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Between September 1939 and June 1940, the British Expeditionary Force confronted the German threat to France and Flanders with a confused mind-set, an uncertain skills-set and an uncompetitive capability. This book explores the formation´s origins, the scale of defeat in France and the campaign´s considerable legacy.

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1. Introduction 2. Campaign Overview 3. Training 4. Communications: Prelude to Collapse 5. Communications: Collapse 6. Discipline 7. Headquarters and Staff 8. Conclusion

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"Edward Smalley´s thorough study traces the origins of the poor performance in 1939-1940 through the previous twenty years ... . impressive contribution to our understanding of the BEF´s deficiencies in 1939-1940. ... this book would at once be added to the select list of essential reading." (Professor Brian Bond, British Journal for Military History, Vol. 2 (1), November, 2015)

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Dr Edward Smalley is an independent scholar, who studied history at the University of Kent, UK. His main research interest is British military history, particularly in the inter-war and Second World War period.

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