Further, the combined bomber offensive had only just gotten underway. The naval victory at Midway only partially offset the loss of the Philippines and the uncertain situation in Guadalcanal and New Guinea. Further, the American public needed to see some positive developments in the war effort. Roosevelt believed in the Germany first strategy, but he could hardly deny his admirals in the Pacific the forces they sorely needed while leaving American divisions in England with no mission. This posed a dilemma for US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Still, after nearly a year at war, US ground forces had not yet engaged the Germans in combat. The United States did not yet have the military strength to invade France alone, and the British simply would not agree to take part in such an endeavor in 1942. While the debate continued beyond the Arcadia Conference, the outcome was predictable. They backed Operation Torch instead, an amphibious invasion of French North Africa. Prime Minister Churchill and the British Chiefs of Staff counseled against this plan, arguing that the Allies were unprepared for such a complex operation and should not risk it so soon. Marshall strongly backed Operation Sledgehammer, a plan to invade Western Europe in 1942.
Īt the Arcadia Conference, held in Washington, DC, from Decemto January 14, 1942, the Western Allies agreed to a “Germany First” policy to govern global strategy, but the question where to engage Germany, and when, remained unsettled. Courtesy US Army Center of Military History. Top image: Crew of M-3 Tank #309576, 2nd Battalion, 12th Armored Regiment, 1st Armored Division, in Tunisia, 1942.
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