Recalling this incident that had just happened not long ago, Eisenhower actually did not mean to blame Churchill much.
Everyone knows the current situation in the UK and can see clearly that the little naval wealth they have is basically saved before the war. Most of the British Royal Navy's proud main battleship fleet came from the First World War.
Standard old antiques. Destroyers and cruisers are almost the same, and the entire navy is full of a strong sense of age.
Compared with the new and powerful navy of our motherland, which is still constantly injecting new blood, the British Royal Navy is indeed somewhat declining, and heroes are dying. It is really unrealistic for the British to gather so many landing ships at once.
It was because I thought a little too much for granted at the time.
But fortunately, there is a way after all, and the support that should be provided has indeed been met, and it is in my hands at this moment.
The Overlord plan, which has received strong support, will be launched as scheduled, and Eisenhower does not have to worry about unexpected changes that may occur during Operation Overlord, which is delayed until June.
As the Commander-in-Chief of the Allied Forces, Eisenhower was now a soldier, and his status as a commander placed strict demands on himself.
It was his duty to win the largest landing battle in history. Eisenhower was only thinking about how to win this battle. He could forget about everything else for the time being.
Although the way to meet his own needs and requirements has changed, it is not through Churchill, but from his own President Roosevelt.
But since the orders and requirements were clearly written in black and white in the telegram sent to him from Washington, then this process, which he had not thought about in advance, was no longer important.
Similar to Zhukov in this regard, Eisenhower was also a commander who valued results more than the process. As long as Operation Overlord can be carried out as scheduled and will not delay his own actions, then there is no need to care about other things.
.
"Max, I've been having doubts since the beginning. You have to know that this is not what the President personally told me before I left for London. Not all plans must go according to the Prime Minister's instructions.
If I wanted to, I was even authorized to quarrel with Churchill on certain issues."
"But this telegram... I don't understand. It is inconsistent with our country's grand strategy on European issues, at least it should be inconsistent. A Europe as Churchill thought is not the best interest for our country.
What exactly is Mr. President planning? I’m not questioning it, it’s just that I haven’t yet understood Mr. President’s brilliance and strategy, and I’m sure that’s the case.”
Although Max's identity was only a colonel in the U.S. Army, Eisenhower was willing to share his doubts with him, reveal the truth, and even tell Max some "ambiguous" low-level secrets. This was very impressive.
It reflects one person's trust and respect for another person.
In fact, how could a colonel, who could stay beside the Commander-in-Chief of the Allied Forces and attend to all kinds of busy work, be an unknown and small role?
Max was already a member of the White House staff before being transferred to Eisenhower as a plenipotentiary assistant.
Eisenhower had never heard of this hidden figure hidden behind the scenes of the White House, but he knew something about his deeds through Roosevelt's mouth.
It is said that before the Japanese took action, Max was one of the few White House staff members who saw through Japan's real plan, and he was still a military attache rather than a civilian official. This aroused considerable interest in Roosevelt at the time.
"He understood the truth of the war, David. Before the Japanese fleet left the port, he personally reported to me that the Japanese would definitely use force against us, and he accurately predicted that the location would be Pearl Harbor.
He swore to me that if he were the head of the Japanese navy, he would definitely attack here. This is the only chance for Japan to gain a slim chance of victory."
"He also wrote such a large document to me. If you are interested, you can read it. Of course, I recommend you to do so. Max is a very outstanding young man. He has a vision that transcends the military service and ordinary mid-level officers.
Strategy, the ability to control macro-strategy. Cultivate a future talent for our American army, David, he will follow you from now on."
Eisenhower didn't care about the family background and origin of this young man named Max, but he did have to admit that Roosevelt's analysis was good after actual contact.
Having this young mind named Max by his side can indeed play a role in divergent thinking. Eisenhower had to admit that this young mind did help him a lot when he was troubled by his thinking, and also solved some difficult problems.
practical issues.
So when Eisenhower encountered another problem, he was willing to tell Max the actual problems and thoughts in his heart to see what unique insights this young man who had been ordered by the president to come to his side to assist him could have.
After getting the permission signal from Eisenhower's eyes, Colonel Max, knowing what he should do, immediately picked up the telegram on the table and quickly read it.
It didn't take too long to sort out his thoughts silently in his mind, and it didn't take long to organize his words. The clear-cut Colonel Max quickly answered Eisenhower.
"There is something missing from the telegram. Perhaps neither of us is qualified to know, General."
"The President did not tell us what he got from Churchill. The essence of politics is the same as shopping mall games. It is nothing more than a transaction, especially between allies. Since Churchill made the President willing to help him,
It’s impossible for him not to pay a certain price.”
"As for what the price is... I guess it may be Britain's post-war interests in Southeast Asia? It is most likely related to India? These are the things worth being exchanged for. I can't think of this impoverished and declining country.
What’s left in the empire to attract us? How about exchanging their broken battleships? Hehe, I’m not a navy, but I also know that those old antiques have long since faded. Who would want these old girls?”
Max, who was already among the White House staff and dealt directly with politicians and even Roosevelt all day long, pointed out the key points of the problem to the point.
Since Roosevelt promised to send a ship to Churchill, what was the price?
A Europe that is relatively chaotic, but not completely dead, is more in line with the post-war interests of the United States. It would be a good idea to let Stalin occupy more territory. It is Churchill, not Roosevelt, who is a neighbor across the strait with those idiots. He can just get up and go out in the morning.
The person who confronted Mao Zi across the sea and against the wind was also Churchill, not Roosevelt.
The United States does not want either Europe or the Soviet Union to become too big. Finding the most critical strategic balance between the two will best serve the interests of the United States after the war.
To say that Roosevelt did not take the opportunity to rip off Churchill and gain some benefits on this issue, Colonel Max, who had been soaking in the big dye vat of the White House for several years, would never believe it.