The Battle of Dorking 1871

This fictitious invasion classic is introduced by G.H. Powell, and followed by "What Happened After The Battle of Dorking 1871" and the pamphlet "The Lull Before Dorking 1871." The Battle of Dorking: Britain is invaded by a country similar to Germany in this vivid account of troops marching across eastern England to the heart of London. George Tomkyns Chesney's classic, written after the Prussian victory in the Franco-Prussian War, led to the genre of invasion fiction and science fiction. The novel spawned copycat stories including What Happened After The Battle of Dorking and led to more serious debate about Britain's lack of preparedness for war in the House of Commons.