Early Life
Winston Churchill, born born November 30, 1874, in Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, England was raised as a Conservative due to the fact his father was Conservative politician Lord Randolph Churchill. Churchull struggled through school but he found his passion for military. When Lord Randolph Churchill, his dad, died in 1895 Churchill becomes motivated to prove himself as a worthy son. Between 1895 and 1899 he was stationed in active military spots such as Cuba, India and Sudan. While in these different places he wrote many novels about his situations. Rise to Power: Political Life As for his political life, he became the British Prime Minister in May of 1940. Although easy to say the road to becoming Prime Minister wasn't easy for Churchill. In 1904 Churchill switched his political views from conservative to liberal. He then got elected into politics as the First Lord of the Admiralty, the commissioner of the royal navy in September of 1939. Four short years later Churchill is demoted due to his Gallipoli campaign which killed thousands in Turkey. Churchill later switches back to the conservative party and is then elected Prime Minister. |
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World War II Involvement
When Churchill became the British Prime Minister in May of 1940 the Nazi's dominated the majority of Europe. The United States, Soviet Union, and Britain became allies to fight against Germany and defeat the Nazi's under the proposal of Churchill. By 1941 Churchill was able to have to United States sign for the Lend-Lease Act. This Act declared that the United States would supply weapons and warfare aid as long as Britain paid them back post-war. Churchill was confident the Allied Forces would end the war in a positive way. Together, Winston Churchill, President Roosevelt (United States), and Joseph Stalin (Soviet Union) worked together to form precise plans for the war. These three met in Yalta in the Ukraine in February of 1945, known as the Yalta Conferences, to discuss their plans on defeating Hitler further. |
Post-World War II
To negotiate terms for the end of the war Churchill, Joseph Stalin and Harry Truman (new President of the United States) met in Potsdam, Germany. This conference was from July 17 to August 2 of 1945. At the end of World War II Churchill had ideas of social reform for Britain but his people didn't agree so in July of 1945 Prime Minister Clement Attlee beat him in the elections becoming the new Prime Minister July 26, 1945 (and replaced Winston Churchill in the Potsdam conference). Churchill stayed active in politics traveling internationally. While in the United States in March of 1946 he made his famous "Iron Curtain" speech which warned about Eastern Europe becoming dominated by the Soviet Union. In 1951 he returned to power as he was voted, once again, as Prime Minister. |
Later Years
Churchill was known to have a very fragile health towards 1941 when he had a heart attack when he was in the United States. In 1943 he had another heart attack on top of pneumonia. In 1953 he had a series of strokes, which was kept from the public. He finally realized his mental and physical health wasn't very healthy when he retired from prime minister in 1955. 1965 was Churchill's last stroke, leaving him very ill. Nine days later he passed away in his home at age 90. |
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“There are a terrible lot of lies going about the world, and the worst of it is that half of them are true.”
- Winston Churchill
- Winston Churchill
Fun Facts:
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“If you have an important point to make, don’t try to be subtle or clever. Use a pile driver. Hit the point once. Then come back and hit it again. Then hit it a third time-a tremendous whack.”
-Winston Churchill
-Winston Churchill
"Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen."
-Winston Churchill
-Winston Churchill
Resources
Winston Churchill's Official Website This is the official website of Winston Churchill providing many pictures, a biography, timeline and speeches to listen to. 40 Great Quotes From Winston Churchill This website gives 40 of Winston Churchill's speeches, as he was an amazing orator. Nobel Prize Biography The official website of the Nobel Prize. This gives a biography on Winston Churchill focusing on his writing career History Channel Biography This is the History Channel with a biography, pictures and links to his famous speeches. NY Times Obituary Winston Churchill's obituary from the New York Times. |