SirWinston Churchill

Sir Winston Churchill Sir WinstonChurchill is widely regarded as the greatest British leader of the 20thcentury. Born at Blenheim Palace in 1874, Churchill was the son of LordRandolph Churchill, a British statesman, and Jennie Jerome, an American.Fascinated by soldiers and warfare since early childhood, Churchill came from amilitary dynasty that went back to the great English general John Churchill,the first Duke of Marlborough, in the 17th century.

His political career began in 1901 whenhe was elected to the House of Commons. During his long political career,Churchill held every important cabinet office in both Liberal and Conservativegovernments, except that of foreign minister. He became Home Secretary in 1910,First Lord of Admiralty in 1911, and Chancellor of the Exchequer or nationalfinance minister in 1924.

  Churchill was out of office from 1929 to 1939 as political turmoilprevailed in England. But when war loomed in May 1940, he was installed asprime minister and minister of defense. His nationalist spirit and unflinchingdetermination in the face of Germany and Italy’s warmongering won massivesupport across the country. Even though he promised nothing more than “blood,toil, tears and sweat,” he mobilized and inspired courage in an entire nation. Throughoutthe war he worked tirelessly, built good relations with U.S. President FranklinD. Roosevelt, and maintained an alliance with the Soviet Union to securevictory.