In the middle of World War II, Nazi military intelligence discovered a seemingly easy way to win the war for Adolf Hitler. The three heads of the Allied forces—Franklin Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, and Josef Stalin—were planning to meet in Tehran in October, 1943. Under Hitler's personal direction, the Nazis launched Operation Long Jump,' an intricate plan to track the Allied leaders in Tehran and assassinate all three men at the same time. I suppose it would make a pretty good haul if they could get all three of us,' Roosevelt later said.
Historian Bill Yenne retells the incredible, globe-spanning story of the most ambitious assassination plot ever thwarted in Operation Long Jump.
In the middle of World War II, Nazi military intelligence discovered a seemingly easy way to win the war for Adolf Hitler. The three heads of the Allied forces—Franklin Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, and Josef Stalin—were planning to meet in Tehran in October, 1943. Under Hitler's personal direction, the Nazis launched “Operation Long Jump,” an intricate plan to track the Allied leaders in Tehran and assassinate all three men at the same time. “I suppose it would make a pretty good haul if they could get all three of us,” Roosevelt later said. Historian Bill Yenne retells the incredible, globe-spanning story of the most ambitious assassination plot ever thwarted in Operation Long Jump.
Prior to reading this book, I had no idea that there ever was a plot against the Big Three at this conference. I do remember thinking during my student years that it was very risky for Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin to go meeting in places like Tehran and Yalta but I didn't know there was an actual well-developed plot to assassinate all three of them. Yenne does an excellent job with the introduction (it's a thriller!) and gives good background into all the major players as the book goes on.
Operation Long Jump was an alleged German plan to simultaneously assassinate Joseph Stalin, Winston Churchill, and Franklin Roosevelt at the 1943 Tehran Conference during World War II. Bill Yenne appears to have unearthed a great tale here, but it’s difficult to tell how much of this book is based on fact, hearsay or supposition as although. Operation Long Jump was an alleged German plan to simultaneously assassinate Joseph Stalin, Winston Churchill, and Franklin Roosevelt at the 1943 Tehran Conference during World War II. Bill Yenne appears to have unearthed a great tale here, but it’s difficult to tell how much of this book is based on fact, hearsay or supposition as although.
It Prior to reading this book, I had no idea that there ever was a plot against the Big Three at this conference. I do remember thinking during my student years that it was very risky for Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin to go meeting in places like Tehran and Yalta but I didn't know there was an actual well-developed plot to assassinate all three of them. Yenne does an excellent job with the introduction (it's a thriller!) and gives good background into all the major players as the book goes on.
![Operation Long Jump: Stalin, Roosevelt, Churchill . By Bill Yenne. Operation Long Jump: Stalin, Roosevelt, Churchill . By Bill Yenne.](/uploads/1/2/5/5/125511054/352513451.jpg)
It was interesting getting a behind-the-scenes look at how each of the Big Three worked and got along with each other (it must have been repugnant for FDR and Churchill to have to work with Stalin, who was engineering more butchery than Hitler was in Germany).However, what's interesting is that the plot itself, Operation Long Jump, was not nearly as interesting to read about as the conference itself. The operation appears to have been a total screw up pretty much from the start, as the Allies intercepted communication (and got their hands on a key person involved purely by accident) and were always two steps ahead of the Nazis and their Iranian co-conspirators. The operation was doomed at that point and so after quickly wrapping that part of the book up, Yenne spends a bit of time (probably too much) at the end talking about 'what might have happened'. Here I think the best part was discussing how the Cold War would have been shaped if FDR's VP, Henry Wallace, would have become president. It's clear that he was strongly pro-Soviet and seems to have mistrusted the very economic structure upon which his own country (and the country whose laws he would have been sworn to uphold) was built, so we could have seen a VERY different post-war America taking shape.
![Churchill Churchill](/uploads/1/2/5/5/125511054/118316461.jpg)
For all his shortcomings, I think I'm pretty glad ol' FDR survived!Overall a good book for any fans of lesser-known aspects of WWII and those who enjoy alternate history. Too many people and their basic histories are presented and repeated over and over. Too many people were involved in this aspect of WWII espionage and they ALL get their moments in the tale. The area of Iran (Persia) was very Nazi oriented in WWII. But the British had oil concerns and the Russians needed Lend Lease so they occupied the country so that the US Army could rebuild a rail line to supply war materials year round from the south. In 1943 the three allied leaders chose Tehra A hard read. Too many people and their basic histories are presented and repeated over and over.
Too many people were involved in this aspect of WWII espionage and they ALL get their moments in the tale. The area of Iran (Persia) was very Nazi oriented in WWII. But the British had oil concerns and the Russians needed Lend Lease so they occupied the country so that the US Army could rebuild a rail line to supply war materials year round from the south. In 1943 the three allied leaders chose Tehran for a meeting.
They knew the Germans had allies in country but the Russians started a full scale roundup. What was not known at first was that the Germans were sending an assassination unit. Once this became known the circus began.
Everybody made mistakes but no more so than the Germans. In the end the effort failed. And we have a nice record of this despite the long overly detailed biographies and personality studies of the participants. A decent book that once again shines a light on the simple fact that for an organized people, sometimes the Germans couldn't get out of their own way. An elaborate plot, trusting one another (which didn't work), the Iranians (also less than adequate) and finally, fate (which is too unforgiving).
It's amazing from reading this book that the Allies existed at all. Worth reading, it's a look at an action that had it succeeded, might have extended the war a few years (oddly enough, only the US had a A decent book that once again shines a light on the simple fact that for an organized people, sometimes the Germans couldn't get out of their own way.
An elaborate plot, trusting one another (which didn't work), the Iranians (also less than adequate) and finally, fate (which is too unforgiving). It's amazing from reading this book that the Allies existed at all.
Worth reading, it's a look at an action that had it succeeded, might have extended the war a few years (oddly enough, only the US had a set up to replace a President who died or was assassinated), but it was already too late for Nazi Germany. Bill Yenne is the author of several novels and over three dozen books on historical topics. He has also been a contributor to encyclopedias of both world wars.The New Yorker wrote of Sitting Bull, his biography of the great Lakota leader, that it 'excels as a study in leadership.' This book was named to the number 14 spot among Amazon's 100 Best Books of the Year.Library Journal observed that 'e Bill Yenne is the author of several novels and over three dozen books on historical topics.
He has also been a contributor to encyclopedias of both world wars.The New Yorker wrote of Sitting Bull, his biography of the great Lakota leader, that it 'excels as a study in leadership.'