The Resilient Decision-Maker by Joseph Lampel

Author:Joseph Lampel
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-5445-0412-4
Publisher: BookBaby
Published: 2019-09-30T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Five

Resilient Leadership

On May 13, 1940, three days after becoming prime minister, Winston Churchill rose to address the House of Commons. After a series of preliminary comments, which dealt with the formation of a government under his leadership, Churchill turned to the momentous challenge facing Britain. He described the forthcoming struggle as “one of the greatest battles in history,” and—to dispel any illusions that victory would come easily—he declared, “I would say to the House, as I said to those who have joined this government: ‘I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears, and sweat.’”

Churchill continued to speak, telling his colleagues that Britain faced no choice but to fight until victory, no matter how discouraging the odds. When he concluded, the House honored him with long, lusty cheers.

The cheers that greeted Churchill’s speech came despite the fact that many in his party doubted his capabilities. These doubts were based on years of experience of his shifting political allegiances, his capacity for self-promotion, and his flamboyant style. The new prime minister had won the approval of Members of Parliament for his oratory, but he could not command the unconditional support of his party or the political establishment.

In his previous post, as First Lord of the Admiralty, Churchill was widely held to be partially to blame for a disastrous British incursion into neutral Norway. On paper the goal of the operation—to prevent German forces from occupying Norway by getting there first—made strategic sense. In practice, the planning was hasty, and the resulting retreat of British forces formed a humiliating prelude to the greater challenge with which Churchill was now faced. His hold on the leadership was shaky, and he faced a challenge that would require every ounce of his resilience. What would he do?

On May 10, the day Churchill became prime minister, German forces launched their attack on France. Bypassing the Maginot Line—a series of defenses designed to halt an anticipated German offensive—the Germans split the French and British armies, forcing British troops to retreat toward the coast. Surrounded by German forces on land and cut off from Britain by the sea, the British were in a hopeless position. Quite unexpectedly, however, the German Panzers paused, permitting a mass evacuation of 338,000 British and Allied troops.

The Miracle of Dunkirk averted total defeat, but it did not change the fundamental strategic situation. The Nazis were in control of western Europe, while Britain stood alone against them. How would Churchill’s government respond?

Cool heads, such as Lord Halifax, were advocating negotiation with Hitler. Halifax had prior experience of negotiating with Hitler and was well aware that the German leader had little respect for agreements. Nevertheless, Halifax, along with many other members of the cabinet, felt that the most sensible way forward was to explore an agreement that concluded hostilities on terms with which Britain could live.

Halifax was in touch with Mussolini, who offered to act as a mediator between Germany and Britain. With Mussolini’s offer on the table, Churchill was in a difficult situation. His long-standing opposition to Hitler and the Nazis was well known.

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