1 Oval Office Washington D.C. July 19,1942 Prime Minister Winston Churchill sat with a groan, tending to his tea. His Virginia-style buttermilk biscuit wasnt exactly a Ritz Hotel London scone, but the clotted cream and strawberry jam were first rate. Franklin Roosevelt moved his wheelchair closer to the couch with a slight squeak. Being of stalwart upstate New York Dutch lineage, he had no love of the British Empire or any other one for that matter, but Winston touched him on a deeper level, always had, and their friendship mattered. Franklin would pickup the scorched, shattered bits of empire just like his cousin Theodore Roosevelt had done on a smaller scale, and an American-centric new world order would arise from the old, but only if they won the war. Were going forward on our plan for the North African invasion, Operation Torch, the Navy calls it, he began. Americans must get into the action as soon as practicable, and General Marshall has appointed Dwight Eisenhower as overall Allied Commander. The Krauts will hate thatan American General with a Jur-r-mann name. Im at odds with many of my generals and admirals on this, its a profound and… unpopular decision. But a good one. The traitorous Vichy will fight, Im sure of it, murmured Churchill. Or.. .they might surrender without a shot fired, smiled the president. Keep the sunny side up, Winston. Bum fodder, but I like the way you think Prompt, Chief of Staff General George Marshall entered. Mr. President, Prime Minister. Sad news from Libya. He handed Winston a pink telegram. Churchill slowly put down his tea cup. Rommels taken Tobruk 33,000 taken prisoner. 19,000 were British. The Suez is in his sights. God damn him to hell. He crumpled the missive in his meaty fist. Tobruk…defeat is one thing, disgrace quite another.