Never knew how Churchill really was. I do remember the historical line “I’d drink it” referring to a supposed wife who would poison his coffee. There were plenty of funny moments so he musta been a character.
I’m also reading ‘American Caesar’, a novel about MacArthur. More similarities as well as flaws. In his MAGA campaign I’m sure Trump has every intention of joining this group. It will take all of his 8 years and he won’t be around long enough afterwards to bask in his glory or rest on his laurels-unlike Obama and BJ. They left the WH at a relatively young age and any thought of greatness is missing. At least Carter did humble carpentry work.
Lady Astor said to Churchill at a party, “Winston, you are drunk.” To which Winston replied “Yes Lady Astor I am drunk, but you are ugly. However in the morning I will be indisputably sober, and you’ll still be ugly.”
To get a sense of Churchill from his formative days in the British Army, I highly recommend reading Churchill’s war correspondent accounts of wars with Muslims. They both should have been immediate post-9/11 required reading for all officers and NCOs in the armed forces, all Foreign Service involved with the Middle East, and all intelligence agency leadership.
They’re both quick reads, as they originated as serial dispatches from the front. Free at Project Gutenberg, read them on your tablet, phone, or computer. Or go dead trees and print them out, heck, I’m OK with that!
The Story of the Malakand Field Force: An Episode of Frontier War
by Winston Churchill
http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/9404
The River War: An Account of the Reconquest of the Sudan
by Winston Churchill
http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/4943
“There were plenty of funny moments so he musta been a character.”
He was.
He was born with a lisp and hated it. Every day he would stand in front of a mirror and recite poetry and parts of books. He would watch his lips in the mirror as he concentrated on precisely pronouncing each word.
It worked.
During his wartime trip to the US he was dictating a letter as he took his bath, his secretary was male.
Getting agitated he stood up in the tub.
As he was standing the door opened and FDR was wheeled into the room.
Completely naked and wet he didn’t miss a beat, “see Mr President, I have nothing to hide from you.”
Quick witted he was.
When he addressed congress he related how Hitler had said Germany would defeat England like “a man wringing a chickens neck.” His remark to congress was “some chicken! Some neck!”
He privately shared many of General Pattons views on Montgomery but put up with him because Monty was the only British general to have defeated an axis army.
When told that Monty forced a surrendered German General to have dinner with him Winston replied that he felt sorry for the German, “I too have had to endure a Montgomery dinner.”
An English writer once said it was impossible to write a bad book about Churchill because there was just too much material to work with.
Churchill is one of the few people in history to have had two official biographers.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!