The module will analyse British military performance at sea, on land and in the air in the major theatres of war. During Semester 1 students will be introduced to the historiographical and narrative contexts of the war before proceeding to an analysis of British military performance in the first part of the war (to October 1942), including the Fall of France, the Battle of Britain and the Blitz. In Semester II British military performance post-Alamein will be examined and particular attention given to the quality of British generalship and weaponry and the experience of battle for front line soldiers. The module will address throughout the construction and deconstruction of the pervasive British mythology of the war not only in historical writing but also in memoirs and especially feature films.