When Churchill Went to War with America
By Sir Martin Gilbert
Originally published in The Telegraph
6 November 2005
On Armistice Day, November 11, 1918, Winston Churchill was Minister of Munitions. As Big Ben struck 11, and the guns fell silent on the Western Front, he was looking out of his ministerial window over Northumberland Avenue.
The broad street was deserted. Suddenly, as he wrote, he saw "the slight figure of a girl clerk, distractedly gesticulating" dart out of the doorway of one of the government buildings that lined the street. "Then from all sides men and women came scurrying into the street. Streams of people poured out of the buildings. The bells of London began to clash."
As he watched the scene of celebration and pandemonium, Churchill reflected that after 52 months "of making burdens grievous to be borne and binding them on men's backs, at last, all at once, suddenly and everywhere the burdens were cast down".
I was quite overwhelmed by the responses from my last piece (in the June newsletter), not only from those who have followed me through the many ups and downs (or downs and downs) of the last few years, but also from new readers who have helped to fill the mailbag. So I'd like to follow up on how the newsletter evolved, with a bit on how it is produced and hopefully answer some questions that arose.
Every month the newsletter gives me an opportunity to put everything else aside and concentrate on what Martin wrote. In a world where people's views have become so polarised, it is a time to reflect on the “challenging” times of the Twentieth Century and how we have arrived where we are. And who better than with the balanced and clear voice of Sir Martin as our guide! I am continually amazed at how he “covered the field” both geographically and historically. Much as I miss him sitting next to me to watch the evening news and discuss it afterward, I do feel the presence of his historical insight. The problem is which particular issue to ask him!
Also in the June mailbag came this email from Janice Harris in New Zealand, who found her great-uncle listed in one of Sir Martin's Indexes on the website:
“I'm researching my genealogy, and my great uncle, Samuel Howes, was chauffeur to Sir Winston Churchill during the Wilderness Years. I found a reference to some stories that Sam wrote about his time in the job – those stories being included in one of the many books by Sir Martin Gilbert. From the Indexes available on this website, it is looking like they are in The Churchill Documents, Volume 12: The Wilderness Years. Would you be able to confirm it is the Volume 12 book that I should be looking for?
“I live in New Zealand and I'm struggling to locate the specific book through our libraries, so unable to access the stories. Any suggestions you can offer would be gratefully appreciated.”
“On the evening of 13 December, an unemployed mechanic and truck driver, Mario Constasino, driving along Fifth Avenue, in New York, collided with a British visitor to the city looking in the wrong direction as he crossed the street. The 57-year-old Briton was badly knocked about. His injuries were serious to put him in hospital, but within a few weeks he made a full recovery.”
“Martin Gilbert, Churchill and America (2005), pp. 131-3”
“He had two baths every day. While in the tub he would 'hold court to Sir Charles [Wilson], one or more secretaries, and any odd visitors who may be around.' Sometimes he would sing 'rather tunelessly, and at the top of his voice.' Doris told Churchill's biographer Martin Gilbert that the PM 'was proud of being able to turn the taps off with his toes.'”
“Fortune and the magic name of Churchill gave me the chance to meet him twice. The first was at a dinner for Sir Martin Gilbert hosted by a World War II Veteran's Association in 2004.”
A P.S. from Esther: That dinner was also my opportunity to meet Charles Krauthammer, as he came to the dinner to meet Martin. There was a lot of mutual respect between the two, even if they did not always share the same views. I was struck by sadness on reading his final piece as he faced the end of his life, and then it came so quickly after that. My condolences to his family, and to his large – and well-deserved following. His voice will be missed.
July On This Day
An historical event in July for each of Sir Martin's book collections: