The book compares a proposed attack on northern Sumatra with the Dardanelles: an attractive objective pursued without enough resources. A diary account follows seven and a half hours of argument in which Churchill continued to press the operation. The Chiefs of Staff faced opposition from ministers and members of Mountbatten's organization, while the diarist welcomed Andrew Cunningham's support. In this account, a preferred political objective crowds out discussion of strategy on its merits. The evidence remains valuable despite the stream's disagreement with the book's broader interpretation of the Eastern Fleet.
Chapter · 1:49:07-1:50:43
Churchill, North Sumatra, and strategy without adequate resources
A diary passage from the Eastern Fleet book shows Churchill pressing a North Sumatra operation while the Chiefs of Staff argued that its resources and strategic case were inadequate.