The 1943 cross-channel attack that never was and the “90-division gamble”

The Americans wanted to go for a cross-Channel attack in 1943, partly for the reason that they wanted to control as much as possible of Germany by the end of the war. Since the Americans apparently believed that the Soviets were weaker than the British did in 1943, and some even believed that Soviet offensive power might be spent in 1944, they must have considered the decision to postpone the cross-Channel attack until 1944 as rather risky. But Soviet progress, hopes for a successful air bombardment of Germany and the postponement of the 1943 cross-Channel invasion lessened the need for a large US field army. Matloff refers to the decision to limit the US Army to just 90 divisions as the "90-Division Gamble". When Roosevelt finally approved 90 divisions as the limit in November, it was far from clear that the Red Army would be able to achieve such success as it really did in 1944.