Figure 1.--After Pearl Harbor, there was no stopping Primeminister Churchill from reacvhing Washington to begin planning tghe Allied War effort. He was soon crossing the U-boat infested waters of the North Atlantic. Britain on its own could do little more that stave off the Germans. With thehe Wehrmacht bogged down in the Russian winter, Britain with America as an ally now had the resources that for the first time could begin to take the War to the Reich. President Roosevelt decided to go ahead with National Tree lighting ceremony in a now darkened capital. The proceedings were boacast to the nation. And there was a surprise attendee--the Primeminister. He reounted te battle with the Luftwaffe which Americans had followed on radio and in the movie newsreels. Than he explained that despite being far away from home in another country, he did no feel that he was in a foreign country.

Churchill and Roosevelt met for the first time since World War I at Placentia Bay where they forged the Atlantic Charter, a vision for the post-War world (August 1941). At the time, Churchill was still trying to draw America in the War. President Roosevelt because of the resistance of the American people. Pearl Harbor had changed everything. America and Britain were now finally war time allies. Now Churchill wanted to sit down with Roosevelt and plan out the Allied war effort. Within only a few weeks of Pearl Harbor, Churchill was without a real invitation, threading his way through the U-boat infested North Atlantic to meet with the President. Churchill arrived just before Christmas (December 22). He would be over the next 3-weeks surely the most remarkable house guest in White House History. It was a dark time for America and Britain. The Pacific Fleet has been smashed at Pearl Harbor. The Japanese had begun the conquest of the Phillippines and Singapore. Two great British battleships had been lost defending Singapore. Most of Europe was in the cold hands of the the NAZI dictatorship. The full extent of the Red army offensive before Moscow was not yet apparent. Americans were increasingly realizing that their sons and husbands were going to have to fight in another world War. Churchill fundamentally changed is approach. His advisters suggested thst he contibue to treat the President and the Americans gingerlly. Churchill saw it differently. Sir Allan Brooks, Chief of the Imperial General Staff recalls how Churchill with a 'wicked leer in his eye' turned on one of his cautious advisers and exclaimed, Oh! That is the way we talked to her while we were wooing her; now that she is in the harem we talk to her quite differently!" [Weintraub] The two stayed up late into the night, smoking and drinking, discussing their ideas as to how to procecute the War. Elenor was rather put out by the primeminister, coming to view him as a house guest who overstayed his welcome and who was not a good influence on her husband. He planned to stay a week, but did not leave until January 14, 1942. The trip including a 2-day trip to Ottawa and a week stay in Palm Beach, Florida. Resources were still very limited and the threats great. Churchill helped light the national Christmas Tree. He then spoke to Congress, highlighting his American ancestry and recoungting how thge British beat back the vaunted Luftwaffe during the Blitz. Roosevelt took him to Mount Vernon and the church where President Washington and Confederate genrral Robert E. Lee had worshiped. The White House had never seen anyone quite like Churchill and probably never will. But by the time that Churchill departed, the Alliance forged at Placentia Bay was now set in motion as the vast resources of the United States began to be mobilized and thrown along with those of the British into the fury of battle managed by two remarkable war leaders. The result was surely the most important alliance in human history.

Atlantic Charter (August 9-13, 1941)

Churchill and Roosevelt met for the first time since World War I at Placentia Bay where they forged the Atlantic Charter, a vision for the post-War world (August 1941). At the time, Churchill was still trying to draw America in the War. President Roosevelt held back because of the resistance of the American people. The President apparently assured Primeminister Churchill that he would use a U-boat incident in the North Atantic to being America into the War. As part of this strategy, President Roosevelt had launched an undeclared naval war in the North Atlantic.

Pearl Harbor (December 7, 1941)

Pearl Harbor had changed everything. Hitler had wanted to keep America out of the War until he settled accounts with Stalin. U-boat commandrs were order to avoid conflict with the U.S. Navy. The Wehrmacht in Barbarossa had inflicted massive defeats on the Red Army, but it had not as planned destroyed it. The Japanese with out counsulting their Axis ally decided to strike America. They made the decesion a few months earlier when it looked like the Whermacht was on its way to destroying the Red Army. The Japanese were anxious to seize the oil and other resources of the Southern Resource Zone needed to complete their conquest of China. Incredibly there was no consultations betwen the Axis parners on this critical step. America and Britain were now finally war time allies. Not only had the Japanese suceeded in bringing America into the War, but only in destroying the idolationist lobby which if ledt in tact would have seriously weakened the American war effort.

Need for a Meeting

Now Churchill wanted to sit down with Roosevelt and plan out the Allied war effort.

Crossing the Atlantic

Within only a few weeks of Pearl Harbor, Churchill was without a real invitation, threading his way through the U-boat infested North Atlantic to meet with the President. Churchill being Churchill, he wasnot about to sit back and patiently await an invitation. For more than 2 years the British people had fought the NAZIs with limited resources. Now with the Whermscht bigged down in the snows of a Russian winter and the vast resoiorces of America now available, he could not wait to get on with the great enterprise of smashing once seemingly invinciable ediface of NAZI power.

A Visitor Unlike No Other

Churchill arrived just before Christmas (December 22). He would be over the next 3-weeks surely the most remarkable house guest in White House History.

Dark Days

It was a dark time for America and Britain. The Pacific Fleet has been smashed at Pearl Harbor. American air power in the Pcific had likewise been destroyed. The Japanese had begun the conquest of the Phillippines and Singapore. Two great British battleships rushed to the Pacific had been lost defending Singapore. Most of Europe was in the cold hands of the the NAZI dictatorship. The full extent of the Red army offensive before Moscow was not yet apparent. Americans were increasingly realizing that their sons and husbands were going to have to fight in another world War.

Churchill's Approach

Churchill fundamentally changed is approach. His advisters suggested thst he contibue to treat the President and the Americans gingerlly. Churchill saw it differently. Sir Allan Brooks, Chief of the Imperial General Staff recalls how Churchill with a 'wicked leer in his eye' turned on one of his cautious advisers and exclaimed, Oh! That is the way we talked to her while we were wooing her; now that she is in the harem we talk to her quite differently!" [Weintraub]

National Tree Lighting Ceremony

Churchill helped light the national Christmas Tree. This now takes place at a permnanent on the Elipse behind the White House, but at first took place at different locations. It was a fairly recent tradition. President Calvin Coolidge walked from the White House to the Ellipse to light a 48-foot fir tree decorated with 2,500 electric bulbs in red, white and green (1923). The First Lady had sponsored the event. At a local choir and a quartet from the U.S. Marine Band performed. The ceremony took on more importance with the arrival of the Roosevelts and the New Deal efforts to fight the Depression. But the 1941 tree lighting came only days after Pearl Harbor. A shocked and worried nation looke to Washington and the President. The lighting ceremony that year was thus especially memorable, surely the most important one in what is now nearly a century-old tradition. Despite the fact that America was now also in the grips of World War II, the South Lawn of the White House remained open to the public. Primeminister Churchill who had secretly crossed the Atlantic arrived just in time for the ceremony and made a surprise appearance. Most of America and many in Britain tuned in for the broadcast ceremonies. Washington, D.C. only a few says after Pearl Harbor was already a city at war. It was blacked out to protect it from what we now was the impossible attack of enemy planes. President Roosevelt insisted that the lights on the “National Christmas Tree” would be turned on despite the blackout. The lighting according to a Washington Post writer, “affirms faith and offers hope for a world threatened with the darkness of Axis conquest.” The President and the 'buoyant and confident' Primeminister Churchill stood on the south portico overlooking the living 30-foot Oriental Spruce decorated with red, white, and blue lights. “The President touched a button, which sounded a signal in the dugout on the lawn below the great tree, where an electrician made the tree blaze with light, reflecting colors on the White House and on the faces of thousands of spectators, who burst into singing.” Both thre President and Primemister spoke. The President related how the Allies in the War that America was now forced into had one very great advantage. They were fighting for one central goal--to ensure the dignity and brotherhood of man. And he pointed out that this was the essence of the Christmas spirit. Ironically Christmas was also the most important holiday in Germany, but they would assess the meaning of the holiday differently. Family was at the heart of the holiday in America and Germany and for the first time the Germans experienced a Christmas with their sons and husbands at a far away front. Churchill recounted the ravages of the Luftwaffe and the Blitz. He also explained that he found himself far away from home at Christmas in another country, but somhow it did not seem like a foreign country.

Boys' Own Planners

The two stayed up late into the night, smoking and drinking, discussing their ideas as to how to procecute the War.

Elenor

Elenor was rather put out by the primeminister, coming to view him as a house guest who overstayed his welcome and who was not a good influence on her husband. To be sure, the primeminister was not an easy guest to host. He planned to stay a week, but did not leave until January 14, 1942. The trip including a 2-day trip to Ottawa and a week stay in Palm Beach, Florida. Resources were still very limited and the threats great.e

Congressional Address

Primeminister Chuchill than spoke to Congress, highlighting his American ancestry and recoungting how the British beat back the vaunted Luftwaffe during the Blitz.

Siteseeing

Roosevelt took him to Mount Vernon and the church where President Washington and Confederate General Robert E. Lee had worshiped.

Alliance Set in Motion

The White House had never seen anyone quite like Churchill and probably never will. But by the time that Churchill departed, the Alliance forged at Placentia Bay was now set in motion. The two great nations were now for a second time allies against a determined and pwerful foe. But this time more than in World War I, they would be joined at the hip. The vast resources of the United States began to be mobilized and thrown along with those of the British into the fury of battle. The British people outraged by the Blitz were now joined by the American people whose fury ws kindeled by Pearl Harbor. Both countries had resisted war and were slow to anger, but the Hermans and Japanese had lit a fuse that would leave Germany a vast sea of rubble and Kapan a glowing cinder. And the war that their respective peoples had been dragged into would be overseen by two remarkable war leaders. The result was surely the most important alliance in human history.

Created: 9:43 PM 12/24/2012
Last updated: 4:47 AM 12/25/2012