Winston Churchill
background Info
Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill was born on November 30, 1874 at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire. His father was a Tory politician, Lord Randolph Churchill. Churchill attended Sandhurst, the royal military college, before starting an army career. He saw action on the North West Frontier of India and in Sudan. While working as a journalist during the Boer War he was captured and made a prisoner-of-war before escaping.
Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill was born on November 30, 1874 at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire. His father was a Tory politician, Lord Randolph Churchill. Churchill attended Sandhurst, the royal military college, before starting an army career. He saw action on the North West Frontier of India and in Sudan. While working as a journalist during the Boer War he was captured and made a prisoner-of-war before escaping.
Getting into office
Churchill's predecessor, Neville Chaimberlain, resigned because the country lacked faith of his prosecution of the war. This became obvious following failiure in Norway. Although the prime minister does not traditionally advise the King on the former's successor, Chamberlain wanted someone who would command the support of all three major parties in the House of Commons. A meeting was called between Chamberlain, Halifax, Churchill and David Margesson, the government Chief Whip, which led to the recommendation of Churchill, and, as a constitutional monarch, George VI asked Churchill to be prime minister. Churchill's first act was to thank Chamberlain for his support.
Churchill's predecessor, Neville Chaimberlain, resigned because the country lacked faith of his prosecution of the war. This became obvious following failiure in Norway. Although the prime minister does not traditionally advise the King on the former's successor, Chamberlain wanted someone who would command the support of all three major parties in the House of Commons. A meeting was called between Chamberlain, Halifax, Churchill and David Margesson, the government Chief Whip, which led to the recommendation of Churchill, and, as a constitutional monarch, George VI asked Churchill to be prime minister. Churchill's first act was to thank Chamberlain for his support.
Winston and the war
Churchill's speeches were a great inspiration to the British. His first speech as prime minister was the famous "I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears, and sweat". One historian has called its effect on Parliament as "electrifying"; the House of Commons that had ignored him during the 1930s "was now listening, and cheering." Churchill followed that closely with two other equally famous ones, given just before the Battle of Britain. One included the words
"... we shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender. Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves, that if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say, 'This was their finest hour"
At the height of the Battle of Britain, his survey of the situation included the memorable line "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few", which engendered the nickname The Few for the RAF fighter pilots who won it. He first spoke these famous words upon his exit from No. 11 Group's underground bunker at RAF Uxbridge, now known as the Battle of Britain Bunker on August 16, 1940. One of his most memorable war speeches came on November 10, 1942 at the Lord Mayor's Luncheon at Mansion House in London, in response to the Allied victory at the Second Battle of El Alamein. Churchill stated:
"This is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning."
Churchill had good relations with FDR which helped him secure the vital food and weapons for the soldiers, on the other hand, he was a prominent anti communist, this shows his relation with Stalin was probably bitter and obviously a forced one.
As the war bore on, the allies bombed Dresden, after which Churchill made it clear that the bombings should be focused on military sources such as oil and communications. He showed that the murder of innocent civilians in an enemy country was questionably wrong, and he wanted to be sure that the bombings would not effect the country in the long term, rather he wanted it to effect Germany's war efforts in the present. Churchill was left with the responsibility and blame for giving the okay for the bombings to occur, and is accused of war crimes, which is a valid but questionable point because the bombings were focused on an area where there were around 200,000 soldiers stationed, and because the civilians were in a war zone. It is also decscribed as a "mistaken attempt to bring Germany's military to a defeat."
"... we shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender. Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves, that if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say, 'This was their finest hour"
At the height of the Battle of Britain, his survey of the situation included the memorable line "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few", which engendered the nickname The Few for the RAF fighter pilots who won it. He first spoke these famous words upon his exit from No. 11 Group's underground bunker at RAF Uxbridge, now known as the Battle of Britain Bunker on August 16, 1940. One of his most memorable war speeches came on November 10, 1942 at the Lord Mayor's Luncheon at Mansion House in London, in response to the Allied victory at the Second Battle of El Alamein. Churchill stated:
"This is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning."
Churchill had good relations with FDR which helped him secure the vital food and weapons for the soldiers, on the other hand, he was a prominent anti communist, this shows his relation with Stalin was probably bitter and obviously a forced one.
As the war bore on, the allies bombed Dresden, after which Churchill made it clear that the bombings should be focused on military sources such as oil and communications. He showed that the murder of innocent civilians in an enemy country was questionably wrong, and he wanted to be sure that the bombings would not effect the country in the long term, rather he wanted it to effect Germany's war efforts in the present. Churchill was left with the responsibility and blame for giving the okay for the bombings to occur, and is accused of war crimes, which is a valid but questionable point because the bombings were focused on an area where there were around 200,000 soldiers stationed, and because the civilians were in a war zone. It is also decscribed as a "mistaken attempt to bring Germany's military to a defeat."
The war in Europe eventually ends in May of 1945. He broadcast to the nation that day that the Germans have surrendered, and that the final cease-fire would be called at a minute past midnight that day. He also assured that victory in Japan was on the horizon. Japan surrendered in August of 1945 following the nuclear bombing of Nagasaki and Hiroshima
The Interview
Luckily, we got the chance to interview Mr. Churchill, so we sent our best reporter to ask him a few questions about his take on the war, his position on communism/facism and about how the war affected the world as a whole.
Winston Churchill's Interview
How Do you think the war affected the world as a whole, especially the major powers?
I believe the war was a major turning point because many mistakes were made throughout the course of the war. I think it was rather necessary to form theUnited Nations because it will lessen the chance of future wars and limit the ability to form secret agreements among countries. It definitely brought the majority of nations up to speed with affairs. Nations can now lessen security levels because there is no need to disturb peace throughout the world, the powers must cooperate to end wars in less noted countries. This will lead to international peace and security.
What were some of the specific mistakes that you made, if any, and do you feel you could have acted upon these situations in a more meticulous manner?
I believe the areas that were hit with bombs should have been hit later, or given a warning to evacuate. I also believe they should have been specified to military supplies such as arsenals, oil, and communications. This was a mistake on the allies part because we gave the orders to bomb, so I take full responsibility for the deaths of innocent civilians. I do not, however, believe this was a war crime because there was intent to eliminate enemy personell.
Finally, what is your take on both facism and communism?
I have the deepest hatred for both. The alliance with stalin and the communist Soviet Union was necessary to keep the allied powers strong. I would rather sign a treaty with the devil. I have never seen such horrid control methods. They kill their own people for small crimes, and they have little to no freedoms. I do not believe that any country's people, no matter how wild they are, should ever have their land, money, and freedoms taken away. They survive in these forms of government, but they will never strive with this type of opression
Winston Churchill's Interview
How Do you think the war affected the world as a whole, especially the major powers?
I believe the war was a major turning point because many mistakes were made throughout the course of the war. I think it was rather necessary to form theUnited Nations because it will lessen the chance of future wars and limit the ability to form secret agreements among countries. It definitely brought the majority of nations up to speed with affairs. Nations can now lessen security levels because there is no need to disturb peace throughout the world, the powers must cooperate to end wars in less noted countries. This will lead to international peace and security.
What were some of the specific mistakes that you made, if any, and do you feel you could have acted upon these situations in a more meticulous manner?
I believe the areas that were hit with bombs should have been hit later, or given a warning to evacuate. I also believe they should have been specified to military supplies such as arsenals, oil, and communications. This was a mistake on the allies part because we gave the orders to bomb, so I take full responsibility for the deaths of innocent civilians. I do not, however, believe this was a war crime because there was intent to eliminate enemy personell.
Finally, what is your take on both facism and communism?
I have the deepest hatred for both. The alliance with stalin and the communist Soviet Union was necessary to keep the allied powers strong. I would rather sign a treaty with the devil. I have never seen such horrid control methods. They kill their own people for small crimes, and they have little to no freedoms. I do not believe that any country's people, no matter how wild they are, should ever have their land, money, and freedoms taken away. They survive in these forms of government, but they will never strive with this type of opression