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Winston Churchill: A Life from Beginning to End
Winston Churchill * * *Download for FREE on Kindle Unlimited + Free BONUS Inside!* * * Read On Your Computer, MAC, Smartphone, Kindle Reader, iPad, or Tablet. The man that the world knows as Winston Churchill looms large on the stage of world history. Like some sort of colossus from antiquity, Churchill strides between two major epochs in the world, one foot planted in the glory days of the British Empire when the sun never set on history’s largest known conglomeration of imperial holdings and the other planted firmly in the aftermath of World War Two, and a post-war order that saw that empire collapse, with Britain barely hanging on to its own sovereignty in the wake. Inside you will read about... ✓ Love and War ✓ Courting the Americans ✓ The Allies Show their Teeth ✓ Preparing for the Post-war World ✓ Wrestling the Reins of Power ✓ Churchill’s Hiatus ✓ The End of an Empire And much more! With the Iron Curtain descending over Europe, Churchill was the first to raise the alarm bell that signaled the start of the Cold War. Churchill was a master at the helm, navigating his country and to a much larger extent the world through some of its darkest hours, even while he battled some of his own personal demons of depression and doubt. Follow along as Churchill guides us through uncharted and uncertain waters through the sheer power of his own pugnacious pizzazz.
39 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 2, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
November 3, 2022
Worth reading despite faults.
Or so one may opine, during first chapter or two or so.
Composed seemingly well, the book proceeds in an uneven manner, surprising a reader when one realises that, the author has given a complete bypass to those matters that Winston Churchill is remembered most for, such as the strength he gave England in his leadership, for solidarity against the nazi horrors perpetrated in Europe, and the then feared invasion of England - by the nazi forces ranged across the Channel, all along the coastline of the continent of Europe - with his stoic determination, and most of all, by his rousing speeches from time to time that inspired, energized and united England in the struggle, from the moment he was PM, through the impossible rescue at Dunkirk, through the Battle of Britain, through London Blitz, and onwards, until the tide of the war turned.
The disgusting author and publishers hereby instead give a complete bypass, not only to the war suffered by England, but to the very speeches that Winston Churchill is not only remembered for, but identified with.
And if one writes a book on Winston Churchill without his "fight on beaches" speech, one might be saving money for royalty, but one is producing only husk and chaff.
In short, the book not only seeks to minimize, but hides, Britain's and Winston Churchill's hour of glory.
Instead author and publishers seem to focus on Churchill attempting to stop what he called "the iron curtain" descending on the continent of Europe or eastern part thereof.
This merely exposes the nazi bent of the author and the publishers.
***
"“If you’re going through hell, keep going.”
"—Sir Winston Churchill"
Author does not date this quote. Given as it in a chapter leading from end of WWII towards cold War, author and publishers would like to make readers infer that Winston Churchill wrote this about Soviet, not nazi, rule.
But it's unlikely that Winston Churchill said this after WWII, after cold War had set forth, about only then current times. Even if he wrote this then, it had to have taken into account the horrors perpetrated by nazis, including extermination camps, exposed at Nuremberg trials.
***
"This was followed by Roosevelt’s matter of fact response on April 7, “I regard it as militarily unsound at this stage of the proceedings to make Berlin a major objective, particularly in view of the fact that it is only thirty-five miles from the Russian lines.” For Roosevelt, the Russian occupation of the German city, which Churchill so dreaded, was just a matter of due course; as he put it, they were, in fact, “only thirty-five miles” from the target.
"In F.D.R.’s mind, it only made sense to let the Russians take on the challenge of subduing the German capital. Once again, Churchill’s long-term vision for the end game in Europe had been rebuffed. However, with the American President’s abrupt passing on April 12, 1945, Churchill would have a new man in the White House to deal with, by the name of Harry S. Truman."
Until the election in UK, when Divine replaced him with someone more amenable to independence of India.
****
"“Never, never, never give up.”
"—Sir Winston Churchill"
Again - that had to be written with dark days of the Battle of Britain and horror of the London Blitz in background, if not while living with them.
***
"Harry Truman had only been vice president under F.D.R. for a few months when Roosevelt abruptly died of a cerebral hemorrhage. The whole world (Harry Truman included) was completely surprised and unprepared for F.D.R.’s passing. Immediately after taking the oath of office, Truman allegedly told a crowd of assembled reporters, “Boys, if you ever pray, pray for me now.
"“I don’t know if you fellas ever had a load of hay fall on you, but when they told what happened yesterday, I felt like the moon, the stars, and all the planets had fallen on me.” For his part, however, Churchill had full confidence in the new President and called him the “type of leader the world needs when it needs him most.” Churchill continued to hold this view when on May 7, 1945, Truman led the Allies in the final defeat of Nazi Germany.
"The complete surrender of Germany was held as a great day of celebration in England, with Churchill himself standing up on a balcony of the Ministry of Health building in London to address a large crowd that had gathered below, congratulating them, “This is your victory!” The crowd, feeling that Churchill was indeed the man of the hour, however, was quick to shout back, “No! It is yours!”
***
"Churchill, at last, was getting the recognition he felt he deserved for pulling his country, and to a larger extent the world, through one of the worst catastrophes in history. However, despite such local critical acclaim, Churchill was still very much struggling to get a grip on the post-war order, with one of the most challenging post-war incidents occurring just one month after Germany’s surrender when the French attempted to regain the territory in Syria and Lebanon that they had lost after German occupation."
"local"????
"The local Lebanese and Syrian populations, who had just had a taste of independence, did not take too kindly to their returning colonial masters and rose up in revolt. This then prompted the French General Charles de Gaulle to order French troops to shoot into a crowd of Syrian demonstrators on May 20, as well as dropping bombs right on top of protestors in Damascus and Aleppo.
"By May 31, with the Syrian death toll at the hands of the French reaching well over a thousand, Churchill decided that he had to act and sent de Gaulle a direct order to have his troops commit to a “cease fire and withdraw” back “to their barracks.” This directive from Churchill was ignored by the French, however, and British troops were sent marching into Syria as a consequence."
This is rarely mentioned in context of WWII, Winston Churchill or Charles de Gaulle, where it belongs.
But again, this author and the publishers are only foing so in an effort to pull the latter two down, and in this, mentioning the acclaim by the London crowd as "local" in the paragraph above gives a clue to the effect aimed at by the author and the publishers.
***
"The French were hopelessly outnumbered by the troops Churchill had sent in and as a result ultimately decided it would be wise to heed his demand, returning to their bases with a full British military escort at their heels. Although Churchill was victorious in the dispute, it would come to cost him dearly when it came to relations with post-war France. Charles de Gaulle even went so far to say that he believed that Churchill had armed and stirred up the Syrian protesters in a clandestine attempt to interfere with French affairs in the region."
Or it was the then nascent CIA, in cahoots with nazis who'd fled to Levant, apart from the continental shores of South Atlantic and interiors thereof?
***
"However, in the summer of 1945, the agitated French were the least of Churchill’s concerns; still taking first place in Winston’s worried mind, of course, was the Soviet Union. At this time, Churchill drafted the first known Cold War contingency plan against the Soviets called “Operation Unthinkable” in which Churchill’s military strategists hypothesized a surprise attack on the Soviet forces that were occupying Germany.
"This plan was almost immediately rejected as unfeasible, but a lighter weight defensive strategy emerged from its ashes, a plan established in case the Soviets pushed through to the Atlantic to threaten England in light of an American withdrawal from the continent. Even though he had just seen the defeat of Nazi Germany, Winston Churchill was not taking any chances with Joseph Stalin, even if it cost him an election."
Author and publishers hereby insinuate that this cost him the election, thereby making UK seem riddled by left. This is false, even though labour won the election.
***
"“Kites rise highest against the wind – not with it.”
"—Sir Winston Churchill"
***
"On July 26, when the results of Great Britain’s 1945 election came in, it was a stunning blow to Churchill and those who were close to him. That the “British Bulldog” that had led their nation through its darkest hour had been so handily defeated in a national election was a surprise to say the least, but the writing had been on the wall for some time, and despite Churchill’s good stewardship throughout the war, it was the British working class who had the final say in the election."
A far better judgement is shown by those that opined that British public had chosen a more appropriate leader for peace, after the war was over.
"Despite Churchill’s heroic status, it was the social reform and redistribution of national income proposed by Churchill’s opponent that decided the results. The day after the election results came in, Churchill gave a farewell address that many did indeed believe would be his last. After Mr. Churchill’s ousting from Parliament, he would remain active on the international stage, and for the next six years, he would head the opposition party.
"It was during this time that Winston Churchill would give his famous “Iron Curtain” speech. It was during a visit to Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri on March 5, 1946, in which he declared, “From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an Iron Curtain has descended across the continent. Behind that line lie all the capitals of the ancient states of Central and Eastern Europe. Warsaw, Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Belgrade, Bucharest, and Sofia, all these famous cities and the populations around them lie in what I must call the Soviet sphere.”"
Again, not only mentioning but giving the gist of this speech - which is rarely identified with Winston Churchill - while not only not quoting but completely leaving unmentioned his most famous speech (- about fighting in streets, fighting on beaches, ... ), shows the nias of the author and the publishers, which is not merely one of obliterating of the continent of Europe from thought, but that of a bias that is pro-nazi, and not merely anti-leftist.
****
Or so one may opine, during first chapter or two or so.
Composed seemingly well, the book proceeds in an uneven manner, surprising a reader when one realises that, the author has given a complete bypass to those matters that Winston Churchill is remembered most for, such as the strength he gave England in his leadership, for solidarity against the nazi horrors perpetrated in Europe, and the then feared invasion of England - by the nazi forces ranged across the Channel, all along the coastline of the continent of Europe - with his stoic determination, and most of all, by his rousing speeches from time to time that inspired, energized and united England in the struggle, from the moment he was PM, through the impossible rescue at Dunkirk, through the Battle of Britain, through London Blitz, and onwards, until the tide of the war turned.
The disgusting author and publishers hereby instead give a complete bypass, not only to the war suffered by England, but to the very speeches that Winston Churchill is not only remembered for, but identified with.
And if one writes a book on Winston Churchill without his "fight on beaches" speech, one might be saving money for royalty, but one is producing only husk and chaff.
In short, the book not only seeks to minimize, but hides, Britain's and Winston Churchill's hour of glory.
Instead author and publishers seem to focus on Churchill attempting to stop what he called "the iron curtain" descending on the continent of Europe or eastern part thereof.
This merely exposes the nazi bent of the author and the publishers.
***
"“If you’re going through hell, keep going.”
"—Sir Winston Churchill"
Author does not date this quote. Given as it in a chapter leading from end of WWII towards cold War, author and publishers would like to make readers infer that Winston Churchill wrote this about Soviet, not nazi, rule.
But it's unlikely that Winston Churchill said this after WWII, after cold War had set forth, about only then current times. Even if he wrote this then, it had to have taken into account the horrors perpetrated by nazis, including extermination camps, exposed at Nuremberg trials.
***
"This was followed by Roosevelt’s matter of fact response on April 7, “I regard it as militarily unsound at this stage of the proceedings to make Berlin a major objective, particularly in view of the fact that it is only thirty-five miles from the Russian lines.” For Roosevelt, the Russian occupation of the German city, which Churchill so dreaded, was just a matter of due course; as he put it, they were, in fact, “only thirty-five miles” from the target.
"In F.D.R.’s mind, it only made sense to let the Russians take on the challenge of subduing the German capital. Once again, Churchill’s long-term vision for the end game in Europe had been rebuffed. However, with the American President’s abrupt passing on April 12, 1945, Churchill would have a new man in the White House to deal with, by the name of Harry S. Truman."
Until the election in UK, when Divine replaced him with someone more amenable to independence of India.
****
"“Never, never, never give up.”
"—Sir Winston Churchill"
Again - that had to be written with dark days of the Battle of Britain and horror of the London Blitz in background, if not while living with them.
***
"Harry Truman had only been vice president under F.D.R. for a few months when Roosevelt abruptly died of a cerebral hemorrhage. The whole world (Harry Truman included) was completely surprised and unprepared for F.D.R.’s passing. Immediately after taking the oath of office, Truman allegedly told a crowd of assembled reporters, “Boys, if you ever pray, pray for me now.
"“I don’t know if you fellas ever had a load of hay fall on you, but when they told what happened yesterday, I felt like the moon, the stars, and all the planets had fallen on me.” For his part, however, Churchill had full confidence in the new President and called him the “type of leader the world needs when it needs him most.” Churchill continued to hold this view when on May 7, 1945, Truman led the Allies in the final defeat of Nazi Germany.
"The complete surrender of Germany was held as a great day of celebration in England, with Churchill himself standing up on a balcony of the Ministry of Health building in London to address a large crowd that had gathered below, congratulating them, “This is your victory!” The crowd, feeling that Churchill was indeed the man of the hour, however, was quick to shout back, “No! It is yours!”
***
"Churchill, at last, was getting the recognition he felt he deserved for pulling his country, and to a larger extent the world, through one of the worst catastrophes in history. However, despite such local critical acclaim, Churchill was still very much struggling to get a grip on the post-war order, with one of the most challenging post-war incidents occurring just one month after Germany’s surrender when the French attempted to regain the territory in Syria and Lebanon that they had lost after German occupation."
"local"????
"The local Lebanese and Syrian populations, who had just had a taste of independence, did not take too kindly to their returning colonial masters and rose up in revolt. This then prompted the French General Charles de Gaulle to order French troops to shoot into a crowd of Syrian demonstrators on May 20, as well as dropping bombs right on top of protestors in Damascus and Aleppo.
"By May 31, with the Syrian death toll at the hands of the French reaching well over a thousand, Churchill decided that he had to act and sent de Gaulle a direct order to have his troops commit to a “cease fire and withdraw” back “to their barracks.” This directive from Churchill was ignored by the French, however, and British troops were sent marching into Syria as a consequence."
This is rarely mentioned in context of WWII, Winston Churchill or Charles de Gaulle, where it belongs.
But again, this author and the publishers are only foing so in an effort to pull the latter two down, and in this, mentioning the acclaim by the London crowd as "local" in the paragraph above gives a clue to the effect aimed at by the author and the publishers.
***
"The French were hopelessly outnumbered by the troops Churchill had sent in and as a result ultimately decided it would be wise to heed his demand, returning to their bases with a full British military escort at their heels. Although Churchill was victorious in the dispute, it would come to cost him dearly when it came to relations with post-war France. Charles de Gaulle even went so far to say that he believed that Churchill had armed and stirred up the Syrian protesters in a clandestine attempt to interfere with French affairs in the region."
Or it was the then nascent CIA, in cahoots with nazis who'd fled to Levant, apart from the continental shores of South Atlantic and interiors thereof?
***
"However, in the summer of 1945, the agitated French were the least of Churchill’s concerns; still taking first place in Winston’s worried mind, of course, was the Soviet Union. At this time, Churchill drafted the first known Cold War contingency plan against the Soviets called “Operation Unthinkable” in which Churchill’s military strategists hypothesized a surprise attack on the Soviet forces that were occupying Germany.
"This plan was almost immediately rejected as unfeasible, but a lighter weight defensive strategy emerged from its ashes, a plan established in case the Soviets pushed through to the Atlantic to threaten England in light of an American withdrawal from the continent. Even though he had just seen the defeat of Nazi Germany, Winston Churchill was not taking any chances with Joseph Stalin, even if it cost him an election."
Author and publishers hereby insinuate that this cost him the election, thereby making UK seem riddled by left. This is false, even though labour won the election.
***
"“Kites rise highest against the wind – not with it.”
"—Sir Winston Churchill"
***
"On July 26, when the results of Great Britain’s 1945 election came in, it was a stunning blow to Churchill and those who were close to him. That the “British Bulldog” that had led their nation through its darkest hour had been so handily defeated in a national election was a surprise to say the least, but the writing had been on the wall for some time, and despite Churchill’s good stewardship throughout the war, it was the British working class who had the final say in the election."
A far better judgement is shown by those that opined that British public had chosen a more appropriate leader for peace, after the war was over.
"Despite Churchill’s heroic status, it was the social reform and redistribution of national income proposed by Churchill’s opponent that decided the results. The day after the election results came in, Churchill gave a farewell address that many did indeed believe would be his last. After Mr. Churchill’s ousting from Parliament, he would remain active on the international stage, and for the next six years, he would head the opposition party.
"It was during this time that Winston Churchill would give his famous “Iron Curtain” speech. It was during a visit to Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri on March 5, 1946, in which he declared, “From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an Iron Curtain has descended across the continent. Behind that line lie all the capitals of the ancient states of Central and Eastern Europe. Warsaw, Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Belgrade, Bucharest, and Sofia, all these famous cities and the populations around them lie in what I must call the Soviet sphere.”"
Again, not only mentioning but giving the gist of this speech - which is rarely identified with Winston Churchill - while not only not quoting but completely leaving unmentioned his most famous speech (- about fighting in streets, fighting on beaches, ... ), shows the nias of the author and the publishers, which is not merely one of obliterating of the continent of Europe from thought, but that of a bias that is pro-nazi, and not merely anti-leftist.
****
March 3, 2018
This was a very good overview of Winston Churchill's life. His achievements, struggles, and failures, in many aspects, during his life of service. It shows how he was very forward in his thinking, often preparing for things other allies scoffed at and then saw them come to pass.. He had some outrageous opinions in some regards, particularly one about Ghandi, as his main priority was to hold on to the British empire at all costs, but there is no doubt he made some hard decisions and definitely left his mark on the world. This was an enjoyable and informative quick read.. quite liked it.
March 7, 2022
A fairly skewed account of the life of Winston Churchill, focusing mainly on his leadership in World War II. There's a brief mention of his old school colonial attitude and his hatred for Gandhi, but no mention at all of failed economic policies in East India and the death of millions in Bangladesh from starvation. Short and succinct, but not a full account.
February 1, 2019
Very well written! Short, compact, to the point and very cohesive. Mostly about his military life. Very little about his early or personal life. Good to have a basic knowledge of WW2 history going into it. I loved it and so did my husband.
October 25, 2022
A very one-sided account of the life and work of Churchill on the world stage with just a couple of passing references to his failed policies and attitude towards his colonial subjects that is no less than any dictator
December 21, 2017
Winston Churchill: A Life From Beginning to End is a fantastic overview of Winston Churchill and his life's events and accomplishments. This really is a book that can be read in about an hour, which will result in knowing quite a bit more about Churchill than you might previously have known.
This book is not in-depth, so if you are looking for something with detailed insights into his life and the various things he was a part of, that is not what you will get. However, if you are merely looking to know more about Churchill, this covers a lot. It seemed that this focused most on Churchill's actions during WWII and the events immediately after.
Churchill is an extremely interesting figure; he did many great things, but there are also many controversial aspects of his character that as well, which makes him a great historical figure to study. I do wish that this book went into more detail about Churchill himself and some of the lesser-known struggles that he faced, but I understand that this book was meant as a brief overview.
Overall, I'm giving this book four stars! This is a great little introduction to a fascinating historical figure.
This book is not in-depth, so if you are looking for something with detailed insights into his life and the various things he was a part of, that is not what you will get. However, if you are merely looking to know more about Churchill, this covers a lot. It seemed that this focused most on Churchill's actions during WWII and the events immediately after.
Churchill is an extremely interesting figure; he did many great things, but there are also many controversial aspects of his character that as well, which makes him a great historical figure to study. I do wish that this book went into more detail about Churchill himself and some of the lesser-known struggles that he faced, but I understand that this book was meant as a brief overview.
Overall, I'm giving this book four stars! This is a great little introduction to a fascinating historical figure.
October 20, 2019
As someone who enjoys history and just fancied reading a quick book, this was a good choice. However, I felt disappointed by it.
As a book that is about the life of Winston Churchill, I felt like this lacked the discussion of Chuchill's actual personal life. This book focused on his achievements with WW2, but I wanted to know more about the man himself.
Most of us are aware of the achievements of this man and are in awe of them, but sometimes it is nice to read a quick book which would detail more about his life, his family, his health, but this book really lacked that which is why I can only give this 3 stars.
It was concise, discussed his achievements and I learnt from it, yet didn't contain all I had hoped.
As a book that is about the life of Winston Churchill, I felt like this lacked the discussion of Chuchill's actual personal life. This book focused on his achievements with WW2, but I wanted to know more about the man himself.
Most of us are aware of the achievements of this man and are in awe of them, but sometimes it is nice to read a quick book which would detail more about his life, his family, his health, but this book really lacked that which is why I can only give this 3 stars.
It was concise, discussed his achievements and I learnt from it, yet didn't contain all I had hoped.
January 20, 2023
BEST BOOK IVE EVER READ!!! this takes the CAKE for best book of 2023!!! i don’t need to read any more books for the year 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Read
May 3, 2020Inspiring life story .
January 3, 2026
A great intro. Unfortunately that is the only great part of the book. This 2017-Kindle Edition is a mess save the introduction.
For example, take a look at "Chapter One: Love and War."
The chapter begins with the man's quote introduced as follows:
“My most brilliant achievement was my ability to be able to persuade my wife to marry me.” —Sir Winston Churchill
This is not the case for the chapter and the woman in it. His marriage comes in the next chapter with his real wife, so this quote is irrelevant.
The author should have thoroughly revised the book one more time before publishing it.
There are many sentences I believe are not the best works of the writer, not to mention his love of relative pronoun "that" continues as found many times in this book as in many other books of his.
At least, either the author or the publisher must check the basic grammar.
Listen to this:
(2017-Kindle Ed., location 79)
...With these political moorings secure, Churchill finally found himself successful in the politics of romance as well, and married a woman named Clementine Hozier, whom Churchill would later claim showed him the true meaning of “happily ever after.”
Again, it's the relative pronoun...it's "who," who showed him the true meaning of "happily ever after."
There are also stories that have to be explained better.
For instance, this sudden change of the man's position needs an explanation.
(Ibid., loc. 61)
He didn’t arrive on the shores of South Africa to fight; he came instead as a war correspondent for the “Morning Post” newspaper. As a newspaperman, he made it his duty to report back to Great Britain all the happenings on the southernmost tip of the African continent. Even though he wasn’t actually firing a weapon, Churchill often found himself right on the front lines of the conflict.
So, Winston Churchill was discharged from the military to work for a private newpaper company? The writer should have made this clear first.
And this story follows which sounds a lot like he was never discharged from his military service:
(Ibid., loc. 110)
Seeking to land troops in the Gallipoli peninsula through the Dardanelle strait, the British soldiers were beaten back by fierce and well-organized Turkish machine gun fire, leading to a full retreat. Churchill took the full blame for the disaster, and many called for him to be demoted. However, rather than receiving censure for his actions, Churchill was given the rank of Lieutenant Colonel on January 5, 1916, and sent over to the Western Front to lead the 6th Battalion of the Royal Scots Fusiliers.
Wow, the writer really wasn't qualified for the subject. Churchill was now a Lieutenant Colonel, leading only hundreds of men of his Battalion in the forefront. The "minister" was demoted, but the writer didn't even understand the difference between the "minister," a high ranking politician, and the rank of "Lt. Col" in the ground forces.
(Ibid., loc. 110)
This was then followed by a July 1917 appointment as “Minister of Munitions” and then a promotion in January of 1919 as “Secretary of State.”
Now the politician was reinstated from the demotion. The writer should've known this if he were to "write" a book in this topic.
(Ibid., locs. 177-209)
With the collapse of Britain’s French ally, Churchill then reorganized the British war effort out of Europe and into North Africa in order to strike at the soft underbelly of the Axis by taking out Benito Mussolini’s Italian holdings on the continent. From here the British led the charge to free those who had been subjected to Italian oppression in places like Tunisia, Libya, and Ethiopia. Attacking the Italians first made a lot of sense to the pragmatic Churchill; rather than wasting time against the much stronger militaries of Germany and Japan that Britain was not yet prepared to defeat, Churchill knew that with a steady, concentrated effort, the defeat of Italy was within their grasp. The quick succession of victories against the Italians also served to bolster the morale of the British people, giving them a much-needed boost of confidence in the overall war effort...Churchill’s American reinforcement came just in the nick of time; in addition to the bombing runs on Pearl Harbor, the Japanese military, as part of their strategy, had simultaneously laid waste to the British holdings in Malaya, Thailand, Hong Kong, and ultimately Singapore. The Japanese would completely overrun the latter, seize all resources, and turn the previously British base of operations into a refueling depot for the Japanese fleet. While Britain’s East Asian holdings were being smashed by the Japanese, the British Empire’s efforts in North Africa were being severely challenged as well, this time by a dynamic German commander named Erwin Rommel, otherwise known as the “Desert Fox,” who was doing his best to turn back the clock on any British advancement in North Africa. Rommel struck his most decisive blow against the British on March 24, 1941, in which he took just one German division and two Italian divisions in Libya and used them to kick the British out of the heavily fortified city of Mersa El Brega in less than 24 hours’ time. This was then followed up by the capture of Benghazi by Axis forces immediately afterward.
No, it wasn't like the Prime Minister chose to fight Italy first because she was the weakest of the Axis Powers, but it was more like he had to for the defense of his country's vital water passages and supply chains.
The Prime Minister of the British Empire had to stop the Axis advance towards "Suez Canal," the shortest gateway between the Indian and Atlantic Oceans.
Just like Suez Canal, the Strait of Malacca, the shortest gateway between the Indian and Pacific Oceans was just as important, so the British Empire now had to fight the Japanese in order to retake the passage from them.
And look where the Axis Forces in Northern Africa together were headed for after all. Egypt!
Total "misinformation!" The writer knows nothing of our global geopolitics and how world economy works.
Seriously, the book, if it hasn't been done yet, must be revised and edited with a new conclusion. Unlike the fine introduction, the conclusion was bit of a disappointment.
For example, take a look at "Chapter One: Love and War."
The chapter begins with the man's quote introduced as follows:
“My most brilliant achievement was my ability to be able to persuade my wife to marry me.” —Sir Winston Churchill
This is not the case for the chapter and the woman in it. His marriage comes in the next chapter with his real wife, so this quote is irrelevant.
The author should have thoroughly revised the book one more time before publishing it.
There are many sentences I believe are not the best works of the writer, not to mention his love of relative pronoun "that" continues as found many times in this book as in many other books of his.
At least, either the author or the publisher must check the basic grammar.
Listen to this:
(2017-Kindle Ed., location 79)
...With these political moorings secure, Churchill finally found himself successful in the politics of romance as well, and married a woman named Clementine Hozier, whom Churchill would later claim showed him the true meaning of “happily ever after.”
Again, it's the relative pronoun...it's "who," who showed him the true meaning of "happily ever after."
There are also stories that have to be explained better.
For instance, this sudden change of the man's position needs an explanation.
(Ibid., loc. 61)
He didn’t arrive on the shores of South Africa to fight; he came instead as a war correspondent for the “Morning Post” newspaper. As a newspaperman, he made it his duty to report back to Great Britain all the happenings on the southernmost tip of the African continent. Even though he wasn’t actually firing a weapon, Churchill often found himself right on the front lines of the conflict.
So, Winston Churchill was discharged from the military to work for a private newpaper company? The writer should have made this clear first.
And this story follows which sounds a lot like he was never discharged from his military service:
(Ibid., loc. 110)
Seeking to land troops in the Gallipoli peninsula through the Dardanelle strait, the British soldiers were beaten back by fierce and well-organized Turkish machine gun fire, leading to a full retreat. Churchill took the full blame for the disaster, and many called for him to be demoted. However, rather than receiving censure for his actions, Churchill was given the rank of Lieutenant Colonel on January 5, 1916, and sent over to the Western Front to lead the 6th Battalion of the Royal Scots Fusiliers.
Wow, the writer really wasn't qualified for the subject. Churchill was now a Lieutenant Colonel, leading only hundreds of men of his Battalion in the forefront. The "minister" was demoted, but the writer didn't even understand the difference between the "minister," a high ranking politician, and the rank of "Lt. Col" in the ground forces.
(Ibid., loc. 110)
This was then followed by a July 1917 appointment as “Minister of Munitions” and then a promotion in January of 1919 as “Secretary of State.”
Now the politician was reinstated from the demotion. The writer should've known this if he were to "write" a book in this topic.
(Ibid., locs. 177-209)
With the collapse of Britain’s French ally, Churchill then reorganized the British war effort out of Europe and into North Africa in order to strike at the soft underbelly of the Axis by taking out Benito Mussolini’s Italian holdings on the continent. From here the British led the charge to free those who had been subjected to Italian oppression in places like Tunisia, Libya, and Ethiopia. Attacking the Italians first made a lot of sense to the pragmatic Churchill; rather than wasting time against the much stronger militaries of Germany and Japan that Britain was not yet prepared to defeat, Churchill knew that with a steady, concentrated effort, the defeat of Italy was within their grasp. The quick succession of victories against the Italians also served to bolster the morale of the British people, giving them a much-needed boost of confidence in the overall war effort...Churchill’s American reinforcement came just in the nick of time; in addition to the bombing runs on Pearl Harbor, the Japanese military, as part of their strategy, had simultaneously laid waste to the British holdings in Malaya, Thailand, Hong Kong, and ultimately Singapore. The Japanese would completely overrun the latter, seize all resources, and turn the previously British base of operations into a refueling depot for the Japanese fleet. While Britain’s East Asian holdings were being smashed by the Japanese, the British Empire’s efforts in North Africa were being severely challenged as well, this time by a dynamic German commander named Erwin Rommel, otherwise known as the “Desert Fox,” who was doing his best to turn back the clock on any British advancement in North Africa. Rommel struck his most decisive blow against the British on March 24, 1941, in which he took just one German division and two Italian divisions in Libya and used them to kick the British out of the heavily fortified city of Mersa El Brega in less than 24 hours’ time. This was then followed up by the capture of Benghazi by Axis forces immediately afterward.
No, it wasn't like the Prime Minister chose to fight Italy first because she was the weakest of the Axis Powers, but it was more like he had to for the defense of his country's vital water passages and supply chains.
The Prime Minister of the British Empire had to stop the Axis advance towards "Suez Canal," the shortest gateway between the Indian and Atlantic Oceans.
Just like Suez Canal, the Strait of Malacca, the shortest gateway between the Indian and Pacific Oceans was just as important, so the British Empire now had to fight the Japanese in order to retake the passage from them.
And look where the Axis Forces in Northern Africa together were headed for after all. Egypt!
Total "misinformation!" The writer knows nothing of our global geopolitics and how world economy works.
Seriously, the book, if it hasn't been done yet, must be revised and edited with a new conclusion. Unlike the fine introduction, the conclusion was bit of a disappointment.
May 6, 2017
“Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.”
Sir Winston Churchill
If a man can be called bigger than life, that man must be Winston Churchill. He was born two months premature on November 30, 1874, in his ancestral home of Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, Oxfordshire, England. One could glean that from birth, Churchill was impatient to get on with life. At the age of nineteen, he enrolled in the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst as a Cadet Officer. It took him three tries to pass the entrance exams (a coruscant example of the tenacity that would pull him and Britain through the darkest hours of history) and he was determined to succeed.
Churchill served in various capacities, military and diplomatic, until being appointed Navy Minister in 1911. Just prior to the outbreak of the Great War, Churchill inadvertently expanded the scope of the approaching war by having ordered the seizure of two Turkish battleships currently in British ports. This put the Ottoman Empire squarely in the enemy camp when war was officially declared a month later. Churchill played a large part in organizing, improving, and modernizing the Royal Navy, as well as the eventual independence of Ireland but when storm clouds of war once again hung over Europe, Winston Churchill shone the brightest.
Churchill was a devout imperialist. Under Queen Victoria, Britain developed into the greatest imperial power in the world. With colonies and possessions throughout the world, Great Britain was the first true world power. This vast empire began to crumble after the Great War and accelerated after World War II. Try as he might, Churchill could stem the flow of British world interest and eventually had to accept the inevitable.
Like Sir Winston Churchill, this book may be small in stature but it packs an impressive punch. Churchill lived by his words, proving that attitude does make a big difference.
Sir Winston Churchill
If a man can be called bigger than life, that man must be Winston Churchill. He was born two months premature on November 30, 1874, in his ancestral home of Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, Oxfordshire, England. One could glean that from birth, Churchill was impatient to get on with life. At the age of nineteen, he enrolled in the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst as a Cadet Officer. It took him three tries to pass the entrance exams (a coruscant example of the tenacity that would pull him and Britain through the darkest hours of history) and he was determined to succeed.
Churchill served in various capacities, military and diplomatic, until being appointed Navy Minister in 1911. Just prior to the outbreak of the Great War, Churchill inadvertently expanded the scope of the approaching war by having ordered the seizure of two Turkish battleships currently in British ports. This put the Ottoman Empire squarely in the enemy camp when war was officially declared a month later. Churchill played a large part in organizing, improving, and modernizing the Royal Navy, as well as the eventual independence of Ireland but when storm clouds of war once again hung over Europe, Winston Churchill shone the brightest.
Churchill was a devout imperialist. Under Queen Victoria, Britain developed into the greatest imperial power in the world. With colonies and possessions throughout the world, Great Britain was the first true world power. This vast empire began to crumble after the Great War and accelerated after World War II. Try as he might, Churchill could stem the flow of British world interest and eventually had to accept the inevitable.
Like Sir Winston Churchill, this book may be small in stature but it packs an impressive punch. Churchill lived by his words, proving that attitude does make a big difference.
August 11, 2020
Short, Succinct and Interesting: I thoroughly enjoyed this short read and reminder of one of the world’s greatest statesmen. This series of books from Hourly History are meant to give a brief overview and in this they succeed admirably in painting a decent and interesting portrait of this British leader.
Known for his sharp wit and keen intelligence, Churchill used his vocabulary to win many an argument or convince a recalcitrant audience. His memorable quotes are still used and as applicable today, as this quote from the book shows “Continuous effort, not strength or intelligence, is the key to unlocking our potential”.
If you are needing something uncomplicated to while away an hour or just a “briefing” of Churchill, I highly recommend this book.
Known for his sharp wit and keen intelligence, Churchill used his vocabulary to win many an argument or convince a recalcitrant audience. His memorable quotes are still used and as applicable today, as this quote from the book shows “Continuous effort, not strength or intelligence, is the key to unlocking our potential”.
If you are needing something uncomplicated to while away an hour or just a “briefing” of Churchill, I highly recommend this book.
January 1, 2020
Concise and Information
The approach to Winston Churchill provides concise and helpful information which allow for the reading to get a realistic view of the values and life of such an important person in human history without disconnecting the reader by means of using an adequate level in the language used which neither feels snobish nor does it feel too simplistic as to attempt to dumb down the info too much.
I am really appreciative of finding this book and the author's approach
The approach to Winston Churchill provides concise and helpful information which allow for the reading to get a realistic view of the values and life of such an important person in human history without disconnecting the reader by means of using an adequate level in the language used which neither feels snobish nor does it feel too simplistic as to attempt to dumb down the info too much.
I am really appreciative of finding this book and the author's approach
January 16, 2024
A great introduction of Churchill
I've been interested in Churchill and his work for years, but in spite of reading a great deal both by and about him, I was really impressed with this book I used as a refresher. I highly recommend it.
This book does a great job of navigating Churchill's story in a balanced way. So many works about him are so romantic that he's treated like a comic book hero. Or, in recent years, as an imperialistic bully. This little book examines his many faults honestly while pointing out his amazing achievements.
A must read.
I've been interested in Churchill and his work for years, but in spite of reading a great deal both by and about him, I was really impressed with this book I used as a refresher. I highly recommend it.
This book does a great job of navigating Churchill's story in a balanced way. So many works about him are so romantic that he's treated like a comic book hero. Or, in recent years, as an imperialistic bully. This little book examines his many faults honestly while pointing out his amazing achievements.
A must read.
May 22, 2017
This is another hourly History, a book that can be read in one hour. It's a quick overview of the Life of Winston Churchill. The biggest part of the history was on what Winston did during and after World War II. Churchill first used the term, "behind the iron curtain", during a talk in Missouri. He was criticized by many national leaders for his concern about what would happen to areas under control of the Soviets.
The book was a nice small look at Churchill.
The book was a nice small look at Churchill.
July 31, 2018
A fair assessment of Churchill
This is a good introduction on Winston Churchill that covers all the important aspects of his career and his life without overloading the reader with too much information or using big words to make this look imposing; or, as is the case with many short introductions, over simplifies it.
The end result is an accurate and mostly objective account on one of England's best PMs and world's greatest leaders.
That being said, the reason why I give it four stars out of five is because the author fell into the trap that most of us fall and that is to look at him through a 21st lens.
It is a minor setback. I still recommend the book. History buffs and newcomers alike will enjoy it.
This is a good introduction on Winston Churchill that covers all the important aspects of his career and his life without overloading the reader with too much information or using big words to make this look imposing; or, as is the case with many short introductions, over simplifies it.
The end result is an accurate and mostly objective account on one of England's best PMs and world's greatest leaders.
That being said, the reason why I give it four stars out of five is because the author fell into the trap that most of us fall and that is to look at him through a 21st lens.
It is a minor setback. I still recommend the book. History buffs and newcomers alike will enjoy it.
January 11, 2021
Sir Winston Churchill the British Prime Minister
As with most writings about Winston Churchill, they often forget to clarify which one the book is about. This creates confusion for anyone new to learning about Sir Winston Churchill the British Prime Minister or Winston Churchill the novelist. Both Churchill's were prolific writers and near the same age. While one was the Prime Minister of Britain the other only ran for governor of New Hampshire and lost the election. I wonder however, how many of each of their famous quotes get confused?
With that said, this is a fantastic account of Sir Winston Churchill the British Prime Minister. Enjoy the book knowing which one you are reading about.
As with most writings about Winston Churchill, they often forget to clarify which one the book is about. This creates confusion for anyone new to learning about Sir Winston Churchill the British Prime Minister or Winston Churchill the novelist. Both Churchill's were prolific writers and near the same age. While one was the Prime Minister of Britain the other only ran for governor of New Hampshire and lost the election. I wonder however, how many of each of their famous quotes get confused?
With that said, this is a fantastic account of Sir Winston Churchill the British Prime Minister. Enjoy the book knowing which one you are reading about.
January 13, 2018
As all of this series of short biographies, this summary of such a full life leaves the reader wanting to know more details. The overall tone of the book is less triumphant than many other Churchillian biographies. Is it closer to the truth? I am not enough of a student of Churchill to judge but I am stimulated to learn more about his life which was pivotal in the history of the 20th century.
June 29, 2018
The Old British Bulldog
I really enjoyed this book. Learned some new interesting facts about Sir Winston Churchill. With having a few resurgent projects on Churchill on television and the theatre, I became more curious about the man. This book helped feed that curiosity. Very good read.
I really enjoyed this book. Learned some new interesting facts about Sir Winston Churchill. With having a few resurgent projects on Churchill on television and the theatre, I became more curious about the man. This book helped feed that curiosity. Very good read.
December 29, 2018
It's difficult to try to cover everything in a one hour read about such an accomplished man including the aspects of his leadership in World War II, but I think that the book did a decent job of it. As far as covering his political life, it pointed out his successes, misjudgments, and also his unheeded warnings, especially of the communist agenda at the conclusion of World War II. Definitely worth reading if you're somewhat familiar with him, but would like to be filled in on more details of his life.
April 8, 2019
This short biography covered a lot of ground. I had never heard before that he suffered from destabilizing mood disorders that led to self medicating, which included alcohol, barbiturates, and amphetamines. Considering all that, it is amazing what he accomplished. Quote: "You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something sometime in your life." Winston Churchill
April 28, 2019
An interesting account of Sir Winston Churchill's life
The biography is interesting and written in a short and a crisp format. I would have liked to see some more details about his personal life. The details of his handling of one of its major colonies like India are missing. However, I would recommend all to read this book
The biography is interesting and written in a short and a crisp format. I would have liked to see some more details about his personal life. The details of his handling of one of its major colonies like India are missing. However, I would recommend all to read this book
April 6, 2021
Winston Churchill
This was an excellent synopsis of Churchill's life. Even though he had many bouts of depression, he achieved greatness in a war time era. Once again Hourly History gave an accurate picture of his life. I enjoyed the quotes at the beginning of each chapter. Again I'll say these books would be great for students to read.
This was an excellent synopsis of Churchill's life. Even though he had many bouts of depression, he achieved greatness in a war time era. Once again Hourly History gave an accurate picture of his life. I enjoyed the quotes at the beginning of each chapter. Again I'll say these books would be great for students to read.
April 12, 2021
The Cuban cigar smoking British Bulldog
I have yet to read the book on FDR but I thought that Eisenhower was treated with kid gloves verdes the introduction to Churchill. I would have liked more time given to the Boer War because it influenced his creation of the SOE and guerrilla warfare in France.
He and DeGaul had a hateful relationship after the collapse of France that never mended.
I have yet to read the book on FDR but I thought that Eisenhower was treated with kid gloves verdes the introduction to Churchill. I would have liked more time given to the Boer War because it influenced his creation of the SOE and guerrilla warfare in France.
He and DeGaul had a hateful relationship after the collapse of France that never mended.
October 26, 2021
Packs a Lot into an Hour’s Read
This short book does a great job of documenting Winston Churchill’s life and his many accomplishments and great insight into the political happenings of his time. Everyone has heard of him but few of us really knew much about his accomplishments. I learned a lot in a short time and appreciate the authors diligence in enlightening me.
This short book does a great job of documenting Winston Churchill’s life and his many accomplishments and great insight into the political happenings of his time. Everyone has heard of him but few of us really knew much about his accomplishments. I learned a lot in a short time and appreciate the authors diligence in enlightening me.
December 19, 2023
In a volume so compact but a life so large you can't help leaving out much information - it doesn't prove an agenda. I have read many of these Hourly History volumes and for the most part, they are excellent- I have occasionally found small errors from typos [Jerry Louis for Jerry Lewis], transcribed dates, et cetera. Nothing major.
This volume, like the others, is a good read. No complaints from me. I appreciate the insight of Churchill's warnings against Russian aggression [ignored by FDR and others]. The author is not blind to mistakes made by the subject nor does he assume the subject should have been perfect.
This volume, like the others, is a good read. No complaints from me. I appreciate the insight of Churchill's warnings against Russian aggression [ignored by FDR and others]. The author is not blind to mistakes made by the subject nor does he assume the subject should have been perfect.
December 14, 2017
Good book.
I learned a lot that I did not know about Winston Churchill. I think that if Roosevelt had listened to him about the Soviets, the occupation of Berlin might never have taken place. Things could have been very different.
I learned a lot that I did not know about Winston Churchill. I think that if Roosevelt had listened to him about the Soviets, the occupation of Berlin might never have taken place. Things could have been very different.
February 19, 2018
Good read
A good and yet brief history of his life. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this as it gives a little history about not only Churchill but the world around him at the time.
I would read more by this author.
A good and yet brief history of his life. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this as it gives a little history about not only Churchill but the world around him at the time.
I would read more by this author.
March 18, 2018
Another excellent book from Hourly Histories.
I read some negative reviews before reading it but was happy to discover that whoever wrote them was talking out of their backside.
I loved it. Well done.
I read some negative reviews before reading it but was happy to discover that whoever wrote them was talking out of their backside.
I loved it. Well done.
May 14, 2019
Hourly Book
First time with this series of "Hourly History", a brief compilation of a very deep and charismatic figure, therefore no more than just enumeration of facts and some interesting details are found.
Not useful if you want something with more substance.
First time with this series of "Hourly History", a brief compilation of a very deep and charismatic figure, therefore no more than just enumeration of facts and some interesting details are found.
Not useful if you want something with more substance.
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