Sir Winston S. Churchill was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1953 "for his mastery of historical and biographical description as well as for brilliant oratory in defending exalted human values."
Over a 64-year span, Churchill published over 40 books, many multi-volume definitive accounts of historical events to which he was a witness and participant. All are beautifully written and as accessible and relevant today as when first published.
During his fifty-year political career, Churchill served twice as Prime Minister in addition to other prominent positions—including President of the Board of Trade, First Lord of the Admiralty, Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Home Secretary. In the 1930s, Churchill was one of the first to recognize the danger of the rising Nazi power in Germany and to campaign for rearmament in Britain. His leadership and inspired broadcasts and speeches during World War II helped strengthen British resistance to Adolf Hitler—and played an important part in the Allies’ eventual triumph.
One of the most inspiring wartime leaders of modern history, Churchill was also an orator, a historian, a journalist, and an artist. All of these aspects of Churchill are fully represented in this collection of his works.
With the entry of US forces into the conflict, the fortunes of war are turning in favor of the Allies. This period saw President Roosevelt's proposal of the "unconditional surrender" policy; the defeat of Mussolini and Rommel; Russia's dominance over Axis forces at Stalingrad; and a powerful new bombing campaign bringing the air conflict to the heart of Germany.During this period, Winston Churchill began to perceive victory as a real possibility-even a likely one. In this, the fourth volume of Churchill's famous wartime speeches, the tone is decidedly more optimistic-and his words still have the power to inspire.
This volume contains the last of Churchill's great speeches from World War II, delivered during the final eight months of the global conflict-and the final period of his time in office. The victory expressed in this volume is mixed. These speeches detail Churchill's public reactions to the forming of the United Nations, the death of Roosevelt, the dropping of the Atomic Bomb, and, lastly, the election that defeats him.Perhaps most notable is the "Gestapo" speech of 1945, in which Churchill made a controversial comparison between a Socialist government and the Gestapo-an extremely charged word at that time-that many believe cost him his job as Prime Minister.
Winston Churchill is renowned as a brilliant Conservative politician and statesman--but he wasn't always a Conservative. In 1904, he crossed over to join the Liberal party--becoming Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies when the Liberals took office, and later joining the Liberal Cabinet.
This collection of speeches documents Churchill's dramatic shift toward a more progressive governing philosophy. They contain his thoughts on some of the most important issues of the time, including the "People's Budget," a highly controversial new wealth distribution initiative. It led to the House of Lords' first attempt in two hundred years to challenge the power of the House of Commons, and ultimately to the Parliament Act of 1911, asserting the House of Commons' legislative powers.
This compilation is fascinating not only for its historical context, but for the keen political insight and strategy of one of the twentieth century's greatest political leaders.
