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===**Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill: Humanity's Bulldog .....by Nina Robichaud** ===




 * Biographical Information:**

Son of Lord Randolph and Lady Jennie Churchill, young Winston grew up in an aristocratic household upheld by the honor of his ancestors. He was born in B lenheim Palace, Woodstock, Oxfordshire, spent his early childhood in Dublin, Ireland, where the distant relationship with his parents began. Since they were always abroad, Churchill was often taught by a governess and relied upon his nurse for a motherly figure. As he grew up, his disciplinary record in school steadily rose, thanks to his rebelliously independent character. Eventually, Churchill developed an interest in the military; once he was successfully admitted into the Royal Military College after a third attempt, he began to take academics more seriously, and graduated 20th out of 150 in his class.

Churchill applied to the cavalry while at the Royal Military College, and even experienced a Spanish fight in the Cuban guerillas in 1895. He would also gain experience in other foreign countries, such as India, Sudan, and South Africa. Favoring war correspondence over military combat, Churchill became famous for his writings and participation in campaigns; he wrote for several London newspapers and even several books. Because of this, Churchill became well-known and earned a substantial extra income.

Although undetermined, there is a preconceived notion that Churchill had a speech impediment that he overcame with practice in order to become the famous public speaker history will soon recognize him as... Of course, he would have had to overcome that difficulty in order to face future challenges to come in order to become on of the best public speakers in history that we all know him to be :)

Winston Churchill met his future wife, Clementine Hozier, at a ball in 1904, and later became fully acquainted with her four years later at a dinner party. Admiring her intelligence and character as well as beauty, Churchill proposed to Clementine several months later, and the two would share the rest of their lives together with much love. The couple had five children: Diana, Randolph, Sarah, Marigold, and Mary, one of which (Marigold) died prematurely.

Following his leave from the military in 1899, Churchill took up war corresponding, and was elected as the Conservative MP of Oldham in1800; he would become a supporter of social reform and a member of the Liberal party. In 1906, Churchill won North West Manchester in the General Election and became a member of the new liberal government as Under-Secretary of the State for the Colonies.With a new Prime Minister, Churchill was promoted to the cabinet as President of the Board of Trade. Winston Churchill had a successful start in his political career after his service in the military.



After Adolf Hitler took hold of German power, Winston Churchill criticized Neville Chamberlain of his passive methods as Prime Minister, and was one of the first to radically suggest an alliance with France and the Soviet Union. As World War II unfolded and support for Chamberlain dwindled, George VI would appoint Winston Churchill has the new Prime Minister of Great Britain. Churchill became a key power among the Allies, as pictured with the US President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Russia's Joseph Stalin. He would soon serve a second term following the end of the war.



Winston Churchill spent most of his retirement at his home in Hyde Park Gate, London, and less time in Parliament. Enduring old age's trifles, a stroke left him fatally ill, and Churchill died on January 24, 1965, at ninety years old. Oddly enough, as it was his fear earlier in life that he would die in his forties like his father, Winston Churchill died exactly 70 years later on the same day of his father's death. Guess he proved destiny wrong...by fifty years :)

As Winston says, "Never, never, never give up,".


 * Social/Historical Context:**

During his most influential years, Great Britain was in the midst of another World War against the fascist Axis powers, with only bitter rivals available as allies. Winston Churchill was previously known as quite the controversial politician in Parliament; the support to his proposal that they use their air force to control Iraqi rebels caused tribal uprisings of more than 100,000, the death of 9,000 Iraqi's, and the use of poison gas to control the clamor. Following his defeat from within the Liberal party, Churchill switched to the Conservative party in prospect for better success. The party failed, and Churchill lost office; many politicians in the New National Government saw him as a right-wing extremist, and not invited to join the cabinet. Thus, Churchill began focusing on writing books in genres such as history until opportunity came.



Opportunity did come: Adolf Hitler became a force to reckon with at his rise to power in Germany, 1933. Churchill criticized how the current Prime Minister was handling situations in regards to the Conservative government's "appeasement policy", and radically suggested that Great Britain and France ally with the Soviet Union. Following his appointment as Prime Minister, it was now in Churchill's hands to run the country in the midst of yet another war. The very day of his appointment, German forces had begun their Western Offensive by taking over smaller countries, and were headed for France. Churchill, with his military experience on the field and in war correspondence, was left the heavy responsibility of directing the country towards victory, or else heading to another "Dark Age" of the Nazi's, as he quoted in one of his speeches.

01:38 minute clip of the speech quoted previously []

While changing the government's offices with his supporters, Churchill also established relations with the United States, and began to share and trade war supplies through the Lend Lease Act. In the time of the Blitz, Churchill's strongest attribute to the people of Great Britain was his ability to motivate and inspire a nation in the most terrible of times. He would continue to use radio broadcasting as a constant source of stubborn strength for the British as they defended their country from German invaders. He is renowned for his "bulldog" spirit. Preceding the Allies' victory of World War II, Churchill began to speak out against the Soviet Union through his famous Iron Curtain speech in Fulton, Missouri, USA.

00:51 second clip of Iron Curtain speech: []


 * Well-Known Achievements:**

Winston Churchill is the paragon of determination: starting as a trouble maker with poor grades and encountering numerous setbacks, Churchill proudly retained his stubborn character and managed to motivate an entire country to face the horrors of World War II. His hard work and accomplishments do not go unsaid:
 * served two terms as Prime Minister of Great Britain
 * earned knighthood at the hand of Elizabeth II
 * received the Nobel Peace Prize for Literature in 1953
 * received an Honorary Citizenship of the United States in 1963
 * honored with a state funeral preceding his death



As said throughout this wiki, Winston Churchill is a success story unlike any other in history; to the people of his time and nowadays, Churchill has always been a fearless figure of the common man's strength. He proved that it is not a family name or tradition that defines a person, but rather the self-discipline and willingness to keep trying that brings forth greatness. This is especially true in his efforts during World War II, by not being afraid to go against conventional thought in order to change the tide of events for the better.
 * Implications of His Work:**

As a knower, Winston Churchill excels not only for determination, but also for creativity; he sought solutions to problems, no matter how large. Although stubborn, Churchill was aware of other ideas and interpretations, and had the skills and resources to defend his case in debate. Furthermore, Churchill thought of the consequences that would affect his people and the world, for he felt that Chamberlain's inadequate leading was for the interest of the government, not the people. He also considered how Nazi rule would affect countries world-wide, and could not stress the importance of unity being the only way to defeat the forces of Nazi Germany. Therefore, Winston Churchill is a knower by considering multiple perceptions for the good of the community on a national and global scale, while maintaining a good sense of humor; creativity and optimism left Churchill with even more likable qualities that opened doors for relations to the United States, while motivating his people in England.

Winston Churchill had as many critics as he was stubborn. His policies for military action caused many to criticize his methods, especially with his "fireside chats" that would instill a sense of sympathy for the Prime Minister. Nevertheless, Winston Churchill's reputation was set as an influential and effective leader for the good of humanity. Even Churchill accepts criticism (referring to one of the quotes below).
 * Critics:**


 * Quotes**

"//Attitude // is a little thing that makes a big difference ,"

"Never, never, never give up,"

"If you're going through hell, //keep going// ."

"A //pessimist// sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an __//optimist//__ sees the opportunity in every difficulty,"

"Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfills the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things."

" Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak ; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen ."

"A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on ."




 * Works Cited**

RESEARCH: //BrainyQuote //. Xplore. Web. 18 Apr. 2012. . "The Nobel Prize in Literature 1953- Winston Churchill." //Nobelpeaceprize.org //. Web. 18 Apr. 2012.

"Winston Churchill." //Enotes.com//. Enotes.com. Web. 18 Apr. 2012. .

"Personal Life." //Welcome to WinstonChurchill.org //. Web. 18 Apr. 2012. <http://www.winstonchurchill.org/learn/reference/churchill-trivia/539-personal-life>.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">"Spartacus Educational." //<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">Spartacus Educational //<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">. Web. 18 Apr. 2012. <http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/PRchurchill.htm>.

MEDIA:

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">Web. 18 Apr. 2012. <http://www.catholicforum.com/forums/showthread.php?30408-Satanic-Hand-Sign>. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">(WC victory sign)

//<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">Joseph, Johnathan. "Daily Dharma Quote on the Power of Words." //<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">Art of Dharma //<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">. Web. 18 Apr. 2012. <http://www.artofdharma.org/archives/quote-of-the-day-11.html>. // //<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">"File:Churchill 1881 ZZZ 7555D.jpg." //Wikipedia//. Web. 18 Apr. 2012. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Churchill_1881_ZZZ_7555D.jpg>.// //(churchill 1881)//

Daily Mail//. Web. 18 Apr. 2012. <http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/08/18/article-0-060CC833000005DC-537_468x633.jpg>.// //(churchill and wife)//

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">Wordpress //<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">. Web. 18 Apr. 2012. <http://mvlturner.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/young-winston-churchill.jpg>. // //<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">(Middle-aged WC) //

//<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Web. 18 Apr. 2012. <https://encrypted-tbn3.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRJXyKpbSbeej8EX2PN_engDyUC7h-NtV0sezDULNdxZtgshWaYXaEBJ8X58w>. // //(yalta conference)//

//<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Web. 18 Apr. 2012. <http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8CgZn7SSp9g/TTY2umA_G9I/AAAAAAAAA6A/858jcVM2Y7g/s1600/churchill.jpg>. // //(victory sign and cigar)//

//<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Web. 18 Apr. 2012. <[]ewsweek-churchill-cover-2008%5B1%5D.jpg>. // // (newsweek) //

//<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Web. 18 Apr. 2012. <http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/120119044935-winston-churchill-sunday-painter-horizontal-gallery.jpg>. // // (retirement) //

//<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Web. 18 Apr. 2012. <http://www.tnr.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/detail_page/Churchill_0.jpg>. // // (if you're going through hell keep going pic) //

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Listen to French //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">. Web. 18 Apr. 2012. <http://www.listentofrench.org/Churchill/Corr-2.jpg>. // //(LIFE mag)//

//<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Web. 18 Apr. 2012. <http://www.guy-sports.com/fun_pictures/ww2c.jpg>. // // (WWII map) // //<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Web. 18 Apr. 2012. <http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2011/images/08/17/churchill.jpg>. // //(WC and big ben)//

New Yorker//. Web. 18 Apr. 2012. <http://www.newyorker.com/images/2010/08/30/p465/100830_r19884_p465.jpg>.// //(WC army motivation)//

Foto Time//. Web. 18 Apr. 2012. <http://www.fototime.com/9A651575AB35CD8/standard.jpg>. (WC political cartoon 2)

<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Web. 18 Apr. 2012. <http://www.nysun.com/pics/1746.jpg>. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-align: left;">(political cartoon 1)