Okay, now I'm FDR

Torpedoes First

As someone pointed out, the fastest way to hand Japan their head in a basket is a good working (!) model of the Mark 14. The IJN will have no more answer to a tanker strategy in 1942 than they did IOTL in 1944. So get their tankers.

Get MacArthur out of the Philippines. By hook or by crook. Promote him, put him in charge of the canal Zone. Even pay him more than the Filippinos did if that's what takes... Then either be ready to evacuate the islands as best you can, or pull into Bataan and fortify it as the original defense plan called for.

Crack the whip on King to operate merchant convoys, and to operate multicarrier task groups like the IJN did at Pearl Harbor. And to order subs to make night surface attacks where possible, and not to waste torpedoes on attacks using sonar only.

Order Grumman to run its factories day and night until the F6F and TBF are ready. Then get them cracking on the Bearcat and SB2D designs (the later eventually becomes the AD Skyraider).

Order the new North American Mustang fitted with the best engine available... oh, like that Rolls-Royce Merlin over there.

Rush the proximity fuse into production, even if two thirds of the initial batches are duds. Its still mo bettah.

Scrap the Montanas (you don't have time to finish them anyway) and the Alaskas (they have no real role). Convert more Clevelands to Princeton CVLs. Build CVs and DEs and LSTs like there is no tomorrow.

Order the Shermans completed with a little more (10%) armor, at least in front, and a proper gun (76mm high velocity). A little difference will save a lot of American tankers.

When the IJN inevitably collapses, don't invade Japan. Let them die on the vine. Blockade, and use your aircraft to interdict their transport grid. A year or so later, you can walk in.

In europe, others have made good suggestions on Alexander vs. Montgomery and getting to the Oder first. Hell, if you can, get to Poland first. If Stalin objects, tell him to eat it in your most charming way.
 
FDR ran in 1944 because he did not think any other Democrat would defeat Dewey that year, also Truman was non-viable in his own right in 1944 as he was only an obscure senator.

So you as FDR have to run and just be relieved that you know you picked the right successor.

Balkan liberation is impossible, the shipping needed doesn't exist, and one reason it wasn't (fortunately) tried was the consistent British record of being brilliant in strategy and something else in practice, from the decision to land in southern Italy to the final disastrous campaign in the Dodecanese. As it was landing General Patch's contingent in southern France had to wait until six weeks after D-Day and I think we all agree that landing in Greece instead of France is a non-starter.


Don't worry too much about De Gaulle as he never delivered much and was just another egomaniac French officer who had smiling Ike speculating on available assassins.
 
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