Churchill And His Military Cheifs Flashcards
Who was Churchill most opposed to and how did this general react
Sir Allan Brooke
He was a dogged opponent to the ill-planed and ‘wildcat’ schemes favored by WSC and the pair had stormy relations
Give information on Brooke and his negative relations with WSC
- Feild Marshal Brooke head of the army with the full brunt of Churchill falling on him
- temperament differed to Churchill and was conscious of the need to carefully deploy forces to avoid losses
- he found himself annoyed by WSC habit of ‘thinking aloud’ with military policy and his wartime diaries suggest frustration and annoyance with the political inference
- 1944 French invasion Brooke was irritated by US General Eisenhower being put in charge despot less experience and WSC did not sympathise
Give information and the positive aspects of Brooke and WSCs relation?
WSC Churchills 1940 decision to send troops to Middle East to protect agaisnt Italian threats in Egypt and the Suez Canal vital to connection with India was supported by Brooke
RAF and Navy supported it seeing it their job to defend the homeland
Brooke and WSC agreed upon the lack of enthusiasm to deploy troops in northern Europe
Give information on negative relations between Sir Wavell and WSC?
- Rapid victories in North Africa however WSC did not give credit to Sir Archibald Wavel due to personal animosity
- WSC removed forces to defend Greece in 1940 and establish a Balkan front which meant Wavell couldn’t prepare as he wasn’t in command in Greece
- troops diverted to a deeply flawed campaign lack planing and resources which failed when Germans invaded leading to an evacuation from Crete
- Earlier North Africa success now overshadowed by failure, worsened by the lack of forces to defend against Rommel in North Africa which lead to Wavell being demoted and blamed
Give information on WSC and Sir Claude Auchinlecks relations?
- Sir Auchinleck not prepare for a premature attack on Germans and insisted on delays in North Africa 1942 until he was prepared- annoyed WSC
- Auchinlecks decisions were sensible as defend Egypt with its oil fields and Suez were vital
- effective defense against Germans and thorough preparations for a counter attack but found himself sacked for delays and not being daring enough
Give information on WSC relations to Montgomery ?
Replaced Auchinleck
- won WSC over with confidence but insisted on thorough preparations including having double the force of Rommel before attacking El Alamein in October 1942
- major turning point
- credit should have gone to Auchinleck despite not leading the attack but Churchill disliked him and favoured Monty
Give information on WSC relation to Sir Dowding?
Much of the battle of Britian 1940 success owed to him
- kept RAF in small unit and avoided persuing Germans post raid which kept RAF strong enough to meet German attackers
- rivals suggested big wing police’s massing planes and found himself removed in November 1940
