Neville Stays

On May 10th 1940 Neville Chamberlain decides to remain in office as prime minister. Over the following weeks France and the Low Countries fall to Nazi troops. Chamberlain attempts to sign a negotiated peace with Germany with the Italian Government acting as mediator, however he is unable to secure guarentees for British control of Gibraltar and Malta. After the abortive evacuation at Dunkirk, where only 50,000 troops are evacuated, and the vast majority of British soldiers and equipment fall into german hands, many Britons prepare for invasion. Throughout June and July Hitler makes his invasion plans, and in the first two weeks in August the Luftwaffe destroys many RAF bases on the south coast. Nazi terror raids on Dover, Hastings, Portsmouth and other settlements on the south coast further damage British morale. On September 1st 1940 Chamberlain makes an offer of peace with Hitler, but by now Hitler has little interest in talks of peace. On September 3rd 1940, exactly one year after Britain declared war on Germany, German paratroopers begin landing on the south coast. Several hours later Nazi soldiers begin landing in Kent.

Within hours many of the political prominente flee the capital, Chamberlain and the cabinet relocate to the guildhall in Worcester, many foreigners rush to their embassies, and despite government pleas for the population to "keep calm and carry on" refugees pack the roads heading to the midlands and the north. British resistance was patchy and disorganised, and the british troops were ill equiped to fight the german panzers. On September 5th German forces reach the outskirts of London, Churchill resigns as Lord of the Admiralty and promises to lead a "peoples army" to defend london, however his attempts at resistance ultimatly end in failiure.