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Airman
We all know that he was a master orator, brilliant statesman and unparalleled leader but what of the man himself? Does anyone have any insight to what kind of guy he was?
Winston Churchill the man
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Soundbreaker Welch?
Tech Sergeant
Didn't he like to smoke cigars?
Konigstiger205
Staff Sergeant
The man that saved Great Britain...thats all I can say...although he said some nasty things about my country during WW2...
From what I understand he was a heavy drinker and smoker and kept a mistress, in sharp contrast to people like Hitler who didn't do any of those. You'll hear that riddle going around and everyone thinks that the guy who didn't smoke or drink would be the good guy.
Churchill is one of the most quoted people ever, he had some great lines.
All quotes from Winston Churchill Quotes
"A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject."
"Although prepared for martyrdom, I preferred that it be postponed."
I like this one "For good or for ill, air mastery is today the supreme expression of military power and fleets and armies, however vital and important, must accept a subordinate rank."
"I may be drunk, Miss, but in the morning I will be sober and you will still be ugly."
"Nothing in life is so exhilarating as to be shot at without result."
"I was only the servant of my country and had I, at any moment, failed to express her unflinching resolve to fight and conquer, I should at once have been rightly cast aside."
"You ask, what is our policy? I can say: It is to wage war, by sea, land and air, with all our might and with all the strength that God can give us: to wage war against a monstrous tyranny, never surpassed in the dark, lamentable catalogue of human crime. That is our policy. You ask, what is our aim? I can answer in one word: It is victory, victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory, however long and hard the road may be; for without victory, there is no survival."
And, of course, the winner. "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few."
Churchill is one of the most quoted people ever, he had some great lines.
All quotes from Winston Churchill Quotes
"A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject."
"Although prepared for martyrdom, I preferred that it be postponed."
I like this one "For good or for ill, air mastery is today the supreme expression of military power and fleets and armies, however vital and important, must accept a subordinate rank."
"I may be drunk, Miss, but in the morning I will be sober and you will still be ugly."
"Nothing in life is so exhilarating as to be shot at without result."
"I was only the servant of my country and had I, at any moment, failed to express her unflinching resolve to fight and conquer, I should at once have been rightly cast aside."
"You ask, what is our policy? I can say: It is to wage war, by sea, land and air, with all our might and with all the strength that God can give us: to wage war against a monstrous tyranny, never surpassed in the dark, lamentable catalogue of human crime. That is our policy. You ask, what is our aim? I can answer in one word: It is victory, victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory, however long and hard the road may be; for without victory, there is no survival."
And, of course, the winner. "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few."
The Basket
Senior Master Sergeant
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- Jun 27, 2007
A few ideas
He did drink and smoke but never heard of a mistress before. He was very devoted to his wife.
He was considered a poor administrator.
He used to stay up very late...like Hitler did.
He used to suffer from severe depression.
First Lord of the Admirilty and responsible for the Galipoli campaigns which made him resign and then served in the trenches in WW1.
Always was against Hitler from the early days.
Voted the No.1 Briton af all time and one of the very few people who agree on as being great. Even an attack on him today can be considered controversal.
He did drink and smoke but never heard of a mistress before. He was very devoted to his wife.
He was considered a poor administrator.
He used to stay up very late...like Hitler did.
He used to suffer from severe depression.
First Lord of the Admirilty and responsible for the Galipoli campaigns which made him resign and then served in the trenches in WW1.
Always was against Hitler from the early days.
Voted the No.1 Briton af all time and one of the very few people who agree on as being great. Even an attack on him today can be considered controversal.
trackend
Chief Master Sergeant
It was all the poor sods that are six feet under that saved Britain and that includes all those from allied nations not Churchill's oratory, a great leader yes but its Joe public that do the business whether in the factory on the front line or just having to put up with having the **** bombed out of them.
He lead the country very well and he helped to keep the momentum going but at the end of the day he was in line for a plane ride along with the royal family to Canada that makes it much easier to say we shall fight them on the beaches specially if it ain't you thats going to do the fighting on the beaches.
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Airman
While I whole heartedly agree it is Joe public that does the fighting and dying and that those that gave thier lives are the only heroes, Winston never shyed from a fight. He was quite brave in both WW1 and the Boer war. I don't think they could have ever got him on a plane to Canada even if Germany had invaded. In fact from what I have read he would have been much happier if he could have been much closer to the fighting. For example he wanted to go on D-day and the only thing that stopped him was King George saying "fine if you are going then so am I"
Soundbreaker Welch?
Tech Sergeant
That's pretty funny.
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Airman
Both my parents are English and I asked them what they thought about Churchill and both said that they adored the man but with reservation. It seems that he wasn't very concerned about the average Joe. In particular they thought he cared very little about the poor. Most likely a result of the British class system. Perhaps some of the Brits in the forum can add to this.
Another les known Winston quote: I think it was Eleanor Roosevelt but I am not sure who said "Sir if you were my husband I would give you poison" Winston replied "Madam if you were my wife I would drink it"
Another les known Winston quote: I think it was Eleanor Roosevelt but I am not sure who said "Sir if you were my husband I would give you poison" Winston replied "Madam if you were my wife I would drink it"
Lady Astor, aghast at a party. "Mr. Churchill your drunk!" Mr. Churchill: "And you, Lady Astor, are ugly. As for my condition, it will pass by the morning. You, however, will still be ugly."
"Sir, if you were my husband, I would poison your drink." Lady Astor to Winston Churchill
"Madam, if you were my wife, I would drink it." --Churchill's reply
"Always remember that I have taken more out of alcohol than alcohol has taken out of me." --Winston Churchill
I've read that he was a callous, unloving father to his children.
"Sir, if you were my husband, I would poison your drink." Lady Astor to Winston Churchill
"Madam, if you were my wife, I would drink it." --Churchill's reply
"Always remember that I have taken more out of alcohol than alcohol has taken out of me." --Winston Churchill
I've read that he was a callous, unloving father to his children.
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Airman
Thanks for the clarification Graeme (also my name by the way except Graham)
Would recommend this documentary that was shown on British TV a while back. Whilst not as in depth as it could be it still gives a bit of an insight into him.
Amazon.co.uk: Churchill [2003]: DVD: Ian McKellen
Amazon.co.uk: Churchill [2003]: DVD: Ian McKellen
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
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Airman
Thanks Gnomey
Soundbreaker Welch?
Tech Sergeant
He was a cold father?
I think his relationship with his parents was fairly distant. They belonged to the social upper class and he didn't get much family time.
I think his relationship with his parents was fairly distant. They belonged to the social upper class and he didn't get much family time.
Njaco
The Pop-Tart Whisperer
I think he ws the right man at the right time but he did have faults as we most do. I see him as very similar to JFK here in the States. Faults but led well.
ccheese
Member In Perpetuity
Actually, he was a very much "hands on" man when it came to MI-5 and MI-6
and the deceptions that they carried out during WW-II. He had some really
brilliant ideas about how to 'hookwink the jerries".
For example, up until about Sept. of 1943 the codeword for the invasion was
"Overlord". Just before Sept he had it changed to "Neptune". On orders from
Churchill, thru a German spy called Cicero (in Turkey) who was actually work-
for the British, the codeword "Overlord" was intentionally leaked to the Germans.
Cicero was really Elyesa Bazna, the valet of Sir Hughe Montgomery Knatchbull,
in the British embassy in Ankara. During the time
Cicero was "employed" by the Germans, they paid him the equivalent of
1.2 million US dollars. His is quite a story !
By Cicero giving the Germans the codeword for the invasion, it established
he credibility, for use later on when the Brits really wanted to feed the
Jerries some crap.
Charles
and the deceptions that they carried out during WW-II. He had some really
brilliant ideas about how to 'hookwink the jerries".
For example, up until about Sept. of 1943 the codeword for the invasion was
"Overlord". Just before Sept he had it changed to "Neptune". On orders from
Churchill, thru a German spy called Cicero (in Turkey) who was actually work-
for the British, the codeword "Overlord" was intentionally leaked to the Germans.
Cicero was really Elyesa Bazna, the valet of Sir Hughe Montgomery Knatchbull,
in the British embassy in Ankara. During the time
Cicero was "employed" by the Germans, they paid him the equivalent of
1.2 million US dollars. His is quite a story !
By Cicero giving the Germans the codeword for the invasion, it established
he credibility, for use later on when the Brits really wanted to feed the
Jerries some crap.
Charles
