1 - Winston Churchill

Russians in general terms about[the atom bomb]. Bohr had astormy interview with the PrimeMinister — and the result was entirelynegative."Sir John Cockcroft, in 1933, wasa member of Rutherford's teamwhen atom fission was firstachieved. He was credited, withE.T.S. Walton, for being first to"split the atom," which earnedthem the Nobel Prize for Physicsin 1951. He performed importantscientific work in WWII and becamethe first director of theAtomic Energy Research Establishment,Harwell near Oxford,and later, in 1951, the first Masterof Churchill College, Cambridge.While at Harwell he accompaniedmany important visitors includingQueen Elizabeth and onone celebrated occasion in 1955,Sir Winston Churchill. The staffweekly, AERE News, featured thevisit on the cover. Sir Winston isseen with Sir John Cockcroft (centre)and the then director Sir BasilSchonland. The writer, a memberof the medical staff (Radiographer)only had a distant glimpse of theheavily overcoated Sir Winstonduring the visit.Shortly after Sir John had returnedto Harwell from the treeplanting ceremony at ChurchillCollege, Cambridge on October17th 1959, he attended the medicaldepartment for a routine testwhich involved radiography. Thewriter naturally asked him aboutSir Winston and the tree planting,the somewhat taciturn Sir Johnreplied, "He was in very goodform."^Evidence in Camera,' ConstanceBabington-Smith, Chatto and Windus1958."'Britain and Atomic Energy 1939-45, Margaret Gowing, Macmillan1964."Spectator September 25th 1964.CHURCHILL ONLINEICS on the Internet and America Online- USC in CyberspaceListserv "Winston":Communicate Automaticallywith the ChurchillOnline Community.The indefatigable Jonah Triebwasserat Marist College has establisheda new ICS Listserv,which in real English means anautomatic carbon copy service:now you can communicate withand hear from the Churchill Onlinecommunity without emailingeveryone individually or sendingmessages to Jonah to forward (increasinglycumbersome since ouronline community is over 300!).Here's how to go about it. (1)Send an email message to: (2) Inyour message area, type: SUB-SCRIBE WINSTON followed byyour name. (AOL and other servicesmay require a "subject" boxto be filled in — enter "subscribe.")You will receive confirmation byemail. Thereafter, you will receiveall blanket communications fromChurchill online, and may in turnsend blanket messages back usingthe email address Online Exchanges:Churchill and FisherIn the opening months of WorldWar I, First Sea Lord AdmiralFisher sent Churchill what modernemailers call "flames" (angrymemos, often in all-caps). Here'sthe beginning of a non-flame exchangeof rapidfire opinion onChurchill and Fisher between twostudents of WWI naval historyChris Bell in Calgary and JeffWallin in Washington, author ofBy Ships Alone (1981).20 July 1995Fm: 72124.3656@compuserv.com(Dr. Jeffrey Wallin)That Fisher had a big effect onWSC was, at least initially, a greatboon for the Navy, witness the decisionsto power the fleet with oiland to deploy 15-inch guns. (Imaginewhat the Queen Elizabethmust have sounded like giving afull broadside). But what a shamethat Fisher was at the helm in1915 when a real blue water admiralwas needed. For this WSCmust bear some responsibility, althoughit is hard to fault someonefor not anticipating that the hithertoaggressive Fisher would getcold fear when real fightingagainst serious odds began.21 July 1995Fm: cambell@acs.ucalgary.ca(Chris Bell)I think you're being a little toohard on Fisher. He deserves creditfor the prompt (and entirely aggressive)measures he took thatmade possible the Battle of theFalkland Islands. And his basicstrategy in 1915 was entirely correct.A strategically defensive posturewas the best that the RoyalNavy could have adopted in thecircumstances. They already had,after all, general command of thesea, and there was little to begained, and much to be lost, bytaking too many risks with theNavy. But you are entirely rightthat Fisher was not up to the jobin 1915. He was clearly too old,tired and more than a little unbalanced.This was the beginning of alengthy Fisher-Churchill exchangewhich continues next issue.FINEST HOUR 89/49