journal of the churchill center and societies - Winston Churchill

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CASSANDRA TO HERO... York Times, wrote a light-hearted appraisal of Churchill's cigars. Reston joked that it takes a man of great popularity to get away (in newsreels) with puffing smoke at people. He recounted Churchill's flight to Moscow, after which the co-pilot exclaimed, "he filled the plane so full of smoke that we had to open the bomb doors." 34 One of Churchill's more celebrated quotes came from a conversation that purportedly took place when General Bernard Montgomery was appointed by Churchill to command the British Eighth Army. According to the Associated Press, Montgomery commented, "I don't smoke, I don't drink, and I am 100 percent fit." Churchill replied, "I both smoke and drink, and I am 200 percent fit." 35 Drinking, and especially smoking, did not carry the same negative connotations with Americans in the 1940s that they do today. Alcohol had been rejuvenated by the repeal of Prohibition, and the dangers of smoking were not fully understood. During the war, rumors of Churchill's drinking capacity projected a manly image and his cigars were tangible symbols captured frequently on film. His drinking and smoking were not viewed as detrimental to his work, but only served to enhance his popularity. It became part of the legend that Churchill outdrank the Russians and out-smoked the Americans, but had the prowess to out-fight the enemy. Much of Churchill's popularity was derived from the impression that he was made for the job of leading his country. A terrific showman, he performed all his tasks with vigor, as he always seemed on the move. A child's impression of Churchill during the war read as follows: "Mr. Churchill is a very busy man. He never seems to be in the place we think he is. He smokes a lot of cigars. I wonder where he gets them. He annoys the enemy a lot by holding up two fingers and by calling them Naarzies.... He is a very busy man." 3^ During the Blitz, British newsreels captured the energy of Churchill's wartime leadership. He was shown visiting factories, shipyards, and portions of cities demolished by German bombs. Cantering rather than walking, he always seemed to be in a hurry. He carried walking sticks, which were not crutches, but devices to prod and strike. He chewed cigars and flashed his V-signs for victory, or gave two thumbs up. The "Mr. Churchill is a very busy man. He never seems to be in the place we think he is. He smokes a lot of cigars. I wonder where he gets them. He annoys the enemy a lot by holding up two fingers and by calling them Naarzies.... He is a very busy man." A CHILD'S LETTER TO THE NEW YORK TIMES, 22 AUGUST 1943 British bulldog became the "superman with the big cigar." 3 '' Before the United States entered the war, such images were rarely shown to American audiences. Efforts by private newsreel companies to capture the war on film were lackluster. Despite public interest in the war, many theater owners remained reluctant to show war footage because they regarded movies as an escape from harsh realities. Newsreels continued to focus on sports and other news stories that had entertainment value. It was widely accepted that hard news was most effectively disseminated through print or over the radio. Furthermore, the United States in 1940-1941 was still divided over how to respond to the global crisis. Some theaters even proclaimed their neutrality with signs that read, "no war news shown here." Beginning in 1942, Churchill appeared frequently on film. The images that had earlier boosted British morale now had a similar effect on audiences in the United States. Churchill was shown conferring with Allied leaders, inspecting Allied troops and positions, and parading before cheering crowds. Americans were especially fascinated by his attire. Held by some of his detractors to be an exhibitionist, Churchill dressed in a variety of costumes, including zippered blue or gray coveralls he called "siren suits." In September 1943, Churchill launched the Third U.S. War Loan drive by purchasing FINEST HOUR IOS / 34
the first $ 100 bond from Treasury Secretary Henry Morgenthau. Donning a white suit and lighting a fresh cigar, Churchill modeled what he thought the perfect costume for the 50,000,000 Americans to whom Morgenthau hoped to sell an extra $100 war bond. 38 As the war went on, Churchill was occasionally upstaged. For example, in the newsreel footage of the 1943 Teheran Conference, Churchill appeared as only one of the Big Three leaders, seated alongside Roosevelt and Joseph Stalin. Churchill looked tired as he slumped over in his chair, while Roosevelt sat next to Stalin, smiling and chatting with the Soviet leader. In contrast, Churchill seemed almost left out. Relying mainly on hindsight, some historians have used this particular episode to support the idea that Churchill had been demoted to junior partner and that Britain had become a second rate power. It is true that, by 1943, the British war effort had been overshadowed in the U.S. media by the growing might of the United States and the horrendous fighting in the Russian theater. Yet Churchill's warrior image remained largely intact. He had already secured the admiration and gratitude of the American people. He continued to be portrayed in a positive manner and remained immensely popular. 39 On 8 May 1945, Churchill formally proclaimed an end to the war in Europe. Though he called for unity in the unfinished fight against Japan, it was clear that Britain's coalition government was splitting apart. Although Churchill's popularity was never in question, there was a growing sense in Britain that postwar issues required new approaches and solutions that the Conservative Party could not provide. This sense began to spread beyond Britain. Gradually, the American media gained a better understanding of British politics and the shifting mood of the electorate, although few commentators predicted that Churchill would lose his job. As the results of die British elections came pouring in on July 26th, it was clear that Labour had won by a landslide. After recovering from the initial shock, the U.S. media attempted to put the results in perspective. It was apparent that the overriding concern of the British electorate was not Churchill but employment and the rebuilding of the country. A reprint of an editorial from The Times of London suggested that contact with U.S. soldiers had impressed many Britons with the idea that a higher standard of living could be reached if traditional class restraints were replaced by more egalitarian practices. It was also explained that Churchill's willingness to support the far right in Italy, Spain, and Greece too closely resembled the old Right: "Man of the Year," in Time for 6 January 1941. Ten years later Time named Churchill "Man of the Half-Decade. "A half century on, Time declared him an implacable enemy of women's right! and Gandhi. Plus ca change... Tory adventurism.^0 A popular notion in the United States was that the results signaled a repudiation of the Conservative Party for the practice of appeasement, which was blamed for leading to war. Solace was taken in the fact that, unlike the United States, the British electorate had to vote for a party, not a leader, and that Churchill himself was reelected. What later critics have called "the Churchill legend" developed almost naturally out of Churchill's achievements as a war leader and qualities as a statesman. He not only led his nation through its greatest peril, but came to embody British determination in sombre times. By injecting his personality into his statesmanship, he became a sensation in the U.S. media. More flamboyant, witty, and candid than most politicians, he always made good copy for reporters. He also carefully flattered the United States and its citizenry, which enhanced his popularity. He was adored by U.S. photographers who focused their lenses on his cigars, walking sticks and V-signs, all of which became Churchillian symbols. Although short, bald, and overweight, the media transformed him, wearing an assortment of suits and headgear, into an affable figure. Finding it easier to generate public support for a person rather than abstract ideas, the media latched on to Churchill and made him larger than life. Their promotion of Churchill cultivated the martial spirit and helped prepare the United States to defend its interests. It is an exaggeration to say that Winston Churchill cast U.S. leaders under his spell, but it is clear that through the American media, Churchill's legend charmed the American people. He was such a dominating personality throughout the war that, had he retired from public life in 1945, he still would have remained a hero in the United States. But Churchill's legend was to grow even larger, with ramifications that have outlasted the man. Footnotes overleaf... FINEST HOUR 108/35
Page 1 and 2: JOURNAL OF THE CHURCHILL CENTER AND
Page 3 and 4: AUTUMN 2000 JOURNAL OF THE CHURCHIL
Page 5 and 6: DATELINES QUOTE OF THE SEASON "...I
Page 7 and 8: DATELINES Trust has a dual responsi
Page 9 and 10: Local and National... keep the Yank
Page 11 and 12: DATELINES Franta Belsky 1921-2000 B
Page 13 and 14: Churchill's Greatness (4) EXPLODING
Page 15 and 16: 'Serious thought ousts Einstein and
Page 18 and 19: 100-75-50-25 YEARS AGO One hundred
Page 20 and 21: Churchill s World HOTEL LA MAMOUNIA
Page 22 and 23: i IIaa I aa^a a Designed in 1922 by
Page 24 and 25: Winston S. Churchill to Clementine
Page 26 and 27: 2000 Heritage Fund Appeal: A Specia
Page 28 and 29: Wit& Wisdom / LUCE LUCID ON LEONARD
Page 30 and 31: FROM BRITISH CASSANDRA TO AMERICAN
Page 32 and 33: • / • • ' ! • " ' • • .
Page 36 and 37: Watch Tkis Space! CABINET WAR ROOMS
Page 38 and 39: Succeed Admirably, Fail Anyway Rich
Page 40 and 41: Light Souffle... celebrity as Presi
Page 42 and 43: JUST PUBLISHED Bibliophiles are roy
Page 44 and 45: The Second World War... that had li
Page 46 and 47: CHURCHILLIANA "IN WHAT SHAPE THEY C
Page 48 and 49: INSIDE THE JOURNALS "I passed out o
Page 50 and 51: CHURCHILLTRIVIA By Curt Zoller (zcu
Page 52: IMMORTAL WORDS The Japanese onslaug

journal of the churchill center and societies - Winston Churchill

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