Preparing for a Future War: Pre-War Planning in the British Post Office, 1918-1939

The First World War had brought Britain's largest employer, the Post Office, into the forefront of the war effort. Not only was it a major force in the nation's communications during the war, but it was also the single largest employer of women. When the government began planning for a future war effort, the centrality of the Post Office to these plans was a subject of heated and controversial debates. The mobilization of sufficient 'manpower' and the protection of its staff were its chief concerns. This article will examine the nature of the Post Office plan for a future war, and explain how and why this created both tension between the government, and a greater recognition for the need for collaboration between all government departments in the national interest.