What characterised Churchill's relationship with his People? Flashcards
Whose wife’s first husband had died at Gallipoli, and so he knew full well the limits of Churchill’s strategic wisdom?
Alan Brooke
What early mistake did Churchill make during his first months as PM regarding the war?
- Insisted that Calais be defended - pointless + unnecessary loss of lives
What did Churchill and AlanBrooke tend to agree on?
Big/major decisions
- e.g. Decision to send troops ME to defend Suez Canal against potential Italian threat in 1940
What did Churchill think of Wavell?
Personally disliked him and found him too cautious
What did Wavell do well and what did Churchill think?
Freed Egypt from foreign troops + captured 40,000 Italian prisoners of war. Churchill refused to grant him due credit
When did Churchill sack Wavell?
June 1941
When did Churchill sack Auchinleck and why?
Aug 1942 - lack of offensive spirit, delays, not being sufficiently daring and aggressive
What did Churchill think of Montgomery?
Favoured him; Montgomery won over Churchill w his self-confidence
What did Montgomery do poorly after El Alamein?
He was slow in following up his victory, which allowed the Germans to retreat to Tunisia. However, Churchill continued to favour him
Churchills relationship with France
navy sinking
Churchills sinking of Vichy French navy in 1940 led to French 1300 deaths
giraud and de Gaulle
Giraud was the alternative leader of the free French - backed by FDR
De Gaulle backed by Churchill
what happened at Tobruk
(1942) Low point for British forces - US diverts tanks to the British in North Africa
Churchill on communism
- Churchill hated the Bolshevik revolution (sent British troops to fight in the Russian civil war)
- Churchill focused the governments response to the 1926 general strike
significance of the percentages agreement
(1944)
- Churchill and Stalin decide who has control of what
- old fashioned diplomacy, understood and respected by Stalin
