Winston Churchill: facts and anecdotes from the life of a politician and a person.

This is just a collection of interesting facts from his life and the life of his family.

Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill (1874-1965) was one of Britain's most prominent political figures. He came from the family of the Dukes of Marlborough, but his father, Lord Randolph Churchill (1850-1895), was only the third son of the 7th Duke of Marlborough, John Winston Spencer-Churchill (1822-1883), so the title was not for our Winston.

In addition, the Marlboroughs were never considered wealthy, and everyone knew this very well. At one time, Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli (1804-1881) even remarked ironically about this family:
"They're not rich enough to be dukes."

The 7th Duke of Marlborough had a fairly successful political career, having also served as Lord Chairman Privy Council, and Viceroy of Ireland.

Randolph Churchill was known in society as a "cheerful and charming prankster", although at Eton he had the nickname Skag, which in Russian can be roughly translated as a wayward, self-confident, lazy, impudent and arrogant person. And all this in one word.
Lord Randolph would become Secretary of State for India in 1885 and Chancellor of the Exchequer in 1886.

Randolph Churchill believed that he would certainly become prime minister and die soon after that. One of his friends asked him how long he planned to lead the House of Commons, to which he received the answer:

"Oh, something like six months."
A friend asked:
“What will happen then?”
And I received a quick answer:
"Later? Westminster Abbey."
But Randolph Churchill never became prime minister.

Some historians have been able to find distant connections between Winston Churchill and four US presidents: Franklin Roosevelt, Ulysses S. Grant and the two George W. Bushes, as well as Alan Shepard, the first American to fly in suborbital space, but I won’t go into that jungle of genealogies.

According to family legend, Winston Churchill's mother, American Jenny Jerome (1854-1921), had the blood of the Iroquois Indian tribe in her veins. She had dark skin and blue-black hair. It is believed that Jenny's grandmother, Clarissa Wilcox, was born after her mother was raped by an Iroquois Indian.
No documents have survived about this event, but Winston Churchill was so proud of his exotic origins that even in the twilight of his life he told Adlai Steveson (1900-1965), a candidate for the presidency of the United States:
"I myself am a union of English-speaking countries."

Winston's mother was the daughter of a millionaire and very beautiful. One of Churchill’s acquaintances spoke about her this way:
“Jenny can easily be classified as one of the types of women for whom having less than forty pairs of shoes means vegetating in poverty.”

Winston Churchill was born on November 30, 1874 in Blenheim Palace, which was built by the first Duke of Marlborough. This palace is a huge structure, so large that the first Duke of Marlborough, when asked how many rooms there were in the palace, could nonchalantly answer:
“I don’t know exactly, but I recently signed a bill to paint a thousand window frames!”

Winston Churchill loved the palace in which he was born, and, remembering it, wrote:
"This is an Italian palace in an English park. The combination of such different, but individually attractive styles produces a stunning effect. The palace is strict in its symmetry and completeness, there is no forcefully imposed contrast, there is no unexpected dividing line between the pristine and freshness of the park, on the one hand, and the pomp of architecture - on the other."
To other people, the palace seemed too bulky and pompous; it was not for nothing that Voltaire called it “a pile of stones.”

When Winston Churchill was born, he immediately filled the world with a frantic cry. The shocked Duchess Frances, Randolph's mother, even exclaimed:
“I myself have given birth to many children, and they all had excellent vocal abilities. But I have never heard such a terrifying cry as that of this newborn.”

Winston Churchill himself, at the age of 80, once said to his attending physician:
"No matter what they say, children are born too in a strange way. I don’t know, how could God have thought of this?

Fathers and Sons

In the late 1930s, during one of the family dinners Winston Churchill sadly confesses to his son Randolph:
“Tonight you and I had a long and lively conversation, which lasted much longer than my communication with my father throughout our entire life together.”
This was not surprising, since even the historian Ralph Martin wrote that
“In most aristocratic British families there was a chasm of restraint between generations, guarded by the boundaries of decency.”
Magazine " The World"in 1874 recommended to English high society ladies
"stay away from the nursery, reassuring yourself that you have a baby. Let the governess bring the children into the living room a couple of times so that you can play with them, like cute kittens."
During the reign of Queen Victoria, one of the aristocrats admitted that in his entire life he had only spoken with his own father once.
Another contemporary of his once praised the nanny for having such well-groomed children, and was very surprised to learn that these were his own children.

Writer

In 1953, the Swedish Academy would honor Churchill's literary achievements with the Nobel Prize, choosing him over Ernest Hemingway. You can, dear readers, evaluate the merits of Churchill the writer for yourself by reading his version of the Second World War or “The History of English-Speaking Nations.”

Learn English!

Winston Churchill once said:
"I am convinced that all young people should learn English. Those who are particularly intelligent can continue to improve themselves in Latin for honor and in Greek for pleasure. But the only thing I would flog them for is ignorance in English. And it would be a great spanking."

Fears and doubts

Brendan Bracken (1901-1958), who knew our hero well for many years, spoke of the young Churchill as follows:
"He controlled his fear so impeccably that many believed in his fearlessness. In fact, he was always full of doubts and phobias. But, unlike others, he knew how to control them."

Baggage for war

Going to southern Africa for the Boer War, Churchill, among other luggage, took with him eighteen bottles of whiskey, twenty-four bottles of wine, six bottles each of port, vermouth, cognac and twelve bottles of lemon juice.

Portrait of a young Churchill

A correspondent for the Manchester Guardian described the young Churchill during his time in South Africa:
"Winston is simply an amazing person. He has no respect for his elders in rank and position, talking to them as if he were his peers. He behaves alone and with excessive self-confidence, inaccessible to others. I have never met such an ambitious, brave and outspoken selfish type."

Psychological portrait of Churchill

Sir Isaiah Berlin (1909-1997) wrote about Churchill:
“Winston lives in his own motley world, while it is completely unclear how aware he is of what is happening in the souls of other people. He does not react at all to their feelings, he acts independently. Winston himself influences others, changing them according to his own desires."

The danger of reforms

When he became minister, Churchill warned that any reform carried out in the form of repression constituted
“dangerous regulatory practices that tend to lead to retaliatory action.”

Advantages and disadvantages

Pamela Plowden (1892?-1947) left the following review of Churchill:
"The first time you meet Churchill you see all his faults, and it is only for the rest of his life that he this life you are starting

As you know, history remembers only great events and only the most gifted individuals. One of the most influential and famous people last century was Winston Churchill. He was not only twice Prime Minister of Great Britain (61st and 63rd), but also a writer, war correspondent, Chancellor of the Exchequer, a brilliant statesman, the best speaker of his time and even a Nobel Prize winner for achievements in the field of literature.

The full name of the famous British person sounds like Churchill Winston Leonard Spencer. The life of a politician was so eventful and entertaining that in any area of ​​his activity one can trace a lot of interesting things.

And so, we present interesting facts about Churchill.

Churchill was partly American: his grandfather was a relative (though not close) of George Washington himself, and his mother was the daughter of a famous American businessman, New York Times shareholder Leonardo Jerome.

The appearance of little Winston was extremely unusual: he was born at the age of seven months in a room similar to a women's locker room. The fact is that Lady Jenny Churchill (the mother of the future politician) did not miss the chance to attend the next ball at Blenheim Palace, even despite her “position”, thereby causing premature birth.

Few people know what it is to an influential person, who made many fateful decisions, studying was difficult. Young Churchill did not understand and did not like mathematics, did not learn classical languages ​​well, and his father considered him completely untalented. After graduating preparatory school, Winston was planned to be sent to study at Eton. However, due to fear of unbearable mental stress, the parents sent the boy to Harrow School, where children from wealthy families also studied.

Before the start of World War II, or more precisely in 1938, an outstanding politician ordered the construction of a bunker.

During the fighting, he used the shelter rooms only for work. Currently, everyone can see the bunker, since it is now a museum, representing historical value.

Despite his genuine attraction to the art of war, Churchill was also very drawn to drawing. Over the years of his life, he wrote more than 500 works. Although these arts were not performed at a professional level, amateur interest was clearly evident in them.

As you know, the British figure was not only a great orator, but also an inveterate wit. One day Bessie Braddock, a lady from the Labor Party, said to Churchill: “You’re drunk, Winston!” To which she received the answer: “You’re scary. And the whole point is that in the morning I will be sober, and you will remain scary.” This quote is still recognized as the most stinging insult.

The brilliant politician of his era was a typical workaholic. He was so busy with political affairs that he completely forgot about his personal life. At some time, his relatives and friends began to think that he would never marry. However, in spite of everything, Winston Churchill, with modest external data, got a real beauty as his wife - Clementine Hozier - the daughter of a dragoon colonel. The wedding took place in St. Margaret's Church, Westminster, on September 12, 1908.

The British Parliament in 2002 recognized Winston Churchill as the greatest figure in British history. But this is not a reason to forget that the great Prime Minister was an ordinary man, with his shortcomings, weaknesses and aspirations, which did not prevent him from playing a superb leading role in Britain’s war with Nazi Germany.

Other interesting facts about Churchill can be found in the film "Churchill".

Fact No. 1
Before becoming a member of the British Parliament, Sir Winston Churchill served as a cavalry lieutenant in Cuba, India, North and South Africa, while working as a war correspondent for leading British newspapers. The first fame, which later played into his hands, was brought to him by his passion for journalism - his book about the Sudanese campaign "War on the River" became a British bestseller.

Fact No. 2
Churchill was ambitious and purposeful. All his life he adhered to the belief that history is made by outstanding individuals. He considered himself destined to play just such an outstanding role. This conviction marked his first steps in parliament. He was absolutely sure that his calling was to rule the English people.

One of Churchill's biographers writes that if Churchill were asked why he went to Parliament, then, if he were sincere, he should have answered: "To become a minister." Why become a minister? “In order to become a prime minister.” What for? Churchill would answer this question: “In order to be prime minister.”

Fact No. 3
Winston Churchill was a genius of rhetoric and considered the art of eloquence his most important weapon. With his brilliant speeches, he rallied the people and supported the spirit of Great Britain during the Second World War. In total, over a parliamentary career of more than sixty years, his speeches amounted to eight thick volumes and numbered approximately four million words, that is, on average, Churchill delivered one speech per week.

This is despite the fact that Churchill wrote all his speeches himself. He carefully thought out the text of each of his speeches and rehearsed for hours in front of the mirror, memorizing every word. According to him, he worked for an hour on a 1-minute piece of speech.

Fact No. 4
At the beginning of his career, Churchill suffered from serious shortcomings for an orator: a slight congenital lisp, an unattractive voice, short stature (detracting from inspirational impulse), and, most importantly, from an inferiority complex. Churchill did not study at the university (he graduated from a military cavalry school) and felt insecure with university graduates in parliament who learned the secrets of oratory in "debating clubs"

Despite all this, not possessing oratory by nature, thanks to dedication and hard work, he not only overcame his shortcomings, but also became one of the best speakers in the history of Great Britain.

Fact No. 5
Churchill was a versatile personality. His interests and activities were not limited to politics alone. He was a good artist (his paintings were periodically exhibited at the Royal Academy), a skilled mason, a keen gardener and a talented historical writer. He wrote many books on the history and politics of England and English-speaking peoples. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, author of the famous series of stories about detective S. Holmes and Dr. Watson, wrote in The Times that Churchill “has best style in prose than any of his contemporaries."

In 1953, Churchill received Nobel Prize in literature for “the high skill of works of a historical and biographical nature, as well as for the brilliant oratory, with the help of which the highest human values ​​were defended.”

Fact No. 6
Churchill skillfully coped not only with governing the country, but also with housekeeping. He personally and lovingly developed the acquired Chartwell estate, which soon became one of the most famous family homes in Western Europe and a national treasure of Great Britain after Churchill's death. He paid special attention to his office, the place where ideas were born and Churchill's immortal speeches were created. Describing her childhood impressions, Churchill's granddaughter, Emma Soames, recalls:

“His office has always been the focus of the whole house: the charm and attraction of various things, the great events that were thought about here, the books that were created - everything gave an unforgettable flavor to this place. It was always quiet and gloomy here, cigar smoke hung heavily in the air. You didn't have to be old enough to understand the atmosphere of deep concentration and great mental work that reigned in this room.

Fact No. 7
The death of Winston Churchill marked the end of an era in British history. 8 years after his death, a monument was unveiled near the Houses of Parliament in London. An overweight middle-aged man with a cane and in a wide coat looks sternly at the passers-by. There are no titles or regalia on the monument, which this man had in abundance.

It is written simply: "CHURCHILL" ("Churchill").

Winston Churchill and his wife Clementine became world famous thanks to their political success and the career of an Englishman. However, there were other interesting moments in the biography of the great husband, not only related to his main career. How was the fate of this man, who largely determined the development of the history of the entire civilization? Let's take a closer look.

How it all began

In any story about the biography of Winston Churchill, everything begins with the story of his birth. He was born on the last day of November 1874. It is known that his mother was beautiful lady, an active socialite who never misses an opportunity to have fun. When she was already on demolitions and the doctors advised to keep calm, the mother of Winston, who was soon to be born, could not resist the temptation to visit an organized in family estate Blenheim celebration - after all, the Duke of Marlborough himself invited him to it. True, after the entertainment program, the woman suddenly felt a deterioration in her health, and as soon as the servants and friends helped her move to a secluded room, she began to give birth.

In books telling about the biography of Winston Churchill, the authors notice the fact that not every child from a decent family had such birth conditions. The room in which his mother was during the birth was, on the occasion, converted into a women's dressing room, and the baby saw the light among the coats and boas of all the guests who had gathered for the ball. The boy immediately attracted attention appearance: The red-haired owner of a characteristic upturned nose was a real representative of the Marlboro family.

Year after year

Among the interesting facts from Churchill’s biography, it is worth noting that the child was raised in his father’s house. The nanny had primary responsibility for the boy. History has preserved the woman's surname - Everest. The parents at that time were still very young, the traditions of the state of that time prescribed them to fulfill numerous secular obligations, and not to educate them, so the child was left to the household staff and to himself. Winston admitted that as a child he practically did not know his parents and was much more attached to his nanny, who aroused his ardent love until his death. When in the future he had his own office, which is due to any prominent statesman, he decorated one of its walls with a portrait of his beloved nanny.

From biographies of Winston Churchill published in Russian, it is known that the child was born not very cute, but strong. There were some shortcomings: the boy stuttered, he had difficulty pronouncing words, and he had a lisp. Despite such speech defects, he was a real talker who did not shut up from the very moment he learned to speak his first words. It so happened that even at a very early age the child was extremely self-confident and stubborn, and as he grew older, these qualities became stronger.

Growing up and self-improvement

From short biography Winston Churchill can be recognized as a child with character. His teachers noted the boy’s reluctance to study as all children of that time were supposed to. By nature, Winston was endowed with excellent memory and the ability to quickly assimilate information, but only that which attracted him and aroused curiosity. And here's what little boy didn’t like it, was always accompanied by protest - he refused to study it. As the matured Winston would note in the future, he was a disgusting student. For example, from the very beginning of his studies he did not like numbers, and he never became friends with mathematics. He had no greater love for classical languages, and many years of mastering Greek and Latin gave him only the alphabet, and even this he did not know very confidently. And here native language the boy loved him very much and knew him well.

In the book written with his participation, Churchill’s biography is presented as interesting and filled with numerous plot twists. Remembering his childhood, the great politician noted that his life was already difficult even then. As a seven-year-old child, the boy ended up in a closed educational institution at Ascot, expensive and prestigious, which most of all valued its own traditions and cherished them like the apple of its eye. It was very difficult for a freedom-loving child to adapt to the demands of the school, and just a few years later a transfer to Harrow followed. The child's school problems were constant source distress for the parents, and the father became convinced of his child’s insufficient intelligence. This meant that the legal career he had dreamed of for his son became out of reach. For this reason last years in Harrow the boy spent time in a preparation class for military career. This was followed by two attempts to study at Sandhurst, but both of them failed, and success was achieved only at the end of the summer of 1893.

Successes and difficulties

A year and a half after entering Sandhurst, Winston faced the first serious loss of his life. In the biography of Churchill, its best descriptions, the authors say that the child sincerely loved his father, and the death of his parent, which happened on the twenty-fourth of January 1895, was a cruel blow for the young man. During this year, he changed, matured, pushed himself to study and successfully passed his final exams, receiving the rank of lieutenant. Five years later, he decided to start a career as a politician.

In 1900, as is known from Churchill's biography, for the first time in his life he put forward his candidacy for inclusion in the ranks of parliamentarians. Although the elections ended in victory, it was not easy for him. However, as Winston himself admitted, the effort expended did not matter, since the most important thing was the result. The young man was nominated for election from the Conservative Party, but this did not mean that he was going to stay with her for the rest of his life. His rejection of such views occurred in several stages. The starting month was the last month of 1903, when the young politician, making another speech criticizing conservative policies, praised God for the existence of a liberal party.

Progress of the situation

Any biography of Churchill discusses briefly or in detail the process of his abandonment of Tory views. The fourth year of the new century was marked for the young politician with a new status, and one he chose for himself - Winston called himself an independent representative of conservative views. His speeches became more demagoguery, and obvious deviations towards the left appeared. This did not go unnoticed. For example, once Churchill wanted to make a speech on tariff policy, but as soon as he rose from his seat, the Prime Minister and the bulk of his clique immediately left the hearing room. But the liberals greeted his words with applause, and David George spoke especially warmly about the young unusual conservative. The following month, relations with the Conservatives were finally over for Churchill, and the break was officially recognized.

From the biography of Churchill, written with his participation, it is known that a new round of political career began with great success - almost immediately after abandoning conservative politics, he received about six offers from constituencies to be a candidate in the upcoming parliamentary elections. They all wanted to see the young politician as a representative of the idea of ​​free trade. True, Churchill himself was not too zealously interested in such opportunities, and by 1906 he took the post of deputy minister responsible for colonial policy.

Successes and their price

In 1906 and subsequent years, all those who missed the beginning of the career of a promising politician learned about who Winston Churchill was. In the shortest possible time, Churchill proved to everyone that he was a very energetic and purposeful, proactive and hardworking minister, capable of working tirelessly. His confidence in own forces and the ability to have the foresight to see how a situation will turn out in the future. The powers that be realized that they had an excellent and promising candidate who could be entrusted with more powers than they currently have; the young man would do his best to make his beloved home country successful and prosperous. From his youth, Churchill understood that there was only one way to realize his ambitions, achieve personal success, and satisfy his ambition - by achieving the well-being and prosperity of the state.

From publications briefly describing the biography of Winston Churchill, it is known that people close to Edward VII, who was sitting on the throne at that moment, told Churchill that the king noted the politician as reliable and serious. However, at the same time, emphasis was placed on the need to continue to put state interests above any personal or party interests. The politician's merits were officially recognized in 1907, when in May he received the post of Privy Councilor. At this time he was only 32 years old, and such a career growth from the position of deputy minister seemed to many to be an unprecedented case. If Churchill spoke in parliament, his colleagues were obliged to call him the honorable gentleman and nothing else - only this type of address allowed etiquette.

New milestones

In a biography that briefly describes the activities of Winston Churchill, the reader’s attention is often focused on the events of 1908, which brought significant changes to the life of the politician. This year Asquith came to power, replacing the resigned Bannerman. The new prime minister reorganized the entire composition of the management structure, taking into account his views, and Churchill was asked to take up military and naval affairs, taking a ministerial post. True, for Winston such prospects did not look too rosy, and he refused - it was still not clear how and when hostilities would start, and the Admiralty too limited freedom, and for an energetic person ready to take the initiative, there were practically no opportunities here. Asquith put forward a counter-proposal: to take responsibility for local government, to use his skills in relation to social complexities. But bad luck, Winston was not interested in such problems, so the opportunity was wasted.

A sudden turn in Churchill's biography, according to his contemporaries, was the choice of the post of minister responsible for trade relations. At that time, such a position was not valued very highly, and the salary was not high - only two thousand compared to the five thousand that other equals in position were entitled to. Pounds sterling turned out to be not the most significant for Winston, but the trade minister was in the cabinet, and the department itself was a good launch pad For career development.

Successes: career and personal

Concentration on work seemed all-consuming, and most people personally acquainted with Churchill predicted a bachelor life for him until his old age. With what surprise they had to learn the news from the newspapers in 1908, on the fifteenth day of the last summer month. Publications began to talk about the engagement of a prominent statesman and a twenty-three-year-old girl, Clementine, a native of a not very wealthy family, but equal in status to Churchill. The lady’s father had already died by this time, and during his lifetime he was a colonel of dragoons; her mother came from a famous family of Airlie aristocrats, in whom the blood of the Irish and Scots was mixed.

As is known from Churchill’s biography, Clementine easily communicated in German, French, received an impeccable education, was smart and had a great sense of humor. For her, political vicissitudes were interesting. Contemporaries noted the lady's intelligence, attractiveness, liveliness of nature and exceptional external beauty.

The politician’s path was finally determined at the age of 33. No one doubted his success in his chosen path. By this time, as Gilbert writes in his biography of Churchill, the man had become a representative in parliament of the most reliable constituency, he was one of the representatives of the cabinet of ministers, was always at the center of what was happening and could influence the situation. The one who had previously been called too much of a hurry had become mature, and it was impossible to deny it. Being thirty-five years old, he took the position of Minister of the Interior, and at the same time gained access to the broadest powers. Now his area of ​​responsibility included all places of forced confinement, juvenile detention centers, metropolitan police, firefighters, and roads. Churchill dominated immigration processes, was involved in mines, controlled the fishing and agricultural industries, and was aware of the situation with bridges and canals.

Opportunities and resources

As Gilbert Martin says in his book, there weren’t too many important turns in Churchill’s biography at that moment, but everyday life politics was full of significant events. The ministry he now headed was partly responsible for parliamentary elections, and also recommended to the king who among the criminals could be pardoned. The minister himself was required to be in the room at the time of the birth of the royal child. His area of ​​responsibility was the proclamation of the king who ascended the throne, as well as the selection and presentation of an heir to the people. The variety of functions was complemented by writing written answers to the king every day about the debates taking place among parliamentarians. Contemporaries noted that it was this part of his work that Winston performed especially responsibly and with love.

The First World War was gradually approaching, and with it new shifts in politics. The biography of Winston Churchill was supposed to be replenished with new events. And so it happened. As the war approached, the politician began to pay more and more attention to the state of affairs in the international arena, he spent time mastering the intricacies of Anglo-European relations. The information he collected, the ideas he generated, and data from experts in the military sphere became the basis for a memorandum devoted to what Churchill called the “continental problem,” considering it primarily in relation to military aspects. The memorandum was given to the Prime Minister, and Churchill’s successes were recognized by the public.

New steps

As is known from the biography of Churchill described above, as a young man, the politician received a fairly rapid education in the military sphere, so his successes associated with the memorandum were rated especially highly. Only on the basis of data from the cavalry school, he would hardly have been able to understand military nuances in such detail. However, the document was written professionally, and its author collected unique and useful opinions, made reasonable conclusions, resorted to analysis and assessed everything himself. The imagination and ability to reason logically that was demonstrated in drafting the document was impressive. Churchill proposed to discard all illusions regarding the peaceful development of events and admit that Germany is an aggressor, and war with it cannot be avoided.

According to reviews expressed by contemporaries, books about the biography of Winston Churchill, published by numerous publications, in his youth the politician was known for his beliefs regarding the need to resort to the capabilities of the fleet in military operations. The country's army was relatively small, and Churchill believed that in comparison with the continental ones it was too weak and did not represent any significant force. As he became a politician, he reconsidered his views. Churchill began to vigorously oppose the labor movement, and combined with his activism on military issues, this gave a new impetus to his career. Asquith suggested that Churchill consider the possibility of moving to the Admiralty - for the second time, but now with a different outcome: the politician agreed. The Ministry of Internal Affairs was transferred to the new minister, McKenna, who also handed over the Ministry of Internal Affairs to Churchill. This happened on October twenty-third, 1911.

Stability and work

The transition to the field of military affairs in Churchill's biography is considered a turning point - the formation of a politician was completed. The new place required every effort to be made in order to prepare the power for the war, the beginning of which was expected any day. Barely fighting turned around, it became clear that Churchill was not wasting his time: the fleet was completely ready.

It was assumed that hostilities would start in 1914, and no water maneuvers were carried out that year, but the ships were mobilized, the personnel were on alert, and the exercises on July 17-18 ended with a colorful parade. After it, normally the ships should have gone to a rest base, but the fleet was concentrated, and the government began to formulate the country’s positions regarding military action. Churchill demanded entry into the conflict and the mobilization of all the forces of the state in a minimum time period.

War

On the part of the German government, an official message about hostilities against Russia was sent on the first day of the last summer month. At the same time, Churchill, taking personal responsibility for what was happening, mobilized warships. He took a lot of risks, because arbitrariness of this level might not be to the taste of those in power, but this time everything worked out, Churchill’s decision the next day was supported by the government, and on August 4 the country entered into an international military conflict. It seemed that new prospects were opening up for Winston, but the politician’s self-confidence became a source of trouble, and he encountered enemies much more often than friends, ultimately forcing him to abandon his favorite field of activity.

The exit from the First World War was not a reason for the politician to consider that the conflicts were over, and this can be seen from the stories in the biography about Churchill and Stalin. Even then, the British minister was confident that clashes with Soviet Russia could not be avoided, but in 1921 he had to admit the failure of the disruption of Soviet progress. England recognized the Bolshevik government, and Churchill, it would seem, had nothing else to do among the military.

This same year, as is known from the biography of Winston Churchill, was not easy for his family. The politician's mother died, she was 67, the cause was blood poisoning. Before the man had time to recover from this event, his daughter, a two-year-old girl named Marigold, died.

In the same year, the statesman was transferred to the Ministry of Colonies, where it was required firm hand a proactive politician capable of coping with colonial liberation movements.

Dark streak

The year 1922 was marked by elections and Churchill’s first defeat - for the first time in the last 22 years he did not enter parliament, he was literally left out of work, and doctors strongly recommended taking a rest. Together with his wife, the politician left for the French south. Close friends noted that at that moment there was a heavy cross on continuing his previous career. It seemed that in the future one could only count on literary success. However, it soon turned out that these were premature conclusions and it was too early to write Winston off. He himself held different views, moreover, he was convinced that there was a way back - you just need to get back to the conservatives. Churchill was lucky once again. In 1923, the party leader resigned, and Winston lost his main opponent. Baldwin, who was in contact with Churchill, was appointed head of the conservative camp. Parliament was dissolved, new elections were called for the last month of 1923 under the banner of protectionism, and Churchill had the opportunity to again become a member of parliament, although again without the desired success.

The failure prompted an active attack on Labour. This undermined the image of the statesman, but gave him the love of the working people. The Conservatives nominated Churchill from Epping, and on October 24 he again became an MP. In the government formed by Baldwin, he was given the position of minister responsible for financial aspects.

Advancing towards the end

In 1929, Labor took the helm, Churchill found himself out of power, and in 1935 they generally decided that he had no future. True, the politician concentrated on the German danger and the Nazis who wanted revenge, against the background of which the statesman received a new chance. The Conference on Disarmament did not give desired result, and here Winston’s ideas regarding the technical power of powers came in handy. On the day Germany attacked Poland, Churchill was invited to visit the Prime Minister, whose policies had failed. In 1940, power returned to Churchill, and he formed the new government.

In 1945, he began to assess Russia as the main threat and proposed forming a new front. In May of the same year, he resigned. The Conservatives lost all their ground in the election. Over the next six years, the people became increasingly confident in socialism as a positive social system. In 1946, it was with his words that the cold war, and in 1951 he was able to take the post of prime minister. By this time, Churchill was 77, hard of hearing, and his reactions and mental acuity had deteriorated. IN next year King George VI died, and his daughter awarded Churchill the Order of the Garter.

In 1955 he decided to completely step down from power. The resignation was prepared quietly, the politician was greeted with honor, and all formal aspects were settled by April 5th. In 1963 he received the status of an honorary American citizen. Two years later he caught a cold, and on January 24, 1965, Churchill died. The solemnity of the funeral ceremony was comparable to that organized for kings; it lasted several days, and the remains were buried at the family grave in Bladon.

Many Britons consider Winston Churchill the greatest of their compatriots, and we must admit that they have good reason. Churchill lived a very interesting life full of important decisions and immense responsibility. Having become one of the most prominent politicians of his time, he forever inscribed his biography on the pages of British history, and he is still widely revered by all Englishmen.

1. He was born premature, seven months old, which did not stop him from living 90 years, despite not having the healthiest lifestyle.
2. Churchill's biography mentions the fact that his father, due to his mediocre academic success, gave up on him, considering him a hopeless idiot.
3. The politician had mixed Anglo-American roots. His mother was the daughter of a businessman from the United States, and his father came from an ancient family of English dukes.
4. As a child, Winston Churchill was often subjected to corporal punishment at school for bad behavior.
5. Churchill's parents could not pay much attention to their son, so he was raised by a nanny. As he himself later recalled, she became the closest person in his life.
6. His full name is Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill.
7. At one time, the future politician managed to fight a lot, eventually rising to the rank of colonel. As a soldier, Churchill took part in hostilities in Europe, Africa, South America and Asia.
8. In 2002, the British company BBC conducted a poll according to which Winston Churchill was recognized as the greatest Briton in history (see).
9. Few people know that he was also a talented writer. He wrote more books than the famous Walter Scott and Charles Dickens combined.
10. Being also an experienced mason, Churchill built his country estate by hand.
11. The politician’s favorite drink throughout his life was cognac, mostly Armenian.
12. In the 50s of the last century, Churchill received the Nobel Prize in Literature, beating Hemingway himself in the fight for first place (see).
13. Throughout his life, Churchill smoked a lot, preferring strong cigars. He became addicted to them while serving as a war correspondent in Cuba.
14. He had an excellent memory and knew almost all of Shakespeare's works by heart. And once, for a bet, he read 1,200 lines from a book about the history of Ancient Rome from memory.
15. Once at an official reception, a waiter accidentally poured champagne on the head of the balding Churchill. He responded by asking the waiter if he was really sure that it was suitable remedy from baldness.
16. A talented and multifaceted person, he was also an artist. And very talented - his paintings were exhibited even in the Louvre, however, Churchill signed them with the pseudonym “Charles Morin”. Picasso himself publicly stated that Churchill would have become a great artist if he had not chosen politics (see).
17. He wrote all his political speeches himself.
18. Churchill's personal supply of cigars in his mansion numbered several thousand.
19. At the end of the 19th century, when the future politician was in Africa as a war correspondent, the Boers, with whom the British were fighting, placed a reward of 25 pounds on Churchill's head. At the same time, he then received 250 pounds a month for his work.
20. Once in Africa he was captured, but managed to escape from prison.