Winston Churchill famously listed his martini recipe as something like drinking a bottle of gin while gazing in the direction of France. I don't understand this

Winston Churchill famously listed his martini recipe as something like drinking a bottle of gin while gazing in the direction of France. I don't understand this aversion for vermouth in some (vocal) martini drinkers: if you don't like vermouth (and lemon peel...), then just drink gin and have some olives and whatever other snack you want on the side. Personally I like a 4:1 with a spray from a lemon peel.