Roosevelt and Churchill

Author: Jon Meacham
Publisher:
Publication Date: 2005-07-01
Features: This is a highly valuable and perceptive work, as well as a witty portrait of two leaders at the pinnacle of the world. With outstanding talent, shared aspirations, and an extraordinary friendship, they saved the world at that critical moment. Jon Meacham's book stands out among the numerous works depicting these two giants. — Tom Brokaw, author of The Greatest Generation
This book centers on the friendship between Roosevelt and Churchill during World War II, a pioneering approach. It reveals their hidden emotions, which drove their relationship ups and downs. The author carefully distinguishes between the different kinds of friendships they shared—some born of genuine affection, others driven by political interests. We breathe a sigh of relief: at a time of global crisis, it was fortunate that these two great leaders held power simultaneously and fought side by side. This is the success of Meacham's masterpiece. — Michael Beschloss, author of The Conquerors: Roosevelt, Truman, and the Downfall of Hitler Germany
The relationship between Roosevelt and Churchill was the most important political friendship of the 20th century, not only because their friendship determined the outcome of World War II but also because it shaped the political landscape that followed. Jon Meacham's book vividly portrays this history. — Richard Holbrooke, author of To End a War
Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill—this book provides the most detailed depiction yet of their complex relationship and friendship. This important bond was unique in history: a president and a prime minister spent 113 days together during wartime and exchanged over 2,000 letters. Amid cocktails, cigarettes, and cigars, they held secret meetings in places like Washington, Hyde Park, Casablanca, and Tehran, discussing war, politics, health, and family. Churchill and Roosevelt shared many similarities: both hailing from elite 19th-century families, both streamlined politicians, creators of the 20th and 21st centuries, savoring the pleasures of power. Their relationship may have been a kind of "love affair," with the emotionally rich Churchill pursuing the elusive Roosevelt. Churchill, the indomitable British prime minister under Hitler's shadow, often felt uneasy about his standing in Roosevelt's eyes; Roosevelt, an enigmatic figure, always maintained a certain distance from those around him—his wife Eleanor, his White House staff, and even Churchill. Facing tyranny and terror, they forged an alliance toward victory, though the alliance occasionally faced setbacks or occasional conflicts of interest. This book draws on a wealth of previously unknown materials, including Lucy Rutherf???'s unpublished letters to Roosevelt, Pamela Churchill Harriman's personal archives, and firsthand accounts from a handful of elderly individuals who had interacted with both leaders.