Book Read Free

The Second World War

Page 138

by Winston S. Churchill


  Chiefs of Staff meetings at, 509

  discussion of Polish frontiers at, 745–6

  Churchill suggests, 912, 914, 922, 930–1

  Truman’s suggestion regarding, 332–3

  date for, 934–5

  Churchill’s unfinished work at, 947, 949

  Pound, Admiral Dudley, First Sea Lord, 163, 262

  death of, 163, 235, 706

  afternoon sleep of, 168

  gives news of loss of Courageous, 172

  reports on magnetic mines, 175

  and boarding of Altmark, 199

  on invasion chances, 330, 474

  agrees to send tanks through Mediterranean, 424

  with Churchill on Prince of Wales, 475

  announces loss of Prince of Wales and Repulse, 496

  accompanies Churchill to Washington, 497–8, 500

  flies back with Churchill, 512–13

  at Casablanca, 644

  and “Husky”, 682

  in Quebec, 700

  resigns, 701

  mentioned, 400

  Prague, Russian-German link in, 125

  Runciman’s mission to, 127

  German troops march into, 142

  Russians allowed to take, 919, 922, 953

  behind Iron Curtain, 955

  Pravda, on Fulton speech, 956

  Press, British, and German suggestion of non-aggression pact, 88

  demands a National Government, 147

  critical of conduct of war, 515, 518, 568

  censures action in Greece, 870

  Press, U.S., and fall of Tobruk, 566

  censures action in Greece, 870–1

  Press Conference, at Casablanca, 647

  Pride and Prejudice, 753

  Prien, Captain, 174, 401

  Primauguet, the, 636–7

  Prince of Wales, H.M.S., carries Churchill to Placentia Bay, 474–6, 478–9

  at Singapore, 495

  loss of, 496

  Princeton, U.S.S., 837

  Prisoners-of-war, British, on Altmark, 198–9

  Italian, in Western Desert, 385–6

  British, taken in Syria, 441

  German orders as to treatment of Russian, 454–5

  U-boat attack on ship carrying Italian, 535

  Italian, taken at Alamein, 628

  taken in Tunisia, 661–2, 671

  British, helped by Italian Resistance, 768

  German, in Russia, 815

  taken in clearing Scheldt estuary, 848

  German, in Italy, 917

  in Germany, 919

  Stalin on use of German, 947

  Production Council, 293

  Prome, 831–2

  Provence, the, 318

  Prussia, post-war treatment of, 623, 733, 746

  Punch cartoon (1939), 141

  “Punishment”, Operation, 415

  Purvis, Arthur, 368

  Qattara Depression, 577

  “Quadrant”, Operation, 691

  Quebec Conference, First, 691, 696–9, 700

  decisions reached at, 698–9, 708, 725, 963

  Second, 829, 861, 921–2

  Queen Elizabeth, H.M.S., 425

  crippled by time-bomb, 490, 511, 565

  Queen Mary, the, 663–4, 691, 693

  Queenstown, 120–1

  Quinan, General, 481

  Quincy, U.S.S., 877, 892

  Quisling, Major Vidkun, 195, 210

  Rabaul, Japanese naval base at, 539, 541

  Radar, 164

  warns of aircraft approaching coasts, 349

  development of, against U-boats, 400

  German jamming of, 531

  aircraft carrying, 536

  in Battle of Coral Sea, 542

  enemy, driven back from frontier, 849

  Raeder, Admiral, appeals to Hitler against war, 132

  plans invasion of Normandy, 193, 195

  and invasion of England, 333, 335, 340–1, 343, 352

  wants to attack U.S. ships, 403

  dismissal of, 715

  mentioned, 68, 185

  Ragil Depression, 620

  Ramillies, H.M.S., 479

  Ramsay, Admiral (U.S.), 800

  Ramsay, Admiral Sir B. H., organises evacuation from Dunkirk, 248, 265, 269, 272

  Ramsgate, in German invasion plans, 336–337

  air raid on, 357

  Rangoon, 824

  amphibious landing at, 829–32

  advance on by land, 830–1, 861

  taking of, 832

  Rapido, River, 713, 771, 774

  Rashid Ali, 437–40, 452

  Rauenfels, the, 210

  Rawalpindi, loss of, 176–7

  Rawlings, Rear-Admiral, 432

  Rearmament, German, 35, 37, 41, 51, 53, 55–62, 84–5

  Labour opposition to British, 78

  Baldwin and, 79, 98

  German expenditure on, 95–6

  deputation to Prime Minister on need for, 96–7

  “Arms and the Covenant” movement towards, 99–100

  Chamberlain’s attitude to, 105, 107, 140

  British, after Munich, 140

  Red Army. See Russian Army

  Regensburg, 898

  Reggio, 704

  Reibel, Charles, 310

  Reichenau, General von, 117

  Reichstag, 27, 34–5

  burning of, 34

  Reichswehr, power of, 28

  joins with Hitler, 29–30, 33, 35

  merging of Brownshirts with, 47

  Reigate, 337

  Remagen, 893

  Rennes, 306

  Renown, H.M.S., 75, 425

  Churchill’s voyages on, 701, 704, 706, 726

  Reparations (1918), 5–6

  extorted by U.S. from their own loans, 11

  easement of, 30

  question of cancelling, 32

  Repulse, H.M.S., 495–6

  Resistance movements, in Greece, 763–4

  in Italy, 767–8, 917–18

  in France, 793, 795–6, 802

  in Belgium, 845

  Dutch, 847

  vengeance of, on Mussolini, 918

  in Yugoslavia see Chetniks; Partisans

  Resolution, H.M.S., at Oran, 316

  Rethel, 305

  Retimo, 428, 430, 434

  “Retribution”, Operation, 662

  Revenge, H.M.S., 332

  Reykjavik, U.S. convoys to, 404

  Churchill in, 478–9

  Reynaud, Paul, replaces Daladier, 201

  agrees to mining the Leads, 202

  sends news of German attack, 241

  on French defeat, 242–3

  Churchill visits, in Paris, 243, 245, 250, 269

  makes changes in Cabinet and High Command, 246, 250

  informed of evacuation of B.E.F., 260

  at Supreme War Council meetings (May/June, 1940), 269–71, 286–92, 301–302, 306

  in England, appeals for concessions to Italy, 277–8

  determined to fight on, 290

  Roosevelt’s message to, 303–4

  and Union with Britain, 308–10

  resignation of, 310

  Rheims, 860, 919

  Rhine, River, French seek frontier on, 5

  Germany suggests guaranteeing status on, 16

  Germany suggests demilitarizing, 85

  Churchill visits French front on (1939), 152–3

  Eisenhower’s plan for crossing, 845

  crossing of Lower, 846–7

  weather prevents advance on, 860–1

  French Army reaches, 860

  objectives not reached on, 861

  Roosevelt on terrain near, 863

  Germans driven back across, 892

  Allied bridgeheads over, 893, 895, 897

  crossings of, 894–5, 897

  Churchill crosses, 896–7

  Rhineland, Allied evacuation of, 18, 30

  “demilitarised zone” of, 86

  German reoccupation of, 86–9

  fortification
of, 92, 113

  Rhodes, desirability of taking, 408, 707–8, 747

  Italian fortress of, 427

  failure to occupy, 709–11, 730

  Rhone, Valley, German armour in, 279

  projected Anglo-American advance up, 729

  Allied advance up, 802–3. See “Anvil”

  Ribbentrop, Frau von, 118

  Ribbentrop, Joachim von, Churchill’s conversation with, on Anglo-German relations, 102–3

  presents ultimatum to Schuschnigg, 115

  Chamberlain’s farewell party to, 118–19

  puts pressure on Poland, 141, 145

  in Moscow to sign Non-Aggression Pact, 157

  on British defences, 327

  delivers declaration of war on Russia, 453

  mentioned, 140

  Richelieu, the, 316, 319, 638

  Riggs, H. C., 265

  Rimini, 804

  Rintelen, Anton von, 51

  Rio Claro, S.S., 170

  Rio de Janeiro, the, 206

  Ritchie, General Sir N. M., G.O.C. Eighth Army, 489, 516

  defensive position of, 559

  position of, in relation to Auchinleck, 560, 573

  orders to, regarding Tobruk, 560–1

  superseded, 569, 578

  River Plate, Battle of, 179–85

  Riviera, war with Italy in, 279

  projected landing in, 729, See also “Anvil”

  Roberts, Major-General G. P. B., 615

  Roberts, H.M.S., 848

  Robertson, General Sir Brian H., 654, 758

  Rodney, H.M.S., 636

  Roehm, Ernst, 26, 28

  plots against Hitler, 30, 33, 49

  leads disaffection in S.A., 47–8

  arrest and death of, 49–50

  Roer dams, 860, 864, 893

  Rogers, Captain Kelly, 512–14, 562

  Rokossovsky, Marshal, 822

  Roma, the, 704

  Rome, Laval in, 53–4

  bombing of, 684–5

  German occupation of, 689, 703–4

  Allies seek to capture airfields near, 698–9, 703, 796

  need to capture, 710–11, 728–9, 797

  amphibious landing to help capture of, 754–5

  Committee of Liberation in, 767

  Allies capture, 781, 783, 798, 803

  Churchill in, 804–5

  Rome Protocols, 46

  Rome-Berlin Axis, 92, 275

  Romer, M., 852

  Rommel, Marshal Erwin, 421–2

  in France (1940), 252, 286, 307, 421

  in command of Afrika Korps, 421–2

  Churchill’s tribute to, 422

  victories of, 422–3, 442–4, 516, 568

  reinforcements for, 424, 442, 484

  supply difficulties of, 442, 482, 484, 561, 579, 620–1

  German High Command’s orders to, 442, 484

  in “Crusader”, 488–9

  refitting of army of, 490

  attacks Eighth Army (May 1942), 559–60

  determines to take Egypt, 577–9

  on attack of New Zealanders, 578–9

  counter-attacks on, 579

  need for defeat of, before “Torch”, 592, 595–6

  story of Montgomery on subject of, 594

  Montgomery prepared for attack of, 614–15, 620

  attacks and is repulsed at Alam Halfa, 619–21

  handicapped by shipping losses, 626–7

  illness of, 626, 661

  at Alamein, 626

  in retreat, 628, 643–5

  on British artillery, 629

  supplied through Tunisia, 635

  in command in Tunisia, 660

  in Italy, 698

  in France (1944), 787, 789

  in conference with Hitler, 789

  disabled in air attack, 790

  Roof-watchers, 358, 362–3

  Roosevelt, Elliott, 476

  Roosevelt, Mrs. Elinor, 503

  Roosevelt, President Franklin D., helps Flandin, 90

  suggests use of American influence to bring settlement in Europe, 107–10, 144

  personal message of, to Dictators, 146

  and atomic bombs, 154, 564, 963

  correspondence of, with Churchill, 173–4, 235–7, 469, 518, 710, 753. 761, 786, 807–8, 853, 861, 863, 898–900, 902–3, 906

  Chiefs of Staff of, 235

  and MacArthur at Corregidor, 268–9

  approaches Mussolini for Allies, 277–8

  speech of, on Italian declaration of war, 279

  initiates supply of arms to Britain, 283–4, 321

  French appeals to, 302–4

  Churchill’s relations with, 367

  reelection of, 367

  Lend-Lease scheme of, 370–1

  and appointment of Halifax, 372

  Harry Hopkins and, 389–90

  extends U.S. Security Zone and patrol areas in Atlantic, 402–3

  declares Unlimited National Emergency, 403

  believes that Russian front will hold, 461

  doubts wisdom of holding Middle East, 473

  Churchill meets, in Newfoundland, 474–8

  and Atlantic Charter, 476–8

  and attack on Pearl Harbour, 491

  Churchill gives papers on future course of war to, 501

  supports idea of landing in N. Africa, 501–2, 512, 557, 580

  Churchill visits, 503–4, 507–12, 562–7, 663–6

  draws up Declaration of United Nations, 507–8

  talks of, with Litvinov, 506

  sets munitions schedule, 510

  on escape of Scharnhorst and Gneisenau, 532

  sends radar-carrying aircraft, 536

  and Second Front, 550, 553, 581–5, 665

  drives Churchill in car, 562–3

  receives news of fall of Tobruk, 564

  sends Sherman tanks to Egypt, 565

  memorandum of, on war policy, 582–4

  and preparations for “Torch”, 585–6, 631

  and de Gaulle, 631, 646

  at Casablanca, 644–5, 650

  and “unconditional surrender”, 647–9

  at Marrakesh, 650–1

  holds exaggerated idea of Chinese importance, 644, 726–7

  doubtful of Italian invasion plan, 665–6

  at first Quebec Conference, 691, 696–9, 963

  and command of “Overlord”, 697–698, 725, 729, 750–2

  against operation in Ægean, 710, 731

  and Anglo-American talks before Teheran, 725–6

  in Cairo, 726–9, 747–51

  promises amphibious operation in Burma to Chiang Kai-shek, 727, 737–8, 747–9

  suggests attack through Istria, 730, 745, 799

  at Teheran Conference, 731–2, 734–5, 737, 740

  avoids private meeting with Churchill, 734, 737

  private talks of, with Stalin, 734–5, 737

  plan of, for post-war world, 734–5

  misrepresents Churchill’s views, 735, 737

  and date of “Overlord”, 737, 740

  at dinner at British Legation, 741–4

  proposals of, for treatment of Germany, 746

  cannot part with Marshall, 750–1

  visits Sphinx, 751

  sanctions use of landing-craft at “Anzio”, 756–8

  insists on “Anvil” (“Dragoon”), 799–801

  fears “spheres of influence” in Balkans, 811–13

  appeals to Stalin, on help to Warsaw, 819

  correspondence of, with Stalin, on Polish question, 876

  at Malta Conference, 876–7

  at Yalta Conference, 878, 880, 882, 884–6, 888–91, 943

  suggests working out plan for treatment of Germany, 880

  agrees about Curzon Line, 884

  failing health of, 899–900, 902–3

  accused by Stalin of bad faith, 905–6, 922

  death of, 906–7

  fails to bring Truman into decisions, 907

  and German occupation zones, 921, 937

&
nbsp; “four freedoms” of, 958

  and independence of Korea, 968

  Roosevelt, Franklin D., junior, 478–9

  Roper, U.S.S., 533

  Rosenberg, Herr, 26, 195

  Rostock, 202

  Rothermere, Lord, 82

  Rotterdam, destruction of, 241

  invasion of Britain from, 337

  Rouen, retreat to (1940), 285–6

  advance to (1944), 794–5

  Roumania, uneasy at German rearmament, 41

  and Russian help to Czechoslovakia, 128

  refuses to allow entry of Russian troops, 145, 149

  British guarantee to, 148, 152

  refuses Russian guarantee, 152

  oil supplies to Germany from, 201–2

  Russian demands from, 281

  German troop concentrations in, 448, 450

  Russians on frontiers of, 764, 810

  Russia and, 810, 812, 852, 855, 913

  coup d’état of King Michael in, 815

  Russian occupation of, 815, 851, 876

  Communist Government forced on, 901–2

  a Russian satellite, 935, 953, 958

  Roumanian Army, 448, 467, 815

  “Round-up”, Operation, 551, 566, 580 n.

  jeopardised by “Sledgehammer”, 580–1

  Roosevelt on, 583

  Rowan, Sir Leslie, private secretary, 877

  Royal Air Force, loses parity with German Air Force, 56–62

  excels in quality but not quantity, 62, 266

  Churchill on need to develop, 97

  strengthened after Munich, 136, 138

  in help for Norway, 210–11

  bombing of Germany by, 206, 262, 323, 353, 360, 469, 580, 602, 696, 713, 717, 849–50, 865

  in France (1940), 240–1, 328

  French demands on, 241, 245–6, 287, 289, 308, 322

  required for Home Defence, 241–2, 287, 322

  prowess of, at Dunkirk, 266–7, 273, 327–8

  part of, in stemming invasion, 261

  prevented from taking off at Marseilles, 289

  Keitel on, 323

  attacks invasion fleet, 330, 338–9, 352

  invasion hinges on destruction of, 343

  Goering fails to destroy, 344–5, 352

  compared to German Air Force, 345

  Dowding’s disposition of fighters in England, 346

  in danger from German air raids, 347–8

  losses in, over Britain, 348, 352

  organisation of, during battle, 348–51

  wins Battle of Britain, 352

  night fighters of, 354

  bombs Scharnhorst and Gneisenau, 405–6

  in Greece, 414, 424, 867, 872

  in evacuation from Greece and Crete, 419, 432–3

  weakness of, in Crete, 432–3

  in Iraq, 437, 439–40

  in Malaya and Singapore, 524

  in Italy, 660, 783

  destroys Möhne and Eder dams, 692

  sinks Tirpitz, 723

  and “Overlord”, 739, 790

  bombs flying-bomb sites, 789

  tries to aid Warsaw, 817–20

  Russia refuses permission for landing of planes of, 818

 

‹ Prev