Winston Churchill is widely regarded as one of the greatest leaders of the 20th century, especially for his role in guiding Britain and the Allies to victory in World War II. Born in 1874 to an aristocratic family that included his prominent politician father, Lord Randolph Churchill, and American socialite mother, Jennie Jerome.
Despite this heritage, Churchill struggled through his school years in nearly every subject, except for history and English. I guess he was a “late bloomer,” considering what he subsequently accomplished. This induced his father to suggest he abandon academics and try a military career. It took Churchill three attempts to get into the Royal Military College at Sandhurst—now the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. In 1895, he joined the 4th Queen’s Own Hussars cavalry unit, and made his first army trip to Cuba—but not for combat.
Churchill took a short leave to report on the Cuban War of Independence for London’s Daily Graphic. In 1896, his regiment was deployed to India, where he served as both a soldier and a journalist. While covering the Boer War in South Africa, he and members of the army were captured and taken to a prisoner-of-war camp. He escaped by scaling a wall in the dark of night, returning a hero.
Churchill was known for his eloquence, courage, wit, and vision. He held an assortment of political positions in both the Liberal and Conservative parties, including first lord of the admiralty, chancellor of the exchequer, secretary of state for war, and, of course, prime minister of the United Kingdom. He also became a prolific and celebrated writer and a renowned orator, whose powerful speeches, such as his famous "We shall fight on the beaches" address. Churchill died in 1965 at the age of 90, remaining one of the greatest Brits of all time.
Here are some of his most notable accomplishments.
· Churchill was a member of the Bricklayers Union
This may not be a notable political, or literary achievement oratory skill, but for British craftsmen and laborers, it was appealing. He often built walls for his garden and he constructed a cottage for his daughters at his Chartwell estate in Kent. He once described the physical labor as a “delightful” contrast to his intellectual work, committing to putting down “200 bricks and 2,000 words a day.”
This encouraged James Lane, the mayor of Battersea and the organizer of the local chapter of the Amalgamated Union of Building Trade Workers invite Churchill to join and he was inducted into the union. His membership card read: “Winston S. Churchill, Westerham, Kent. Occupation, bricklayer.
· He Was Awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature
Churchill’s war reporting began a revered literary career. His most famous works were his histories of the two world wars, which he both witnessed and shaped. The World Crisis covers the First World War and its aftermath, while The Second World War, throughout six volumes, details the global conflict that made him a legendary leader. In 1953, his work earned him the Nobel Prize in literature. As high an honor as it was, it was said he truly wanted the Nobel Peace Prize.
· He Was the First Official Honorary Citizen of the United States
On April 9, 1963, President John F. Kennedy declared Churchill an honorary citizen of the United States, making him the first person to officially have the distinction. “In the dark days and darker nights when England stood alone … he mobilized the English language and sent it into battle,” Kennedy during the ceremony. “The incandescent quality of his words illuminated the courage of his countrymen … By adding his name to our rolls, we mean to honor him — but his acceptance honors us far more.”
· He Served as Prime Minister Two Separate Times
Despite his courage and leadership during World War II, Churchill was defeated in the 1945 election by the Labor Party leader Clement Attlee. The Labor Party at the time was deeply influenced by the Beveridge Report, a 1942 government document that wanted greater social support for Brits following the war, including an emphasis on social security, affordable housing, and health care. In contrast, Churchill’s Conservatives focused on lowering taxes and maintaining defense spending. The need for social reform provided the Labor Party a resounding victory polls.
But six years later, after the party was unable to deliver on its promises, Churchill was voted back into office. Just shy of his 77th birthday at the time, the leader had already begun to experience strokes and suffered several more during his second run as PM. On April 5, 1955, the 80-year-old Churchill finally retired.
Here is the most significant portion of his famed We Shall Fight on the Beaches speech, probably the most inspiring of all times.
… we shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender, and even if, which I do not for a moment believe, this Island or a large part of it were subjugated and starving, then our Empire beyond the seas, armed and guarded by the British Fleet, would carry on the struggle, until, in God’s good time, the New World, with all its power and might, steps forth to the rescue and the liberation of the old.
Truly historical. A man who made a difference, not for just a few, but for millions.
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Frank Victoria is an award-winning author and screenwriter. He’s been an Amazon bestseller with his recent book, The Founders’ Plot, a political thriller for our times. He donates proceeds of his books to Tunnels to Towers and Fisher House, helping military veterans and first responders. His novella, The Ultimate Bet is available on his website and Amazon. Check out his new website: FrankVictoriaAuthor.com
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