Born in Woodstock, Oxfordshire to Lord & Lady Randolph Churchill, the family lived in Dublin for the first part of his early life. Here a governess tried to teach him reading, writing and arithmetic, but Churchill often performed very poorly. In school he was punished for his poor performance, and was under a great deal of pressure to achieve high grades.
In September 1908 he married his wife Clementine Hozier and together they produced 5 children: Diana (1909), Randolph (1911), Sarah (1914), Marigold (1918), and Mary (1922). Unfortunately due to a fatal illness Marigold died at an early age in 1921.
Sir Winston Churchill had an extensive military career, which took him around the world, and landed him several positions in the British Army. He also freelanced as a journalist to write as a correspondent about the conflicts he visited for many daily newspapers. Some of his most notable battles during his early military years included the Spanish fight in Cuba, the Pashtun tribe in Bombay, and the conquest of Sudan.
During his time in the military the Second Boer War broke out between Britain and the Boer Republics in South Africa. During his fight here, he was captured and help prisoner in a POW camp in Pretoria. He managed to escape from the camp, and rejoined the army to take Pretoria.
During the First World War, Churchill became heavily involved in politics and help many positions in government. He won many seats, and advocated on various social policies such as an opposition to military expenditure, free trade, minimum wages and labour exchanges, and the creation of taxes on the wealthy for the development of a social welfare program. He became Secretary of State for War, and began the development of the tank.
One of the greatest mistakes in Churchill's life was the decision of the Conservative Party to return Britain to the Gold Standard. This resulted in deflation, unemployment and a miner's strike. It also resulted in Churchill's political isolation for many years.
Although in exile, Churchill remained an avid advocate of warning against the dangers of Hitler. He consistently opposed giving Germany the right to military parity with France, and campaigned for rearmament against the Nazis. During his time in exile, Churchill still had many contacts in the government, and was often consulted on confidential matters.
On the day that Britain declared war on Germany, Churchill was appointed First Lord of the Admiralty and a member of the War Cabinet. During his position in the War Cabinet Churchill advocated a pre-emptive occupation of Norway, but it was shot down by other members. Germany soon invaded Norway and gained strategic control in Europe. After this failure King George VI appointed Churchill to Prime Minister
Churchill was an early recognizer of the threat of Hitler, and was not willing to negotiate peace with Germany. He used long, inspirational speeches, and didn't shield the public to the facts of the war. Britain was prepared for a long war, and were convinced that a peaceful resolution was not an option.
Churchill maintained good relations with the United States, and this relationship encouraged President Roosevelt to send vital food and supplies up to Britain during the war. Churchill also managed to maintain relations with the Soviet Union. Although he did not support communism, he once famously stated: "If Hitler invaded Hell, I would at least make a favourable reference to the Devil in the House of Commons." British supplies and tanks were provided to help the Soviet Union during occupation.
Due to Churchill's strong military background, a passion to never step down, and his ability to empower his people, in 1944 the Allied forces invaded Normandy, which ultimately pushed the Nazis back into Germany. In 1945 Germany surrendered, and the Allied Forces won the war.
After the war, Churchill was defeated in the next election. While the people of Britain admired and respected Churchill, they did not believe the same man who led them in war would be suitable to lead them in peace. Churchill served as the Leader of the Opposition for 6 years until he was re-elected as Prime Minister in 1951. In 1955 he retired after a series of strokes left him weak and quite ill.
On January 15, 1965 he suffered a massive stroke, and died 9 days later on January 24, 1965.
In addition to Churchill's extensive military and political career, he was also a very prominent writer. During his life he wrote over 40 pieces of literature, and was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature for his works.
Churchill was an inspirational man, who although had his struggles and challenges remained true to his character and never let social pressures change his opinion of what is right and wrong. His strong leadership, and unwillingness to compromise in the face of adversary was essential to the Allied Forces success during the Second World War, and is a part of history that shapes the way the world is today. Although Churchill never overcame his speech impediment, and struggled with learning throughout his life, Churchill was able to build a legacy that will live on forever.
Churchill Quotes:
"A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on."
"Continuous effort - not strength or intelligence - is the key to unlocking our potential"
"Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen"
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winston_Churchill
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