What if FDR and Winston Churchill were switched?

RNG

Banned
What if FDR and Winston Churchill were switched? What if FDR was Prime Minister of Britain and Churchill President of America? Say that their terms were the same as the other, FDR is PM from 10 May 1940 – 26 July 1945 and Churchill is President from 4 March 1933 – 12 April 1945. What would Churchill attitude to the Depression be, or Japan and Germany, and how would he affect America in World War Two? How would Britain react to the war with FDR as their leader? What would the world be like after their terms? How would the cold war change? Say Churchill died on the 12 April, who would be President next? Say FDR survived would he be PM again, would he defeat Antony Eden and be PM for longer than the 26 July 1945? What you think?
 
Given how much of an old-line imperialist Churchill was in OTL, given that he'd now be in charge of the "arsenal of freedom", how much would he use that position to force the WAllies to dance to the Americans' tune during the war and in the post-war order?

Also, would Churchill deny Lend-Lease aid to Stalin? How would that affect the course of the war?
 

Thomas1195

Banned
Both would have been unelectable if they switched country.

FDR would have been unelectable since he would have definitely been a Liberal if he were in England.

Churchill would have been a non-segregation Conservative Northern Democrat (or a non-protectionist Conservative Republican) in the US.
 
Also, would Churchill deny Lend-Lease aid to Stalin? How would that affect the course of the war?
I can see him being much less interested in helping the Soviets out. Only being so close to the threat made him all that willing to cooperate with them, if he was sitting pretty in America far from German borders I can imagine him much less willing to aide them like that. Quite frankly I see him being much more likely to go ahead with Operation Unthinkable and pick a fight with the USSR, well assuming he actually managed to beat Germany before he died in this scenario.
 
Both would have been unelectable if they switched country.

FDR would have been unelectable since he would have definitely been a Liberal if he were in England.

Churchill would have been a non-segregation Conservative Northern Democrat (or a non-protectionist Conservative Republican) in the US.
He would be what ever he needed to be. Churchill swung like an open door in the wind.
 
Both would have been unelectable if they switched country.

FDR would have been unelectable since he would have definitely been a Liberal if he were in England.

Churchill would have been a non-segregation Conservative Northern Democrat (or a non-protectionist Conservative Republican) in the US.

I just can't see Churchill as a Democrat, maybe that's just me.
 
I just can't see Churchill as a Democrat, maybe that's just me.

You have to forget the modern definition of Democrats as liberals and recognize that in the 1940s, both parties were divided into liberal and conservative wings. A lot of Democrat conservatives of the day, the so-called "Dixiecrats" who would later join the Republican party in the 60's and 70's, weren't too ideologically dissimilar to Churchill's own views on a number of issues.
 
You have to forget the modern definition of Democrats as liberals and recognize that in the 1940s, both parties were divided into liberal and conservative wings. A lot of Democrat conservatives of the day, the so-called "Dixiecrats" who would later join the Republican party in the 60's and 70's, weren't too ideologically dissimilar to Churchill's own views on a number of issues.

Certainly, but it's still kind of strange to imagine him as a Democrat. I certainly can't imagine him as a Southerner.
 
PM Roosevelt would probably follow Keynes's advice more closely. National Investment Board, Dominion of India, more conciliatory policy towards Ireland, attempt at modernising the Commonwealth. Trading Bloc? Defensive Alliance?

President Churchill (Republican) 1940?
Difficult, a warhaw in an isolationist party. Pro segregation. Less aid for an economically stronger Britain. Japan First policy?
 
Winston father dies while he is a infant & his mother returns to the family seat in New York, gaining Winston US citizenship. IIRC a infant of a US citizen born overseas could qualify as a US citizen if the child and parent returned to permanent US residence before a time limit.

So, young Winston grows up in the New York area, serves in the US Army during the Philippines insurrection, goes into politics and finagles a appointment as a undersecretary of the Navy, then returns to active service in the Army for the Great War. Post 1918 he works his way up to a Senate seat & then in 1936 or 1940 is a spoiler candidate for whichever party he is affiliated with.

I don't think it matters much which party he joins, his personality and social background will reflect more on his decisions. Jingoistic, elitist, and expansionist for US interests. He'd favor business leaders in positions for managing US industrial mobilization, no New Dealers there. He'd also be unlikely to appoint a junior general like Marshal (bypassing 40+ senior generals) as Army Chief of Staff. You'd see the US effort in WWII run by a lot of older men like Drum, Lear, Dewitt, ect.. ect... His leadership style would have driven the Generals nuts. He'd also been less tolerant things like MacArthurs decisions in the Philippines in 1941.
 

Thomas1195

Banned
PM Roosevelt would probably follow Keynes's advice more closely. National Investment Board, Dominion of India, more conciliatory policy towards Ireland, attempt at modernising the Commonwealth. Trading Bloc? Defensive Alliance?
He must be elected first. And he was distinctively liberal. I can't see him being a Tory or Sociaist.
 
OK, how about this for a British FDR:
Junior Miniter with the Liberals during WWI.
Supporter of David Lloyd-George.
Brokers a deal with Labour for a coalition in 1929
Becomes Liberal Leader when the coalition is voted out in 1934
Sits in the war Cabinet.

Does he still get Polio?
 
Top