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If you read the actual histories, including Churchill's own accounts and biographies of Churchill, your conclusion might differ from Eric Margolis'. Churchill

If you read the actual histories, including Churchill's own accounts and biographies of Churchill, your conclusion might differ from Eric Margolis'. Churchill came up with the daring plan, sure, but the execution and implementation were botched pretty much across the board by the military commanders responsible for carrying it out. They were largely unwilling to commit to the venture with the necessary speed, focus, and commitment necessary to see it through. They kept dragging their feet, ignoring Churchill's urgings to speed up and deal with minesweeping while they still could. Basically the result was a true disaster but it really wasn't Churchill's. Churchill was the only believer in the plan, basically. So the plan was doomed. Go read the histories.

bjones22 11y ago
An interesting add-on here from Dan Carlin's Hardcore History podcast: The initial plan to force the strait involved risking a large number of out-dated ships, judged by Churchill and co. to be expendable in the context of their utility in the war. However the admiralty, who included a number of men who had served on said ships, shared an emotional attachment to the old-war-dog fleet which they had earned their stars and stripes on. Thus they were unwilling to fully commit the necessary expenditure for the plan to work (microcosm of why the greater plan failed). A good example of ineptitude in war. Churchill was no saint, and I couldn't get to OP's article (hug of death?), but history is always viewed through a lens and is mostly op-ed pieces.
Tloewald 11y ago
They also put the troops on the wrong beach.