To defeat the Germans, the Allies proposed an invasion
of France for 1943, but the plan for Operation Overlord stalled for a year due in part to Winston
Churchill’s unwillingness to attack the western coast of Europe. Until the time
of the invasion, Churchill remained incredulous of its success. Thus, the
Allies were not as united in their goals as some might think.
Many freedom loving people today remember Churchill, the prime minister of Great Britain during most of World War II, as a great hero. In many ways, he was an invaluable leader; however, he also championed a flawed military strategy. He did not initially agree with his American allies that Operation Overlord would be the best strategy to defeat the Germans. Instead, he recommended conquering the Germans by peripheral strangulation. In other words, Churchill believed that it would be most effective for the Allies to attack “the soft underbelly” of Europe with an invasion in the Balkans and Italy. Churchill wanted to control the oil in the Balkans so the Allies could cut off Germany’s oil supply and prevent the Soviets from advancing against the Germans on the Eastern Front. According to Churchill’s strategy, after cutting off Germany and Russia, the other Allies would gain a better bargaining position after the war.
Churchill's strangulation strategy
As the struggle continued, Winston Churchill became more disappointed that the other Allies were not sending more aid to help with what he considered a strategic and potentially victorious Italian Campaign. However, even after the Allies liberated Rome on June 4, 1944, the war in the Mediterranean was bleak as ever. Despite Winston Churchill heralding the Roman victory as a great success, in terms of military strategy, the Allied push into Rome was not a great victory.
Italy and the Balkans
The Americans correctly assessed that to concentrate on the push through Italy would have been a disaster. The terrain was not suitable for an Allied advance, and they would have had to fight on the defensive against a powerful German force. Additionally, the logistical strength of Northwestern France appealed to the Americans because of the railroads. After the Allies gained control of the railroads, they could receive much needed supplies.
Even though the British and American allies did not always agree with strategy, both tried to compromise on the operational level of warfare, which was most important for the success of Operation Overlord. The issue Churchill and his staff had with Operation Overlord was the cajoling of the Russians and Americans to invade Western Europe, when Churchill thought sending more troops to Italy would be most effective. Additionally, the cost of lives and supplies with the invasion of France was certainly another deterrent for Churchill. However, because the Americans modified their plans in 1943 and implemented the Italian Campaign before Operation Overlord, Churchill was in a position to compromise. After a meeting between the Allies at Teheran, Churchill continued to express his views regarding the Italian Campaign as the best strategy, but he deferred to the other Allies' plans for the invasion of Normandy. Churchill realized at Teheran that Great Britain was taking a backseat to the interests of Russia and America, the two emerging superpowers.
Stalin, FDR, and Churchill at Teheran Conference
For all their disagreements, the Americans and British remained the only real successful association among the Allied and Axis Powers. In other words, Americans and British were skeptical of the Russians, the Russians did not trust their American and British allies, and the Germans and Japanese did not share similar strategic goals. However, despite the contention between the British and Americans, they compromised with each other and worked together to accomplish the objective of defeating the Axis Powers. The collaboration between these two allies was essential for them to achieve their individual interests; thus, before D-Day, Churchill spoke in glowing terms of Operation Overlord. Instead of the massive bloodbath that Churchill feared, he recognized the success of Operation Overlord. Therefore, despite the dimming of Great Britain’s world dominance after World War II, Churchill’s strong leadership certainly bolstered his country’s national pride.
Recommended Readings
Hastings, Max. Winston’s War: Churchill, 1940-1945. New York: Vintage
Books, 2009.
Lyons, Michael J. World War II: A Short History, 5th ed. Upper Saddle River,
NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2010.
Stoler, Mark A. Allies in War: Britain and America against the Axis Powers,
1940-1945. New York: Bloomsbury, 2007.
Ziegler, Philip. London at War, 1939-1945. London: Vintage Books, 2002.
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