WW2 - Churchill's role in the war Flashcards
Dynamic between USA and England in 1940?
Britain was dominated by richer and more powerful USA
Where was Britain in the alliance in 1940?
Junior partner
Operation Market Garden?
- Poor planning
- Unexpected presence of German SS division
‘Big Three’ meetings?
- Stalin
- Roosevelt
- Churchill
Churchill was sidelined
Date: Yalta conference?
February 1945
What was accepted at the Yalta conference?
Churchill could not defend Poland (as promised in 1939).
Frontiers were moved westward and Russia took Eastern Poland.
‘Victims of Yalta’
Russian prisoners who fought on the German side were handed back to Stalin for punishment.
Why was Churchill frustrated that he was ignored in the Yalta conference?
- He had to watch Stalin ignore a crushing rebellion in Warsaw (Poles against German rule). Killed any who would likely stand against Russian rule.
- Roosevelt ignored his warnings of a post-war Russian dominated Europe.
When was importance of main Europe established in war?
1944
When focus was in main Europe, where did Churchill send troupes?
Mediterranean
Sent troupes against a communist uprising in Greece.
Stalin did not intervene.
- Advanced into Germany
- Defence of India and middle East
- War in Burma against Japanese
- Campaign in Greece to defend monarchy.
Churchill’s speech to House of Commons in February 1945
- “I admit that I never felt so grave a sense of responsibility as I did at Yalta.”
- “It is a mistake to look too far ahead.”
