Why England Slept »

Written by John F. Kennedy in 1940 when he was still in college and reprinted in 1961 when he was president, this book is an appraisal of the tragic events of the thirties that led to World War II. It is an account of England's unpreparedness for war and a study of the shortcomings of democracy when confronted by the menace of totalitarianism.

Certain Fundamental Beliefs of the British Regarding Armaments

Influence of the Financial Crisis on Armaments, 1931-32

Influence of the General Disarmament Conference and the Pacifist Movement on British Armaments, 1933

Beginnings of the Shift from Disarmament to Rearmament, 1934

Influence of the General Election--Final Phase of Disarmament

The Launching of the Rearmament Program, 1936

Slowness of Fulfillment of the Program, 1937

The Penalty -- Munich, 1938

The Aftermath -- Britain awakens

America's Lesson