 1944–46, Frank Donnison, 1961Allied Administration of Italy, Charles Harris, 1957British Military Administration in the Far East, 1943–46, Frank Donnison, 1956IntroductoryBritish War Economy, Keith Hancock and Margaret Gowing, 1949Statistical Digest of the War, Central Statistical Office, 1949Problems of Social Policy, Richard M. Titmuss, 1950British War Production, M. M. Postan, 1952General SeriesCoal, William B. Court, 1951Oil: A Study of Wartime Policy and Administration, D. J. Payton-Smith, 1971Studies in the Social Services, Sheila Ferguson, 1978Civil Defence, T. H. O'Brien, 1955Works and Buildings, C. M. Kohan, 1952FoodVolume I: The Growth of Policy, R. J. Hammond, 1951Volume II: Studies in Administration and Control, R. J. Hammond, 1956Volume III: Studies in Administration and Control, R. J. Hammond, 1962Agriculture, Keith A. H. Murray, 1955The Economic BlockadeVolume I, William N. Medlicott, 1952Volume II, William N. Medlicott, 1957Inland Transport, Christopher I. Savage, 1957Merchant Shipping and the Demands of War, C. B. A. Behrens, 1955North American Supply, H. Duncan Hall, 1955Manpower: Study of War-Time Policy and Administration, H. M. D. Parker, 1957Civil Industry and Trade, Eric L. Hargreaves, 1952Financial Policy, 1939–45, Richard S. Sayers, 1956War ProductionLabour in the Munitions Industries, P. Inman, 1957The Control of Raw Materials, Joel Hurstfield, 1953The Administration of War Production, J. D. Scott, 1955Design and Development of Weapons: Studies in Government and Industrial Organisation, M. M. Postan, 1964Factories and Plant, William Hornby, 1958Contracts and Finance, William Ashworth, 1953Studies of Overseas Supply, H. Duncan Hall, 1956British Foreign Policy in the Second World WarVolume I, Sir Llewellyn Woodward, 1970Volume II, Sir Llewellyn Woodward, 1971Volume III, Sir Llewellyn Woodward, 1971Volume IV, Sir Llewellyn Woodward, 1975Volume V, Sir Llewellyn Woodward, 1976Abridged Version, Sir Llewellyn Woodward, 1962British Intelligence in the Second World WarVolume I: Its Influence on Strategy and Operations, F. H. Hinsley et al., 1979Volume II: Its Influence on Strategy and Operations, F. H. Hinsley et al., 1981Volume III, Part 1: Its Influence on Strategy and Operations, F. H. Hinsley et al., 1984Volume III, Part 2: Its Influence on Strategy and Operations, F. H. Hinsley et al., 1988Volume IV: Security and Counter-Intelligence, F. H. Hinsley et al., 1990Volume V: Strategic Deception, Michael Howard, 1990Abridged Version, F. H. Hinsley, 1993SOE in France, Michael R. D. Foot, 1966 and 2004The Emergency Medical ServicesVolume I: England and Wales, Edited by Cuthbert L. Dunn, 1952Volume II: Scotland, Northern Ireland and Principal Air Raids on Industrial Centres in Great Britain,Edited by Cuthbert L. Dunn, 1953
The Royal Air Force Medical ServicesVolume I: Administration, Edited by S. C. Rexford-Welch, 1954Volume II: Command, Edited by S. C. Rexford-Welch, 1955Volume III: Campaigns, Edited by S. C. Rexford-Welch, 1958The Royal Naval Medical ServiceVolume I: Administration, Jack L. S. Coulter, 1953Volume II: Operations, Jack L. S. Coulter, 1955The Army Medical ServicesAdministrationVolume I, Francis A. E. Crew, 1953Volume II, Francis A. E. Crew, 1955CampaignsVolume I: France and Belgium, 1939–40, Norway, Battle of Britain, Libya, 1940–42, East Africa, Greece, 1941, Crete, Iraq, Syria, Persia, Madagascar, Malta, Francis A. E. Crew, 1956Volume II: Hong Kong, Malaya, Iceland and the Faroes, Libya, 1942–43, North-West Africa, Francis A. E. Crew, 1957Volume III: Sicily, Italy, Greece (1944–45), Francis A. E. Crew, 1959Volume IV: North-West Europe, Francis A. E. Crew, 1962Volume V: Burma, Francis A. E. Crew, 1966The Civilian Health and Medical ServicesVolume I: The Civilian Health Services; Other Civilian Health and Medical Services, The Colonies, The Medical Services of the Ministry of Pensions, Sir Arthur A. MacNalty, 1953Volume II: Public Health in Scotland, Public Health in Northern Ireland, Sir Arthur A. MacNalty, 1955Medical Services at War: The Principal Lessons of the Second World War, Sir Arthur A. MacNalty, 1968Cope, Sir Zachary, ed. (1952). Medicine and Pathology. History of the Second World War United Kingdom Medical Series. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office. LCCN 53017268. OCLC 458306589. Cope, Sir Zachary, ed. (1953). Surgery. History of the Second World War United Kingdom medical series. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office. LCCN 54001119. OCLC 459817464. Medical Research, Edited by F. H. K. Green and Major-General Sir Gordon Covell, 1953Casualties and Medical Statistics, Edited by William M. Franklin, 1972The Royal Air Force, 1939–45Volume I: Fight at Odds, Denis Richards, 1953Volume II: Fight Avails, Denis Richards and Hilary St George Saunders, 1953Volume III: Fight is Won, Hilary St George Saunders, 1954British Military Administration of Occupied Territories in Africa During the Years 1941–1947, Major-General Lord Rennell of Rodd, 1948A number of official histories were produced by government departments. The authors worked under the same conditions and had the same access to official files but their works did not appear in the History of the Second World War.
Britain and Atomic Energy 1939–1945. Margaret Gowing, 1964.SOE HistoriesSOE in the Far East, Charles Cruikshank, 1983SOE in Scandinavia, Charles Cruikshank, 1986SOE in the Low Countries, M. R. D. Foot, 2001Secret FlotillasVolume I: Clandestine Sea Operations to Brittany 1940–44, Sir Brooks Richards, 2004Volume II: Clandestine Sea Operations in the Mediterranean, North Africa and the Adriatic 1940–44, Sir Brooks Richards, 2004Army Series, printed by the War Office, 30 volumesRoyal Electrical and Mechanical EngineersVolume 1 Organisation and Operations, Rowcroft, E. Bertram (1951)Volume 2 Technical, Bloor, F. R. (1951)Supplies and Transport. 2 volumes, Boileau, D. W. (1954)Works service and Engineer stores, Buchanan, A. G. B. (1953)Fighting, support and transport vehicles and the War Office provision for their provisionPart 1 Common Problems, Campagnac R. & Hayman P. E. G. (1951)Part 2 Unarmoured Vehicles, Campagnac R. & Hayman P. E. G. (1951)Maintenance in the field. 2 volumes, Carter, J. A. H. (1952)Maps and Survey, Clough, A. B. (1952)The Auxiliary Territorial Service, Cowper, J. M. (1949)Movements, Higham, J. B. & Knighton, E. A. (1955)Signal Communications, Gravely, T. B. (1950)Quartering, Magnay, A. D. (1949)Miscellaneous Q services, Magnay, A. D. (1954)Mobilization, McPherson, A. B. (1950)Discipline, McPherson, A. B. (1950)Transportation, Micklem, R. (1950)Army welfare, Morgan, M. C. (1953)Ordnance services, Officers of the directorate. (1950)Airborne Forces, Oatway, T. B. H. (1951)The development of artillery, tactics and equipment, Pemberton, A. L. (1950)Manpower problems, Pigott, A. J. K. (1949)Army Radar, Sayer, A. P. (1950)Morale, Sparrow, J. H. A. (1949)Personnel selection, Ungerson, B. (1952)Military Engineering (field), Pakenham-Walsh, R. P. (1952)Administrative planning, Wilson, H. W. (1952)Special Weapons and types of warfare. 3 volumes; 1. Gas Warfare. 2. Screening smoke, signal smoke, flame warfare insecticide & insect repellent & special common use equipment. 3. Visual & Sonic warfare, Wiseman, D. J. C. (1951–53)Royal Air Force Series, printed by the Air MinistryAirborne Forces (1951)Air/Sea Rescue (1952)Air Support (1956)ArmamentVolume I Bombs & Bombing Equipment (1952)Volume II Guns, Gunsights, Turrets, Ammunition and Pyrotechnics (1954)Maintenance (1954)SignalsVolume I Organisation and Development (1958)Volume II Telecommunications (1958)Volume III Aircraft Radio (1956)Volume IV Radar in Raid Reporting (1950)Volume V Fighter Control and Interception (1952)Volume VI Radio in Maritime Warfare (1954)Volume VII Radio Counter-Measures (1950)Works (1956) 