The follies of the victors, 1919-1929 -- Peace at its zenith, 1922-1931 -- Lurking dangers -- Adolf Hitler -- The locust years, 1931-1935 -- The darkening scene, 1934 -- Air parity lost, 1934-1935 -- Challenge and response, 1935 -- Problems of air and sea, 1935-1939 -- Sanctions against Italy, 1935 -- Hitler strikes -- The loaded pause-Spain -- Germany armed, 1936-1938 -- Mr. Eden of the Foreign Office: his resignation -- The rape of Austria, February, 1938 -- Czechoslovakia -- The tragedy of Munich -- Munich winter -- Prague, Albania, and the Polish guarantee, January-April, 1939 -- The Soviet enigma -- On the verge -- War -- The admiralty task -- The rain of Poland -- War cabinet problems -- The front in France -- The combat deepens -- The magnetic mine -- The action off the river plate -- Scandinavia, Finland -- A dark New Year -- Before the storm -- The clash at sea -- Narvik, Troudheim -- Frustration in Norway -- Norway: the final phase -- The fall of the government.