[SunkenCiv]

Churchill also (for political reasons, but perhaps as much for some odd personal reason) removed troops and capabilities from N Africa on the verge of victory there, in order to vainly pursue the defense of Greece against the Germans. It delayed Axis defeat in N Africa by at least a year, and of course likewise delayed implementation of Churchill’s ridiculous “soft underbelly” strategy in Europe, which was, in Italy, as you pointed out some of the most difficult and costly fighting of the war.

[SunkenCiv]

seems like a good reason to post this again:

Autumn, 1942: It came down to one Marine, and one ship
Source: Enter Stage Right - A Journal of Modern Conservatism
Published: October 23, 2000 Author: Vin Suprynowicz
Posted on 10/23/2000 10:11:29 PDT by gordgekko
http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a39f47141497d.htm

[colorado tanker]

Rick Atkinson's second volume is out, on the Italian campaign, and I'm curious what his take is. I really liked his first, An Army At Dawn.

[PzLdr]

He did it twice! The second time came after Rommel was driven back after ‘Crusader’ in ‘41. The troops Churchill pulled out that time wound up surrendering to the Japanese in Singapore. The replacements got hammered by the Afrika Korps in the opening moves of their offensive on their way to Egypt - and El Alamein.