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Winston S. Churchill: Finest Hour, 1939–1941 (Winston S. Churchill Biography) Kindle Edition

4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 299 ratings

The sixth volume in the official biography: “A milestone, a monument, a magisterial achievement” (Andrew Roberts, author of The Storm of War).
 
Starting with the outbreak of war in September 1939 and ending with the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, this volume in the epic biography of Winston S. Churchill draws on remarkably diverse material: from the War Cabinet and other government records to Churchill’s own archive and diaries and letters of his private secretariat to the recollections of those who worked most closely with him.
 
On the day Hitler invaded Poland, Churchill, aged sixty-four, had been out of office for ten years. Two days later, he became First Lord of the Admiralty, in charge of British naval policy and at the center of war direction. In May 1940 he became prime minister, leading his nation during a time of grave danger and setbacks. His first year and a half as prime minister included the Dunkirk evacuation, the fall of France, the Battle of Britain, the Blitz, the Battle of the Atlantic, the struggle in the Western Desert, and Hitler’s invasion of Russia.
 
By the end of 1940, Britain under Churchill’s leadership had survived the onslaught and was making plans to continue the war against an enemy of unlimited ambition and ferocious will. One of Churchill’s inner circle said: “We who worked with Churchill every day of the war still saw at most a quarter of his daily tasks and worries.” Martin Gilbert has pieced together the whole, setting in context much hitherto scattered and secret evidence, in order to give an intimate and fascinating account of the architect of Britain’s “finest hour.”
 
“The most scholarly study of Churchill in war and peace ever written.” —Herbert Mitgang,
The New York Times
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07NMSQN8F
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ RosettaBooks (April 5, 2015)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 5, 2015
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 12209 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 1296 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 299 ratings

About the author

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Martin Gilbert
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Learn more about Sir Martin at www.martingilbert.com

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Sir Martin Gilbert CBE is the official biographer of Winston Churchill and a leading historian on the Twentieth Century, who, in his 88 books has shown there is such a thing as "true history".

Apart from the seven Churchill Biographies, accompanied by seventeen Churchill documents, a lifetimes work; his other major works includes Churchill a Life,The First World War, The Second World War,The Holocaust,Israel A History, History of the Twentieth Century and his nine pioneering atlases which harness cartography to history.

Born in London in 1936 to Jewish parents, Peter and Miriam Gilbert whose own parents came as refugees from Czarist Russia, he was sent with his parents to Cornwall in 1939 when the Second World War broke out. In the spring of 1940, Martin was evacuated with thousands of children to safety in Canada and returned from Toronto after four years in 1944 as a seven year old boy with his parents and baby sister. They were later evacuated, to Wales, where they were when the war ended. He attended Highgate School for ten years from 1945 to 1955.From 1955 to 1957, Martin did his National Service and in 1957, received a Demyship to Magdalen College, Oxford, graduating in 1960 with first-class honours in modern history.

Two years were spent as a Research Scholar at St Antony's College, Oxford where Gilbert was approached by Randolph Churchill to assist his work on a biography of his father, Sir Winston Churchill. That same year, 1962, Gilbert was made a Fellow of Merton College, Oxford, and he spent the next few years combining his own research projects in Oxford with being part of Randolph's research team in Suffolk, working on the first two volumes of the Churchill biography. When Randolph died in 1968, Gilbert was commissioned to take over the task, completing the remaining six main volumes of the biography.

In 1995, he was awarded a Knighthood "for services to British history and international relations and in 1999 Merton, Oxford, awarded Sir Martin Gilbert a DLitt, " for the totality of his published work."

Researching and exploring, lecturing and teaching, Sir Martin had many travels to major cities throughout the United States and Canada. His travels through Europe included lectures in Lisbon, Cracow, Skopje, Kaunas, Prague, Geneva, and Paris, among others. In each place he visited old friends, made new ones, and was constantly making notes of personal experiences or eye-witness accounts he could weave into his books.

"I returned from New York to Liverpool by ship in April 1944. Since then, having been a mini-part of history, I have never stopped travelling in search of history."

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
299 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Reviewed in the United States on February 1, 2015
So you find Churchill interesting enough to contemplate buying this book. You're checking out the few reviews before pulling the trigger. Is it worth the investment of my money? My time? Perhaps.

For your money's sake, sometimes one purchases a series of books because they look impressive on a bookcase, or feel good in the hands, or give one a warm feeling when they catch the eye. These look great. Thick, heavy, well-made, good paper stock, with attractive matching dust jackets in tones muted, yet eye-catching. If you want books for display, but don't want to shell out buckets of money for the Easton Press series, do yourself a favor and buy some Brodart dust covers and wrap them around the dust jackets, as I did.

For your time's sake, it was reading Robert Caro's biography of Lyndon Johnson that convinced me of the value of reading history at ground level. But few historical characters really stand up to a day-by-day study. Churchill certainly does. To read the story of his life just one step removed from his elbow is to witness the center of events for the bulk of the 20th Century. Along the way, we meet virtually every character who put a stamp on the 20th Century.

This volume begins almost on the day of Churchill's rehabilitation and entry back into Chamberlain's government at the outbreak of hostilities (such as they were) in 1939, and carries through the fall of France (with Churchill making several dangerous trips to France in an effort to prop up his ally), the invasion of the Soviet Union (with Churchill instantly offering support to Stalin both publicly and privately), and the bombing of Pearl Harbor. But for me, the most dramatic and gripping part of this drama is none of these, nor even the Battle of Britain, but the agonizing to-and-fro of Neville Chamberlain clinging to power which he was not capable of using well, while Churchill, who had prepared for this role his whole life, loyally supported his chief. It took a will of carbon-fiber steel not to quail at taking the helm as France crumpled, the BEF stood under-equipped before the panzered might of the Reich, and no ally existed anywhere in the world.

I suppose some might accuse Gilbert of hagiography, but I frankly disagree. Writing honestly about Churchill's life appears overly fawning precisely because he was a man who sought responsibility even more than he sought power, and used his power to discharge his responsibilities as tirelessly as any historical figure one might name. He deserves encomiums. And Gilbert also presents how difficult Churchill could be with equal candor. I can't recommend this series highly enough. Devote the time it takes to read it, and you will not be disappointed.
25 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on June 13, 2015
It's a long read, but worth it. These two years in the life of Winston Churchill cover the beginning of the Second World War, from the Blitzkrieg into low countries through the collapse of France. As England stands alone in Europe, Churchill must equip the woefully weak RAF, and then becomes both Prime Minister and Defense Minister. Can an aging statesman summon the energy, will, and leadership to resist the most powerful military machine yet seen? Can England stand alone? Will she hide behind her fleet and the RAF, waiting anxiously for Germany to invade? To what extent can he trust the former foe that may become a powerful ally on the Eastern Front?. How can he piece together the shattered peoples already reeling from the German jaegernaught?

This is not a book of battles and tactics, but a look into the personalities and details in the midst of the greatest conflict of the 20th century.
2 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on April 11, 2015
First of all keep in mind that this is larger than most books, as a matter of a fact, the intro and dedication sections are more pages than most books. Having said that, it is amazing to observe historical Churchill as he plans, coordinates, and leads like we rarely can observe in our day. It makes you wonder, all of the things that Mr. Churchill thinks of in planning, what would have happened if he had not been there in this position, (in the beginning he is not the Prime Minister, but in charge of the war efforts) during the beginning of the war, would the war have been lost? A rare chance if you enjoy this type of WWII detail, to see the day to day activities, meetings, and discoveries made by the English and the care that Churchill put into his efforts for the soldiers and the public to keep their morale up.
6 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on November 13, 2016
This perspective on the widening conflict between Axis and Allied powers magnified the intrepidity and conviction of the lone leader of a democracy who opposed the Axis alone for so long. The Battle of Britain, the Battle of the Atlantic, and the Battle of North Africa leading up to Pearl Harbor are described in detail. You will learn the meaning of KBO in the last chapter. It's worth the time!
Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2017
This fine volume is not for any who have only a surface or superficial interest in history. This detailed examination of the near daily events, and Churchill's handling of them, provides tremendous insight as to how and why history occurred as it did. And one, if sharp, can also see the contours of how WW II shaped our world through Cold War and beyond. In addition, the many insights, speeches and other words of Churchill are priceless. One can see his extraordinary insight and leadership which make him, imo, the most important and influential figure of the 20th century.
One person found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on April 20, 2015
Thank you. Thank you for bringing this book, ( and all others ) to me!
Sir Winston was an amazing man who understood the chess games of life at war better it does appear , than any of his counterparts.
Rating this book prior to completing does not enable Justice in the readers evaluation so suffice please, that thus far I'm loving my books.
Most importantly ; THANK you Staff and Administration of Hillsdale College for doing all that you do for the growing numbers of us who know about your amazing academic work!
Sir Winston Churchill was a man of many skills, and many faces.
The last of a very rare breed of man.
3 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on May 8, 2018
A compilation of official and private papers and interviews with those who were closely involved with Churchill from the beginning of WW II to the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Day by day and hour by hour here is the inside view of the problems, proposed strategies, obstructions, personal quirks, disasters... for anyone interested in WW II .-- for anyone curious about human nature under the pressure of history in the making -- this is basic reading.

Top reviews from other countries

johndoe
5.0 out of 5 stars A Classic
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 27, 2021
This volume, dealing with Britains darkest hour is totally detailed and you can almost feel you are there. Definitive and unlikely to be equalled yet alone surpassed
DR
5.0 out of 5 stars Great freebie...
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 6, 2018
Great freebie...
One person found this helpful
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Gareth
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 14, 2015
A brilliant read and very informative
Graham
5.0 out of 5 stars Like reading a thriller
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 28, 2015
Absolutely fascinating. Like reading a thriller.
Mr Robert Morrison Hewitt
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 22, 2015
true history;1st class
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