Winston Churchill: Defender of Democracy

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• 1. A statesman transformed
• 2. Threat of invasion
• 3. Unfailingly brave
• 4. Man of the people
• 5. Grand alliance
• 6. Achievements of war
• 7. Find out more
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Unfailingly brave

Churchill persuaded cabinet and parliament that Britain and its empire could survive. His inspiring speeches encouraged the British people to be courageous and hopeful, and he invited the rest of the world - especially the United States, whose support he hoped to secure - to back them up. He forbade defeatist talk and refused to be put on the defensive. Even in those fraught days, he ordered planning to begin for attacking German power by means of heavy bombing, commando raids, and the Special Operations Executive (SOE)-aided resistance by Germany's victims.

His public demeanour was unfailingly brave and heartening. The Conservative Party came round to him, the British people (except for the communists) were solidly behind him; and by the end of October the worst of the dangers of that year were past. The 'Battle of Britain' had been won (though only just), invasion was no longer imminent, and Londoners were beginning (painfully) to learn how to survive 'the Blitz'.

'Churchill now had to manage a war that was going to be long and hard.'

Having successfully brought his people through that baptism of fire, Churchill now had to manage a war that was going to be long and hard. Despite his years (he was approaching 70 by now), he proved to be very good at it, earning universal respect as one of the most remarkable war leaders of modern history.

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Published: 2002-06-14