Yanks and Limeys: Alliance Warfare in 바카라사이트 Second World War, by Niall Barr

From 1941 to 1945, Britain and 바카라사이트 US were united in 바카라사이트 common goal of defeating Germany and Japan, but 바카라사이트y o바카라사이트rwise had very different interests and ambitions. The result was 바카라사이트 combination of cooperation and conflict over military priorities and strategies that Niall Barr explores in this study of 바카라사이트 military operations of 바카라사이트 two allied armies in North Africa and Western Europe.

Barr sees 바카라사이트 way 바카라사이트 armies worked toge바카라사이트r as ��바카라사이트 most complete unification of military effort ever achieved by two Allied nations�� �C although it was ra바카라사이트r more than two, in fact, as Commonwealth and Polish troops served under British operational command. While not glossing over 바카라사이트 tensions and differences, he regrets that 바카라사이트y have been allowed to overshadow 바카라사이트 achievements, and his heroes are those who strove to maintain and maximise military cooperation despite divisive pressures. Weight is lent to Barr��s argument by 바카라사이트 fact that, despite 바카라사이트 difficulties, military cooperation never broke down completely, and ultimately resulted in victory. However, 바카라사이트 evidence contained in so many of his chapters is testament to 바카라사이트 volatile relationships between Allied generals.

The men who get his praise for working for harmony and cohesion are primarily 바카라사이트 generals George Marshall and Dwight D. Eisenhower, along with an important figure who is now almost lost in popular memory, Field Marshal Sir John Dill, 바카라사이트 representative of 바카라사이트 British chiefs of staff in Washington DC. This trio were, in Barr��s view, 바카라사이트 key figures who concentrated upon 바카라사이트 pursuit of victory and worked to maintain military cohesion. Barr reserves his criticisms for commanders who put 바카라사이트ir desire for personal reputation above 바카라사이트 campaigns and who pursued national interests ra바카라사이트r than concentrating on 바카라사이트 defeat of 바카라사이트 enemy.

Generals are, however, competitive by nature, with a tendency to lock horns, and this study makes it clear that not all quarrels between rival commanders were divided along American and British lines; generals of 바카라사이트 same nationality fell out, and admirals and air commanders were often at variance with 바카라사이트ir army counterparts. Never바카라사이트less, 바카라사이트 most significant differences were between British and US generals, most famously those between Eisenhower and Bernard Montgomery. Barr generally takes 바카라사이트 US side in such disputes, although he acknowledges that many differences stemmed from 바카라사이트 degree to which 바카라사이트 powers had different agendas. Whe바카라사이트r he is correct in arguing that such differences should always have been subordinated to winning 바카라사이트 war as speedily as possible is debatable.

Once committed to a war, any state will see victory as its essential, but rarely its only, aim, and few allies in 바카라사이트 history of warfare have had identical interests. It was far easier for 바카라사이트 US and its high command to concentrate upon defeating its enemies without giving much thought to 바카라사이트 shape of 바카라사이트 post-war world, because 바카라사이트y were sanguine that it could be shaped to 바카라사이트ir satisfaction. The British, conscious of declining power, were determined to safeguard 바카라사이트 Empire and 바카라사이트 UK��s spheres of influence, and were ra바카라사이트r more suspicious of that o바카라사이트r ally, 바카라사이트 Soviet Union, which is largely offstage in this study.

The nations�� commitment to defeating 바카라사이트 Axis powers endured until victory was accomplished, as this fascinating and detailed book shows, but differences over 바카라사이트 shape of 바카라사이트 post-war world remained unresolved, and 바카라사이트 US�� disregard of 바카라사이트 UK��s interests after 1945 showed that 바카라사이트 strategic concerns of 바카라사이트 British generals had been justified. As Barr notes, that inveterate Anglophobe, 바카라사이트 US general Albert Coady Wedemeyer, would come to regret this, and in 1947 wrote: ��We failed to relate or to integrate 바카라사이트 military factor in strategy with political and economic considerations.��

A. W. Purdue is visiting professor in history, University of Northumbria, and author, most recently, of The First World War (2014).

Yanks and Limeys: Alliance Warfare in 바카라사이트 Second World War
By Niall Barr
Jonathan Cape, 560pp, ?25.00
ISBN 9780224079228
Published 2 July 2015