Winston S. Churchill. Volume V, The prophet of truth, 1922-1939 / Martin Gilbert.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Gilbert, Martin, 1936-2015, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Churchill, Winston, 1874-1965.

Churchill, Winston.

Prime ministers--Great Britain--Biography.

Prime ministers.

Great Britain--History--George VI, 1936-1952.

Great Britain.

Great Britain--Politics and government--1936-1945.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (934 pages) : illustrations, maps, portraits

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Hillsdale, Michigan : Hisdale College Press : RosettaBooks, 2015.

Summary:

The "important and engrossing" fifth volume of the official Churchill biography chronicles his visionary leadership in the tense years approaching WWII ( Foreign Affairs ). This acclaimed biographical masterpiece opens with Winston S.Churchill's return to Conservatism and to the cabinet in 1924. The narrative unfolds into a vivid and intimate picture of his public life as well as his private world at Chartwell between the wars. With ample access to Churchill's private papers, Martin Gilbert strips away decades of accumulated myth and innuendo, showing the stateman's true position on India, his precise role (and private thoughts) during the abdication of Edward VIII, his attitude toward Mussolini, and his profound fears for the future of European democracy. Even before Hitler came to power in Germany, Churchill saw the dangers of a Nazi victory. And despite the unpopularity of his views in official circles, he persevered for six years in sounding the alarm against fascism. This book reveals for the first time the extent senior civil servants, and even serving officers of high rank, came to Churchill with secret information, having despaired at the magnitude of official lethargy and obstruction. Within the Air Ministry, the Foreign Office, and the Intelligence Services, individuals felt drawn to provide Churchill with full disclosures of Britain's defense weakness, keeping him informed of day-to-day developments from 1934 until the outbreak of war. People of all parties and in all walks of life recognized Churchill's unique qualities and demanded his inclusion in the government, believing he alone could give a divided nation guidance and inspiration. "A milestone, a monument, a magisterial achievement... rightly regarded as the most comprehensive life ever written of any age." -Andrew Roberts, historian and author of The Storm of War "The most scholarly study of Churchill in war and peace ever written." -Herbert Mitgang, The New York Times

Contents:

Intro

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

Contents

Illustrations

Preface

Acknowledgements to the New Edition

Acknowledgements

Part One: Return to Conservatism 1922-1924

1 Out of Parliament: 'Getting Much Better in Myself'

2 1924: Towards the Conservatives

3 Return to Parliament: 'The Jolliest Bit of News for Months'

Part Two: Chancellor of the Exchequer 1924-1929

4 A Reforming Chancellor: 'Great Issues in the Social Sphere'

5 Return to the Gold Standard

6 Preparing the 1925 Budget: 'Keeping His Nose to the Grindstone'

7 Churchill's First Budget: 'The Appeasement of Class Bitterness'

8 1925: 'Alarm Bells Ringing'

9 The General Strike and the British Gazette

10 'Tonight Surrender: Tomorrow Magnanimity'

11 The Coal Strike: The Search for a Settlement

12 'The Smiling Chancellor'

13 De-Rating: 'A Plan for Prosperity' 1927-1929

14 The 1928 Budget: 'Everyone But You Is Frightened'

15 Towards the Fifth Budget: 'Vy Independent of Them All'

16 1929: The Last Year of the Baldwin Government

Part Three: Warnings and Forebodings 1929-1935

17 1929: Travels in the New World

18 1929-1930: A Growing Isolation

19 India and Free Trade, 1930-1931: 'A Real Parting of the Ways'

20 India 1931: 'The Conservative Party Is With Me'

21 The Formation of the Coalition: Churchill's Final Isolation

22 Visit to the United States: A Serious Accident

23 1932: 'Not Exhibiting This Year'

24 Germany 1932-1933: 'Tell the Truth to the British People'

25 India 1933: A Party Divided

26 Germany 1933: 'There Is No Time to Lose'

27 1933-1934: Authorship, India and Rearmament

28 India 1934: The Committee of Privileges

29 1934: Armaments, 'Sounding a Warning'

30 India 1934-1935: 'A Very Stern Fight Before Us'

31 India 1935: The Final Challenge.

Part Four: 'The Prophet of Truth' 1935-1939

32 1935: German Air Strength: 'We Can Never Catch Up'

33 The Need for War Preparations: 'Every Day Counts'

34 The 1935 Election: No Place for Churchill

35 Winter 1935-1936: Hoping for a Cabinet Post

36 Turning to Churchill

37 Defence Preparations: 'A Remorseless Pressure'

38 July 1936: The Defence Deputation

39 Foreign Affairs: Towards France or Germany?

40 'The Illusion of Security'

41 The Abdication

42 January-June 1937: 'Everything Is Very Black'

43 'Information in the Public Interest'

44 Eden's Resignation: 'The Vision of Death'

45 The German Annexation of Austria: 'Surrendering the Future'

46 Prelude to Munich: 'We Are in an Awful Mess'

47 The Munich Agreement: 'The Worst of Both Worlds'

48 The Munich Debate and After: 'A Defeat Without a War'

49 'I Feel Much Alone'

50 'The Best Chapter in His Crowded Life'

51 April-June 1939: 'England Owes You Many Apologies'

52 July 1939: 'Bring Back Churchill'

53 The Coming of War

List of Sources

Endnotes.

Notes:

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

9780795344602

0795344600