London, the capital of Britain, had taken on a desolate air. Trenches were being dug and defensive fortifications erected all across the city. The citizens of London had been mobilized, assisting the military in the construction of these defenses. In return, they received a meager ration of food—barely enough to sustain them. Yet, for those who had been enduring hunger and hardship, even this small provision brought overwhelming relief.
As the capital of the British Empire, London was certain to become a prime target should the German army land on British soil. The early construction of fortifications aimed to transform London into an impenetrable stronghold. While this was admittedly an ambitious goal, the newly appointed Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, was resolute in his desire to make the Germans pay a heavy price in blood should they attempt to take the city.
At 10 Downing Street, in the Prime Minister's residence, Churchill was convening a meeting with his cabinet ministers.
"Gentlemen, the entirety of Britain has been mobilized. Nearly every recruitment center is overwhelmed by young men eager to enlist. I am heartened to see such steadfast support from our people in this time of national peril. United as we are, I have no doubt that we can prevail against the Germans," Churchill declared with a smile.
The other cabinet ministers also wore expressions of cautious optimism. Although the situation remained dire, the surge in public morale offered a glimmer of hope.
Privately, these ministers were acutely aware that defeating Germany was an impossibility given the stark disparity in strength. Their current efforts were focused on resisting the German advance, leveraging the advantage of home soil to inflict as much damage as possible. The hope was that a substantial German loss might compel them to cease their assault, enabling Britain to negotiate an end to the war at a more bearable cost.
"Prime Minister, the army has now swelled to three million men. We expect to reach our target of four million shortly, and I propose increasing the number to five million. If we can achieve this, we will be in a much stronger position to defend the homeland," said Richard Haldane, the Secretary of State for War, with a satisfied smile.
"Agreed! At this critical juncture, the more troops we have, the better," Churchill responded firmly.
The expansion to five million would effectively conscript every able-bodied young man into the military, but Churchill was unconcerned. His sole focus was on halting the German offensive, no matter the cost.
"However, do we have sufficient weapons to arm such a large force? Surely, we cannot send them to the battlefield empty-handed," Sir Edward Grey, the Foreign Secretary, interjected with a furrowed brow.
Britain, under blockade, had seen the majority of its factories shuttered. Even the armament factories, hampered by material shortages, were operating at diminished capacity. Without adequate supplies, how could they hope to arm their swelling ranks?
"Indeed, our shortage of arms is dire. We can only fully equip around two million soldiers. The remaining three million lack even basic rifles. Nevertheless, we cannot allow this to dampen the patriotic fervor of our people. We will find a way to address the equipment issue," Haldane assured.
Grey, seeing the futility of further argument, fell silent. In the current climate, Churchill and Haldane, as the architects of Britain's military efforts, had risen to unassailable prominence within the cabinet. Others could do little more than offer reluctant acquiescence.
"Do we have any intelligence on the Germans?" Churchill inquired.
Though Britain was making every effort to prepare for war, the formidable might of the German army left Churchill uneasy.
"The German forces near Calais now comprise three corps: the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. Notably absent is the Kaiser's elite 8th Corps. However, we believe it will eventually join the assault. Based on our analysis, the Germans are likely deploying only these four corps—approximately one million men—to their invasion of Britain," Haldane explained.
"One million men? If the Germans refrain from sending reinforcements, can we withstand their assault?" Churchill asked, a spark of hope igniting in his voice.
"If we muster all our strength, we should be able to hold them off. However, if the Germans reinforce their numbers, our situation will become precarious. On a positive note, German forces are currently engaged in Eastern Europe, deploying four corps to crush local guerrilla fighters and resistance movements. This limits their capacity to send additional troops to Britain. If we can repel this initial force of one million, our objectives will be within reach," Haldane replied.
"Excellent!" Churchill exclaimed.
To him, repelling the German million-man army seemed an achievable goal. After all, Britain's own forces numbered five million.
"Prime Minister, I must advise that we prepare a contingency plan. If the Germans deploy additional troops to attack the homeland, our defenses may prove inadequate," Grey suggested cautiously.
Churchill's smile faded. He contemplated the matter briefly before nodding. "Very well, Sir Edward. You will discreetly travel to Canada. Should our position become untenable, we will evacuate to Canada."
"Understood, Prime Minister. However, the Americans may not welcome our presence in Canada," Grey cautioned.
Churchill nodded grimly. From the American perspective, Britain's retreat to Canada could potentially draw the war to their doorstep. If the Germans were to invade Canada and Britain failed to hold the line, it might allow Germany to establish a foothold in the Americas—a grave threat to the United States.
Moreover, America, keen to dominate the Americas, would be reluctant to see a strong British presence nearby. The U.S. might even resort to force to prevent such an outcome.
"Find a way to negotiate with the Americans. Offer them concessions if necessary. Assure them that our stay in Canada is temporary and that we will leave once Germany is defeated," Churchill instructed.
"Yes, Prime Minister," Grey affirmed with a nod.