Winston Churchill was an exceptional person who excelled in various fields such as politics, military service, speechwriting, and art. His incredible achievements spanned his entire life and still have a significant impact today. Despite being born into a privileged background, Churchill had a unique understanding and the ability to empathize with the struggles faced by those less fortunate. This enabled him to earn widespread admiration and respect from people across society. Among his many impressive accomplishments, his two terms as prime minister are particularly noteworthy. It is worth mentioning that Churchill’s political lineage can be traced back to his parents Lord Randolph Churchill and Jennie Jerome.
Winston Churchill’s mother was an American and part Cherokee Indian, renowned for her beauty. They married in Paris in 1874 after a brief love affair. In the same year, Winston was born. Initially, he resided in Ireland while his father worked as secretary to his grandfather, the ninth Duke of Marlborough. However, when Winston turned five years old, they relocated to England. Despite hailing from privileged English families, his parents did not devote much time to him. Although Winston held deep admiration for his mother, he observed her mostly from a distance. He also followed in his father’s footsteps by collecting newspaper articles as a hobby throughout his childhood.
During this period, Mrs. Everest played a significant role in young Winston’s life as his nanny—affectionately nicknamed “woom” by him—as they developed a strong bond that lasted until her passing away. When he reached seven years old, Winston’s parents decided to enroll him into boarding school—a decision that filled him with fear and apprehension.
Saint James became Winston’s first educational institution where he encountered strict discipline imposed by the headmaster.
This was a boarding school where the students lived, except for long holidays, and it was considered a public school for the upper English class. Moreover, it was an all boys’ school. Winston particularly disliked Latin and French, both of which were heavily emphasized in his education. During his time at Saint James, Winston received numerous beatings due to his mischievous nature and independent thinking, which often led to misunderstandings. Additionally, his health greatly deteriorated and he struggled to keep up with his schoolwork.
Winston’s nanny and family doctor persistently pleaded for him to be transferred from the school he was attending until his parents eventually moved him to a more lenient and gentle school named Brighton. This school was managed by two old ladies. At Brighton, Winston dedicated more time to studying poetry, a subject he adored and enjoyed memorizing and reciting. In contrast to participating in rough sports like rugby, he now had the opportunity to ride horses and swim. Brighton had a strong affinity for theatrical productions and held them frequently. Winston found great delight in acting and would often assume the lead role. Despite his parents never watching his performances, he continued nurturing his passion for theater.
At the age of twelve, Winston was ready to move on to a preparatory school that would prepare him for university. His father, Lord Randolph, applied to Harrow, a prestigious private boarding school. In order to be accepted, Winston had to pass entrance exams in various subjects, including Latin. However, he left the Latin portion of his exam completely blank. If it weren’t for his well-known father, Winston would not have been admitted. During school functions, students would march in according to their entrance exam grades, and Winston could hear all the comments about his low ranking, which made him feel very ashamed.
Churchill was not a very good student, but he was intelligent and primarily self-taught. (Conan n. p. ) Young Winston Churchill proceeded to pursue military studies and graduated eighth among a class of 150. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the queen’s army and held various other positions throughout his military career. Though Winston never experienced direct military combat, he did journey to Cuba and visit the front lines of the Cuban War, serving as a war correspondent alongside another English lieutenant. Subsequently, Winston rejoined his regiment in India and served as a war correspondent in numerous locations throughout his military tenure.
Winston Churchill, while working as a war correspondent, was taken prisoner but successfully escaped and came back to England. This marked the start of a new phase in his life. His newspaper articles about the war, along with his two highly regarded books and the high demand for his speeches, ensured that he had a reliable source of income. This financial stability allowed him to pursue politics, following in his father’s footsteps. On February 14th, he took up his position in Parliament, marking the beginning of his political career. Winston Churchill approached this exciting new opportunity with great enthusiasm (Driemen 49).
This was Winston Churchill’s second time running for Parliament, and despite a strong campaign against him by the Liberals, he was successful. (Driemen 44) Serving in Parliament, Winston Churchill was labeled as a radical and dedicatedly fought for his beliefs. In his initial term, he switched his political party from Conservative to Liberal, which also caused significant discontent among many. However, the majority admired and respected Churchill for his fervor in his role. He tirelessly advocated for the working class and emphasized the government’s duty to uplift the impoverished.
On May 10, 1940, Winston Churchill became the prime minister, succeeding Neville Chamberlin (Dickey 283). Despite having taken a break from politics, Churchill returned to office due to the ongoing Second World War and the people’s demand for his leadership. Starting as the first lord of admiralty, he later assumed the position of prime minister after Chamberlin’s resignation (Downing n. p.). Churchill was known for his determination and strategic abilities in warfare, traits he displayed from an early age. Eager for his new role, Churchill believed that his past experiences had prepared him for this crucial moment and that he would not disappoint (Driemen 95). At 65 years old, becoming prime minister was the achievement he had been working towards all his life, albeit his greatest challenge.
Churchill’s inaugural address to parliament as the new prime minister consisted of the famous phrase: “I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears, and sweat…” (Wertheimer n. p.) This speech remains one of his most renowned and compelling ones. Churchill exerted his utmost effort in every position he held, with his role as prime minister being one of his finest. The people of Great Britain admired and trusted him, relying on his leadership with their lives at stake. As a gesture to demonstrate his unwavering dedication to victory in the war, Churchill began using the V sign with his fingers, which has now become a symbol of triumph.
Winston Churchill delivered a powerful speech to the people, expressing their determination to defend their island at any cost. He rallied them by declaring their commitment to fight on the beaches, landing grounds, fields, and hills, vowing to never surrender (Driemen 98). This speech instilled great pride and energy in the people, even impressing President Franklin Roosevelt. Upon hearing it on the radio, Roosevelt remarked that any support provided to England would not be wasted, as long as Churchill remained in charge. He firmly believed that Churchill would never yield. Not only did Churchill’s speech satisfy his followers but it also had a profound impact on everyone else too.
A month after the speech, France surrendered and Hitler proposed a “peace offering” to England. However, Hitler’s version of peace entailed total Nazi control over British life (Driemen 98). Churchill’s refusal of this offer angered Hitler greatly resulting in his decision to launch an air attack.
In response, the British took to the skies and engaged in intense aerial combat. Some pilots flew for up to eighteen hours a day and managed to shoot down fifty-six enemy bombers in a single day.
Hitler’s planes retreated and Churchill’s popularity soared. London continued to be bombarded and was left in ruins, causing the deaths of 100,000 British civilians and widespread fires. (Driemen 100) Churchill tirelessly worked to uplift the people’s morale, particularly those forced to seek refuge in the city’s subway system. Witnessing their pain and suffering deeply affected Churchill, and the crowds would cry out in support, exclaiming, “He cares! He cares about us!” (Driemen 100) These heartfelt chants frequently brought tears to the prime minister’s eyes, only fueling their cheers even more.
Churchill frequently raised his hand in his iconic V-shape gesture to demonstrate his country’s determination for victory. He sought assistance from the United States, and President Roosevelt facilitated this by enacting the Lend-Lease Act and providing a loan of fifty destroyers to Britain. Through his persuasive speeches, Churchill convinced Roosevelt once again to support Britain. Despite officially maintaining neutrality, the United States sent military aid. Churchill tirelessly fought against and pushed back the Nazis. Although Hitler had previously promised not to invade the Soviet Union, he broke this treaty in July 1941.
Churchill cautioned Stalin about communism and vehemently resisted it, yet he still offered assistance to the struggling nation. Furthermore, he fostered a strong bond with the American president and made regular visits to him, which aided Churchill in garnering support from both the British public and majority of Americans. Despite risking his life, Churchill persisted in flying to meetings with the American president and leaders of other countries. As Driemen (106) suggests, Churchill comprehended the significance of cultivating amicable relationships with these individuals and persevering in the pursuit of triumph and unity.
According to Driemen (108), it took Churchill an additional ten months to achieve his goal. After the fighting ended and peace treaties were signed, Churchill found out that his Conservative party had lost the new election (Driemen 112). This resulted in him being unable to keep his political seat, which greatly saddened him. However, this setback turned out to be a hidden blessing since Churchill, who was seventy at the time, was feeling extremely burdened by the war years. Following his party’s defeat and loss of the prime minister title, Churchill experienced a deep depression that lasted for several months.
The queen offered Winston Churchill nobility but he declined as it meant resigning from parliament, which he was not ready to do. However, Churchill’s spirits lifted when US President Truman invited him to speak at a college event. During his visit to the United States, Churchill was welcomed by large crowds wherever he went. (Driemen 113) Eventually, Churchill’s party was voted back into power as the people had become weary of socialism and desired change. As soon as the Conservatives regained power, Winston Churchill was promptly reinstated as prime minister.
Despite being 75 years old and having less energy than in his first term, Churchill continued to be loved and respected by everyone. His return as prime minister made him happy and led to many important achievements. Much to the people’s delight, he successfully privatized several crucial industries and guided the country towards prosperity. Additionally, in his second term, Churchill played a crucial part in facilitating the transition of power from King George V to Queen Elizabeth II, actively participating in organizing the new monarch.
After suffering a stroke, Winston Churchill’s health began to decline. However, he managed to recover. During his second term as prime minister, Churchill convened a meeting with leaders from different countries and jointly established the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (Driemen 116). Nevertheless, this event signified one of his last actions as prime minister. Shortly after his eightieth birthday celebration, Churchill publicly announced his resignation. Despite his failing health, he remained involved in parliament albeit with reduced participation.
Sir Winston Churchill was a multi-talented individual who engaged in painting, writing, and traveling during his lifetime. He embarked on two additional journeys to the United States and was even granted honorary citizenship by an act of Congress (Driemen 117). In July of 1964, Churchill bid farewell to parliament in one final appearance, and he received a special tribute from the then prime minister (Driemen 117). Interestingly, years before his death, Churchill had predicted that it would occur on the same day as his father’s passing. True to his prophecy, Sir Winston Churchill passed away on Sunday morning of January 24, 1965 – exactly seventy years after his father’s death (Driemen 118).
The funeral held for Sir Winston Churchill was nothing short of grandeur; it resembled a ceremony fit for a queen. The event took place at Saint Paul’s Cathedral and was attended or watched by millions. James Humes, a writer who witnessed the spectacle, described it as “not so much a funeral as a festival celebrating the greatness of one man’s humanity” (Driemen 120). As part of the procession towards its final resting place near Bleheim Castle, Churchill’s body was transported via river boat and train. In an unplanned display of respect and admiration, dock workers lowered their massive boat cranes when Churchill’s body passed by (Driemen 120). This gesture served as evidence of the immense love held for Sir Winston Churchhill.
