Alan Brooke’s diaries have an unexpected dimension. His meticulous accounts of meetings, sherry parties, dinners and time with his family and bird books are what I expected and get.
Now I am in 1943 looking at the war through one man’s eyes. His disagreements with Churchill have been well documented but he also has to persuade the American Chiefs of Staff to adopt his strategy and he cannot get Marshall to see further than the end of his nose, as he frequently puts it.
Brooke wants to defeat Italy before preparing for a cross Channel invasion of France. The American strategists want to abandon the Italian campaign, move troops to England for an invasion and make an incursion into the south of France. Brooke’s objection is that the Italian campaign is diverting German forces that would otherwise be used against Russia and strengthening their defences in France. Furthermore while Germany has an excellent east-west railway system it would take the Allies up to three months to move troops from the Mediterranean by sea and reform and retrain them in England. There is never any doubt in his mind that he is right and no way of knowing if the American plan might have ended the war sooner. What is clear is that the Allies got bogged down in Italy and should have taken the country much more quickly.
Brooke is working long hours under extreme pressure and his diaries indicate to a chap with a degree in psychology that he was not far from a nervous breakdown. The tone has completely changed from his entries earlier in the war. Now he often writes of his exhaustion and disinclination to work, both signs of a person on the verge of collapse. His stamina and determination are winning through but at great cost to himself. My guess is that his sheer bloody-mindedness made him many enemies in political and military circles in Britain and the United States. His account of trying to build bridges with Stalin at dinner in Teheran is astonishing. Stalin accused Brooke of “looking upon Russians with suspicion”. At the bibulous dinner were: Roosevelt, Churchill, Stalin, Molotov, Eden, Hopkins, Harriman … American Chiefs of Staff, British Chiefs of Staff, Winant, … Randolph and Sarah Churchill and Roosevelt’s son and son-in-law.
Brooke seized the nettle, stood up and made a speech that Stalin admired. Incidentally Brooke thought Stalin a great military strategist, the only problem being that his aim was to extend Russia’s territories in Eastern Europe and that could best be achieved by weakening the Allied armies. At the end of the day we won the war and Stalin got what he wanted until everything changed in 1989; or did it?
These diaries are long but a most rewarding reflection of Brooke’s emotions as much as his recording of his daily duties. There is much repetition; almost daily Chiefs of Staff meetings. This builds up a picture of his workload, his exasperation with his colleagues both military and political. I’m sorry to say that Alexander does not get off lightly.
“18th November 1943, Malta
… On the other hand Alexander charming as he is fills me with gloom, he is a very, very, small man and cannot see big. Unfortunately he does not recognize this fact and is oblivious to his shortcomings! Perhaps it is as well or he might get an inferiority complex. But I shudder at the thought of him as a Supreme Commander! He will never have the personality or vision to command three services! It is hard to advise him as he fails really to grasp the significance of things.”
Alex does, occasionally, get credit from the fair Brooke. “ In my talk with Alexander about command, I found him, as always, quite charming to deal with, always ready to do what was requested of him, never scheming or pulling strings. A soldier of the very highest principles.” (Note later added to his entry for 12th December 1943.)
I cannot think of any other diarist that has exposed them-self emotionally as much as the hard-driven Brooke as he struggles to implement his strategy to win the war. He is as unsparing of himself as he is of the people he works with. Unlike most diarists he did not want his published. I’m glad they have been but they make for uncomfortable reading.
I like the picture of Earl Alexander with a splendid display of medal ribbons but, from a brief glance and without being able to see them all, I don’t think they outnumber those of a certain Admiral of the Fleet. I am glad you are enjoying Alanbrooke’s diaries which are right at the top of my list of unread books. I shall be getting down to them very shortly, once I have finished Darling Monster.