Relations with Roosevelt Flashcards
Roosevelt intro:
Churchill long believed in Anglo-American relationship toured and lectured country extensively in 1930s. During 1930s, Churchill’s speeches and writings spoke abour shared values between the countries in comparison to rising fascism in Italy, Germany, and Spain, and Communism in SU. And also how if the US stayed isolated it would become more difficult and expensive to veoome involved again.
HE, US firmly isolationist. US Senate in 1919 and 1920 rejected Woodrow’s attempts to join LoN and stayed clear of Manchuria/Abyssinia.
Neutrality acts also designed to limit US international involbement:
1) 31 August 1935
2) February 1936
3) January 1937
4) 4 November 1939
HE, from 1937 Roosevelt privately begam to look for ways to involve America more
September 1939 - Pearl Harbour
Roosevelt wrote to Churchill in mid-September 1939 stressing his interest in European situation and asked Churchill ‘to keep me in touch personally with anything you want me to know about’… Churchill took him up… during war met in person 9 times, and 2000 written exchanges.
October 1939 = USA declared a neutral zone along coast of US and South America (patrolled by US navy which protect merchant shipping)
In May 1940, Roosevelt told a Cabinet meeting that ‘Churchill was the best man England had even if he is drunk half of his time’…
Churchill continued to press hard for US assistance and was rewarded on 2nd September with ‘Destroyers-for-bases’ deal. 50 ageing but badly needed destroyers in return for 99-year leases on 8 British military bases.
November 1940 comfortable re-election allowed Roosevelt more freedom to express support for Britain.
December 1940, what Churchill later described as ‘one of the most important I ever wrote’, said that Britain could win if USA provided necessary armaments and protection of shipping convoys… what Churchill termed ‘constructive non-belligerency’… Essential as BEF lost most of equipment after Dunkirk (bleak time).
Rewarded with Lend-Lease Act, first proposed in December 1940, signed into law 11 March 1941. Amounted to some $36.1bn worth of equipment.
In April 1941, US troops occupied Greenland, then July, Iceland to prevent German military base
August 1941, Churchill + Roosevelt met 1st time at Placentia Bay, Canada. Whilst declared Atlantic Charter and ‘certain common principles’. Churchill knew that Roosevelt needed Congressional approval to declare war looked like Britain was solo.
Pearl Harbour
On 7 December 1941, Japan launched devastating surprise attack on US Navy at Pearl Harbour… 2,000 Americans were killed, and all 8 US battleships damaged…. US now in war.
Churchill later wrote after war that he felt profound relief, observing, ‘we had won the war’.
Although Roosevelt wanted to wait, Churchill flew to Washington 22nd December-14th January to discuss strategy. Americans supported policy of fighting in Mediterranean and of ‘Europe First’ (Germany then Japan)
The working relationship
Since Germany was a greater threat to American security and prosperity = ‘Europe First’ policy. HE posed problems.
Americans’ desire to launch a full-frontal assault on German-occupied France in 1942 (Operation Sledgehammer) was simply unrealistic. HE if American troops were left idle in Europe they would be reassigned to fight in Japan. Furthermore, Stalin wanted Britain and American action.
Meeting in June 1942 in New York, Churchill persuaded Americans to sideline Sledgehammer and focus on Operation Torch in North Africa British had been wrestling for control of Egypt and Libya since Italina entry into war in June 1940, but since early 1941 and arrival of Rommel’s Afrika Korps, British had mostly been met with defeat.
Operation Torch launched November 1942 where Americans landed on coasts of Morocco and Algeria and squeezed Rommel from both sides. Germans and Italians expelled from N. Africa in May 1943.
Then invaded Sicily (July 1943) then mainland (September 1943).
Americans, like Stalin who had pressured Churchill at Tehran conference in November 1943 to deliver 2nd front that he had promised at January 1943 Casablanca Conference.
In a meeting in Washington, 1943, Americans finally forced an agreement to set date for May 1944.
In 1943 and 1944, Roosevelt increasingly focused US diplomacy on Stalin, rather than Churchill (as USSR + USA biggest contrubutors).
By August 1943, splits were apparent at Quebec
By Tehran Conference, Roosevelt deliberately snubbing Churchill:
* FDR refused to meet Churchill privately to discuss policy before the conference
* FDR met Chinese leader Jiang Jieshi (Chang Kai-shek) without Churchill knowing
* FDR made it clear he wanted British attacks in Burma at the expense of more attacks in the Mediterranean
* There were bitter exchanges between the two over the invasion of northern France
* FDR at Tehran clearly favoured Stalin over Churchill
* Churchill’s plans to bring Turkey into the war and establish a Balkan front were rejected
* The USA, not Britain, would supply the commander for Overlord
HE, overlord launched on 6th June 1944.
China, India, and Empire:
Key areas of disagreement:
China – Roosevelt and Americans held Chinese leader, Chiang Kai-Shek, in high regard, argued European powers treated China unfairly. Roosevelt would frequently bring China to summits and insisted China should be considered as a ‘Great Power’.
India – Churchill’s position on India was seen by most Americans (including Roosevelt) as backwards. Price for Indian entry in war was promise of independence afterwards. Hence by end, even Churchill realised India ‘was lost’.
Far Eastern Colonies – Britain was anxious to maintain (or in many instances regain) her Far Eastern colonies of Singapore, Burma, and Malaya. HE American vision won out with them wanting to allow American-style democracy to flourish in the Far East.
Post-war planning and death
In September 1944, Churchill got no commitment from Roosevelt of post-war assistance. Churchill concluded that the Americans were less concerned about Soviet influence in Europe after the war. Roosevelt refused to back Anglo-American race to Berlin.
Declining health after Yalta conference, had to deliver speech to Congress sitting down
12 April 1945, Roosevelt died in office. Churchill praised Roosevelt in eulogy to the Commons, that Roosevelt was ‘the greatest American friend we have every known’. Privately, Churchill criticised US policy, noting that ‘they played a dominating part in the destiny of Europe, but may well have denied us all the lasting peace for which we have fought long and hard’ by not taking a stronger line against the USSR.
