Robert Alexander Clarke Parker (15 June 1927 - 23 April 2001) was a British historian who specialised in Britain's appeasement of Nazi Germany and the Second World War. Fellow historian Kenneth O. Morgan called him "perhaps the leading authority on the international crises of the 1930s, appeasement and the coming of war".[1]
In his 1997 work, Chamberlain and Appeasement, Parker argued that Chamberlain did not pursue appeasement in order to buy time, as some of his defenders claimed. He added that Churchill's alternative strategy of an Anglo-French alliance was a realistic and more honourable course.[1] In his last book, Churchill and Appeasement (2000), Parker noted what he considered to be Churchill's misjudgments over India and the Spanish Civil War but said Churchill was completely right on the threat from Nazi Germany. Churchill's proposal of an Anglo-Soviet alliance may well have deterred Adolf Hitler if it had been adopted, Parker claimed.[1] He edited a collection of essays on Churchill which were published in 1995.[1]
Parker held Old Labour political views and canvassed for the Labour Party at elections.[1]
Works
Europe: 1918-1945 (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1969; first published in 1967 in German as part of the well-known Fischer Weltgeschichte).
Struggle for Survival: The History of the Second World War. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. 1989. ISBN0192191268. (re-titled The Second World War in 1997 for paperback)
Chamberlain and Appeasement (Palgrave Macmillan, 1993).
Churchill and Appeasement: Could Churchill have prevented the Second World War? (Macmillan, 2000).
Notes
^ abcdefghiKenneth O. Morgan, 'Alastair Parker', The Guardian (25 April 2001), retrieved 12 January 2020.
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parker, robert, alexander, clarke, parker, june, 1927, april, 2001, british, historian, specialised, britain, appeasement, nazi, germany, second, world, fellow, historian, kenneth, morgan, called, perhaps, leading, authority, international, crises, 1930s, appe. Robert Alexander Clarke Parker 15 June 1927 23 April 2001 was a British historian who specialised in Britain s appeasement of Nazi Germany and the Second World War Fellow historian Kenneth O Morgan called him perhaps the leading authority on the international crises of the 1930s appeasement and the coming of war 1 R A C ParkerBornRobert Alexander Clarke Parker 1927 06 15 15 June 1927Barnsley YorkshireDied23 April 2001 2001 04 23 aged 73 Oxford OxfordshireSpouseJulia DixonAcademic backgroundAlma materChrist Church OxfordAcademic workDisciplineHistoryInstitutionsUniversity of Manchester 1952 1957 The Queen s College Oxford 1957 1997 Main interestsAppeasement Contents 1 Early life 2 Academic career 3 Works 4 NotesEarly life EditHe was born in Barnsley Yorkshire to a family with a Scottish roots which Parker was proud of he changed his first name to Alastair 1 He served in the Royal Navy during the Second World War and after the war s end he won a scholarship to Christ Church Oxford He studied modern history for which he gained a First For his doctoral thesis Parker studied Coke of Norfolk and the British Agricultural Revolution This was eventually published in 1975 1 Academic career EditIn 1952 Lewis Namier appointed Parker to a lectureship in history at Manchester University a post he held until 1957 From 1957 until his retirement in 1997 he was a Fellow and tutor at The Queen s College Oxford 1 His main area of historical study was Neville Chamberlain Winston Churchill and the appeasement of Germany He taught a special subject on the origins of the Second World War at The Queen s College 1 In his 1997 work Chamberlain and Appeasement Parker argued that Chamberlain did not pursue appeasement in order to buy time as some of his defenders claimed He added that Churchill s alternative strategy of an Anglo French alliance was a realistic and more honourable course 1 In his last book Churchill and Appeasement 2000 Parker noted what he considered to be Churchill s misjudgments over India and the Spanish Civil War but said Churchill was completely right on the threat from Nazi Germany Churchill s proposal of an Anglo Soviet alliance may well have deterred Adolf Hitler if it had been adopted Parker claimed 1 He edited a collection of essays on Churchill which were published in 1995 1 Parker held Old Labour political views and canvassed for the Labour Party at elections 1 Works EditEurope 1918 1945 Weidenfeld amp Nicolson 1969 first published in 1967 in German as part of the well known Fischer Weltgeschichte Struggle for Survival The History of the Second World War Oxford UK Oxford University Press 1989 ISBN 0192191268 re titled The Second World War in 1997 for paperback Chamberlain and Appeasement Palgrave Macmillan 1993 Churchill and Appeasement Could Churchill have prevented the Second World War Macmillan 2000 Notes Edit a b c d e f g h i Kenneth O Morgan Alastair Parker The Guardian 25 April 2001 retrieved 12 January 2020 This article about a British historian or genealogist is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title R A C Parker amp oldid 1083141508, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
