Who was Winston Churchill?
Winston Churchill was the British prime minister who led the United Kingdom through most of World War II. He is remembered for his defiant speeches and won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1953.
Churchill was born in 1874 at Blenheim Palace in England. He served as a soldier and war correspondent before entering Parliament in 1900. He held many government posts over the next four decades but was also widely criticized for some decisions, such as the failed Gallipoli campaign in World War I.
Churchill became prime minister in May 1940, as Nazi Germany swept across Western Europe. Britain soon stood almost alone against Germany. His speeches, including we shall fight on the beaches and their finest hour, rallied the nation. He worked closely with US President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Soviet leader Joseph Stalin.
A complex legacy
Churchill lost the 1945 election shortly after victory in Europe but served as prime minister again from 1951 to 1955. He died in 1965 and was given a state funeral. Historians admire his wartime leadership but also criticize his views on empire and some of his policies.
Did You Know?
Churchill was also a talented painter, producing more than 500 paintings during his lifetime.