1942-45
The war continued to thrive and expand throughout Europe, and increasingly, throughout the Empire as the Japanese moved to expand their influence.
In the east of Europe the Soviet Union was resurgent following poor leadership from Hitler and his armies in the east. The winter of 1942-3 put pay to any real German threat in the Soviet Union, and turned the tide of war in favour of Stalin.
By 1944, with various successes in north Africa and the Med. the western allies recognised the growing threat from the Soviet Union, and particularly, if the Soviets were to reach central and western Europe in the event of probable German collapse.
The Tehran Conference of the winter of 1943 put in place the foundations for post-war Europe, and from the Anglo-American perspective put a cautious limit on the amount of Russian influence after the war.
On June 5th 1944, due to poor weather over the English Channel, the allies decided to postpone the imminent invasion of Normandy until 2nd July, causing all manner of logistical problems in the south of England and also impacting upon relations with the Free French and the resistance, who were keen to see the invasion occur.
July 2nd came and successful landings were established throughout Normandy [1], and although fighting was harsh, it looked as though the allies would succeed.
The loss of life was high, and Churchill took the brunt of criticism, particularly from Mosley. From there onwards their relationship based on mutual admiration across political differences suffered, with the quagmire of war in northern France once again being seen by Mosley. In the east the Soviets continued to move forwards towards Berlin, leaving them in a strong bargaining position, despite the outcomes of the Tehran Conference.
At the end of 1944 the western allies had secured Paris, but fighting in the Ardennes and northern France in light of a German counter attack meant that the winter saw very little movement from the allies.
It was clear to all - particularly Stalin - that the allies had failed in their objective of a succesful invasion that would see them reach the German hinterland by the end of 1944.
The Soviets pushed on, capturing Berlin in mid-May as the German war machine moved west into the Ruhr, surrounded by the allies on all sides.
On August 2nd 1945 at 8.00am a new weapon was leashed onto the world. The city of Hamburg was the victim of the first Atomic weapon to be used in anger.
The immediate reaction, certainly from the Russians, was to halt their advance. Russian forces were just sixty miles from Hamburg, and it caused Stalin to reconsider his continued quest for territory in the west.
On 6th August 1945 the Germany government unconditionally surrendered to the western allies, with Hitler having been captured and executed one day previously by a small group of German army generals around twenty miles north of the German-Swiss border after a small battle with loyal SS forces.
The war, at least in Europe, was over, and in Britain it was time to go to the polls.
[1] The landings were certainly not as successful as in OTL, causing many politicians to consider them a failure in achieving their objectives with minimal loss of life, particularly Mosley. The use of an atomic weapon on Germany was seen as not only breaking the resolve of the Germans in the west, but also as putting a very blunt halt on Soviet ambitions in western Germany. Churchill was the most shaken by the loss of life in the west, with Mosley most critical - especially as the October 1945 General Election occurred.
