World War II-dated TLS signed “WC,” two pages, 7.5 x 9.5, Prime Minister letterhead, July 17, 1941. Letter to Frederick Lindemann, 1st Viscount Cherwell, in full: "See Wardlaw Milne's statement about 75% war effort. What datum line does he work from? He does not tell us; it is a pot-shot. The only true datum line is the two or three months following Dunkirk in 1940. This was the maximum intensity of British effort. It could never be maintained at that rate. Some relief is necessary—holidays, etc. But what are the actual figures? Take, say, May and June, and the first half of July, 1940; compare them with the similar outputs of this year; or again compare the three months after Dunkirk with the last three months, for which figures are available. Test the above comparisons by the number of workers employed, the number unemployed, in the country, the output of the five or six principal weapons. Other ideas will occur to you. My own idea is that we are about 87% of the peak effort but have a much larger output. But then the night shift and Machine tool position is far from good. Do your best to find the solid truth." The first page bears a large "Action This Day" label affixed to upper portion, as well as a "Prime Minister's Personal Minute" stamp, with serial number "S 25/1." In fine condition, with a light diagonal crease to the second page which passes through Churchill's initials.
The miraculous evacuation at Dunkirk in the late spring of 1940 nearly resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of Allied troops stranded on the beaches of northern France. Churchill had initially deemed it ‘a colossal military disaster,’ and many who fretted over his handling of the war against Nazi Germany, men such as British Conservative John Wardlaw-Milne, were determined to see Churchill stripped of his self-created position of Minister of Defense. By mid-1942, Britain's shortfall in decisive military victories prompted Wardlaw-Milne to lead a movement designed to force out Churchill in a vote of no confidence. However, his suggestion of replacing Churchill with the Duke of Gloucester was met with mockery, and Churchill retained his role in an overwhelming vote. Less than a month after writing this letter, Churchill convened with President Roosevelt aboard the battleship Augusta to discuss the World War II agenda, draft the Atlantic Charter, and affirm American support of Great Britain.
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