It’s May 1943 and I’m with Alan Brooke in Washington. A diarist, a blogger too, likes to show their best side although Chips Channon never seemed to have a best side.
Brooke’s diaries are published as he wrote them except for bits, usually names, that are illegible. He later annotated them usually apologising for not giving enough credit to his military colleagues. I am becoming obsessed by his focus. He is determined to prosecute the war in the Mediterranean, invading Sicily and Italy. Neither the American or British Chiefs of Staff nor Churchill are in favour. Fortunately his opponents are divided.
Admiral King ( US Navy) “thinks the war can only be won by action in the Pacific at the expense of all other fronts”. Marshall (US General) thinks the answer “lies in a cross Channel operation with some 20 to 30 divisions, irrespective of the situation on the Russian front … “. Portal (Marshal of the RAF) “considers that success lies in accumulating the largest Air Force possible in England and that then, and then only, success lies assured through the bombing of Europe”. Pound (Admiral of the Fleet) “ on the other hand is obsessed with the anti-U-boat warfare and considers that success can only be secured by the defeat of this menace”.
Brooke writing about his view “considers that success can only be secured by pressing operations in the Mediterranean to force a dispersal of German forces, help Russia, and thus eventually produce a situation where cross Channel operations are possible”.
Was the Prime Minister helpful to Brooke? “ Winston thinks one thing at one moment and another at another moment. At times the war may be won by bombing and all must be sacrificed to it. At others it becomes essential for us to bleed ourselves dry on the Continent because Russia is doing the same. At others our main effort must be in the Mediterranean, directed against Italy or Balkans alternatively, with sporadic desires to invade Norway and ‘roll up the map in the opposite direction to Hitler’! But more often than all he wants to carry out ALL operations simultaneously irrespective of shortages of shipping!”
As you see, everyone was concerned with their own patch. Brooke’s greatness lies in his appreciation of an over-arching strategy and his persistence in pressing for this to be adopted. Fortunately his strategy succeeded but it must have been a great burden for him to bear. He also wanted the right Generals and often frets that they are getting tired or are not showing initiative. Also he finds his political masters, not just Winston, most unhelpful. His stamina is remarkable. His life as CIGS (Chief of the Imperial General Staff) consisted of interminable meetings, difficult decisions, much paperwork, at least four meals a day, often after-dinner films (as if he hadn’t had enough) and then late nights with the Prime Minister. I doubt anyone would be capable of such a regime today, in peace time.
Diaries really are revealing about their authors. Right now I think the two diarists I most admire for their modesty and good judgement are the Alans: Lascelles and Brooke. If you’d like to get to know the latter a bit better this BBC documentary may not help but it’s interesting to see him deal with a distinguished panel of interviewers.