This is the unusual book in which the title tells you more about its contents than the subtitle. Paul Addison's book offers an examination of British politics from the late 1930s to the general election of 1945 with the goal of explaining the change in British political attitudes that brought about Labour's momentous victory. The war is critical to his explanation, as he argues that the Conservative-dominated "National" government was poised to win the election that would have taken place but for the outbreak of the war. The conflict left them at a disadvantage: while widely viewed as the part of patriotism, their dominance of British politics in the 1930s ensured that they would receive the blame for the outbreak of the war. Though their leader, Winston Churchill, was enormously popular, his concession of the initiative on domestic policy to the Labour Party, coupled with the change in attitudes brought about by the war, left Labour well positioned to appeal to the electorate when the election was called finally after the end of the war in Europe. All of this Addison relates with clarity and insight, making this book a must-read for anyone seeking to better understand the transformation that took place in British politics during the war. ( )