Q&A · 2:25:40-2:30:17

Slim instead of Montgomery in Europe

A command comparison argues that Slim's attention to formation strengths and multiple axes could have improved Allied operations in Europe.

Question

How might the European campaign have differed with William Slim in place of Montgomery?

Short answer

Slim might have executed similar plans with better use of formation strengths and more than one avenue of advance, though Burma still needed him.

Notes

Slim might have used plans broadly similar to Montgomery's while making different choices about execution. His habit was to match each formation to its real strengths and avoid dependence on a single avenue of advance. In the Market Garden example, that could mean a different lead formation and a second axis to complicate German responses. Montgomery is still described as a very good field marshal, and removing Slim from Burma would have created another serious command gap.