In the early days of 1943, the Anglo-American allies met on the Northwest African coast at Casablanca, led by Churchill and Roosevelt. The Allies were plotting out their next phase of destroying the Axis powers that began World War II. At a news conference, President Roosevelt announced that the Allies’ objective was “unconditional surrender” by the Axis, notably Germany and Japan. This pronouncement almost caused British Prime Minister Winston Churchill a head jerk because this was a point the Allies had not discussed or reached agreement on.
Churchill understood, perhaps more than Roosevelt, what unconditional surrender means and how drastic a measure it is. Unconditional surrender means that the loser lays down his weapons and not only surrenders the fight, but also agrees to any conditions required by the victor. It is a drastic measure.