Italy
Jun 30, 2026 · 38 min · 16 segments
In the summer of 1943, after a successful campaign in North Africa, Churchill convinces Roosevelt that the best way forward is an invasion of the island of Sicily. But what is thought to be a quick…
Jun 30, 2026 · 38 min · 16 segments
In the summer of 1943, after a successful campaign in North Africa, Churchill convinces Roosevelt that the best way forward is an invasion of the island of Sicily. But what is thought to be a quick…
Robert CitinoGuest
Jon MeachamGuest
Simon Sebag MontefioreGuest
Dan CarlinGuestSarada PeriGuest
Saul DavidGuest
Dan SnowGuest
Alexandra RichieGuest
So after Tunis, after the big victory in North Africa, Churchill's argument is that there's one logical next step, and that next step is Sicily.
So campaigning in the Mediterranean will not only knock over one of the three big Axis powers, Mussolini's Italy, it will also open a back door to Hitler's Germany.
There were charges then and since that Churchill wanted to go up through the bottom of Europe in order to preserve the British Empire.
The Americans suspected that this was all about defending British interests in Egypt, in the Suez Canal that controlled India and the Persian Gulf where British oil was.
FDR's not interested in preserving the British Empire, but he understands there are sound strategic reasons to capture Sicily.
One of Churchill's arguments was they had these commitments to take some pressure off the Soviet Union.
Churchill says, "You have all of these armies that are now freed up after the North African campaign is over.
The truth is that the Allies still don't have enough actual material to conduct a cross-channel invasion and land in France.
Allied military leaders are already planning a cross-channel invasion, Operation Overlord, but it will not be ready for months.
To relieve the military pressure on the Soviets and sustain the momentum established by the victory in North Africa, FDR agrees to attack Sicily.
After Sicily, they will pull, let us say, the Allied A team out of the Mediterranean, the leadership team, most of the landing craft, most of the air power, deploy it to Great Britain to begin, finally, preparations in earnest for an invasion of Western Europe.
We'll be back in time for a nice early D-Day in 1944." He goes, "Look, we're all dressed up.
So after Tunis, after the big victory in North Africa, Churchill's argument is that there's one logical next step, and that next step is Sicily.
So campaigning in the Mediterranean will not only knock over one of the three big Axis powers, Mussolini's Italy, it will also open a back door to Hitler's Germany.
There were charges then and since that Churchill wanted to go up through the bottom of Europe in order to preserve the British Empire.
The Americans suspected that this was all about defending British interests in Egypt, in the Suez Canal that controlled India and the Persian Gulf where British oil was.
FDR's not interested in preserving the British Empire, but he understands there are sound strategic reasons to capture Sicily.
One of Churchill's arguments was they had these commitments to take some pressure off the Soviet Union.
Churchill says, "You have all of these armies that are now freed up after the North African campaign is over.
The truth is that the Allies still don't have enough actual material to conduct a cross-channel invasion and land in France.
Allied military leaders are already planning a cross-channel invasion, Operation Overlord, but it will not be ready for months.
To relieve the military pressure on the Soviets and sustain the momentum established by the victory in North Africa, FDR agrees to attack Sicily.
After Sicily, they will pull, let us say, the Allied A team out of the Mediterranean, the leadership team, most of the landing craft, most of the air power, deploy it to Great Britain to begin, finally, preparations in earnest for an invasion of Western Europe.
We'll be back in time for a nice early D-Day in 1944." He goes, "Look, we're all dressed up.
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