Churchill Blunders?

[Birchy]

OK, he was the Greatest Briton to some, but was Winston responsible for gaffes that may now be considered crucial to WWII's prolongation? I get the impression that, as a figurehead, he was unequalled.....but as a level headed political and military strategist, was he so perfect? I'm not being unkind, but he's always struck me as a bit of an estate agent in terms of honest conviction.....

[football]

The Bletchley Park, Enigma codes were ignored/ not beleived by the Americans; overlooked/ waiting for the big turning point for the Brits. The difference between Hitler & Churchill: Hitler undermined his Generals continually. Churchill always took war strategy advice from his experts. Churchill visited bomb sites & boosted morale no-end; Hitler never did, relying on the German emotion to be of stronger/ sterner stuff. The German spirit broken.

[WendyW]

Well Birchy ... each to his own opinion but I guess the majority of people totally disagree with you.

[Ewood27]

Of course Churchill wasn't a perfect general. Even generals aren't! Arguably wars aren't won, they are lost by whichever side makes more big mistakes.

Churchill did want to send more RAF fighter aircraft across the Channel to bolster France in 1940. Dowding, the C-in-C of Fighter Command, had to insist that if he did he would leave Britain's own defence dangerously weak. We wouldn't have saved France, as we can see now, and we would have lost the Battle of Britain (it was, as Wellington said of Waterloo, "a darned close-run thing" anyway). That would have opened the way for a German invasion when we were in no shape to repel it.

I believe he also wanted Montgomery to go onto the attack in North Africa before Monty had built up his forces to the extent he wanted. Monty insisted, waited, and won.

Churchill was thinking as a politician, always trying to bring others "on side", but he was able to be dissuaded by the experts when needed. Hitler, on the other hand, overruled his generals with disastrous results for Germany.

One has to remember that Churchill had been the driving force behind the disastrous Gallipoli campaign in 1915, during WW1, when he was First Lord of the Admiralty, and had suffered some notoriety as Home Secretary at the time of the Sidney Street siege (1910?). Even his over-sized ego must have been aware that he could make mistakes!

[AndrewHunt]

Before the war, Churchill was well known as a pig headed stubborn individual. Luckily for us it was exactly what we needed during the war!

[Birchy]

Thanks All ! Except for WendyW who is guessing as opposed to providing an answer. Any chance The Answerbank contributions are fact-based rather than Wendy-esque guesses?

Birchy - welcome to the site and glad you got answers you were happy with. But, please note, not only is personal abuse not allowed here, but you've chosen to moan about one of the most consistantly helpful, accurate and thoughtful contributors. We look forward to you helping as many people as WendyW! - ABEditor

[Birchy]

I have also provided answers to contributors' questions. Does this mean that I may express my opinions - in the form of "answers" - on any subject I care to? I take exception to your comments, but hope that one day I may achieve the canonisation you have already bestowed on precious little WendyW !

Birchy, as I'm sure you have realised already (being a regular contributor) this site is friendly and helpful. Why not keep it that way? - AB Editor