120
BROADCASTS
During World War II, Churchill made many radio broadcasts
that inspired the nation. Churchill always explained the situation
clearly and listed the dreadful problems that lay ahead, yet he
left no doubt that the enemy would eventually be defeated.
PAINTING
Churchill was an
enthusiastic amateur
painter. He also wrote
many books about
history. These hobbies
kept him busy after
1945, when he lost his
post as prime minister
in a disastrous election.
He did not return
to power until 1951.WARTIME
PRIME MINISTER
As wartime leader,
Churchill traveled the
country visiting bombed
cities and raising
people’s spirits. His
simple “V for Victory”
sign seemed to sum up
British determination
to win the war. His most
important work took
place behind the scenes,
where he directed the
British war effort. He
met the leaders of the
then Soviet Union and
the United States to
draw up plans for
fighting the war and for the
postwar peace settlement.
Above, he is seen giving
the “V” sign to
American sailors.IN 1940, BRITAIN badly needed a strong leader.
The country was at war with Germany and faced
the danger of invasion. Winston Churchill’s
appointment as prime minister provided the
leadership that the British people wanted. He
went on to guide the country through the worst war
the world had ever experienced. In his underground
headquarters, he formed the plans that helped
win the war. Churchill’s wartime glory came at a
surprising time. He was 65 and had held no important
government post for many years. He had been almost
alone in urging a strong army and navy to oppose the
German threat. Working people remembered how he
helped crush the general strike of 1926 and cut their
wages. But when victory came in World War II, all of
this was forgotten, and
everyone cheered
Churchill as one
of the greatest
politicians of
the age.BRITISH BULLDOG
Churchill’s famous British
determination was often
portrayed in cartoons and
posters. This 1942 American
poster shows him as a bulldog.YOUNG WINSTON
As a young soldier and
newspaper reporter in India
and Africa, Churchill
had many adventures.
He became world famous
when he escaped from a
Boer prison in 1899.1874 Born at Blenheim
Palace, Oxfordshire, England.
1893 Enters the Royal
Military College at Sandhurst.
1899 Taken prisoner during
Boer War in South Africa,
but escapes.
1900 Elected Member of
Parliament.
1908-15 Holds cabinet posts.
1919 Appointed secretary of
state for war.
1940-45 As prime minister,
leads Britain in World War II.
1951-55 Prime minister again.
1965 Dies.SIR WINSTON
CHURCHILL
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United kingdom, history of
World war i
World war ii