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"Despite the veneer of collegiality painted by Churchill in his memoirs, the partnership was fragile and fractious from the moment of its birth. The two countries may have shared a common language and heritage, but their political and military leaders from Churchill and Roosevelt on down, possessed remarkably little understanding and knowledge of each other. Ignorant of the others' history and culture, both allies tended to think of their cousins across the sea in stereotypes, with scant appreciation for their respective political and military difficulties."
-- Lynne Olson (Historian), 2017
There were important differences between America and Britain. Many World War II histories stress the common ties of language and culture that bound America and Britain. Churchill certainly adopted that theme in his memoirs. And while Americans tended to down play this, the simple fact is that much of what is right about America comes from our English heritage. That heritage is the base of our legal, governmental, and economic systems, meaning civil liberties, democracy, and capitalism. But there are very real differences. The frontier that the colonists faced helped shape American culture differently, especially the class structure. Immigration brought a wide range of European peoples and in the Southern colonies, Africans into the country with a much wider cultural base. Also there were fewer entrenched interests that limited the dull application of free market capitalism. Thus there were very real differences. And some of this was negative feelings that developed during the Revolution and festered after independence. This fed by British impressment of American seamen and the American desire to seize Canada led to the War of 1812. America and Britain almost went to war again in the 1840s, this time over Oregon. Much of the American northeastern upper-class look to Britain for their values and culture. While the wider American culture was critical of royalty, aristocracy and empire, You see that in Mrs. Burnett's Little Lord Fauntleroy, a popular novel and not a children's book in the 1880s. This did not change much, despite American entry in World War I on the Allied side. After World War I, many Americans had second thoughts about participating in the War. It was widely believed that the British dragged us into the War. It was part of the sentiment that fed into the Isolationist Movement. And even President Roosevelt and the people around him believed that the British were trying to use America to save their Empire. Churchill at the British in contrast were convinced that America was using Britain's strained circumstances to force unfavorable concessions, such as the Destroyers for Bases deal. In addition, the Americans demanded major concessions to receive Lend Lease aid--something that Roosevelt never did with Stalin. And this was all before Pearl Harbor and the development of major differences over strategy, especially over the Cross Channel invasion. The principal differences was over the British Empire. At the time the Empire was still very important to Britain and most particularly to Churchill. America and President Roosevelt were very critical of imperialism. The differences were so pronounced that Churchill and Roosevelt had to agree to avoid it. The Alliance despite these differences was created and made to work out of mutual necessity. 【Soybel】 Operation Torch was the first joint operation (November 1942). Only the British and Americans had very different ideas about the relationship. According to a British military historian, "The British approached the alliance from he point of view hat the Americans had everything to learn and the British er there to teach them. The Americans took the approach that if anyone had anything to teach them, it was not the British who had been beaten over and over again and were not a very good army." 【Howard】 Actually both were correct in this assessment. Somehow America and Britain made it work, in large measure because Churchill and Roosevelt were determined to make it work. The British had no choice, but the make it work. There national survival was at stake. On the American side, there were three key players behind the success. First was Special Adviser Harry Hopkins who confirmed President Roosevelt's belief that Britain would and needed to be saved. Second was an American, more familiar to the British than the Americans--Ambassador John Winant who was a breath of fresh air after the doom and gloom projected by his predecessor and arch Isolationist Ambassador Joe Kennedy. Third was the person most familiar to Americans, General and future president Dwight Eisenhower who was selected to command Allied forces. Gen. Marshall chose him for Torch because of his impressive organizational capabilities, but along with that came an intuitive and indispensable understanding of how to make an alliance work. But beyond any doubt the key figure that made he alliance it work was German Führer Adolf Hitler. The absolute evil embodied by NAZI dictator was the glue that bound even Soviet dictator Marshall Joseph Stalin to the Western Democracies, let alone America and Britain together. The close relationship between Churchill and Roosevelt during the early War years, were adversely affected by Roosevelt's attempts to woo Marshall Stalin in the final years of the War.
There were important differences between America and Britain. Many World War II histories stress the common ties of language and culture that bound America and Britain. Churchill certainly adopted that theme in his memoirs. And while Americans tended to down play this, the simple fact is that much of what is right about America comes from our English heritage. That heritage is the base of our legal, governmental, and economic systems, meaning civil liberties, democracy, and capitalism. But there are very real differences. The frontier that the colonists faced helped shape American culture differently, especially the class structure. Immigration brought a wide range of European peoples and in the Southern colonies, Africans into the country with a much wider cultural base. Also there were fewer entrenched interests that limited the dull application of free market capitalism. Thus there were very real differences. And some of this was negative feelings that developed during the Revolution and festered after independence. This fed by British impressment of American seamen and the American desire to seize Canada led to the War of 1812. America and Britain almost went to war again in the 1840s, this time over Oregon. Much of the American northeastern upper-class look to Britain for their values and culture. While the wider American culture was critical of royalty, aristocracy and empire, You see that in Mrs. Burnett's Little Lord Fauntleroy, a popular novel and not a children's book in the 1880s.
American attitudes toward Britain did not change much, despite American entry in World War I on the Allied side.
After World War I, many Americans had second thoughts about participating in the War. It was widely believed that the British dragged us into the War. Many believe that British propaganda unfairly over emphasizing German atrocities had brought America into the War while there was nor real reason for American participation. It was part of the sentiment that fed into the Isolationist Movement. As a result, Congress passed Neutrality Laws designed to keep America out of any future European War. This would complicate aid to Brityain when Hitler and Stalin Launched World War II.
President Roosevelt recognized both the evil and danger in Hitler and the NAZIs from the very beginning. Unfortunately most of his countrymen did not understand the danger or care all that much about the evil. There was no attempt to live with or appease the NAZIs, but also because most Americans were more concerned with staying out of another European war, no attempt to oppose the NAZIs. This led to the Isolatioist Movement. The British took another attempt They also wanted no part of another war. Their solution was appeasement pursued by both Prime-Minister Baldwin and Chamberlain. It was Nevelle Chamberlain who had to confront a rearmed Germany. And here the problem was not just Germany. There was also the Soviet Uniion and its massive army. Chamberlain was hoping that Germany would contain the Soviets. President Roosevelt did not have lot to offer, but the overtures he made were largely rejected or ignored by Chamberlain. This is part of the reason he chose ann Irish Catholic for an ambassador to Britain. Unlike Churchill, Chamberlain did not understand the importance of the United States. He got it into his head that only he and he alone could prevent another war. And he and the otyherr Appesers totally misjudged the character, intentions, and potential of Hitler and the NAZIs. As a result, there was no cooperation or joint talks between the two World War II partners during the first year of the War. This changed fundamentally (May 10, 1940). On that day, the Germans launched their Western Offensive that led to the fall of France. Coincidentally, Winston Churchill, eho did understand Hitlrr's evuil, was appointed prime-minister.
President Roosevelt because Prime-Minister Chamberlain rejected his overtures, began a covert communication with Churchill after he was appointed to his old post, First Lord of the Admiralty (1939). Roosevelt sensed that he would be the next prime-minister. So unlike with Chamberlain, there was finally an Anglo American relationship being developed. President Roosevelt was strongly crtiticized by the Isolationist Movement for his efforts to help Britain. The Fall of France was, however, was a turning point in Ameican thought. Even President Roosevelt and the people around him while recognizing the danger of NAZI Germany believed that the British were trying to use America to save their Empire. Churchill for his part and most of his colleagues were convinced that America was using Britain's strained circumstances to force unfavorable concessions, such as the Destroyers for Bases deal. In addition, the Americans demanded major concessions to receive Lend Lease aid--something that Roosevelt never did with Stalin. And this was all before Pearl Harbor and the development of major differences over strategy, especially over the Cross Channel invasion. The principal differences was over the British Empire. America demanded the removal of Imperial Preferences. At the time the Empire was still very important to Britain and most particularly to Churchill. America and President Roosevelt were very critical of imperialism. The differences were so pronounced that Churchill and Roosevelt had to agree to avoid it. The Alliance despite these differences was created and made to work out of mutual necessity. 【Soybel】 Operation Torch was the first joint operation (November 1942). Only the British and Americans had very different ideas about the relationship. According to a British military historian, "The British approached the alliance from he point of view hat the Americans had everything to learn and the British er there to teach them. The Americans took the approach that if anyone had anything to teach them, it was not the British who had been beaten over and over again and were not a very good army." 【Howard】 Actually both were correct in this assessment. Somehow America and Britain made it work, in large measure because Churchill and Roosevelt were determined to make it work. The British had no choice, but the make it work. Their national survival was at stake. In reality either did America, but it was less fully recognized. On the American side, there were three key players behind the success. First was Special Adviser Harry Hopkins who confirmed President Roosevelt's belief that Britain would and needed to be saved. Second was an American, more familiar to the British than the Americans--Ambassador John Winant who was a breath of fresh air after the doom and gloom projected by his predecessor and arch Isolationist Ambassador Joe Kennedy who peppered Washington and President Roosevelt with derisive commnts about Churchill. Third was the person most familiar to Americans, General and future president Dwight Eisenhower who was selected to command Allied forces. Gen. Marshall chose him for Torch because of his impressive organizational capabilities, but along with that came an intuitive and indispensable understanding of how to make an alliance work. There were others, inclusing broadcaster Edward R. Murrow and businessman Averell Harriman. Chuchill and Roosevlt wouild meegt in person just before Pearl Harbor at the Atlantic Conference, creating their vision for thr post-War world (August 1941).
Beyond any doubt the key figure that made the alliance work was German Führer Adolf Hitler. The absolute evil embodied by NAZI dictator was the glue that bound even Soviet dictator Marshall Joseph Stalin to the Western Democracies, let alone America and Britain together. Chamberlain and the Appeasers were slow to learn. Only 6 months after the Munich Agreement, Hitler seized what was left of Czechoslovakia (March 1939). If it was not known before, it was now clear that Hitler's word could not be trusted and what his intentions were. There was no reaction. Even with the invasion of Poland, Chamberlain waited 3 days to declare war. And Chamberlain made no real effort to develop a relationship with the Americans. And as France was falling, the Appeasers like Lord Halifax wanted to make another deal with Hitler. The British War Cabinet came very close to deciding to do just that (May 1940). Churchill surviving that storm, there would no longer any possibility of this. Hitler after the fall of France, could not understand why a seemingly defeated Britain would not come to terms with him. It apparently never daned in hin that he was the primary reason. And no one along hisc fawning entourage was willing to explain it to him. vMarshall Stalin did form an alliance with Hitler and the Soviet people would pay dearly. After Operation Barbarossa there were no more deals for Hitler to make (June 1941). The future of the world would be decided on the battlefield.
Differences within the island became more intense in 1943. American material support kept Britain in the War by 1941. But American manpower was not an important factor until 1943. America's military mobilization was beginning to take hold. And the Americans were becoming increasingly concerned about the British focus on the Mediterranean, rather than the all-important Cross-Channel invasion. Churchill even tried to raise the issue with Stalin at Tehran (November 1943) who came down hard on the Americans side. The invasion was put off to 1944, but now there would be no more delays, although the British were still very concerned about the possible losses. Another major issue was the Empire. The Americans were concerned that British military objectives were more concerned with reserving the Empire than defeating the Germans. And on D-Day the Americans and British had comparable manpower contributions, two beaches each. Canada had the fifth beach. The material contribution was overwhelmingly Americas, After D-Day, the campaign would be increasingly dominated by American manpower. The close relationship between Churchill and Roosevelt during the early War years, were adversely affected by Roosevelt's attempts to woo Marshall Stalin in the final years of the War. The War was largely decided in a 1 month period (November 1942). The British defeated Rommel and the Africa Korps at El Alemein (October-November 1942). The Western Allies as part of Operation Torch landed in North-Africa (November 1942). The Soviets launched Operation Uranus, encircling the German Sixth Army in Stalingrad (November 1942). The dynamic of the War shifted from German to Allied offensives. This changed President Roosevelt's priorities. As it became clear that the Germans were going to lose the War, he began thinking about the post-War period. And thus Churchill with his imperial connections became less import to him. The key person to develop a relationship was Stalin. As early as the Tehran Conference (November 1943), Churchill began to feel the shift in Roosevelt's priorities and was deeply hurt given how close they were in the early years of the War. The same occurred at the Yalta Conference (February 1945). This is probably the reason Churchill did not attend President Roosevelt's funeral (April 1945).
Howard, Michael.
Olson, Lynne. Citizens of London: The Americans Who Stood with Britain in its Darkest, Finest Hour (Random House: New York, 2017), 482p.
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