How successful was Churchill's wartime leadership?

Created by: emkimpton
Created on: 28-01-16 21:20

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How successful was Churchill's wartime leadership?
- PROS
  - VICTORY
    - Major battles fought+won
      - Dunkirk
      - Battle of Britain
      - The Blitz
      - El Alamein 1942
    - Europe's Victory Day - 8th May 1945
  - War experience
    - Past - Boer War, WW1 -- knew war atmosphere
    - Knew the best tactics (refused Stalins's suggestion of invasion of France)
  - Tried to make strong relations
    - Generals
      - Montgomery - major win at El Alamein
    - Outside war (Eden) - later to be PM
    - 'Big Three'
      - Churchill, Stalin, Roosevelt
        special relationship with Roosevelt (LEND-LEASE)
        £31.6 billion by 1945
    - The public
      - Made visits - kept them feeling out of disaster
  - Speeches - "WEAPON OF WAR"
    - 78% polled for him
    - Won over people with heroism
  - Personality
    - Flamboyant
    - "Bull-dog spirit"
      - increased morale of public
    - Fatherly figure
    - unique uniforms/ costumes
    - Politicised
    - Imaginative
    - Dedicated
      - 18-hour days
      - Worked in bath tub + bed
        Flamboyant
    - Daring and ruthless
      - Willing to do anything in war to protect Allies from under-going German authority
        even willing to destroy French fleet (Allies) to protect Britain
      - Protective of Britain status
        even willing to destroy French fleet (Allies) to protect Britain
      - PROS
        VICTORY
        Major battles fought+won
        Dunkirk
        
        Battle of Britain
        
        The Blitz
        
        El Alamein 1942
        
        Europe's Victory Day - 8th May 1945
        
        War experience
        Past - Boer War, WW1 -- knew war atmosphere
        
        Knew the best tactics (refused Stalins's suggestion of invasion of France)
        
        Tried to make strong relations
        Generals
        Montgomery - major win at El Alamein
        
        Outside war (Eden) - later to be PM
        
        'Big Three'
        Churchill, Stalin, Roosevelt
        special relationship with Roosevelt (LEND-LEASE)
        £31.6 billion by 1945
        
        The public
        Made visits - kept them feeling out of disaster
        
        Speeches - "WEAPON OF WAR"
        78% polled for him
        
        Won over people with heroism
        
        Personality
        "Bull-dog spirit"
        increased morale of public
        
        Fatherly figure
        
        unique uniforms/ costumes
        
        Politicised
        
        Imaginative
        
        Dedicated
        18-hour days
        
        Worked in bath tub + bed
        
        Daring and ruthless
        Willing to do anything in war to protect Allies from under-going German authority
        
        Protective of Britain status
        
        BRINGS RIVALS TOGETHER IN COALITION
  - BRINGS RIVALS TOGETHER IN COALITION
- CON'S
  - War/battles
    - Lost at Norway Campaign 1940
      - changed his mind on plans all the time
        ships got seperated
      - interfered and indecisive leadership
      - had humiliation of getting chased home by Nazis
      - massive military blunder
    - Past wars mistakes
      - Battle of Somme
        biggest military disaster ever
      - 1940 France Fell - however did have global problems not just allies
      - Removed expert general Talbott of u boats because pointed out churchill's mistake
        repeated problem because links to removal of generals in leadership reign (wavell, auchinleck)
        if weren't similar or same view - he got rid of them
        
        relationships weren't always good (with generals)
  - Relations/ decisions
    - dismisses officers because he has favourites due to having similar strong personalities
      - if weren't similar or same view - he got rid of them
      - Liked favourites (i.e. Montgomery, Anthony Eden)
        In El Alabain - he ignored experts advice and turned to Eden
    - Liked favourites (i.e. Montgomery, Anthony Eden)
      - In El Alabain - he ignored experts advice and turned to Eden
    - lied to civilians about U boats - said destroyed 1/2 yet only destroyed 9/26
      - only cares about results not people + casualties
  - Inhumane war decisions
    - Firebombing in Dresden 1945
      - immoral? ineffective? justiced or war crime contreversy
        1945 - end of war
        
        up to 500,000 dead as result
        
        defence-less with no military value
        
        anyone killed IN FIRESTORM
        
        contradicted Chamberlain parliament statement - 'against international law to bomb civilians as such and to make deliberate attacks on civilian popullation'
    - Dangerous/ ruthless ideas
      - Germ Warfare?!
  - Churchill as leader/person
    - Old fashioned -> didn't fully understand modern military
      - met peak of war tactic in Boer War
    - hated weakness (in staff)
    - very picky and precise on everything
    - dangerous
    - didn't always listen to experts - often listened/ chose his favourites.
    - always takes offensive (attack first)
    - impatient + neglegence of defense
    - drove staff hard - (were tired and got frustrated)
    - wasn't best option - was only option (Lord Halifax was one wanted)
    - often bad-tempered + hard to work with
    - strong views that conflict his ideas + performance
    - exaggerated and aggressive
    - over-works} was danger to his own health - had heart attacks
  - Belief over matter?
    - Waged war in N. Africa + Med (Egypt) not Europe - protecting empire past?
      - war out of europe looked like he was delaying war?!
        was it because had old memories of WW1 mass casualties??
      - D-Day happened 1944 -END OF WAR ISH - could have been earlier - save chaos
        it had made disagreements with USA from December 1941 - could have got involved earlier
        Lost control of war to USA - D-Day 1944
        could have been avoided if dealt with Europe first

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How successful was Churchill's wartime leadership?

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