Home Front: South Africa and the Second World War offers a fresh academic perspective through the voices of both new and established scholars leveraging recently uncovered archival material to illuminate the experiences of South Africans at home between 1939 and 1945. This latest addition to South Africa’s wartime historiography is thoughtfully divided into two broad sections dealing with active participation in, and resistance against, the Allied war effort.

The book highlights the vigorous mobilisation and recruitment campaigns that saw thousands enlist and the pivotal roles women assumed in industry and civil service. It explores how the war effort permeated every facet of society, challenging traditional gender roles and societal norms. It delves into the dynamic shifts within South African society, from politics and community mobilisation to the contributions of collegiate schools and the impact on sports. It uncovers the undercurrents of dissent that existed alongside visible support. It brings to light the political activism within the African National Congress, the covert operations of Nazi sympathisers, and the simmering tensions among Afrikaner nationalists. In doing so, the chapters collectively unravel the complexity of South African society, where loyalty and opposition coexisted, often influenced by propaganda, espionage, and socio-political manoeuvring.