Initial challenges that Churchill faced
o Came into office may 10th may 1940 with bad
o By 13th Churchill puts cabinet together
o Little enthusiasm from Roosevelt
o Cabinet contained Chamberlin lovers
o Bad military record
• Gallipoli
❖ Trade routs to Russia
❖ Underestimated ottomans, believing 50.000 men would be enough
• Despite lord Kitchener stressing 70,000 required
• Greeks said 150,000 required, ARROGENTALLY IGNORED
❖ Since week navy sent old battleships forced to regroup
❖ At landings allies failed to exploit advances due to lack of leadership
❖ 56,000 men lost
❖ Not get beyond the beaches
• Norway
❖ Poorly managed, attempt to block Germany accessing Swedish iron ore
❖ Plan was to lay mines in Norwegian waters
❖ Disputes about methods and objectives (forces in Namos forced to withdraw early)
❖ In Narvick little was achieved and fell to Germans
o By 28th May
• British army been cut off from French, and went to Dunkirk, chance of rescuing 300,000 due to German
air superiority
• Italy threatened to join war
❖ Threatening Suez Canal, and vital Indian trade
• Japanese threat in south Asia
• Diminishing gold reserves
• Threat of bombing, Germany had already large scale bombed Poland
• Halifax as foreign sectary making discreet appeasement deals
❖ With Italy to discover German peace terms it Wasn’t cowardly seemed sensible
❖ However made Britain seem week
❖ Pressure by Roosevelt for peace conference by Australian high commissioner, Churchill
rejected it describing it as ‘rot.’
o Action taken
• 4th of June improved situation as Dunkirk evacuated
❖ However Belgium surrender, France next
• Direct appeal to US who responded with isolationism
• French and Britain allied, but could not prevent surrender
❖ 3rd July attack on French fleet so Germans didn’t get ships
• Churchill starts a Egyptian campaign agenised Italy, however forgetting about Germany as an increasing
threat
• Dowding came up with strategy while change in German tactics from airfields to civilians to mobilise
small group of fighters energetic working irregular
❖ Not backed by Churchill for personality clash
o Churchills special style
• High levels of dedication and energy
❖ Tries to micro-manage and supervise all details
• Many irrelevant ideas
❖ Despite scientists showing the impracticalities ( germ warfare)
• Energetic and worked irregular hours which he expected others to do
• Believed in establishing strong relationships with allies
❖ Roosevelt and Stalin
• Inspiring speeches
• Military and flamboyant outfit
• Daring and ruthless
❖ He decided to destroy a entire French fleet to prevent German captur
, Relationships with generals
o Lacking military experience
o Offering opinionated strategic views
o Frustrated by military leader caution
o Didn’t like that in ww1 generals like Haig could peruse costly plans (bit hypocritical)
o Brooke
• Highly competent organiser
• Different temperament to Churchill
• Conscious of need to deploy troops to prevent heavy losses
• However for major decisions less deliberation
• No resistance to middle east campaign, despite only leaving the air force and navy to
defend Europe
• Nor resistance to troops in Italy occupying more British than German troops
• Not in charge of German invasion in 1944, went to Eisenhower
o Wavell
• Initial rapid victories in north Africa, little credit given
• Personally disliked by Churchill
• Some troops taken by Churchill to Greece
• When Germans invaded and evacuation to create occurred, he was blamed and
demoted
o Auchinleck
• Insisted on delay and created a effective defence
• Sacked for delays
o Montgomery
• Won over Churchill with self confidence
• At El Alimein had better preparations that Auchinleck should have been credited for
• Slow in following up victory
• ‘Operation market garden’ was overambitious
o Came into office may 10th may 1940 with bad
o By 13th Churchill puts cabinet together
o Little enthusiasm from Roosevelt
o Cabinet contained Chamberlin lovers
o Bad military record
• Gallipoli
❖ Trade routs to Russia
❖ Underestimated ottomans, believing 50.000 men would be enough
• Despite lord Kitchener stressing 70,000 required
• Greeks said 150,000 required, ARROGENTALLY IGNORED
❖ Since week navy sent old battleships forced to regroup
❖ At landings allies failed to exploit advances due to lack of leadership
❖ 56,000 men lost
❖ Not get beyond the beaches
• Norway
❖ Poorly managed, attempt to block Germany accessing Swedish iron ore
❖ Plan was to lay mines in Norwegian waters
❖ Disputes about methods and objectives (forces in Namos forced to withdraw early)
❖ In Narvick little was achieved and fell to Germans
o By 28th May
• British army been cut off from French, and went to Dunkirk, chance of rescuing 300,000 due to German
air superiority
• Italy threatened to join war
❖ Threatening Suez Canal, and vital Indian trade
• Japanese threat in south Asia
• Diminishing gold reserves
• Threat of bombing, Germany had already large scale bombed Poland
• Halifax as foreign sectary making discreet appeasement deals
❖ With Italy to discover German peace terms it Wasn’t cowardly seemed sensible
❖ However made Britain seem week
❖ Pressure by Roosevelt for peace conference by Australian high commissioner, Churchill
rejected it describing it as ‘rot.’
o Action taken
• 4th of June improved situation as Dunkirk evacuated
❖ However Belgium surrender, France next
• Direct appeal to US who responded with isolationism
• French and Britain allied, but could not prevent surrender
❖ 3rd July attack on French fleet so Germans didn’t get ships
• Churchill starts a Egyptian campaign agenised Italy, however forgetting about Germany as an increasing
threat
• Dowding came up with strategy while change in German tactics from airfields to civilians to mobilise
small group of fighters energetic working irregular
❖ Not backed by Churchill for personality clash
o Churchills special style
• High levels of dedication and energy
❖ Tries to micro-manage and supervise all details
• Many irrelevant ideas
❖ Despite scientists showing the impracticalities ( germ warfare)
• Energetic and worked irregular hours which he expected others to do
• Believed in establishing strong relationships with allies
❖ Roosevelt and Stalin
• Inspiring speeches
• Military and flamboyant outfit
• Daring and ruthless
❖ He decided to destroy a entire French fleet to prevent German captur
, Relationships with generals
o Lacking military experience
o Offering opinionated strategic views
o Frustrated by military leader caution
o Didn’t like that in ww1 generals like Haig could peruse costly plans (bit hypocritical)
o Brooke
• Highly competent organiser
• Different temperament to Churchill
• Conscious of need to deploy troops to prevent heavy losses
• However for major decisions less deliberation
• No resistance to middle east campaign, despite only leaving the air force and navy to
defend Europe
• Nor resistance to troops in Italy occupying more British than German troops
• Not in charge of German invasion in 1944, went to Eisenhower
o Wavell
• Initial rapid victories in north Africa, little credit given
• Personally disliked by Churchill
• Some troops taken by Churchill to Greece
• When Germans invaded and evacuation to create occurred, he was blamed and
demoted
o Auchinleck
• Insisted on delay and created a effective defence
• Sacked for delays
o Montgomery
• Won over Churchill with self confidence
• At El Alimein had better preparations that Auchinleck should have been credited for
• Slow in following up victory
• ‘Operation market garden’ was overambitious
