D.C. — December 10, 1941 — The Oval Office
Franklin D. Roosevelt sat, exhausted but resolute. On his desk, a multi-line telephone wouldn't stop ringing. The Secretary of State handed him a receiver.
—"It's Churchill, Mr. President."
Roosevelt took it without hesitation.
—"Winston."
—"Franklin. What a long day... but also a historic one."
—"You said it in your letter: the Old World and the New standing shoulder to shoulder. There's no turning back now."
—"History is watching us, my friend," Churchill replied gravely. "Germany will soon feel the weight of American industry."
—"And I won't stop until Hitler and his allies fall, one by one."
Another line lit up. The President picked it up.
—"Who is it?"
—"General Wavell from Egypt, sir."
His voice was dull, worn out:
—"Cairo is practically surrounded. Axis troops are closing in from the west, the south, and the north. Rommel, Italians, even Spaniards... they're everywhere."
—"Resistance?"
—"To the last bullet, but we won't hold out much longer. Sir... you better open a front in Morocco. Or there'll be nothing left here in a few days."
Roosevelt clenched his jaw.
—"I'll bring it to the Joint Chiefs. Hold fast."
He hung up. There was no room for doubt left on his face.
—"Call the Joint Chiefs. In half an hour."
London — Same day
Churchill hung up with Roosevelt and picked up another line.
—"Stalin?"
—"I'm here," replied the Georgian. "Have you spoken with the Americans?"
—"Yes. They're committed. This war is global now, on every front."
—"Let's hope they prove it through action. Every week matters."
—"They will, Iosif. I promise."
Stalin murmured something before hanging up. Churchill, still holding the phone, called De Gaulle.
—"Charles, Cairo is about to fall."
—"Then North Africa is lost."
—"Not if the Americans land in time."
—"Will they?"
—"They have to. There's no other option."
Moscow — Night
Stalin, holding reports of the VI Army breaking out of the encirclement, paced back and forth in his office.
—"Damn it. I should have finished them off. They were within our grasp…"
One of his generals tried to speak, but Stalin raised his hand.
—"No matter. The Americans are in now. And that means… a second front. Maybe not all is lost."