ABSTRACT
Edward VIII's story is an instructive historical tale because of the crucial question of whether he was a traitor. The outbreak of World War I in 1914 meant that Edward had to make some tough decisions. Although he was prevented from being placed in an actual combat role, it seems that whatever duties he was assigned to he performed in an acceptable manner. A major tenet in Thomas's work is that although Edward left England, he most certainly expected to return to the throne. The Nazis not only were interested in getting a pro-Nazi king back on the throne but were probably involved in plots to facilitate that event. Quite a few British officials were suspicious of the political aspirations of the duke, both before and after the 1936 abdication. As tension was mounting in Europe, both the British and the Americans became concerned about the Duke's indiscretion with classified military and political information.
