A Great and Noble Undertaking Challenged by a Toy that Would Profoundly Affect both War and Peace: From London

To counter the baleful impact of Leigh-Mallory’s abrasive personality and ill-considered proposals, Tedder had James Robb brought home from North Africa in March to serve as his air deputy. During the campaigns of 1943, Robb had gradually become a trusted member of Spaatz’s inner circle and he got a warm welcome from old friends. In October 1944, when Tedder judged the time ripe, Robb would be neatly slotted into what was then left of Leigh-Mallory’s job. Meanwhile, as Tedder’s Personal Staff Officer (Leslie Scarman) wrote, Robb was ‘to force the naughty boys’ of all branches of the air forces ‘to plan together … and to charm the US people into compliance’. By the end of May, Tedder was consulting daily with Robb, ‘whose advice is taken on every air problem’.1