The Nobel Prize in Literature 1953

Winston Churchill

Biography

The Right Honourable Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (18 !"19#5$% the son o& Lor' (an'olph Churchill an' an )*erican *other% +as e'ucate' at ,arro+ an' -an'hurst. )&ter a brie& but e/ent&ul career in the ar*y% he beca*e a Conser/ati/e 0e*ber o& Parlia*ent in 1911. ,e hel' *any high posts in Liberal an' Conser/ati/e go/ern*ents 'uring the &irst three 'eca'es o& the century. )t the outbrea2 o& the -econ' Worl' War% he +as appointe' 3irst Lor' o& the )'*iralty " a post +hich he ha' earlier hel' &ro* 1911 to 1915. 4n 0ay% 19!1% he beca*e Pri*e 0inister an' 0inister o& 5e&ence an' re*aine' in o&&ice until 19!5. ,e too2 o/er the pre*iership again in the Conser/ati/e /ictory o& 1951 an' resigne' in 1955. ,o+e/er% he re*aine' a 0e*ber o& Parlia*ent until the general election o& 19#!% +hen he 'i' not see2 re"election. 6ueen 7lizabeth 44 con&erre' on Churchill the 'ignity o& 8nighthoo' an' in/este' hi* +ith the insignia o& the 9r'er o& the :arter in 1953. )*ong the other countless honours an' 'ecorations he recei/e'% special *ention shoul' be *a'e o& the honorary citizenship o& the ;nite' -tates +hich Presi'ent 8enne'y con&erre' on hi* in 19#3. Churchill<s literary career began +ith ca*paign reports= The Story of the Malakand Field Force(1898$ an' The River War (1899$% an account o& the ca*paign in the -u'an an' the Battle o& 9*'ur*an. 4n 1911% he publishe' his only no/el% Savrola% an'% si> years later% his &irst *a?or +or2% the biography o& his &ather% Lord Randolph Churchill. ,is other &a*ous biography% the li&e o& his great ancestor% the 5u2e o& 0arlborough% +as publishe' in &our /olu*es bet+een 1933 an' 1938. Churchill<s history o& the 3irst Worl' War appeare' in &our /olu*es un'er the title o&The World Crisis (19@3" @9$A his *e*oirs o& the -econ' Worl' War ran to si> /olu*es (19!8"1953B5!$. )&ter his retire*ent &ro* o&&ice% Churchill +rote a History of the English-speaking eoples (! /ols.% 195#"58$. ,is *agni&icent oratory sur/i/es in a 'ozen /olu*es o& speeches% a*ong the* The !nrelenting Struggle (19!@$% The "a#n of Li$eration (19!5$% an' Cictory (19!#$. Churchill% a gi&te' a*ateur painter% +rote ainting as a asti%e (19!8$. )n autobiographical account o& his youth% My Early Life% appeare' in 1931.

Winston Churchill% the son o& (an'olph Churchill% a Conser/ati/e politician% +as born in Blenhei* Palace% Woo'stoc2% on 31th No/e*ber% 18 !. ,is *other% Dennie Dero*e% +as the 'aughter o& Leonar' Dero*e% a Ne+ Eor2 business*an. )&ter being e'ucate' at ,arro+ he +ent to the (oyal 0ilitary College at -an'hurst. Churchill ?oine' the 3ourth ,ussars in 1895 an' sa+ action on the 4n'ian north"+est &rontier an' in the -u'an +here he too2 part in the Battle o& 9*'ur*an (1898$. While in the ar*y Churchill supplie' *ilitary reports &or the "aily Telegraph an' +rote boo2s such as The Story of the Malakand Field Force (1898$ an' The River War (1899$. )&ter lea/ing the British )r*y in 1899% Churchill +or2e' as a +ar correspon'ent &or the Morning ost. While reporting the Boer War in -outh )&rica he +as ta2en prisoner by the Boers but *a'e hea'line ne+s +hen he escape'. 9n returning to 7nglan' he +rote about his e>periences in the boo2% London to Ladys%ith (1911$. 4n the 1911 :eneral 7lection Churchill +as electe' as the Conser/ati/e 0P &or 9l'ha*. )s a result o& rea'ing% overty& ' Study of To#n Life by -eeboh* (o+ntree he beca*e a supporter o& social re&or*. 4n 191!% uncon/ince' by his party lea'ers 'esire &or change% Churchill 'eci'e' to ?oin the Liberal Party. 4n the 191# :eneral 7lection Churchill +on North West 0anchester an' i**e'iately beca*e a *e*ber o& the ne+ Liberal go/ern*ent as ;n'er"-ecretary o& -tate &or the Colonies. When ,erbert )sFuith replace' ,enry Ca*pbell"Banner*an as Pri*e 0inister in 1918 he pro*ote' Churchill to his cabinet as Presi'ent o& the Boar' o& Tra'e. While in this post he carrie' through i*portant social legislation inclu'ing the establish*ent o& e*ploy*ent e>changes. 9n 1@th -epte*ber 1918 Churchill *arrie' Cle*entine 9gil/y -pencer an' the &ollo+ing year publishe' a boo2 on his political philosophy% Li$eralis% and the Social ro$le% (1919$. 3ollo+ing the 1911 :eneral 7lection Churchill beca*e ,o*e -ecretary. Churchill intro'uce' se/eral re&or*s to the prison syste*% inclu'ing the pro/ision o& lecturers an' concerts &or prisoners an' the setting up o& special a&ter"care associations to help con/icts a&ter they ha' ser/e' their sentence. ,o+e/er% Churchill +as se/erely criticize' &or using troops to *aintain or'er 'uring a Welsh *iners<s stri2e. 9n 1# 5ece*ber 1911% a gang atte*pte' to brea2 into the rear o& a ?e+eller<s shop in ,oun's'itch. )n a'?acent shop2eeper hear' their ha**ering% an' in&or*e' the police. When the police arri/e'% the robbers burst out% shooting three o&&icers 'ea'. The gang lea'er% a Lat/ian% Polos2i 0orountze&&% +as acci'ently shot in the bac2 by another gang *e*ber% an' 'ie' later. Winston Churchill i**e'iately announce' that the police +as loo2ing &or a gang o& De+ish anarchists. 4t +as also i*portant to the go/ern*ent that the inci'ent 'i' not cause anti" De+ish &eeling an' the coroner *a'e a point o& stressing Gin ?ustice an' &airness to the De+ish co**unityG that he +as uncircu*cise'. )cting on a tip"o&&% police surroun'e' 111 -i'ney -treet in -tepney on @n' Danuary 1911. Churchill hurrie' to the scene in or'er to 'irect operations. ,e +as greete' by cries o& G+ho let the* i**igrants inHG Churchill authorise' the 'eploy*ent o& 1@! sol'iers.

Winston Churchill at the Siege of Sidney Street

The Manchester (uardian reporte'= GThe &iring ca*e in spurts. The *ur'erers +oul' shoot &irst &ro* the groun' &loor% then the +in'o+ abo/e I then there +oul' be a bar2ing o& ri&les in reply. Close on one o<cloc2 an especially sharp &usilla'e rattle' li2e a gro+l o& e>asperation I. a little &eather o& s*o2e curling out o& the +in'o+ belo+ the point o& attac2. We thought at &irst it +as gun s*o2e an' then +ith a thrill +e sa+ that the house +as on &ire.G Churchill re&use' to allo+ the &ire briga'e to 'ouse the &la*es until the &iring &ro* insi'e stoppe'. When it 'i' an' the police +ere allo+e' in% only t+o bo'ies +ere &oun'. 9ne +riter% -tephen Bates% has argue'= GThe lesson the police too2 &ro* the siege +as not that they ha' o/erreacte' but that they nee'e' better +eapons. The lesson the press too2 +as that the Liberal go/ern*ent +as so&t on i**igrants.G The t+o 'ea' *en% 3ritz -/aars an' Willia* -o2olo+% +ere petty cri*inals% an' not anarchists. ,o+e/er% the go/ern*ent lea2e' the story that the gang ha' been le' by Peter Piat2o+ (Peter the Painter$ +ho ha' *anage' to escape &ro* the burning buil'ing. ,o+e/er% there are 'oubts that Piat2o+ e/er e>iste'. Churchill beca*e 3irst Lor' o& the )'*iralty in 9ctober 1911 +here he helpe' *o'ernize the na/y. Churchill +as one o& the &irst people to grasp the *ilitary potential o& aircra&t an' in 191@ he set up the(oyal Na/al )ir -er/ice. ,e also establishe' an )ir 5epart*ent at the )'*iralty so as to *a2e &ull use o& this ne+ technology. Churchill +as so enthusiastic about these ne+ 'e/elop*ents that he too2 &lying lessons.

Churchill= ) Li&e

Churchill<s Wit

9n the outbrea2 o& +ar in 191!% Churchill ?oine' the War Council. ,o+e/er% he +as bla*e' &or the &ailure at the 5ar'anelles Ca*paign in 1915 an' +as *o/e' to the post o& Chancellor o& the 5uchy o& Lancaster. ;nhappy about not ha/ing any po+er to in&luence the :o/ern*ent<s +ar policy% he re?oine' the British )r*y an' co**an'e' a battalion o& the (oyal -cots 3usiliers on the Western 3ront. When 5a/i' Lloy' :eorge replace' ,erbert )sFuith as Pri*e 0inister% he brought Churchill bac2 into the go/ern*ent as 0inister o& 0unitions an' &or the &inal year o& the +ar% Churchill +as in charge o& the pro'uction o& tan2s% aeroplanes% guns an' shells. Churchill also ser/e' un'er 5a/i' Lloy' :eorge as 0inister o& War an' )ir (1919"@1$ an' Colonial -ecretary (19@1"@@$. Churchill create' great contro/ersy o/er his policies in 4raF. 4t +as esti*ate' that aroun' @5%111 British an' 81%111 4n'ian troops +oul' be nee'e' to control the country. ,o+e/er% he argue' that i& Britain relie' on air po+er% you coul' cut these nu*bers to !%111 (British$ an' 11%111 (4n'ian$. The go/ern*ent +as con/ince' by this argu*ent an' it +as 'eci'e' to sen' the recently &or*e' (oyal )ir 3orce to 4raF. )n uprising o& *ore than 111%111 ar*e' tribes*en too2 place in 19@1. 9/er the ne>t &e+ *onths the ()3 'roppe' 9 tons o& bo*bs 2illing 9%111 4raFis. This &aile' to en' the resistance an' )rab an' 8ur'ish uprisings continue' to pose a threat to British rule. Churchill suggeste' that che*ical +eapons shoul' be use' Gagainst recalcitrant )rabs as an e>peri*ent.G ,e a''e' G4 a* strongly in &a/our o& using poisone' gas against unci/ilise' tribes to sprea' a li/ely terrorG in 4raF. The 'i/isions in the Liberal Party le' to Churchill being 'e&eate' by 7. 5. 0orel at 5un'ee in the 19@@ :eneral 7lection. Churchill no+ re?oine' the Conser/ati/e Party an' +as success&ully electe' to represent 7pping in the 19@! :eneral 7lection. -tanley Bal'+in% the lea'er o& the ne+ Conser/ati/e a'*inistration% appointe' Churchill as Chancellor o& the 7>cheFuer. 4n 19@5 Churchill contro/ersially returne' Britain the the :ol' -tan'ar' an' the &ollo+ing year too2 a strong line against the :eneral -tri2e. Churchill e'ite' the :o/ern*ent<s ne+spaper% the )ritish (a*ette% 'uring the 'ispute +here he argue' that Geither the country +ill brea2 the :eneral -tri2e% or the :eneral -tri2e +ill brea2 the country.G With the 'e&eat o& the Conser/ati/e go/ern*ent in 19@9% Churchill lost o&&ice.

When (a*say 0ac5onal' &or*e' the National :o/ern*ent in 1931 Churchill% +ho +as no+ seen as a right"+ing e>tre*ist% +as not in/ite' to ?oin the Cabinet. ,e spent the ne>t &e+ years concentrating on his +riting% inclu'ing the publication o& the History of the English Speaking eoples. )&ter )'ol& ,itler an' the Nazi Party gaine' po+er in :er*any in 1933% Churchill beca*e a lea'ing a'/ocate o& rear*a*ent. ,e +as also a staunch critic o& Ne/ille Cha*berlain an' the Conser/ati/e go/ern*ent<s appease*ent policy. 4n 1939 Churchill contro/ersially argue' that Britain an' 3ranceshoul' &or* o& a *ilitary alliance +ith the -o/iet ;nion. 9n the outbrea2 o& the -econ' Worl' War Churchill +as appointe' 3irst Lor' o& the )'*iralty an' on !th )pril 19!1 beca*e chair*an o& the 0ilitary Coor'inating Co**ittee. Later that *onth the :er*an )r*y in/a'e' an' occupie' Nor+ay. The loss o& Nor+ay +as a consi'erable setbac2 &or Ne/ille Cha*berlain an' his policies &or 'ealing +ith Nazi :er*any. 9n 8th 0ay the Labour Party 'e*an'e' a 'ebate on the Nor+egian ca*paign an' this turne' into a /ote o& censure. )t the en' o& the 'ebate 31 Conser/ati/es /ote' against Cha*berlain an' a &urther #1 abstaine'. Cha*berlain no+ 'eci'e' to resign an' on 11th 0ay% 19!1% :eorge C4 appointe' Churchill as pri*e *inister. Later that 'ay the :er*an )r*y began its Western 9&&ensi/e an' in/a'e' the Netherlan's% Belgiu* an' Lu>e*bourg. T+o 'ays later :er*an &orces entere' 3rance. Churchill &or*e' a coalition go/ern*ent an' place' lea'ers o& the Labour Party such as Cle*ent )ttlee% 7rnest Be/in% ,erbert 0orrison% -ta&&or' Cripps an' ,ugh 5alton in 2ey positions. ,e also brought in another long"ti*e opponent o& Cha*berlain% )nthony 7'en% as his secretary o& state &or +ar. Later that year 7'en replace' Lor' ,ali&a> as &oreign secretary. Churchill also 'e/elope' a strong personal relationship +ith 3ran2lin 5. (oose/elt an' this le' to the sharing an' tra'ing o& +ar supplies. The Len' Lease agree*ent o& 0arch 19!1 allo+e' Britain to or'er +ar goo's &ro* the ;nite' -tates on cre'it. )lthough he pro/i'e' strong lea'ership the +ar continue' to go ba'ly &or Britain an' a&ter a series o& *ilitary 'e&eats Churchill ha' to &ace a *otion o& no con&i'ence in Parlia*ent. ,o+e/er% he *aintaine' the support o& *ost *e*bers o& the ,ouse o& Co**ons an' +on by ! 5 /otes to @5.

Troubleso*e Eoung 0en

Churchill

Churchill continue' to be criticize' &or *e''ling in *ilitary *atters an' ten'e' to ta2e too *uch notice o& the /ie+s o& his &rien's such as 3re'eric2 Lin'e*ann rather than his *ilitary co**an'ers. 4n )pril 19!1 he *a'e the serious *ista2e o& trying to sa/e :reece by +ea2ening his &orces &ighting the5esert War. 9ne o& the *a?or contributions *a'e by Churchill to e/entual /ictory +as his ability to inspire the British people to greater e&&ort by *a2ing public broa'casts on signi&icant occasions. ) brilliant orator he +as a tireless source o& strength to people e>periencing the su&&erings o& the Blitz.

)&ter Pearl ,arbor Churchill +or2e' closely +ith 3ran2lin 5. (oose/elt to ensure /ictory o/er :er*anyan' Dapan. ,e +as also a loyal ally o& the -o/iet ;nion a&ter )'ol& ,itler launche' 9peration Barbarossa in Dune% 19!1. Churchill hel' i*portant *eetings +ith 3ran2lin 5. (oose/elt an' Doseph -talin at Teheran (No/e*ber% 19!3$ an' Ealta (3ebruary% 19!5$. )lthough Churchill<s relationship +ith -talin +as al+ays 'i&&icult he *anage' to success&ully 'e/elop a unite' strategy against the )>is po+ers. 5espite intense pressure &ro* -talin to open a secon'"&ront by lan'ing )llie' troops in 3rance in 19!3% Churchill continue' to argue that this shoul' not happen until the 'e&eat o& Nazi :er*any +as guarantee'. The 5"5ay lan'ings 'i' not ta2e place until Dune% 19!! an' this 'elay enable' the (e' )r*y to capture territory &ro* :er*any in 7astern 7urope. 4n public Churchill accepte' plans &or social re&or* 'ra+n up by Willia* Be/eri'ge in 19!!. ,o+e/er% he +as unable to con/ince the electorate that he +as as co**itte' to these *easures as *uch asCle*ent )ttlee an' the Labour Party. 4n the 19!5 :eneral 7lection Churchill<s atte*pts to co*pare a &uture Labour go/ern*ent +ith Nazi :er*any bac2&ire' an' )ttlee +on a lan'sli'e /ictory. Churchill beca*e lea'er o& the opposition an' +hen /isiting the ;nite' -tates in 0arch 19!#% he *a'e his &a*ous 4ron Curtain speech at 3ulton% 0issouri. ,e su&&ere' the &irst o&

se/eral stro2es in )ugust 19!# but this in&or*ation +as 2ept &ro* the general public an' he continue' to lea' the Conser/ati/e Party.

Churchill returne' to po+er a&ter the 1951 :eneral 7lection. )&ter the publication o& his si> /olu*e%The Second World War% Churchill +as a+ar'e' the Nobel Prize &or Literature. Churchill<s health continue' to 'eteriorate an' in 1955 he reluctantly retire' &ro* politics. Winston Churchill 'ie' on @!th Danuary% 19#5.