How decisions during World War II were made at the highest level, and how these decision affected every facet of the warTo understand the end result of World War II is to understand the leaders organizing the action from behind the scenes; from the main figureheads to the silent chiefs of staff, this history shows how the Allies planned World War II, covering everything from the troop deployments and offensives to the locating of post-war boundaries and surrender terms. Between December 1941 and August 1945, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Prime Minister Winston S. Churchill, and sometimes Joseph Stalin met several times to discuss strategy with their Chiefs of Staff. In particular, Churchill described U.S. Army Chief of Staff George C. Marshall in 1945 as the and "organizer of victory. and " For the first time these important war conferences are available edited under one cover, complete with background information and analysis, with meticulous annotation making them easily understood by the lay historian.