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Churchill's reputation with other wartime leaders (Stalin (Positive…
Churchill's reputation with other wartime leaders
Stalin
Positive
When Hitler invaded Russia, Churchill did offer support to Stalin - became allies 1941
He famously said that "if Hitler invaded hell, I would at least make some favourable reference to the Devil” in the House of Commons
They sent convoys of supplies to Russia and in 1942 Churchill went to see Stalin himself
Moscow, 1944 - Percentages Agreement
- Churchill was worried about Russian desires for expansion so made a deal with Stalin in 1944 to divide eastern Europe
This is controversial because Churchill, a democratic leader, was negotiating with a violent dictator
Negative
Stalin's communist Russia was seen as very untrustworthy from the start by Churchill
At this first meeting, Churchill and Stalin did not see eye to eye. Stalin did not get his second front and Churchill got little recognition for his Balkan strategy (opening a second front)
At the Tehran conference in 1943, Churchill was resentful when Stalin and Roosevelt appeared to be on closer terms with each other than him
By 1944 (following D-Day) Churchill was in a very weak position as the war was going well for the Soviets and the second front was already underway
Stalin didn’t try to take over Greece but in practice the USSR dominated Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria and Poland so Churchill had to accept Russian domination of eastern Europe
Churchill tried to resist Russian demands for Britain to start a second front in the west and also avoid making territorial promises once the war was over
However, given the length of the war and the sacrifice which the Russian military made (8-10 million soldiers), it was difficult for Churchill to control Stalin’s ambitions
Background (pre-war)
His position in the 1930s was to include Russia in a grand alliance against Hitler but Stalin signed a pact with Hitler instead
Subsequently, he invaded half of Poland and was responsible for such instances as the Katyn massacre where over 4000 army officers, policemen and officials were executed to try to control the country
His feelings about the Russian Revolution of 1917 were no secret
Roosevelt
Mixed
Roosevelt would not commit the USA to giving direct aid for Britain but Britain was allowed to buy arms and it gained 50 US destroyers in return for naval bases
From March 1941, the Lease-Lend programme gave Britain war materials and credit - US navy would protect merchant shipping from German attacks. - However, Britain gave gold reserves as a guarantee for Lease-Lend assistance
Churchill and Roosevelt met at Placentia Bay, August 1941 and agreed common principals in the Atlantic Charter - established warm relations with him - Although Unlikely that Roosevelt would persuade congress to enter the war - It was only Hitler’s declaration of war on the USA in December 1941 that guaranteed the US joining Britain against Germany
Positive
relationship became known as the “Special Relationship” suggesting that the shared values of democracy, language and background gives Britain and the US a tight bond
According to this view, the Atlantic Charter of 1941 was a noble document expressing the hopes of the two nations side by side
Churchill was successful in getting the USA to adopt a ‘Europe First’ policy of defeating Germany before Japan and to accept his mediterranean strategy
The US contributes enormously to the invasion of Northern France in 1944
Negative
The American policy was to weaken the Empire in order to pursue its own free market principles - The US wanted to end the protectionism of the British Empire
The Japanese attack at Pearl Harbour was the eventual cause of American involvement - Without this attack, some say that it’s unlikely that the US would have joined the war
There were major disagreements over strategic goals - From 1943 Britain increasingly lost control over the war as US military chiefs disagreed with British policy
Britain's bad deal in the Lease-lend programme
Later part of the war (late 1943) - Roosevelt and Churchill were less close
Roosevelt was unhappy about delaying the invasion of France and wanted to commit more resources to Japan
He also did not agree to opening another front in the Balkans
Roosevelt did not share Churchill’s distrust of Stalin
Roosevelt never visited Britain during the war
De Gaulle
Mixed
initially admired by Churchill for his love of France and confident attitude but this became difficult once the USA entered the war
Churchill did give de Gaulle command of an expedition to Dakar (north African French port) but this failed
Negative
SINKING OF THE FRENCH FLEET
Once Hitler overran France he set up a pro-German Vichy government lead by Giraud which managed France under strict controls from Berlin
The USA favoured negotiations with the Vichy government but this made the situation tricky with de Gaulle who considered the Vichy government as traitors to France
De Gaulle refused to work with Giraud and resented US cooperation with French authorities in Algeria
June 1940, France pushed for peace with Germany - Churchill feared that Germany would take over France’s (still in tact) navy and use it against Britain
July 1940, Britain sank the French fleet just outside Algeria
Churchill knew that he had to support the Americans over the French but this caused friction with de Gaulle
De Gaulle was suspicious of British intentions in the Mediterranean and this combined with Churchill's siding with Roosevelt over Vichy caused a stormy relationship
The rivalry between De Gaulle and Giraud threatened allied unity and caused strains at the Casablanca Conference of 1943