Sir Winston
Churchill:
Colourful colossus world figure
Premasara EPASINGHE
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Sir Winston Churchill
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The 137th birth anniversary of Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965), the
colossus world figure, British statesman, Prime Minister, falls tomorrow
(November 30). He was born on November 30, 1874 at Blenheim Palace,
Oxfordshire. He was the War Prime Minister from 1940-1945, then, again
in 1951-1955. Undoubtedly, he was one of the leading figures in the 20th
century. He changed the entire course of history of the world by
motivating the British. He was mainly responsible in defeating the most
ruthless Nazi Dictator Adolf Hitler (1889-1945).
This colourful personality Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill was a
man of many parts. He was a Warrior, crafty strategist, shrewd
politician, a great orator and debater, strict disciplinarian, an
administrator, Nobel Prize Winner for Literature (1953), wittiest
politician and painter. He was a great national leader and patriot, who
was mainly responsible and instrumental in saving the British
civilization. He was a towering figure in the world political firmament.
He was able to get to the heart of a problem quickly.
Winston Churchill was born in Blenheim Palace, to Marlborough family,
home in Oxfordshire. Winston’s father was Lord Randolp Henry Spencer
Churchill (1849-1895) a British statesman, Secretary of State of India
(1885-1886), Chancellor of Exchequer (1886), a gifted speaker and a
loyal member of the Conservative Party.
Winston’s parents selected a nanny - Elizabeth Everest, to look after
little Winston. She became the confidante of Winston Churchill for 18
years. Once, Winston remarked.
“My mother shone like an Evening Star. I loved her immensely, but
kept her at a distance.”
Winston Churchill studied at one of the prestigious public schools in
England - Harrow. He was an average student. As a kid, he played with
toy soldiers. His father admitted him to the leading military school -
Sandhurst. He passed out 20th out of a batch of 120 cadets.
Serving the Army, his first assignment was in South Africa. He served
in two wars between Afrikaners (Boers) and the Britishers in South
Africa. Churchill played a role as a War Reporter in the second South
African War in 1899. He was imprisoned in Pretoria, but after few months
he escaped.
In 1900, he took upto politics and was elected as a Conservative
Member of Parliament. Winston Churchill was a man of principles. He
crossed the floor and joined the Liberal Party in 1904. The Liberal
Party of British grew out of the early 19th century. “The Liberal’s
greatest leader was William Gladstone.
The predominant interest of the Liberal Party were free trade,
religious and individual liberty, financial retrenchment, constitutional
reforms etc.
As the first Lord of Admiralty under Herbert Asquith (1852-1928),
Churchill expanded Britain’s Navy in preparation for World War I
(1914-1918). World War I was due to an attack and an assassination of
Austrian Arch Duke Franz Ferdinand by Serbs in Sarajevo on June 28,
1914. Austria declared war against Serbia from July 29, 1914. Germany
declared war on Russia August 18, 1914 and France on August 3, 1914 and
then Britain declared war on Germany.
In Llloyd George’s (1863-1945) Cabinet, Churchill served as the
Secretary of State for war (1918-1921), and as the Colonial Secretary
(1921-1922). He oversaw the creation of the Irish Free State. Then, he
returned to power as the Chancellor of Exchequer (1923-1929) and served
under Stanley Baldwin (1867-1947) - Conservative Prime Minister
(1923/24, 1924/29, 1935/37). From 1929 to 1939, Churchill was out of
office. It should be mentioned here during this period he spoke against
the rising threat of Nazi Germany.
On the outbreak of World War II - 1939 to 1945, Wisnton Churchill,
once again became the First Lord of Admiralty. The World War II, began
as an International conflict arising from disputes provoked by the
Expansion of policies of Germany in Europe and Japan and in the Far
East. An important highlight was Hitler’s Nazi Germany invaded Poland,
whereupon Britian and France declared war on September 3, 1940.
The top three
In 1940, Churchill replaced Neville Chamberlain (1869-1940) as War
Prime Minister. Churchill was at his best. He proved to be an inspiring
war leader. He cultivated a close relationship with the Great American
President - Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1882-1945) - four times
President. Churchill was the chief architect of the grand alliance - USA
and USSR. On February, 1945, Chief Allied Leaders of the World War II,
took place at Yalta in Cremia, Ukraine with victory over Germany,
Roosevelt, Churchill, Stalin met to discuss the final campaign of war
and post war settlement.
Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin were three men who shaped modern
Europe and the post war structure of international politics.
The extraordinary personal relationship evolved between the leaders
of the greatest combination of Military Power in history - the grand
Alliance of the second world war, popularly known as the “Big Three”,
was the Force behind to defeat the Nazi Dictator Hitler of Germany. They
met to plan the strategy in Teheran (1943) and Yalta (1945).
Witty, humerous and world leader
Wisnton Churchill was one of the wittiest politicians cum statesman
the world has seen.
Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin were staying in a hotel in Yalta.
Roosevelt, a polio victim, going on his wheel chair, kicked and opened
the door of Churchill. He (Churchill) was caught with his pants down.
Roosevelt said “Winston, so sorry.”
Churchill smiled broadly and uttered:-
“Come in. PM of England, United Kingdom, has nothing to hide from
United States of America.”
Once a Labour Woman Parliamentarian growled in the House vehemently
criticising Conservative Prime Minister Churchill. She said “Hon
Speaker, if this man is my husband, I will add some “arsenic to his
morning cup of coffee.” Cool as a cucumber, Churchill got up and replied
“Hon Speaker, I will be too glad to drink the cup of coffee, rather than
living with the Honourable Member.”
Good relationship with a “Comi is” like wooing a crocodile
On another occasion, Churchill described a Communist in this manner -
“Trying to maintain good relationship with a Communist is like wooing a
crocodile.
You do not know, whether to tickle it, under the chin or beat it over
the head. When a crocodile opens its mouth, you cannot tell, whether he
is trying to smile or preparing to eat you up.”
Meeting the Maker
He was very popular with mediamen. One day, a journalist questioned
Churchill whether, he was ready to meet “His Maker.”
Churchill replied “Young Man, I am ever ready to meet my Maker, but
whether my Maker is prepared for the Great ordeal of meeting me is
another matter.”
Fountain of epigrams
Sir Winston Churchill was a real fountain of epigrams. One of his
famous words; I quote
In war, resolution
In defeat, defiance
In victory, magnanimity
In peace, goodwill
Once Churchill said, “There are lot of lies going around the world
and the worst of it is that half of them are true.”
On another occasion, Churchill uttered “never trust a man, who has
not a single redeeming vice”
Politics a funny game
In 1945, Churchill was succeeded by Clement Atlee (1883-1969) as
Labour Prime Minister from 1945 to 1951. He granted Independence to
India, Sri Lanka and Burma. In the 1946 Parliamentary Elections, the man
who saved Great Britain from Adolf Hitler, lost his Parliamentary seat.
Politics is a funny and an unpredictable game.
Noble prize winner
Winston Churchill loved literature, history, art and painting. Among
those books he wrote, the first book was The Story of the Malakand Field
Force, History of the World War II, and History of the English Speaking
People (1956-1958). He received the Noble Prize in 1953.
Churchill was in Parliament for nearly half a century. He was the
Leader of the Opposition for six years, Prime Minister for 3 ½ years
from October 1951. He resigned at the age of 80.
Silver tongued orator
Without any doubt, Winston Churchill was one of the best speakers,
orators the world have witnessed. The effect of his words were electric.
The beauty was that Churchill mobilised the English language and sent
it to battle. He deployed his power of oratory in their simplicity,
majesty and eloquence. Gladstone, Lloyd George were orators. But,
Churchill was in the forefront. Churchill addressed the hearts more than
the brain.
On May 19, 1940, in his first broadcast as war Prime Minister -
Winston Churchill stated; “I have formed an administration of men and
women of every party and of almost every point of view. We have differed
and quarreled in the past. Now, one bond, unites as all - to wage war
until victory is won, never to surrender ourselves whatever the cost may
be.”
Once in the Parliament, Churchill mentioned about his policy:
“It is to wage war by sea, land and air with all our might and with
all, our strength that God give us and wage war against the monstrous
tyranny never surpassed in the lamentable catalogue of human crime”.
“What is our aim?”
“It is victory, victory at all costs come then, let us go forward
together with our united effort,”
In some of his speeches, he motivated the feelings of patriotism and
the importance of unity.
“We had to think of the future and not the past. If we open a quarrel
between the past and the present, we shall find that we have lost the
future.”
Once a Home Guard guarding the beach asked Churchill - “Sir what to
do if Germans landed?”
“Hit them on the head with broken bottles. It is all we have bloody
got”, Churchill replied.
In one of the Churchill’s powerful speeches, he mentioned, “We shall
do our best to be worthy of high honour. We shall fight on
unconquerable, until the curse of Hitler is lifted from the brims of
mankind. We are sure in the end all will come right.
On June 4, 1940 Churchill made this famous brilliant speech, which is
quoted by many.
“We shall not flag or fail. We shall fight in France. We shall fight
in the seas and oceans. We shall fight with the growing confidence and
growing strength in the Air. We shall fight on the beaches. We shall
fight on the landing grounds. We shall fight in the hills. We shall
never surrender.
From some of Churchill’s speeches:
The finest hour - House of Commons - 18/6/1940
“Upon the battle depends the survival of Christian civilization. Upon
it depends our own British life and the long continuity of our
institutions and Europe”.
“The whole fury and might of the enemy must very soon be turned on
us. Hitler knows he will have to break us in this island or lose the
war”.
“If we can stand up to him (Hitler), all Europe may be freed and, the
life of the world may move forward into the broad and sunlit uplands.
But if we fail, then the whole world, including USA and all that we have
known and cared for will sink into the abyss of a New Dark Era, made
more sinister and perhaps more prolonged by the lights of perverted
science.
Churchill was a Great Motivator. He addressed the nation “The battle
of Britain is about two begin. The whole fury and the might, soon be
turned on us. Let us therefore embrace ourselves, that if the British
Empire and the Commonwealth lasts for thousand yeas, men will say - this
is their finest hour.
In July 1899, Winston Churchill contested to enter Parliament. He was
unsuccessful. In July 1900, he contested Oldham Seat and was elected. In
1904, he crossed the floor of the House and joined the Liberals, but in
1924, he resigned from the Liberal Party and joined the Conservative
Party again.
Winston Churchill married Clementine Hozier, on September 12, 1908.
She was a tower of inspiration to him and was the wind behind his sails.
For the great services he rendered to Great Britain, United Kingdom,
Queen Elizabeth II, honoured him with a knighthood.
The historians compare the magnificence of Sir Winston Churchill only
with that of the Great Duke of Wellington, hundred years ago.
This great man, who saved Great Britain and its civilization, as well
as the commonwealth countries, was laid to rest, at Bladon in
Oxfordshire, less than a mile, from where he was born on November 30,
1874. He died on January 24, 1965.
Sir Winston Churchill was one of the greatest men of the 20th
century. |