“THE HINGE HAS TURNED”

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27568, 9 December 1950, Page 9

“THE HINGE HAS TURNED”

“The Hinge Of Fate”

Mr Churchill Sums Up

By Winston S. Churchill No. 49. Today Mr Churchill’s own memoirs are concluded—until the release of volume five. In this last instalment he describes how strongly he urged the invasion of Italy but was unable to get the Americans to commit themselves definitely before he returned to England. Incidentally he tells how a case of mistaken identity—an unknown traveller was mistaken by a German agent for Mr Churchill—led to the shooting down of the aeroplane on which the screen star Leslie Howard was. travelling.

We held our first meeting at General Eisenhower’s villa in Algiers at 5 o’clock on May 29. . . . Although much lay in the balance, I was well satisfied with this opening discussion. The desire of all the leaders to go forward on the boldest lines was clear, and I felt myself that the reservations made on account of the unknowable would be settled by events in accordance with my hopes. I now prepared what I called “Background Notes,” setting forth the whole case for the attack on Italy, together with tables of the forces available. I circulated this document to the principals before we met again on Monday, May 31. Action Essential I set forth in detail the divisions or their equivalent in the Mediterranean theatre, showing a total of 9 American, 3 1-3 French, and 27 2-3 British or British-controlled. From this 7 were to be sent home for “Bolero,” of which 3 were British. Of the Remaining 24 2-3 British only 11 1-3 had so far been placed under General Eisenhower or earmarked for Sicily. With Brooke’s assent I now offered to transfer to General Eisenhower 8 2-3 additional British and British-controlled divisions, making a total British contribution of 20 divisions, compared with 12 1-3 from all other sources. On this basis I proceeded: “. . . His Majesty’s Government feel most strongly that this great force, which comprises their finest and most experienced divisions and the main part of their army, should not in. any circumstances remain idle. Such ,an attitude could not be justified to the British nation or to our Russian allies. We hold it our duty to engage the enemy as continuously and intensely as possible, and to draw off as many hostile divisions as possible from the front of our Russian allies. In ■ this way, among others, the most favourable conditions will be established for the launching of our crossChannel expedition in 1944. “ Compelling or inducing Italy to quit the war is the only objective in the Mediterranean worthy of the famous campaign already begun and adequate to the Allied forces available and already in the Mediterranean basin. For this purpose the taking of Sicily is an indispensable preliminary, and the Invasion of the mainland of Italy and the capture of Rome are the evident steps. In this way the,' greatest service can be rendered to the Allied cause and the general progress of the war, both here and in the Channel theatre.” We met again at Eisenhower’s villa on the afternoon of May 31. Mr Eden arrived in time to be present. I tried to clinch matters, and, after referring to the paper I had circulated, said that my heart lay in an invasion of Southern Italy, but the fortunes of battle might necessitate a different course. At any rate, the alternative between Southern Italy and Sardinia involved the difference bfetween a glorious campaign and a mere convenience. General Marshall was in no way hostile to these ideas, but he did not wish for a clearcut decision to be taken at this moment.

I was on board. Although these neutral passenger planes had plied un» molested for many months between Portugal and England and had carried only civilian traffic, a German war plane was instantly ordered out, and the defenceless aircraft was ruthlessly shot down. Fourteen civilian passengers perished, and among them the well-known British film actor Leslie Howard, whose grace and gifts are still preserved for us by the records of the many delightful films in which he took part. The brutality of the Germans was only matched by the stupidity of their agents. It is difficult to understand how anyone could imagine that, with all the resources of Great Britain at my disposal, I should have booked a in a neutral plane from Lisbon and flown home in broad daylight. We, of course, made a wide loop out by night from Gibraltar into the ocean, and arrived home without incident. It was a painful shock to me to learn what had happened to others in the inscrutable workings of fat*. Here then we end this volume, which describes the turning point of the Second World War. The entry of the United States into the struggle after the Japanese assault on Pearl Harbour had made it certain that the cause of freedom would not be cast away. But between survival and victory there are many stages. Nearly two years of intense and bloody fighting lay before us aIL Henceforward, however, the danger was not Destruction, but Stalemate. The American armies had to mature and their vast construction of shipping to become effective before the full power of the Great Republic could be hurled into the struggle. But further successes iay right before us, and the Fall, or rather Liberation, of Italy was near. Hitler had still .to pay the full penalty 4 of his fatal error in trying to conquer Russia by invasion. He had still to squander the immense remaining strength of Germany in many theatres not vital to the main result. Soon the German nation was to be alone in Europe, surrounded by an infuriated world in arms. The leaders of Japan were already conscious that their onslaught had passed its zenith.- Together soon Great Britain and the United States would have the mastery of . the oceans and the air. The hing* had turned.

I very passionately wanted to see Italy out of the way and Rome in our possession, and I offered to send the eight additional British divisions from other parts of the Middle East if they were needed. There was a considerable discussion about these reinforcements and the shipping required to move them. I said it would be hard for me to ask the British people to cut their rations again, but I would gladly do so rather than throw away a campaign which had possibilities of great success. I could not endure to see a great army standing idle when it might be engaged in striking Italy out of the war. Parliament and the people would become impatient if the army were not active, and I was willing to take desperate steps in order to prevent such a calamity. General Marshall replied that he was not arguing against the particular commitment made in Washington to aim at the fall of Italy. He only wished to emphasise that we must exercise great discretion in choosing what to do after the conquest of Sicily. The Turkish Situation An incident now occurred which, as it relates to matters which have become subject of misunderstandings and controversy after the war, must be related. Mr Eden, at my request, commented on the Turkish situation, and said that knocking Italy out of the war would go a long way towards bringing the Turks in. They would become much more friendly “ when our troops had reached the Balkan area.” Mr Eden and I were in full agreement on the war policy, but I feared that the turn of his phrase might mislead our American friends. The record states, “The Prime Minister intervened to observe emphatically that he was not advocating sending an army into the Balkans now or in the future.” Mr Eden agreed that it would not be necessary to put an army into the Balkans, since the Turks might begin to show favourable reactions as soon as we were able to constitute an immediate threat to the Balkans. On the two following days we travelled by plane • and car to some beautiful places rendered historic by the battles of a month before. General Marshall went on an American tour of his own, and I travelled with General Alexander, meeting all the commanders and seeing stirring sights of troops. The sense of" victory was in the air. The whole of North Africa was cleared of the enemy. A quarter of a million prisoners were cooped in our cages. Everyone was very proud and delighted. There is no doubt that people like winning very much. I addressed many thousand soldiers at Carthage in the ruins of an immense ampitheatre. Certainly the hour and setting lent itself to oratory. I have no idea what I said, but the whole audience clapped and cheered as doubtless their predecessors of two thousand years ago had done as they watched gladiatorial combats.

Our last meeting, on June 3, was largely concerned with the question of bombing the marshalling yards of Rome, and there was agreement that they were an important and necessary military objective, and that there was no valid reason for refraining from bombing this target, provided the attacks were made by day and due care was taken to prevent damage elsewhere. General Marshall and I undertook to seek authority from our respective Governments authorising such action. I felt that great advantages had been made in our discussions and that everybody wanted to go for Italy. I, therefore, in summing up, stated the conclusions in a most moderate form and paid my tribute to General Eisenhower. How Leslie Howard Died Eden and I flew home together by Gibraltar. As my presence in North Africa had been fully reported, the Germans were exceptionally vigilant, and this led to a tragedy which much distressed me. The dad;- > mvr-vrcial aircraft was about to start from the Lisbon airfield when a thickset man smoking a cigar walked up and was thought to be a passenger on it. The German agents therefore signalled that

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