Churchill, Roosevelt & Company studies the interpersonal dynamics among Roosevelt and his men, Churchill and his, and the dynamics between the two sides and especially between the two chiefs, in examining how an effective alliance of the United States and Great Britain in World War II came about.
If an innocent were to suppose that the underlying process of forming that alliance was mainly the product of diplomacy in due course, Churchill, Roosevelt & Company will, to his or her delight, wreak some havoc.
The book also studies the antithesis, as forces (some dark, others understandable and seemingly inevitable) worked to cannibalize the alliance almost from the start.
Most touching and problematic is the fraying and wounding of the Churchill-Roosevelt relationship.
Most disturbing are the invidious betrayals of the U.S. by homegrown communists spies and fellow travelers, as facilitated by a bewildering nonchalance in assessing the risks of espionage by many at the very top of government.
And most surprising, is the dead reckoning of “Uncle Joe”, which was misjudged, at heavy cost, by Roosevelt. (Stalin’s “bear story” in describing what happened at Yalta, rings pitch perfect, and brings a smile to the face of the reader.)
The book is styled Studies in Character and Statecraft, which might suggest a less integrated work than it is. Indeed, the structure of the book addresses each of the significant players individually, giving a portrayal as much informed through the eyes of their colleagues as by Lehrman’s own views.
Given this format, the fine hand of the author is manifest in the fitting of the individual “studies” into a single narrative, each a piece of an illuminating mosaic. I say fine hand, as Lehrman is scrupulous in not forcing his material into a linear, didactic work, but is comfortable in showing the vagaries of the cases (an analogue to the fog of war).
Most intriguing is for the reader to come to ground for himself on Roosevelt and Churchill. Lehrman does not play the jury—does not deliver a verdict of guilt or exoneration, and does not disparage. He is, nevertheless, fulsome in offering his considered views on the merits, which, as the book’s title promises, go straight to the character of each man. Most readers will think Lehrman’s views fair and insightful, given all the evidence (and can measure something of his disdain as a function of a damning with faint praise).
There is the always lingering question as to whether the very special relationship between Churchill and Roosevelt, put in train in 1940, was mainly a fortuity based on mutual attracting personalities, or a construct, possibly unconsciously moved by their respective ulterior motives.
The answer to that also informs an understanding of the forces that worked at the disintegration of that relationship: whether a sad case that implicates the character of Roosevelt; whether an inevitable schism based on opposing views of colonial empire; whether a predictable result of men who were visionary in conducting war, but whose thinking about the peace was bounded by the status quo ante; whether, more generously, a falling apart exemplifying the observation that there is no enduring friendship between nations, only mutual interest; or whether something else; all are questions left for the reader to decide.
For any who might be intrigued by the workings and motivation of the handlers of the American-British alliance, in the context of their towering impacts on modern times, Churchill, Roosevelt & Company is as good as it gets.
The book is a meaningful addition to the literature, and is the product of a mature historian, bearing the hallmarks of intrinsic fairness and objectivity, true understanding of abstract subjects (e.g., international monetary policy) and ranging research. No less, Lehrman can write--no word is given a pass where a better one would serve. His writing style conjures Mr. Lincoln, who is always at his shoulder.
To piggyback on Lehrman’s brain work--the sum and substance of Churchill, Roosevelt & Company, is (as they say) a no brainer.
John C. MacMurray
******
John C. MacMurray was for many years a member of the Board of Trustees of the Princeton University Press, and currently is a contributor to The Passy Press, Paris, France. He is a retired partner of Ropes & Gray, LLP.
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Top reviews from other countries
Tom Woroby
a presentation of personalities that were guided by both necessity and politics...
Reviewed in Canada on August 2, 2018
Neil Murphy
a damned good read. deleted after forty pages
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 17, 2017Amazon Customer
a number of useful insights were gained
Reviewed in Canada on July 25, 2017