{"product_id":"aliens-paul-dowswell-9781785907937","title":"Aliens: The Chequered History of Britain's Wartime Refugees","description":"The\u003cbr\u003ewelcome given to refugees from fascist Europe is part of Britain's fond\u003cbr\u003enostalgia for the Second World War. But there was a darker side to this story, \u003cbr\u003eboth before and during the conflict. Then, as now, there was great suspicion, \u003cbr\u003eresentment and fear - much of it kindled by Britain's infamous tabloid press.\u003cbr\u003eThen, as now, government dealt with a reluctance to accommodate refugees by\u003cbr\u003ehiding behind bureaucratic hurdles. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eIn the 1930s, \u003cbr\u003eOswald Mosley's Blackshirts were a significant presence in British politics and\u003cbr\u003esupport for Hitler went right to the top. In 1940, shortly before the Blitz, \u003cbr\u003ethe recently abdicated Edward VIII even told a Spanish journalist that Britain\u003cbr\u003eought to be bombed to bring it to its senses and stop it opposing the Nazis. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eMany of the\u003cbr\u003e10,000 \u003ci\u003eKindertransport\u003c\/i\u003e children have warm memories of the kindness\u003cbr\u003ethey were shown, but around half a million anti-fascist and Jewish refugees\u003cbr\u003ewere refused entry and most of them died as a result. Once here, German Jews, \u003cbr\u003eespecially, found their troubles far from over - 30,000 were rounded up and\u003cbr\u003eplaced in internment camps. One passenger ship, the \u003ci\u003eDunera\u003c\/i\u003e, was\u003cbr\u003epacked with an unhappy combination of German Jews and pro-Nazi sympathisers and\u003cbr\u003edespatched to Australia. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eMaking use of\u003cbr\u003ein-depth research and first-hand interviews, Paul Dowswell casts a fresh eye on\u003cbr\u003ethe wartime era to paint a picture of what life was really like in Britain for\u003cbr\u003erefugees from fascism.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Paul Dowswell\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 178590793X\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781785907937\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Biteback Publishing\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 05\/21\/2024\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 320\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Hardcover\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 1.10lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 9.30h x 6.20w x 1.20d","brand":"Paul Dowswell","offers":[{"title":"Hardcover","offer_id":44311514710271,"sku":"9781785907937","price":29.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_9b56cacb-963a-49af-86d1-9a3fbef6e15c.jpg?v=1695723192","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/aliens-paul-dowswell-9781785907937","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}