Bedford Public Library

Commander in Chief, FDR's battle with Churchill, 1943, Nigel Hamilton

eng

Includes bibliographical references and index

mapsplatesphotographs

index present

non fiction

Commander in Chief

bibliography

Nigel Hamilton

FDR's battle with Churchill, 1943

1943 was the year of Allied military counteroffensives, beating back the forces of the Axis powers in North Africa and the Pacific?the “Hinge of Fate,” as Winston Churchill called it. In Commander in Chief Nigel Hamilton reveals FDR?s true role in this saga: overruling his own Joint Chiefs of Staff, ordering American airmen on an ambush of the Japanese navy?s Admiral Yamamoto, facing down Churchill when he attempted to abandon Allied D-day strategy (twice). This FDR is profoundly different from the one Churchill later painted. President Roosevelt?s patience was tested to the limit quelling the Prime Minister?s “revolt,” as Churchill pressured Congress and senior American leaders to focus Allied energy on disastrous fighting in Italy and the Aegean instead of landings in Normandy. Finally, in a dramatic showdown at Hyde Park, FDR had to stop Churchill from losing the war by making the ultimate threat, setting the Allies on their course to final victory

Part one. A secret journey -- A crazy idea -- Aboard the magic carpet -- Part two. Total war -- The United Nations -- What next? -- Stalin's nyet -- Addressing Congress -- A fool's paradise -- Facing the Joint Chiefs of Staff -- Part three. Casablanca -- The house of happiness -- Hot water -- A wonderful picture -- In the president's boudoir -- Part four. Unconditional surrender -- Stimson is aghast -- De Gaulle -- An acerbic interview -- The unconditional surrender meeting -- Part five. Kasserine -- Kasserine -- Arch-admirals and arch-generals -- Between two forces of evil -- Health issues -- Part six. Get Yamamoto! -- Inspection tour two -- Get Yamamoto! -- "He's dead?" -- Part seven. Beware Greeks bearing gifts -- Saga of the Nibelungs -- A scene from The Arabian Nights -- The God Neptune -- A battle royal -- No major operations until 1945 or 1946 -- Part eight. The Riot Act -- The Davies Mission -- A dozen Dieppes in a day -- The future of the world at stake -- The president loses patience -- Part nine. The first crack in the Axis -- Sicily - and Kursk -- The Fuhrer flies to Italy -- Countercrisis -- A fishing expedition in Ontario -- The president's judgment -- Part ten. Conundrum -- Stalin lies -- War on two western fronts -- The Fuhrer is very optimistic -- A cardinal moment -- Churchill is stunned -- Part eleven. Quebec 1943 -- The German will to fight -- Near-homicidal negotiations -- A longing in the air -- The president is upset - with the Russians -- Part twelve. The endgame -- Close to disaster -- A Darwinian struggle -- A talk with Archbishop Spellman -- The empires of the future -- A tragicomedy of errors -- Meeting reality -- A message to Congress -- Achieving wonders