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... ns. Churchill was always very interested in the Middle East, and believed that their resources were worth protecting. Accordingly, he fully supported Wells operations in North Africa.
Indeed, Churchill was always will to send reinforcements. He truly believed that he would meet both Germany and Italy in the Middle East. Part of Churchill's plan against Germany was to attack them peripherally, through its weakest link, Italy. Italy was very interested in taking over Libya. Mussolini had 25, 000 soldiers stationed in Egypt, and Churchill pulled together his forces from Australia, Palestine and others to create a force of 50, 000.
Churchill's greatest fear in losing Egypt was losing the British Navy's occupation of the Mediterranean. Hitler however, was not very interested in the whole Middle East and North Africa issue. He had to support Italy, mainly because Italy could no support itself. Thus, many historians have wondered why Churchill felt it was necessary to continue the North African offensive. It was a drain on supplies and logistics, as well as the R.
A. F, tanks and soldiers. Yet, Churchill was concerned with the resources that Hitler could gain from this area, and was determined to protect it, especially Egypt. But in reality, it appeared that Churchill was playing a guessing game, trying to figure out where Hitler would go next. The North African battles drained Britain of resources it could have saved up for a battle on German soil. In the midst of the decisions, Churchill had to make about North Africa, Greece was asking for support.
In October, Mussolini had, without asking Hitlers advice, attacked Greece from Albania. At first, Churchill wanted to solely concentrate on North Africa, but when he took in all the political and social implications of refusing to help Greece, he changed his mind. These political implications were mainly focused on getting the United States of America, Yugoslavia, Turkey and Russia involved in the war. His main objective of course was to entice Roosevelt into joining the allied cause, for Churchill realized the wealth and power that the United States held.
Churchill ran across many dangers, particularly if the Germans helped the Italians invade Greece. He was not even sure the British troops could be in Greece before Germany attacked. Added to this, was the problem of supplies, and Churchill soon decided he would not pledge to help Greece. It was too late however, for Eden, a commander had signed an agreement to aid Greece. Thus, Britain was bound to their agreement and had to send support. Reinforcements were brought from the Middle East and diverted from the campaign in North Africa.
Churchill was disappointed, but as a man of his word, would not go back on his countrys promise to the Greeks. At the same time, British intelligence agents had started rumors that encouraged a revolt in Yugoslavia. Hitler sent a massive army to meet this resistance, and upon crushing it, turned down toward Greece. They entered the country with little resistance, and found a force of eighty men who resisted. After the Greek soldiers had been killed the Nazis found written on the wall of the building, At Thermopylae, the three hundred were killed. Here the eighty will fall defending their country.
The British had pulled out after heavy casualties, leaving Greece defenseless and confused. Churchill had applied a Fabian tactic of delay. Though the German conquest of Greece and Yugoslavia looked like an impressive Nazi victory, this time consuming invasion actually prevented Hitler from taking Russia before winter arrived. Historians have argued as to the importance of Churchill during the 1940 - 41 period. The myth of Churchill is that he was defiant, determined and everyone admired him even if he got in the chiefs way when it came to military plans and tactics. Most believe that Churchill was the right man for this period of history, and few wish to speculate what could have happened if Churchill had not become Prime Minister.
From the beginning he laid out his goal of total victory and knew he had to achieve it. In the fall of France he would not allow the R. A. F to help France but insisted they train to protect Britain. During the Battle of Britain he understood that the R. A.
F was going to win the war for Britain and that the people needed to pull together to make it through the endless bombings. Churchill was proud of how the British handled the bombings and that they had not lost hope or broke their morale. From that point forward, Churchill's decisions may not have been the greatest. Many historians believe that Churchill should not have considered the North African campaign, but he was quite excited by it and believed that to get to Germany, they would have to go through Italy. Lastly, Churchill committed his troops to Greece with the intention of showing the United States particularly that the British stand up for democracy and to lure Turkey, Yugoslavia, and Russia into their cause. Churchill was always trying to get the United States involved in the war.
In conclusion, Thou have been weighed in the balance and found wanting, was said by Churchill to Chamberlain upon the signing of the Munich Agreement. Churchill did his best and had many successes. However, he was not perfect, as he himself knew. He made a history for himself, and will be remembered, as he wanted to be, the way he portrayed himself. Winston Churchill was a great leader during the years spanning 1940 - 41. His offensive minded defense and push to withstand the Germans and Italians gaining valuable resources in the Middle East, and valuable ports in Greece and Africa are brilliant strategies.
Furthermore, his popularity among his own people in Britain during and after the destructive bombing was also an admirable achievement. Churchill's early successes were paramount in the outcome of the war and held the Germans from achieving absolute power over Europe.
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Research essay sample on Middle East North Africa
