Winston Churchill E-Book

50MINUTES

• Herausgeber: 50Minutes.com
• Kategorie: Sachliteratur, Reportagen, Biografien
• Serie: History
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 33

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2017

Beschreibung

Keen to learn but short on time? Get to grips with the life of Winston Churchill in next to no time with this concise guide.

50Minutes.com provides a clear and engaging analysis of the life of Winston Churchill. In May 1940, with Europe under threat from Adolf Hitler’s Germany, Winston Churchill became the British Prime Minister. His tenacity and inspiring speeches are credited with helping to lead the Allies to victory over the Nazis, and he is considered by many to be one of the greatest Britons of all time. He was re-elected for a second term in 1951, and remains one of the most widely-known figures in British history.

In just 50 minutes you will:
• Learn about the life of Winston Churchill and his decades-long political career
• Analyse Churchill’s contribution to the Allied war effort during World War II
• Understand Churchill’s domestic and foreign policy during his two terms as Prime Minister 

ABOUT 50MINUTES.COM | History & Culture
50MINUTES.COM will enable you to quickly understand the main events, people, conflicts and discoveries from world history that have shaped the world we live in today. Our publications present the key information on a wide variety of topics in a quick and accessible way that is guaranteed to save you time on your journey of discovery.

Leseprobe

Winston Churchill

Key information

Born: 30 November 1874 in Woodstock (England).Died: 24 January 1965 in London.Major achievements:Architect of peace during the Second World War (1939-1945).Defender of Britain’s standing in the world.Talented writer who helped record history and was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature.

Introduction

Winston Churchill, a colourful, ambitious and combative character, is considered to be one of the greatest British heads of state of the 20th century. He is primarily known for his role as Prime Minister during the Second World War, when he encouraged his nation and the rest of the Allies to keep fighting and refused to give up on freedom, which he saw as an essential value. Nonetheless, his political career, which spanned over 50 years, was much bigger than this and was always characterised by an iron will. Although many remember him as a widely respected and well-liked figure, his character often inspired criticism and he experienced a series of painful failures which left him shut out of the political life of his time. However, he never let himself be beaten and always faced adversity head on.

As well as a man of action, he was also a talented orator who had a way with words, both in speech and in writing. His substantial literary output, which brings together impassioned speeches and historical works in which facts are accompanied by detailed and insightful personal analysis, is proof of this. Indeed, Churchill always made sure that he played a role in history and was partially responsible for shaping his own image. In this way, he left his mark on his age and, even after his death, this ‘old lion’ continues to fascinate us.

Biography

Portrait of Winston Churchill by Yousuf Karsh.

The predetermined path of a young aristocrat

Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill was born on 30 November 1874 in Blenheim Palace, Woodstock to an American mother and a father descended from the prestigious line of the Dukes of Marlborough. He grew up surrounded by luxury and upper-class society, but often felt neglected by his parents, who were too occupied with politics and their social obligations. For this reason, he spent his childhood with his nurse, Elizabeth Everest, whom he adored.

At the age of around 15, Churchill had to choose his path in life, but the options for a young aristocrat were limited: he could choose between the Church, the law and the army. As his academic results were mediocre, his father chose a military career for him and sent him to the Royal Military College in Sandhurst. As luck would have it, this was the option that the young Churchill disliked the least, because it promised the adventure that he was desperately looking for. He quickly got used to life in the barracks and obtained the rank of second lieutenant. In 1895, his passing out, the death of his father at the age of only 45 and the death of his nurse signalled the end of his childhood.

He divided the years that followed between his military career and his assignments as a journalist, with the articles that he wrote allowing him not only to earn money, but also to forge a reputation for himself. He fought in England’s colonial wars in India, Sudan and South Africa.

The beginning of a long political career

When he returned from Africa, Churchill was welcomed as a hero. Having decided on a career in politics, he took advantage of this burgeoning success to take part in the elections of October 1900 and was elected Conservative MP for Oldham. However, when the issue of a return to protectionism was being debated in 1904, as a fervent supporter of free trade, he crossed the floor to join the liberals.

Economic protectionism vs. free trade