Talk:Mark Pepys, 6th Earl of Cottenham

"He did not support the war with Germany"
It would be interesting to know why. Ericoides (talk) 06:28, 16 January 2023 (UTC)
 * Hello,, long time no see. I agree. I couldn’t find a precise date for the resignation. I suppose the most likely explanation is that when Operation Barbarossa was launched in June 1941, Cottenham took the view that the Soviets were a bigger threat to the world than Hitler’s Germany, so it was time for us to take a step back and sit it out. Stalin was an even bigger villain than Hitler, and far worse than Mussolini, and there were others who saw things that way. An interesting development at the time of the invasion of Russia was that there were British union leaders who stopped obstructing the war effort, as until then Germany had been an ally of the USSR. Another possibility is that it was something to do with the arrival of Rudolf Hess in Britain in May 1941, or with the Anna Wolkoff affair. I think I am going to get hold of the Bryan Clough book, which is not fully accessible online, and see what light he throws on it. Moonraker (talk) 13:08, 17 January 2023 (UTC)
 * Yes, a long time indeed, ! Thanks for the various theories. It will be good to see what Clough says. Ericoides (talk) 05:10, 18 January 2023 (UTC)
 * I now have it,, but it doesn't throw much light. I have added a note about a connection with Anna Wolkoff. As you will see, he went out with her and she wrote to him from prison, but he did not reply. Even if he was sympathetic, no doubt he saw the danger. Moonraker (talk) 17:24, 1 February 2023 (UTC)
 * I see, thanks. Makes me think of Remains of the Day reflected in a broken mirror. Ericoides (talk) 20:42, 1 February 2023 (UTC)