Sir Winston Leonard Churchill

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that, although Sir Winston Leonard Churchill led the British out of the Depression and in victory during World War II, his biggest loss came just after these biggest victories when he lost the 1945 election for prime minister in spite of his overwhelming popularity. The author points out that Churchill's troubles began in 1942 with what is called the "palace revolt"; the movement was lead by several newspapers, such as "The Times", "The Sunday Times" and "The Observer", and respectable politicians, such as Lord Salisbury, Lord Swinton, Lord Hankey and Sir Edward Grigg. The paper concludes that, in leading the country, Churchill made many enemies; in spite of his extreme popularity, the combination of (1) the country's wish for change after the war, (2) the desire of the soldiers in the Pacific to return home and (3) the lack of total support within his own party led to his failure to win the 1945 election. Several long quotes.

From the Paper:

"Churchill still maintained strong support, but it was obvious a grass roots effort was beginning to unseat him. However, Churchill knew he faced problems in the future once the war was over. During a popular war, it would be very difficult to unseat a leader, because of the fear of dissension and confusion within the military ranks. Trying to unseat a leader during war would be seen as many as treasonous. Thomson says Churchill was aware "of the doubting approval of Parliament" and was concerned."

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