Finest Years (90 page)

Read Finest Years Online

Authors: Max Hastings

Tags: #Non-Fiction

Ciano, Count Galeazzo, 490

Clark, Bennett Champ, 161

Clark, Kenneth (
later
Baron), 176

Clark, Gen. Mark: and North African landings, 335;

campaign in Italy, 391–2, 394, 481

Clark Kerr, Sir Archibald (
later
Baron Inverchapel), 300, 373, 382, 426

Clausewitz, Karl Marie von, 63, 261–2

Clay, Gen. Lucius, 572

coal miners: disaffection and low morale, 278–9, 476

Colfox, Maj. Sir Philip, 13

Cologne: bombed, 247

Colville, Lady Cynthia, 108

Colville, Sir John (‘Jock'): papers, xxii, 144; on French retreat, 15; as WSC's private secretary, 17, 54, 144; and Italy's entry into war, 45; on maintaining British military presence in France, 51; and WSC's sayings, 67; admires butterflies during Battle of Britain, 80; on Beaverbrook, 83; on WSC's relations with king and queen, 86; and WSC's self-criticism, 87; and WSC's personal qualities, 89, 92; and WSC's interest in news, 91; on WSC's dictating style, 119; and WSC's regrets over Greek venture, 136; on WSC's independence of thought, 147; on popular distaste for Soviet Union, 154; and WSC's view of Americans, 178; on WSC's meeting with Roosevelt at Placentia Bay, 191; and WSC's wish for US entry into war, 200; hears WSC's broadcast on fall of Singapore, 238; trains as fighter pilot, 238; on worker disaffection, 276–7; visits sick WSC in Tunisia, 437; on WSC's depression, 444; on WSC at Chequers, 449; on Kirkpatrick's disparagement of SOE, 473; on WSC's exhaustion, 479; on WSC's leadership qualities, 491; on WSC's diminishing authority among Allies, 495; on extravagant meals on
Queen Mary
en route for Quebec, 510; with WSC at second Quebec conference, 511; on WSC's 1944 visit to Athens, 535–6; and WSC's attachment to Smuts, 544; and WSC's response to Attlee's rebuke, 545; and WSC's concern for Poland, 556; on WSC's obstructiveness in old age, 565; and WSC's reaction to emollient cable from Stalin, 566; on WSC's move to religious faith, 570

Combined Chiefs of Staff Committee (US-British), 232

Commons, House of: WSC addresses, 12, 60, 63,
381, 521, 544; harasses WSC, 208–9, 242; WSC demands votes of confidence, 236, 477, 529; censure motion on WSC, 309–10; welcomes WSC on return from Tehran, 439–40; affection for WSC, 520; anxiety over outcome of Yalta, 555; WSC's respect for, 592

communists: and Soviet entry into war, 155–6, 160; British party membership increases, 304; WSC opposes in Greek civil war, 525–33, 539; admired for efforts in war, 526; at Athens meeting with WSC, 537

Compass
, Operation, 121–2, 126

Compton, Edmund, 83

Coningham, Air Marshal Sir Arthur (‘Maori'), 317, 450

Conservative Party: wariness of WSC, 8–9, 13; popular hostility to, 521–2, 578–9; WSC's attitude to, 579–80; defeat in 1945 election, 589

Cooper, Alfred Duff (
later
1st Viscount Norwich): as Minister of Information, 16; and WSC's prescription for victory, 124; and newspaper reporting of code-breaking, 159; on dealing with Americans, 189; WSC rebukes for mocking Italians, 271; letter from Halifax on Conservative lack of social concern, 282; on Katyn massacre, 373

Coral Sea, Battle of the (1942), 256

Cork and Orrery, Admiral William Henry Dudley Boyle, 12th Earl of, 13

Cossacks, 464

Coulaudon, Emile, 459

Cowan, Howard, 562

Craigavon, James Craig, 1st Viscount, 70–2

Craigie, Sir Robert, 213

Craven, Sir Charles, 83

Crete: proposed occupation by British, 19; German airborne assault on, 133–4; Greek expeditionary force evacuated to, 133; lost, 134–6; guerrilla activity and German reprials, 472

Cripps, Sir Stafford: as ambassador in Moscow, 75, 153; submits proposals on post-war reconstruction, 86; and German invasion of Russia, 153; requests British troops to reinforce Red Army, 165; declines ministry of supply, 237; background and character, 242–3; in war cabinet as lord privy seal, 242; as potential successor to WSC, 243; mission to India, 254–6; Bevin rebukes, 273; letter from Frankfurter on Anglo-US relations, 300; resigns from war cabinet, 344

Crossman, Richard, 351

Crozier, W.P., 395

Crusader
, Operation, 161, 209, 215

Cunliffe-Owen, Sir Hugo, 105

Cunningham, Gen. Sir Alan Gordon, 210, 267

Cunningham, Admiral Sir Andrew: commands Mediterranean fleet, 87, 101; dislikes publicity, 101–2; and
Battleaxe
operation in North Africa, 138; character and qualities, 142; succeeds Pound as first sea lord, 142; on shortage of fighter aircraft, 157; WSC threatens to dismiss, 260; reluctance to express view on course of war, 308; Harwood succeeds in Mediterranean, 319; scepticism on
Overlord
, 385; on loss of Leros, 417; dismisses Tehran conference as waste of time, 435; on Anzio landings, 439; dispute with WSC over Far East strategy, 477; on relations with Americans, 482; on WSC's response to V1 crisis, 489; at second Quebec conference, 511; WSC toasts on VE-Day, 568

Curtin, John, 162, 235, 350–1

Czechoslovakia: Nazi reprisals for Heydrich's assassination, 455

D-Day: date established, 385–6; postponed to June, 438–9; WSC fears failure, 484; success, 487–8, 494; casualties, 488;
see also Overlord
, Operation

D'Abernon, Edgar Vincent, Viscount, 35

Dabney, Virginius, 541

Daily Mail
, 237–8

Daily Mirror
, 237

Dakar: Free French failed attempt on, 70, 235

Dalmatia, 392, 440

Dalton, Hugh (
later
Baron): diary, xx; qualities, 10, 275; praises WSC's resolve, 37; heads SOE, 75, 275; as Minister of Economic Warfare, 98; on Beaverbrook's defeatism, 111; on Halifax in Washington, 174; at party for Raymond Gram Swing, 176; and Brooke's view of WSC's temperament, 237; on Cazalet's lack of faith in WSC, 257; and Maisky's view of British soldiers, 263; praises Bevin, 273; on Woolton, 275; on North African successes, 341; inquires about possibility of separate Soviet peace with Germany, 373; on WSC's need for Beaverbrook, 395; and European Resistance movements, 451; on colleagues' exhaustion, 476; and WSC's drinking, 498

Daluege, Kurt, 159

Damaskinos, Archbishop (Dimitrios Papandreou), 531–2, 535–7

Dardanelles campaign (1915), 420, 441

Darlan, Admiral Jean François: pessimism, 41; commands French troops against Allies in North Africa, 346; as France's high commissioner in North Africa, 346–8; assassinated, 348–9

David
, Operation, 5

Davies, Joseph E., 377–8

Deakin, Sir William, 363, 467–8, 470

Defence Registry, 143

de Guingand, Maj.Gen. Sir Francis W., 482

de la Warre, Herbrand Brassey Sackville, 9th Earl, 555

Denmark: Resistance movement, 453

Denver Post
, 228–9

Deutsche Allgemeine Zeitung
, 77

de Valeria, Éamon, 70–3

Dieppe: raid (1942), 332–4

Dill, Gen. Sir John: flies to France with WSC, 16,

45–6; succeeds Ironside as CIGS, 25; and evacuation of forces from Cherbourg, 52; WSC turns against, 74; persuades WSC to send tanks to Wavell, 94; apprehension over prospective German invasion, 96; orders Kennedy to prepare strategy paper, 113; advocates reinforcing Far East, 117, 218; questions British intervention in Greece, 119, 125–7, 130; flies to Athens, 128; returns from Cairo, 131; dismissed, 133, 266; pessimism over Middle East, 133; qualities, 142–3; predicts loss of Middle East, 149; at Placentia Bay meeting, 194–5; sees no propect of engaging Germans on continent, 195; WSC dismisses, 210; accompanies WSC to Washington, 217; on shipping shortages for conveying US troops, 220; as chief of military mission in USA, 232–3; good relations with Marshall, 232–3; on
preventing junction of Japanese and German forces, 241; on inequitable exchange with USA, 258; and WSC's dissatisfaction with commanders, 267; relations with Hopkins, 296; favours early second front, 311; on Hopkins-Marshall-King visit to WSC, 311; blames WSC for Auchinleck's Middle East failure, 318; favours Wavell as super-chief of staff, 335; influence at Casablanca conference, 358; criticises Roosevelt, 359; Marshall proposes to command
Overlord
, 394; WSC expresses disappointment at Anzio stalemate, 441; cautions WSC about excessive messages to Roosevelt on
Overlord
, 480; death, 530

Disraeli, Benjamin, 89

Ditchley, Oxfordshire, 181–2

Djilas, Milovan, 467–8, 486

Dodecanese: operations, xxii, 116, 386, 400–20, 449; casualties, 417

Doenitz Grand Admiral Karl, 569

‘Dolbey, Maj.', 405

Donovan, Col. William (‘Wild Bill'), 176, 461

Dowding, Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh, 15, 67, 80, 83, 100

Dragoon
, Operation (earlier
Anvil
): planned, 448, 478, 493–6; landings in southern France, 506, 511

Drax, Admiral Sir Reginald Ernle-Erle-Plunkett-, 96

Dresden: bombed, 558–9, 561–2

Dugdale, Thomas, 280

Dumas, Alexandre, 591

Dunkirk: evacuation from (1940), 24, 30–1, 36–44

Dykes, Brig.

Vivian, 296

EAM (Greek organisation), 463, 465, 507, 525–6

East Africa: British victory in, 118, 123

Economist
(journal), 253, 541–2

Eden, Anthony (
later
1st Earl of Avon): serves under WSC, 11–12; and Ironside's pessimism, 19; flies to France with WSC, 45–6; pessimism, 48; persuades WSC to send tanks to Wavell, 94; position in Tory party, 106; public image, 111; plans capture of Sicily, 116; questions British intervention in Greece, 119, 124–6, 130; WSC proposes as replacement for Wavell in Middle East, 121; character and qualities, 126–7; as Foreign Secretary, 126–7; flies to Athens, 128; in war cabinet, 140; and WSC's welcoming Russia as ally, 152–3; coolness towards Russians, 154; meets Maisky, 160; rules out second front, 162; supports aid to Russia, 163; on US aid policy, 172; on terms of Lend-Lease, 174; Hopkins' view of, 182; and fear of Japanese attack on Malaya, 189; dines with WSC, 202, 204; on food shortages, 202; stays at Chequers, 203; dismay at WSC's proposed attack on Norway, 208; visits Moscow, 216; on relations with USA, 228; dismay at Roosevelt's international ambitions, 230; on WSC and Cripps, 242; as potential successor to WSC, 243, 498; declines US invitation to write on post-war vision, 253; welcomes US plan for second front, 285; and WSC's fear of losing leadership, 302; Beaverbrook believes in as WSC's successor, 336; outrage at Darlan's appointment in North Africa, 347; WSC briefs on response to questions on Dodecanese campaign, 420; on WSC's unwillingness to address non-military matters, 422; and WSC's wish for Turkey to enter war, 424; on Cairo conference, 429; view of Stalin, 432; on success of Tehran conference, 435; dines in Cairo with WSC, 436; and landing at Anzio, 439; fears Soviet post-war ambitions, 445; argues for French resurrection, 447; discomfort on tour of pre-D-Day troops, 485; Bevin discusses maintaining coalition government with, 486; on WSC's accepting US criticism of Montgomery's sloweness, 497; and Nazi persecution of Jews, 501; and Stalin's attitude to Poles, 503; persuades WSC to suppport de Gaulle against Americans, 505; and return of Togliatti to Italy, 506; appalled at Morgenthau Plan, 512; supports French National Government, 513; negotiates with Molotov over ‘percentage agreement', 515; welcomed in Athens, 524; and post-war Greek politics and civil war, 526, 531; travels to Greece with WSC, 534, 536–7; dissatisfactions towards war's end, 542; asks WSC about plans for post-war Germany, 543–4; at Malta before Yalta conference, 547; attends Yalta conference, 548; depressed by Yalta meeting, 556; and Soviet demands in East Europe, 566; supports WSC's proposal to drive back Russia in Europe, 572; dislikes Conservative Party, 578; at Potsdam conference, 584, 588; on WSC's final cabinet, 591

Eden, Nicholas (Anthony's son), 498

Edwards, Capt. Ralph, 62, 205

Egypt: Italian army threatens, 118; WSC visits, 316; inadequate British equiipment in, 317;
see also
Cairo

Ehrenburg, Ilya, 290

Eisenhower, Gen. Dwight D.: writes to Patton on early days of war, 294; Hopkins and party visit in London, 312; Soviet knowledge of activities, 322; supports North African landings, 335; commands in North Africa, 340, 351, 370; appoints Darlan France's high commissioner in North Africa, 346; dealings with British, 351; confidence over Sicily landings, 381; favours amphibious landings in Italy, 383; Morgan admires, 386; declines to support Dodecanese campaign, 403, 420; at Cairo conference, 429; WSC and Brooke visit in Tunisia, 436; appointed to command
Overlord
, 437; postpones D-Day to June, 439; demands pre-invasion bombing of French railways, 480; relations with British, 483; commitment to landings in south of France, 494; insists on concentrating forces in France, 496; and collapse of German reistance in France, 505; tensions with Montgomery, 547, 558; preserves Allied unity, 549; advance to Rhine, 550; assures Stalin of Western armies staying away from Berlin, 558, 565

ELAS (Greek communist organisation), 463–5, 507, 525–6, 531, 533, 536–8, 540

Eldergill, Lylie, 490

Elizabeth, Queen of George VI, 86

Ellender, Allen, 298

Embick, Maj.Gen. Stanley, 186

Eureka
conference, 355

Europe: conditions little known in London, 307; Resistance movements, 451–7; forced labour in, 457

Fast, Howard, 196

Financial Times
: on German invasion of Russia, 151

Finland: WSC supports against Russia, 152, 156

Fleet Air Arm: weakness, 206, 246, 595

Fleming, Peter, 57

Foot, Michael, 254

Ford, Edward, 38

Foreman, Carl, 401

Fortune
(US magazine), 64, 253

Fox, William, 496

Franc-Tireurs et Partisans
(French Communist bands), 458, 460

France: and German advance, 5, 7, 14, 17–19, 43; WSC's faith in, 12, 347–8, 447; British air support for, 14–16, 43–4; defeatism, 16; WSC visits, 16, 41, 45; bitterness towards Britain for lack of support, 20–1; refugees in, 20; counter-attack expected, 24; aids British evacuation from Dunkirk, 40; requests to Britain, 41; second British evacuation from, 51–3; British equipment abandoned, 53, 58; WSC proposes union with Britain, 54; resentment at perceived British betrayal, 55–6; surrenders, 55–6; casualties, 58; beneficial effects of surrender on Britain, 67; contributes to US economic boom, 175; raids on, 245; Allies plan invasion for 1944, 358; forces fight with Allies in North Africa, 370; proposed landings in south, 448, 478, 493–4; Resistance movement, 451, 455–8, 458–61, 470–1, 474; and German forced labour, 457; SOE in, 471; numbers killed by Allied bombing, 480; railways bombed before D-Day, 480, 560; de Gaulle heads government, 505, 513, 523; WSC wins German occupation zone for at Yalta conference, 551; driven from north-west Italy after occupation, 580

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