Finest Years (89 page)

British Expeditionary Force: and German advance, 14, 16; prospective withdrawal, 17, 24–5; reinforcements withheld, 18; evacuates Arras, 19; attempts common front with French, 20–1; isolated, 22; evacuation from continent, 26, 30, 36–44, 67; proposed reconstitution in N.W. France, 38, 43, 45; equipment, 58

Brittorous, Brig. Ben, 414

Brooke, Gen. Sir Alan (
later
1st Viscount Alanbrooke): diary, xx, xxii; persuades WSC to withdraw British forces from N.W. France, xxi, 51–2; qualities and character, 14, 21; returns to France after evacuation, 43, 50–1; and WSC's view of human nature, 57; succeeds Ironside as C.in C. Home Forces, 74; WSC's apparent rudeness to, 89; on weak defences against prospective invasion, 96; witnesses WSC's popularity, 98; on early defeats, 136; on role of Chiefs of Staff committee, 141; hostility to Sandys, 144–5; on training home-based army units, 156; resents Beaverbrook's commitments to Russia, 165; succeeds Dill as CIGS, 210–12; relations with and view of WSC, 211, 252, 374, 380, 510, 521, 568–9, 593; on WSC's temperament, 237; on army's poor fighting, 239; at Casablanca conference, 259, 354–6; on poor army leadership, 265–6; and dismissal of Ritchie, 267; undervalues Lord Leathers, 275; meets Marshall urging second front, 283–4, 285; resists demands for early second front, 287, 312; quashes WSC's plan to land in north Norway, 295; disbelieves German defence of Italy, 302; on ingratitude of Russians for aid, 304; meagre press coverage of, 307; criticises Julian Amery, 311; accompanies WSC to Middle East and Moscow, 315, 325–7, 329, 332; WSC proposes for command in Middle East, 318–19; recommends Montgomery to command Eighth Army, 320; on moments of doubt, 334; WSC complains to, 335; and conduct of battle of Alamein, 339; hopes for victory with success of
Torch
, 339; WSC congratulates after North African victories, 344; caution, 345, 350, 394;
and WSC's hopes for landing in Europe in 1943, 350; supports bombing campaign against Germany, 354; manner and abruptness, 356, 374; accompanies WSC to Turkey, 363–4; and employment of troops, 369; ignores events on Russian front, 373; at Washington
Trident
conference (1943), 378–9; accompanies WSC and Marshall to Algiers, 380; relief at Sicily success, 383; on American mistrust of British intentions over D-Day, 385; reservations over D-Day, 389, 393–4, 396; on Quebec conference, 391; denied command of
Overlord
, 393; deplores proliferation of commando units and special forces, 404; opposes operations in Aegean, 410–13; believes WSC unbalanced, 411; on US failure to support Dodecanese operation, 419; on WSC's bedroom scene, 423; on Big Three at Tehran, 432; opposes WSC's plans for Sumatra landing, 448; opposes further long flights for WSC, 450; dispute with WSC over Far East strategy, 477; tells Americans no invasion possible before 1945 or 1946, 478; US view of, 482; prevents WSC from witnessing D-Day landings, 485; hopes for WSC's retirement, 490–1; on Morrison's pessimism over V1 attacks, 490; caution over assault on Istria, 493; defends Montgomery against WSC's criticism, 496; on WSC's condition on way to second Quebec conference, 510; relief at WSC's abandoning Adriatic landing, 543; Marshall refuses to discuss strategy with, 547; preserves Allied unity, 549; watches Rhine crossing, 564; WSC toasts on VE-Day, 568; and WSC's relations with Truman, 572; and WSC's proposal to drive back Russians in Europe, 573; and WSC's enthusiasm for atom bomb, 586; character and achievements, 595; WSC's view of, 596

Brooke, Benita, Lady, 211

Bruce, Stanley, 32

Bruneval, France: raided, 245

Buccaneer
, Operation, 426, 429

Buckmaster, Col. Maurice, 458

Bulgaria: joins Axis, 128

Bulge, Battle of the, 540

Burgess, Guy, 321

Burma: Japanese invade, 219, 242, 251; US urge British action in, 354, 358, 480; shortage of landing craft for, 375; British campaign in, 376, 411, 430, 448, 481, 504, 514, 580; Chindit operations in, 387, 429; proposed British amphibious landing, 426, 429; WSC's strategy for recapture, 477

Burrows, Lt.Gen. Brocas, 332

Butler, Richard Austen (
later
Baron): favours suing for peace, 37; introduces Education Act (1944), 508

Butt, David, 246, 560

Byng, Admiral John: executed (1757), 267 Byrd, Walter, 277

Cadogan, Sir Alexander: on confusion in 1940 campaign, 24; on WSC's temperament, 26, 33; on WSC's fear of Japanese aggression, 189; at Placentia Bay meeting, 197; on US working methods, 225; on WSC's low spirits, 244, 478–9; on army's weak performance, 259; and WSC's enthusiasm for Aegean operation, 410; on loss of Leros, 418; on Roosevelt's acceptance of Stalin's proposals at Tehran, 434; in Cairo with WSC, 436; and WSC's misgivings over invasion of France, 478; and WSC's handling of Greek crisis, 533

Cairncross, John, 163, 320

Cairo: wartime life in, 264, 316; WSC in, 316, 332, 363; WSC meets Roosevelt in before Tehran conference, 426, 428–31

Calais, 25, 30

Caliph
, Operation, 471–2

Campioni, Admiral Inigo, 405

Camrose, William Ewert Berry, 1st Viscount, 202, 207, 570

Canada: forces in France, 43, 45, 51; WSC addresses Parliament, 223, 228; delays conscription, 235

Carol, King of Romania, 543

Carthage, 380, 436–8

Casablanca conference (January 1943), 352–62, 367,

376 Cassin, René, 56

Cazalet, Victor, 257, 397

Century Association (New York), 172

Cetniks (Yugoslavia), 467–9

Ceylon: bombed by Japanese, 251

Chamberlain, Neville: revulsion from conflict, xxiii; WSC replaces after failure of Norway campaign, 1–4, 8, 10, 13; cheered in Commons, 13; as lord president, 17; snubs Roosevelt, 18; supports WSC's decision to fight on, 30, 33; remains Party leader, 31; and Stanley Bruce, 32; favours suing for peace, 36; opposes sending more forces to France, 43–4; and proposed Irish union, 71; cancer, 86, 105; premiership, 104; Maisky on, 105; death, 106, 109–6; dealings with Soviet Union, 152

Channon, Sir Henry (‘Chips'), 8, 95, 105–6, 127

Chapelle, Fernand Bonnier de la, 349

Chartwell, Kent: WSC at, 19; running costs, 590

Chemnitz: bombed, 561

Chequers (house): entertaining, 202–3; WSC at, 204; WSC contributes to, 591; WSC leaves, 592

Cherwell, Frederick Lindemann, Viscount (‘the Prof'): Jefferis works with, 83; controversy with Tizard over Luftwaffe navigational beams, 84–5; relations with WSC, 145; character and qualities, 146–7; at Placentia Bay meeting, 197; attacked in Commons, 209; and bombing of Germany, 246–7; denies reinforcements for Coastal Command, 249; Beaverbrook complains of, 275; proposes dropping random arms supplies over Europe, 458; supports Morgenthau's proposals on Germany, 512

Chiang Kai-shek, 376, 429, 519

Chicago Daily News
, 446

Chicago Sun
, 528

Chicago Tribune
, 229

chiefs of staff: composition and meetings, 140–3

Childs, Marquis, 531

China, 376, 429, 434, 481

Chindits, 387, 429

Churchill, Clementine (Lady): marches out of pacifist sermon, 66; deplores Beaverbrook, 82; relations with WSC, 90; advises WSC against accepting Tory party leadership, 106; asks about landing forces on continent, 113; and WSC's view of generals, 114; reads Henderson's biography of Stonewall Jackson, 115; disparages
Wavell, 139; Harriman gives tangerines to, 187; uses motor car, 203; letters from WSC on US visit, 218, 220; on the ‘Valley of Humiliation', 242; WSC writes to from Cairo, 318; WSC buys gifts for in Cairo, 332; WSC writes to from Casablanca conference, 355; accompanies WSC to America (August-September 1943), 387; letter from WSC on Dodecanese failure, 420; visits sick WSC in Tunisia, 437; and WSC's fears of hostile France, 505; letter from WSC on watching
Dragoon
landings, 506; and WSC's visit to Stalin (October 1944), 516; warns WSC over intervention in Greek civil war, 526; distress at WSC's decision to travel to Athens, 534; letters from WSC in Athens, 537–8; believes Attlee's criticism of WSC to be just, 545; letter from WSC in Yalta on plight of German refugees, 551; visit to Russia, 569; on WSC's 1945 election campaigning, 579; qualities, 597–8

Churchill, Mary (
later
Lady Soames; WSC's daughter), 244, 387, 437, 449, 579, 596

Churchill, Pamela (Randolph's wife;
later
Harriman), 510

Churchill, Randolph (WSC's son): on visit to WSC in Admiralty House, 17–18; letter from WSC at popular restiveness, 168; letter from WSC on revival of optimism, 257; relations with father, 270; Beaverbrook helps pay debts, 396; accompanies WSC to Cairo, 427, 436; WSC takes to North Africa, 433; WSC writes to in Yugoslavia, 449; with partisans in Yugoslavia, 467, 467–8; WSC denounces de Gaulle to, 505; marriage breakdown, 510; as financial drain on WSC, 590

Churchill, Sarah (WSC's daughter), 426, 437, 551

CHURCHILL, (SIR) WINSTON SPENCER
: appointed prime minister, 2–5, 8; dual role as prime iminister and Minister of Defence, 4, 310, 335; Conservative Party wariness of, 8–9, 13; militancy, 10, 34, 148–9; appoints first war cabinet, 11; addresses Commons, 12, 60, 63, 381, 521, 544; devotion to France, 12, 347–8, 447, 564; underestimates German military strength, 12; requests US aid, 15, 21; flies to France, 16; self-discipline and confidence, 17, 54, 88; determination to enlist USA as ally, 18, 171, 188, 190, 207; broadcasts to nation, 20, 35, 63, 75–6, 93, 238–9, 569–70; view of Cripps, 22; mistrusted and resented by British ruling class, 27, 34, 105–6, 182; opposes suing for peace, 28, 33–5; declares resolve to fight on to ministers, 37; and Dunkirk evacuation, 41–2, 44; travels to France before surrender, 41, 45–6, 48–50; sends more troops to France, 45; belief in destiny, 47, 88–9; pessimism with French defeat, 47–8; escapes German fighters in flight from France, 48; agrees to withdraw British troops from N.W. France in ‘Second Dunkirk', 51–2; commits troops to N.W. France, 54; proposes union with France, 54–5; resolve in summer 1940, 61–3; on Britain's lack of military equipment, 66; wit and encouraging remarks, 66–7; sanctions bombardment of French fleet, 69; and Irish neutrality, 70–2; plans defence against German invasion, 73–4, 96–7, 103, 123; belief in bombing campaign against Germany, 74–5, 248, 425, 560–4; effect of speeches, 75–6, 93; foresees German attack on Russia, 75; orders formation of SOE, 75, 451; sentimentality, 80; personal security, 81; and technological innovation, 84–5; exploits Ultra intelligence, 85; phrase on debt to ‘the few' in Battle of Britain, 87; isolation and remoteness, 88, 315, 374; personal qualities and manner, 89–93, 110, 230; scrutinises newspapers, 91, 120, 334; popularity, 98, 104–5, 106; US admiration for, 103–4; elected Tory leader, 106; magnanimity towards Germany, 108; working routines and methods, 108, 224–5; obituary tribute to Chamberlain, 109; First World War soldiering, 113; on winning war, 113–14; believes fitted for higher command, 115; proposes minor operations, 116; supports campaign in Middle East, 117–18; intervention in Greece, 119–20, 124–5, 129; impatience with Wavell, 127–8, 138; relations with and view of commanders, 127–8, 131, 140, 208, 260–1, 267; on British retreat in North Africa, 130–1; admits to defeat in Mediterranean, 135; dismisses Wavell, 139; chairs war cabinet, 140; high command organisation, staff and entourage, 142–8; independence of thought and judgment, 147–8; on Western aid to Russia, 150, 168; welcomes Russia as wartime ally, 152–4, 160; apprehension over airborne attack on Britain, 158; cultivates relations with Roosevelt, 177, 190, 193, 196, 229–31, 435–6; earlier visits to USA, 177–8; relations with Hopkins, 180–3; fears Japanese aggression, 189, 196, 205, 207, 212; awarded honorary doctorate by Rochester University, New York, 190; meets Roosevelt at Placentia Bay, 191–8; lacks social intimates, 193; hostility to socialism, 194; supposed interest in Crown Princess Marthe of Norway, 194; wartime diet and comforts, 202; sends naval battle squadron to Far East, 205, 215; Brooke's relations with, 211, 252, 374, 380, 510, 521, 568–9, 593; declares war on Japan after Pearl Harbor, 212–13; visit to Roosevelt in Washington (December 1941), 216–24, 227–8, 239; strategic proposals after US entry, 217–19, 226; aversion to whistling, 218; addresses US Congress, 222–3, 377; angina attack, 223; single-mindedness about war, 225; popular and official criticisms of, 233–4, 237–8, 243–4, 257; attitude to dominions, 235; imperialist prejudices, 235–6, 597; demands votes of confidence in Commons: (January 1942), 236; (1944), 477; (December 1944), 529; health concerns, 236; despair at fall of Singapore, 238–40, 244, 251; promises use of poison gas if used against Russia, 245; opposes bombing of civilians, 247; uninterested in post-war and social concerns, 252–4, 508; opposes Indian independence, 255; and army's poor performance, 259–62, 271; on elements of war, 262; attitude to workers, 281–399–500; letter from Roosevelt advocating second front to relieve Russians, 283–6; Molotov meets, 288, 291; visits Roosevelt (June 1942), 296–7, 302; popular US hostility to, 301–2; resists demands for early second front, 306, 312; low contemporary media coverage of, 307; faces censure motion in Commons, 309–10; visit to Middle East and Moscow (1942), 315–20; discomfort on flight, 316; appoints and replaces commanders, 319; Soviet knowledge of activities, 321–2; meeting with Stalin in Moscow (1942), 323–9;
misjudges relations with Russia, 330; return to Cairo, 332; optimism, 334–5; at low ebb, 336; and battle of Alamein, 337–8, 339–41; hopes for invasion of continent in 1943, 345, 349–50, 352; impatience to act, 345–6; view of de Gaulle, 347–8, 446–7, 505; attends Casablanca conference, 352–7, 358–9; proposes summit meeting with Stalin and Roosevelt, 352; and Roosevelt's insistence on unconditional surrender, 360; favours Mediterranean strategy, 360, 376, 389, 426, 443, 597; relationship with Roosevelt declines, 361; painting, 362; visit to Turkey, 363–4; drinking, 363, 498; French speaking, 364, 521; musings about death, 365; waning importance, 367; difficult relations with Stalin and Russians, 372; on Katyn massacre, 373; working day, 374; visit to Washington (May 1943), 375, 377–80; addresses troops at Carthage, 380; misgivings over D-Day, 383, 386, 389, 396, 426, 428, 443, 447–8, 478–9, 483–5; resists Stimson's proposal to advance D-Day date, 385; attends Quebec conference (August 1943), 386–9; standing in USA declines, 386, 393; warns of Russia as future threat, 386, 388; applauds success of Sicily campaign, 389; and Dodecanese (Aegean) operation, 400–4, 406, 408–11, 416, 419–21, 449; favours minor operations, 404; and Dardanelles campaign (1916), 420, 441; prestige as leader, 422–3; reluctance to consider post-war reconstruction, 422; frustrated by US ascendancy, 423–4; sickness at Malta, 427; meets Roosevelt in Cairo, 428–30; at Tehran conference, 431–5; on British insignificance beside USA and Russia, 435; and results of Tehran conference, 435–6; contracts pneumonia in Tunisia, 437; and Anzio stalemate, 441; attacks critics, 444; strategic vision, 448–9; life at Chequers, 449–50; physical decline, 449; encourages Resistance movements and SOE, 453–4, 458–9, 463, 471–2; maintains aid to Greek communists, 463; and effect of SOE activities, 475; dispute with chiefs of staff over Far East strategy, 477; exhaustion, 479; proposes additional landings in France with
Overlord
, 480, 493, 504; favours Italian campaign, 481, 488, 494–5; and relations with Americans, 483; dissuaded from witnessing D-Day landings, 485; on success of D-Day, 488; visits Normandy beachhead, 489; maintains leadership qualities, 491; diminishing authority among Allies, 495–6; turbulent relations with colleagues, 497–8; forecasts continuing German resistance, 499; recites poetry, 499; on Nazi extermination of Jews, 501–2; proposes Invergordon summit meeting, 502; support for Poles, 503–4, 517–18, 552–4, 557; visits battlefields in Europe, 504–8, 564; witnesses
Dragoon
landings in southern France, 506; patch on lung, 508; attends second Quebec conference (September 1944), 510–13; flies to Moscow for bilateral talks with Stalin, 514–18; ‘percentage agreement' proposals in Russia, 515; decline in relations with Roosevelt, 519, 567; hardening popular attitude to, 521–2; and post-war policies in liberated countries, 523–9, 547; and Greek civil war, 524–31; sends unclassified message on Greece to Scobie, 530; travels to Athens (December 1944), 534–40; wins devotion of personal staff, 543; travels to Yalta conference, 547, 549–54; preserves Allied unity, 549; compassion for German refugees, 551–2; returns from Yalta, 554; protests to Stalin about Soviet oppression in Poland, 557; and bombing of Dresden and Potsdam, 558–9, 561; and Stalin's behaviour towards war's end, 565–6; non-attendance at Roosevelt's funeral, 567; celebrates victory in Europe, 569–70; gloom over fate of Poland, 571; suggests Anglo-US drive against Russia, 571–2, 584; forms new ministry after dissolution of coalition, 577; campaign and defeat in 1945 general election, 578–9, 589; meeting with and demands on Gusev, 580–3; enthusiasm for atom bomb, 585–6; personal finances, 590–1; holds final cabinet, 591; achievements, 592–8; oratory, 594;
Great Contemporaries
, 261;
History of the English-Speaking Peoples
, 590;
Into Battle
(speeches), 590