World Famous Paintings -- Churchill (Volume 1 and 2)

Author: Xie Lifu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-03-01
Features: World War II was the largest conflict in human history. In this war between the fascist axis powers and the anti-fascist alliance, the scale of troops and equipment involved, the breadth of the battlefield, the novelty of combat forms, the magnitude of losses, and the depth of impact were unprecedented. Nearly 60 years have passed since World War II, and with the passage of time, it still attracts numerous military strategists and historians, both domestic and foreign, to explore and write about it with its grandeur, profound meaning, and rich heritage. The "World Famous Paintings" series, written by a group of young and middle-aged military historians with expertise, is another significant work in this regard. The series currently includes 15 prominent figures such as "Roosevelt," "Churchill," "Stalin," "Eisenhower," "Patton," "MacArthur," "Montgomery," "Lekov," "De Gaulle," "Hitler," "Mussolini," "Goring," "Rommel," "Tojo," and "Yamamoto." It covers the representative figures who played decisive roles in politics and military affairs on both sides during World War II.
The current world is in a period of great change. The Cold War has ended, and the bipolar has collapsed. In the longer term, a new world war may be avoided. However, the world is far from a paradise, and the existence of hegemonism and power politics remains the main obstacle to solving issues of peace and development. Therefore, all those concerned with the international situation and future development, all young people who are determined to serve their country and bring happiness to the people, and all commanders and soldiers who are about to become leaders or aspire to be leaders, should read this series. "A stone from a distant mountain can polish jade." It is hoped that this series can provide valuable references for aspiring individuals and a broad readership.
Winston Churchill, the British Prime Minister, was a national hero who led the British people to achieve a great victory in the anti-fascist war during World War II. He was one of the "Big Three" alongside Stalin and Roosevelt and stands as a great figure in the annals of world history. Churchill was born into a distinguished aristocratic family. His ancestor, the Duke of Marlborough, was a famous military commander in British history and a powerful figure in British politics during the reign of Queen Anne. His father, Lord Randolph Churchill, was an outstanding political figure in the late 19th century and served as the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Salisbury Cabinet. The achievements of his ancestors, the political accomplishments of his father, and the glory and political tradition of his family undoubtedly had a profound impact on Churchill's life and played a crucial role in shaping him into a renowned British statesman. They provided him with role models, set goals for him, and nurtured his sense of historical responsibility to his country, becoming a powerful driving force behind his relentless pursuit of success and achievement.
Churchill did not attend university, and his extensive knowledge and diverse talents were acquired through hard self-study. In his youth, he was stationed in Bangalore in southern India, where he "read four or five hours of history and philosophy books every day" for more than six months. After that, Churchill drew rich intellectual nourishment from the works of renowned thinkers, philosophers, historians, and biologists such as Plato, Gibbon, Macaulay, Schopenhauer, Lecky, Malthus, and Darwin. This deepened his thoughts, strengthened his life beliefs, and helped him become "the most outstanding and versatile person of our time." Churchill wears many illustrious crowns—he is a prolific writer, an eloquent orator, a statesman, and a legendary hero in war. Over his lifetime, he wrote 26 works totaling 45 volumes (books), and almost every work he published caused a sensation in Britain and the world, earning widespread praise and being translated into multiple languages and widely distributed. As a result, the Sunday Times once declared, "Few people in the 20th century earned as much money from writing as Churchill." In 1953, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. Throughout his life, he participated in multiple parliamentary elections, delivered many skillful and moving speeches in the House of Commons, especially during critical moments of World War II, leaving a deep impression on people. The Swedish Academy said in its citation when awarding him the Nobel Prize, "Churchill's mature speeches are purposeful, precise, and grandiose. They are like a force that forges historical links. Churchill's eloquent speeches on freedom and human dignity at pivotal moments possess a magical charm. Perhaps it was through these great speeches that he built an eternal monument."
Academician S. Schwarz also said in the citation, "Churchill's achievements in politics and literature were so great that no leader before him had ever combined both in such an outstanding way." Indeed, what established Churchill's eternal monument was not only his works and speeches but also his glorious career as a statesman and anti-fascist fighter. For most of his life, he was elected as a member of Parliament and held key positions in multiple cabinets. He experienced many political ups and downs, each time overcoming difficulties and obstacles with unwavering effort and indomitable spirit to achieve his goals, ultimately reaching the pinnacle of glory. During a critical period of historical crisis in Britain, he became the people's most trusted political leader. Even his political opponents said, "Churchill was the kind of person everyone believed could never become Prime Minister, yet he was the one who was most widely welcomed during this crisis and considered the only possible leader." "People cannot dislike him; his talent and vitality are unmatched."
Throughout the long years of the war for victory, Churchill repeatedly pledged in his speeches to fight to the end, expressing the voice of the British people. He said, "We shall never stop, never tire, never give in. The entire nation has sworn to take on this task: to clear the poison of Nazism from Europe and save the world from a new dark age. What we want to seize is the life and soul of Hitler and Hitlerism. Nothing more, nothing less. We will not give up until we achieve our goal." In the eyes of the world, Churchill has become the embodiment of the British people's heroic and unyielding spirit. The Sunday Times commented, "Today, Winston Churchill is not only the embodiment of British spirit but also our strong leader. Not only the British but the entire free world trusts him immensely."
It is also worth noting that Churchill was a notorious anti-communist. However, at a critical moment in World War II, when dealing with relations with the Soviet Union, he demonstrated the great courage and flexibility of an outstanding statesman, acting in the fundamental interests of the British people. He decisively allied with the Soviet Union, ensuring that anti-fascist forces with different ideologies united under specific historical conditions to secure the final victory in the war. Stalin praised Churchill as "a figure who appears only once in a century." Additionally, Churchill could also be called a prophet, an inventor, a strategist, and a diplomat. He had foreseen many significant technological developments in future wars in the 1930s, which later became reality. With extraordinary sensitivity and great courage, he withstood immense pressure from pacifism and faced the risk of political ruin, persistently warning his countrymen of the coming war for days on end, preparing the British for its arrival. Four years before radar was officially used to detect incoming enemy aircraft, he proposed studying the issue. He was honored as the "father of the tank" for using naval funds to improve and mass-produce the "landship," evolving the wheeled armored car into the powerful modern tank. He led the formulation of many strategic plans during World War II. He personally nurtured the Anglo-American relationship, which would later shape the world's political landscape. In summary, Churchill was a legendary figure with a rich life. This book systematically and comprehensively introduces the main events of Churchill's life while also attempting to clarify misunderstandings about him that stem from political or partisan biases, allowing readers to gain a deeper understanding of this British statesman who made special contributions to freeing humanity from the nightmare of fascism.