Was Winston Churchill A Great wartime Leader
Was Winston Churchill a Great Wartime Leader?
Arguably, Winston Churchill was the figurehead and driving force behind Britons victory in World War 2. Queen Elizabeth II named him the 'Greatest living Briton alive' and echoes of his influence are still seen in politics and society. However his military leadership was questioned by many of his political rivals- one of his most important assets that was often used to disguise his failures were his stirring speeches which gave him both political and public support. The calculating combination of morale, personality, negotiability and determination are possibly what made Churchill the rousing leader who led a nation through what he himself described as 'an ordeal of the most grievous kind.'1 His military experience from 1895 to 1900 gave him an advantage which put him in great stead for the post he would undertake 40 years later. By 1930's there was almost no chance of Churchill ever coming to power as he was deemed to be a 'doddering war mongerer'2 however when Britain did enter the war it is evident that: 'There is no alternative to Winston'3and since, his achievements have been hailed endlessly from the only common man to receive a state funeral since Wellington to a statue in Parliament square, the idea of Winston Churchill as a great wartime leader lives on. Churchill's speeches to the public became one of the most significant aspects of morale during his wartime leadership. 'The public fed gratefully upon a substance which gave them a place more glorious than that which in their hearts they felt they deserved' displays the ways in which Churchill was able to create a feeling of patriotism in such a dark time. However, he did not disguise the threat to the country from the people yet still gave them hope 'It would be foolish, however, to disguise the gravity of the hour. It would be still more foolish to lose heart and courage'4. Churchill's courage given to the people during the war inspired a nation and as
Arguably, Winston Churchill was the figurehead and driving force behind Britons victory in World War 2. Queen Elizabeth II named him the 'Greatest living Briton alive' and echoes of his influence are still seen in politics and society. However his military leadership was questioned by many of his political rivals- one of his most important assets that was often used to disguise his failures were his stirring speeches which gave him both political and public support. The calculating combination of morale, personality, negotiability and determination are possibly what made Churchill the rousing leader who led a nation through what he himself described as 'an ordeal of the most grievous kind.'1 His military experience from 1895 to 1900 gave him an advantage which put him in great stead for the post he would undertake 40 years later. By 1930's there was almost no chance of Churchill ever coming to power as he was deemed to be a 'doddering war mongerer'2 however when Britain did enter the war it is evident that: 'There is no alternative to Winston'3and since, his achievements have been hailed endlessly from the only common man to receive a state funeral since Wellington to a statue in Parliament square, the idea of Winston Churchill as a great wartime leader lives on. Churchill's speeches to the public became one of the most significant aspects of morale during his wartime leadership. 'The public fed gratefully upon a substance which gave them a place more glorious than that which in their hearts they felt they deserved' displays the ways in which Churchill was able to create a feeling of patriotism in such a dark time. However, he did not disguise the threat to the country from the people yet still gave them hope 'It would be foolish, however, to disguise the gravity of the hour. It would be still more foolish to lose heart and courage'4. Churchill's courage given to the people during the war inspired a nation and as