How Churchill Waged War: The Most Challenging Decisions of the Second World War

by Allen Packwood

When Winston Churchill accepted the position of Prime Minister in May 1940, he insisted in also becoming Minister of Defence. He was not going to play the chairman's role, adjudicating between the competing claims of the ministers below him. He was going to get his hands dirty and take direct personal control of the day to day running of military policy. This, though, meant that he alone would be responsible for the success or failure of Britain's war effort. It also meant that he would be faced with many monumental challenges and utterly crucial decisions upon which the fate of Britain and the free world rested.

One of his first agonizing decisions was how to respond to the collapse of France, and the danger posed to Britain's survival should the powerful French fleet fall into German hands. When he ordered Admiral Sommerville to sink the French fleet at Mers-el-K�bir, he knew that France might be turned against Britain, but that act demonstrated to the world that he was determined to wage war 'whatever the cost may be'.

With the limited resources available to the UK, Churchill had to decided where his country's priorities lay. Should he concentrate on the defense of the realm or take the war to the enemy - and where should any offensive action be focused? Did Egypt and the war in North Africa take precedence over Singapore and the UK's empire in the East? How much support should be offered to the Soviet Union? How much of the direction of the war could he allow to be dictated by the United States?

In this insightful investigation into Churchill's conduct during the Second World War, Allen Packwood, the Director of the Churchill Archives Centre, enables the reader to share the agonies and uncertainties faced by Churchill at each crucial stage of the war. How Churchill responded to each challenge is analyzed in great detail and the conclusions the author draws are as uncompromising as those made by Britain's wartime leader as he negotiated his country through its darkest days.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, World War II, Military History

288 pages, Paperback

Published August 29, 2019

Reviews

[Brian Page · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just when you think that everything about Winston Churchill that could be written may have already been written, along comes Allen Packwood and his splendid volume, How Churchill Waged War: The Most Challenging Decisions of the Second World War. Each of the ten chapters is devoted to a critical decision, beginning with Churchill’s decision to occupy the roles of PM plus Minister of Defense and ending with Churchill’s decision to run the 1945 campaign with such partisan aggressiveness. Packwood is Director of the Churchill Archives Centre and, to no surprise, his text is well steeped in primary source material, providing great insight into the thinking & activities of the principals. Packwood isn’t a Churchill fanboy. His account is nuanced and measured. Some of my favorite chapters were those on Churchill’s handling of Auchinleck & Wavell, and Singapore. Incidents that usually rate a few paragraphs in most Churchill & WWII accounts here are dissected in detail. Speaking of which, I believe a reader ought to have a significant understanding of Churchill, WWII, and traditional treatment of these decisions to truly benefit from this book. How Churchill Waged War is a welcome addition to the Churchill canon.

[Edward C. Schmidt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beyond The Images

Very well written and a fascinating exposition of what led to various decisions by Prime Minister Churchill. This helps get behind simplistic images of the genius and leadership of Churchill.

[Campbell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting, but not written in a very engaging style.

[Tam Le Blanc · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thematic and can be slightly difficult to follow.