More Churchill

[dhermann1]

I just read this excellent review online. It's from The New York Review of Books. A lot to chew on here:
http://www.nybooks.com/articles/21410

 

[ethanedwards]

Churchill

I just read this excellent review online. It's from The New York Review of Books. A lot to chew on here:
http://www.nybooks.com/articles/21410

Interesting stuff! Considering the mood for isolationism in the US, I've often wondered how Churchill - especially after Pearl Harbour - managed to convince Roosevelt to commit so much into the ETO, rather than the Pacific, where the 'real' enemy was. Growing up how and where I did, it's hard not to see Churchill - rightly or wrongly - as a saviour figure, the 'fight them on the beaches' speech will always bring a lump to my throat - silly really. I strongly dislike how he turned his back on Harris and Bomber Command when it was all over but I suppose he was a politician to the core. I guess the British people did the same to him though, with Clement Atlee being elected before the atomic bombs had fallen on Japan.

 

[Spitfire]

Very intersting read - thanks for posting.

 

[cookie]

Winston

but I suppose he was a politician to the core.

That about sums it up ...Yalta...the Russian emigres deported back to USSR death camps, Tito etc then of course Gallipoli in a previous life ....but who else was capable of inspiring the British in "their finest hour"?

 

[ethanedwards]

Winston

That about sums it up ...Yalta...the Russian emigres deported back to USSR death camps, Tito etc then of course Gallipoli in a previous life ....but who else was capable of inspiring the British in "their finest hour"?

You're right, it's an ugly list isn't it. I probably need putting right here, but I have the idea that Churchill only just got the job, after narrowly defeating Halifax - and Halifax was all set to come to terms with Germany, more appeasement, free hand in Europe etc. And that doesn't really bear thinking about. But I'm really out of my depth here... glug-glug-glug...

 

[dhermann1]

There are so many things Churchill gets blamed for that weren't really his fault. And it's a shame because there quite enough real mistakes in his record that he doesn't need bogus ones. He was really an innocent victim of Kitchener's intransigence at Galliopli (along with thousands of ANZAC soldiers whose lives were wasted). He got a lot more blame than he deserved for the blunders in the invasion of Norway. The alleged foreknowledge of the bombing of Coventry is just an out and out slander, and at Yalta Roosevelt had already marginalized him completely from the decision making process. He saw all too well what was coming, but was powerless to prevent it.
The thing about Churchill is that his personality simply transcends any judgment that can be made about his actions. Everything bad ever said about him was true, likewise eveything good. But it's just a sheer joy to witness the great drama (and occasional comedy) that was his life.

 

[ethanedwards]

Churchill

The thing about Churchill is that his personality simply transcends any judgment that can be made about his actions. Everything bad ever said about him was true, likewise eveything good. But it's just a sheer joy to witness the great drama (and occasional comedy) that was his life.[/QUOTE]

Very nicely put! I like the story, from Colville I think, where Bert Harris was
hosting a slide show of the devastation wrought on German cities by the RAF. In the darkness of the room, Colville saw the tears rolling down Churchill's face, in stark contrast with Harris' cold satisfaction of a directive successfully
carried out. (It should be said that Churchill did much to promote the air offensive and it's key objectives were in place some time before Harris' tenure.)

 

[dhermann1]

There's another Colville story where WSC stumbles as he's sitting down in his chair and does a somersault, ass over teakettle, and winds up flat on his back with his feet in the air. He just starts cackling and laughing his ass off at himself. "A regular Charlie Chaplin!" he exclaims. Colville just wanted to kiss him, he was so endearing.