Memoirs of the Second World War. Winston S. Churchill.

Memoirs of the Second World War: An Abridgement
Winston S. Churchill.
Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. 1959.

Why read it? Churchill was given the power to lead when things looked darkest, used the power of the English language to rally his people, maintained the willingness to fight until the bitter end in order to save Western civilization, managed to hold off defeat in spite of horrendous bombings of London, U-boat depredations and fears of invasion until America entered the war, went on alone in spite of the fall of France, worked with Roosevelt and clashed with Stalin to win the war, and, when the Allies had won and their enemies had surrendered unconditionally, was promptly turned out of office by his people.This too is democracy.

Makes clear that this was not a war of governments only, but a war of peoples.

Notes that Germany's bombardment of open cities and civilians led the way to the complete destruction of Berlin, Hiroshima and Nagasaki from the air.

Believed in telling the truth to his people even in the darkest hour. Stated plainly the facts and the need to bear up under Nazi destruction. Removed people from his government who were pessimistic.

Stalin was quite a character. Enigmatic, a good listener, able to turn a phrase in such a way that one went away scratching his head, wondering what he meant. For example, after Stalin accused Churchill of cowardice when confronting the Germans and when challenged by Churchill over his statements, he smiled and said, "The best of friendships are based on misunderstandings." Now, what the hell did Stalin mean by that?

WWII was a war that could have been prevented if the Allies of WWI had used their strength to nip Hitler's rearming and land grabbing in the bud. Churchill feared the same tendency toward appeasement after WWII when weakening British and American forces would open the door to Russian domination. He foresaw the coming of the Iron Curtain.

Air power made all the difference in WWII. The British air force was small, but it was well trained with maneuverable planes. "Never have so many owed so much to so few."

JFK was very much influenced by Churchill. Studied him.

Churchill was aware that, as the war wound down, politics would heat up.

Felt that his entire career had been a preparation for his leadership in WWII.

In dealing with those who disagreed with him, Churchill never became animated or angry. Stated the facts as he saw them.

The horrors of the Blitzkrieg in Czechoslovakia, Belgium and Holland.

The enormous numbers of people killed on both sides.

Hitler did not believe that Britain or France would fight. Hitler believed that the purpose of human beings and nations is to fight. Disliked the Jews because their international existence made them pacifists who diluted the German will to fight.

Churchill was initially opposed to the Normandy invasion because he knew that it would more quickly end the war. He wanted to use American and British forces to divert Russia from overrunning Europe. He wanted to keep the Russians from entering Germany. However, for the U.S., ending the war as quickly as possible was the goal so that the boys could be brought home again. As a result, the Russians conquered much of Europe and initiated the Cold War.