As 1945 began, The Economist wrote that the United States was strongly and repeatedly criticizing British policies. These tensions between the two allies affected both their military plans and political relations during the war.
Effect on Military Strategy
American criticism pushed Britain to send more troops and resources to the war in the Pacific against Japan. The Economist noted that Britain’s role in the Far East increased mainly because the U.S. complained that Britain was not doing enough there.
This shift of forces had effects in Europe. By late 1944, fighting against Germany had reached something close to a stalemate. The magazine suggested that the decision made at the Quebec Conferences—to fight Germany and Japan with equal effort—might have been a mistake. Sending large forces to Asia may have delayed a quicker victory in Europe.
By early 1945, some British leaders began to reconsider this approach. They believed that if the United States would not change its plans, Britain might be justified in focusing its own resources mainly on defeating Germany first.
Influence on Allied Politics and Diplomacy
Politically, the tension with the United States made Britain act more cautiously and accommodatingly. The Economist described this as a kind of appeasement, where the British government often judged policies based on whether the Americans would accept them, rather than whether they were best for Britain.
Several issues caused disagreements:
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European administration: Americans often criticized British actions in places like Italy and Greece, which many in Britain felt were unfair and exaggerated.
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Economic dependence: Britain depended heavily on American financial support during the war. Because of this, many Britons felt the United States could pressure Britain in diplomatic matters.
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The “honest broker” problem: Britain sometimes tried to act as a mediator between the United States and the Soviet Union. However, The Economist argued that Britain often ended up following American leadership instead of shaping policy itself. Meanwhile, many Americans believed Britain was overly afraid of Soviet expansion and was preparing defenses that could lead to future conflict.
Overall View
The Economist concluded that Britain needed to honestly reassess its global position and stop automatically giving way to American preferences. The magazine believed that too much deference to the United States had prevented Britain from developing its own independent strategy and policies during the final stage of the war.
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