If not Brooke as CIGS, then who?

A bit tricky, I should hope.

Brooke was nor overly popular with Gort, who wanted him kicked out. Brooke's crime was probably that he clearly saw that it was rather hopeless to hold the Germans in France n 1940, which in any event came to pass.

Churchill had a few moments in terms of promoting the right people at the right time, Brooke being one of them.

BUT, if not Brooke then who?
Dill?
Pound to soldier on a bit?
Gort?
...

Monty was not there yet (oh horror in my opinion, it would not evenhave been a disaster, it would have been worse: a calamity!)

Who was up ther and how would it have impacted on the oveall direction of the war?

Ivan
 
Percy Hobart?

Hobart was forced into retirement by Wavell in 1940 and wasn't brought back in until 1941 by Churchill. There were persistent attempts to retire him again which only failed because of Churchills support and he never rose above the rank of Major General. Making him CIGS in 1941 would be impossible
 
A bit tricky, I should hope.

Brooke was nor overly popular with Gort, who wanted him kicked out. Brooke's crime was probably that he clearly saw that it was rather hopeless to hold the Germans in France n 1940, which in any event came to pass.

Churchill had a few moments in terms of promoting the right people at the right time, Brooke being one of them.

BUT, if not Brooke then who?
Dill?
Pound to soldier on a bit?
Gort?
...

Monty was not there yet (oh horror in my opinion, it would not evenhave been a disaster, it would have been worse: a calamity!)

Who was up ther and how would it have impacted on the oveall direction of the war?

Ivan

Sir John Dill and Lord Gort had already been CIGS in the past.

Dill was eventually replaced because Churchill thought he was defeatist in outlook (or too realistic!). He was eventually sent off to Washington where his talents proved more useful.

Lord Gort had been a CIGS before the war and was by 1941 a man of the past who was sent off to Gibralter and then Malta.

Wavell could have been appointed before his defeats in North Africa. He would have understood logistics and the global situation better than others and he could speak Russian. This would have been useful in talking to the Russians (literally).

Harold Alexander could have been appointed later but in truth he was a weak character and wouldn't have stood up to anyone.
 
That's the thing:

None of those suggestions are particular excellent.

Jumbo Wilson?
Mountbatten?
Alexander was just too pedestrian

Dowding?

Nobody really comes across as a shoe-in.

Ivan
 
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