What do you think?
Rate this book
Churchill's Confidant: Jan Smuts, Enemy to Lifelong Friend
Brought together first as enemies in the Anglo-Boer War, and later as allies in the First World War, the remarkable, and often touching, friendship between Winston Churchill and Jan Smuts is a rich study in contrasts.
In youth they occupied very different worlds: Churchill, the rambunctious and thrusting young aristocrat; Smuts, the aesthetic, philosophical Cape farm boy who would go on to Cambridge. Both were men of exceptional talents and achievements and, between them, the pair had to grapple with some of the twentieth century's most intractable issues, not least of which the task of restoring peace and prosperity to Europe after two of mankind's bloodiest wars.
Drawing on a maze of archival and secondary sources including letters, telegrams and the voluminous books written about both men, Richard Steyn presents a fascinating account of two remarkable men in war and peace: one the leader of the Empire, the other the leader of a small fractious member of that Empire who nevertheless rose to global prominence.
423 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2017
35 people are currently reading
127 people want to read
About the author
Richard Steyn
13 books18 followersA graduate of Stellenbosch University, Richard Steyn practised as a lawyer before switching to journalism. He edited the Natal Witness in Pietermaritzburg from 1975-90, was a Nieman Fellow at Harvard University in 1985/86, and editor in chief of The Star from 1990-95.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
December 8, 2019
This is a brilliant book that I thoroughly enjoyed. It describes the enduring and productive relationship between Jan Smuts and Winston Churchill. In so doing, the author has managed to encompass, detail and analyse 50 years of World history as seen and influenced by these two colossal world statesmen. I loved the numerous pithy and revealing quotes and asides which perfectly capture both men and their times. Superb!
August 14, 2018
While Churchill is probably one of the best known figures of 20th century history, Jan Smuts has somewhat faded into the background, despite his significant contributions. His colonial-era views on racial hierarchy were virtually identical to contemporaries such as Churchill and Franklin Roosevelt, but because the path away from racial discrimination took a a longer and more troubled path in South Africa than the UK or USA, the stain of racism has stuck in a far more damaging way. It should be remembered that in in the pre-apartheid governments of South Africa run by Smuts, the system of segregation was near identical to the Jim Crow era southern states of the USA under Hoover, FDR, Truman and Eisenhower, as well as the various British colonies scattered around the globe.
Both men made their greatest contributions during the two World Wars. During the first, both were prodigies of dominant political characters of the era - David Lloyd-George in the case of Churchill and Louis Botha for Smuts - while in the second, they were the men at the top of the respective countries. They were the only two word leaders who were at the top table in both conflicts, and in the case of Smuts, the only man to sign the peace treaties ending both wars.
This is a fascinating book, chronicling the relationship between the two men, and brings out the importance to Churchill of Smuts' counsel. I only wish it had been longer.
Both men made their greatest contributions during the two World Wars. During the first, both were prodigies of dominant political characters of the era - David Lloyd-George in the case of Churchill and Louis Botha for Smuts - while in the second, they were the men at the top of the respective countries. They were the only two word leaders who were at the top table in both conflicts, and in the case of Smuts, the only man to sign the peace treaties ending both wars.
This is a fascinating book, chronicling the relationship between the two men, and brings out the importance to Churchill of Smuts' counsel. I only wish it had been longer.
February 9, 2018
Two great political leaders who changed history.
Who would have thought that two men from such dissimilar backgrounds could forge a friendship that would change the world’s history? Richard Steyn has painstakingly gathered letters and telegrams, not just between Winston Churchill and Jan Smuts but others as well, to show us just how deep their partnership was during both the First and Second World Wars.
Winston Churchill came from an aristocratic background, where he was used to all the finer things in life. Although used to getting his own way from an early age, his ambition was present from the very beginning and his superiors had very little chance of keeping him under their control. He decided very early on in his army career to supplement his income by becoming a war correspondent. It was as a war correspondent that took him to South Africa. He was captured by the Boers and after he managed to escape he returned to fight the war with his exclusive and upper-class cavalry regiment, the 4th Queen’s Own Hussars
Jan Smuts was four years older than Churchill. He was born on a farm in the isolated area of Riebeek West. His parents were deeply Calvinist of Dutch origin. He was only sent to school at the age of twelve. He managed to not only catch up but to also surpass all his classmates. He graduated from Stellenbosch University and won the Ebden scholarship to attend Cambridge University where he studied law.
It was after the ill-fated Jameson Raid in December 1895 that Smuts lost his trust in Cecil Rhodes and decide to join the Boers in their fight against the English. President Paul Kruger very quickly realised that Jan Smuts would be his best representative in the negotiations with the “uitlanders” (men who came from all corners of the earth to seek their fortune in the Transvaal gold rush).
Jan Smuts was devastated when the British, under the leadership of Governor of the Cape, Alfred Milner, refused to negotiate with the Boer contingent when they met in Bloemfontein on 9 October 1899 and, shortly after this, the Boers declared war on Britain.
Jan Smuts was twenty-nine when the war started. He “virtually singlehandedly” ran the administration of Paul Kruger’s government in Pretoria.
Smuts and Churchill first encountered each other after Churchill was captured. His escort took him to the tent of Commandant-General Joubert. Smuts happened to be visiting Joubert at the time. They were not introduced. However, Churchill made an impression on Smuts who described him thus, “Winston was a scrubby, squat figure of a man, unshaved. He was furious, venomous, just like a viper.”
They were to meet officially when Jan Smuts was in London for the British to grant permission to the South Africans for self-government. At the time, January 1906, Winston Churchill had “crossed the house” and had joined the Liberals. He represented the government as the Undersecretary for the Colonies. South Africa was one of Churchill’s primary responsibilities. Churchill had great respect for the Boer army. He wrote that “the individual Boer, mounted in suitable country, is worth three to five regular soldiers”
Their friendship and the respect they had for each other started at this meeting and was to continue through both world wars and through their roles in the establishment of first, The League of Nations (after WW1) and then The United Nations (after WW2).
What is so very clear in this book is that the world was “given” two men with vision. Men who could work together and had a complete understanding of each other. Smuts, much to the hatred of the Afrikaner opposition party, took South Africa into the First World War because he realised that unless there was a combined force to stop the Germans, the balance of the world would be overthrown. He took a similar stance to send troops to help the allies during the WW2.
I shudder to think how the world would look today if Winston Churchill was not at the helm during those long years of fighting. I also hate to think what would have happened to Southern Africa if Jan Smuts had not brushed his critics aside and stopped the Afrikaner Broedebond (brotherhood) from allowing the Nazis to take hold of the entire area from East Africa to what is now Namibia.
What is also astonishing is that Mohandas K Gandhi, who played such a pivotal part in India, had started his legal career in South Africa and was one of the first people to fight against the system of keeping the white race “pure.” Both Churchill and Smuts admired his initiative for peaceful protest but neither particularly liked the man.
This is a book that would appeal to anyone interested in not only the Boer War but the role that South Africans took in the two World Wars, thanks to their leader, Jan Smuts.
I wonder if we will ever truly appreciate just how much Winston Churchill did for world freedom from what could have been worldwide capturing by the Nazis and their allies. But what this book has also given me is the insight into not just these two formidable men in Churchill and Smuts but at the same time a man like Gandhi.
Will we ever again see three men with so much foresight and intelligence prepared to do whatever was necessary to preserve justice and (relative) peace for the world as a whole?
Treebeard
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.
Who would have thought that two men from such dissimilar backgrounds could forge a friendship that would change the world’s history? Richard Steyn has painstakingly gathered letters and telegrams, not just between Winston Churchill and Jan Smuts but others as well, to show us just how deep their partnership was during both the First and Second World Wars.
Winston Churchill came from an aristocratic background, where he was used to all the finer things in life. Although used to getting his own way from an early age, his ambition was present from the very beginning and his superiors had very little chance of keeping him under their control. He decided very early on in his army career to supplement his income by becoming a war correspondent. It was as a war correspondent that took him to South Africa. He was captured by the Boers and after he managed to escape he returned to fight the war with his exclusive and upper-class cavalry regiment, the 4th Queen’s Own Hussars
Jan Smuts was four years older than Churchill. He was born on a farm in the isolated area of Riebeek West. His parents were deeply Calvinist of Dutch origin. He was only sent to school at the age of twelve. He managed to not only catch up but to also surpass all his classmates. He graduated from Stellenbosch University and won the Ebden scholarship to attend Cambridge University where he studied law.
It was after the ill-fated Jameson Raid in December 1895 that Smuts lost his trust in Cecil Rhodes and decide to join the Boers in their fight against the English. President Paul Kruger very quickly realised that Jan Smuts would be his best representative in the negotiations with the “uitlanders” (men who came from all corners of the earth to seek their fortune in the Transvaal gold rush).
Jan Smuts was devastated when the British, under the leadership of Governor of the Cape, Alfred Milner, refused to negotiate with the Boer contingent when they met in Bloemfontein on 9 October 1899 and, shortly after this, the Boers declared war on Britain.
Jan Smuts was twenty-nine when the war started. He “virtually singlehandedly” ran the administration of Paul Kruger’s government in Pretoria.
Smuts and Churchill first encountered each other after Churchill was captured. His escort took him to the tent of Commandant-General Joubert. Smuts happened to be visiting Joubert at the time. They were not introduced. However, Churchill made an impression on Smuts who described him thus, “Winston was a scrubby, squat figure of a man, unshaved. He was furious, venomous, just like a viper.”
They were to meet officially when Jan Smuts was in London for the British to grant permission to the South Africans for self-government. At the time, January 1906, Winston Churchill had “crossed the house” and had joined the Liberals. He represented the government as the Undersecretary for the Colonies. South Africa was one of Churchill’s primary responsibilities. Churchill had great respect for the Boer army. He wrote that “the individual Boer, mounted in suitable country, is worth three to five regular soldiers”
Their friendship and the respect they had for each other started at this meeting and was to continue through both world wars and through their roles in the establishment of first, The League of Nations (after WW1) and then The United Nations (after WW2).
What is so very clear in this book is that the world was “given” two men with vision. Men who could work together and had a complete understanding of each other. Smuts, much to the hatred of the Afrikaner opposition party, took South Africa into the First World War because he realised that unless there was a combined force to stop the Germans, the balance of the world would be overthrown. He took a similar stance to send troops to help the allies during the WW2.
I shudder to think how the world would look today if Winston Churchill was not at the helm during those long years of fighting. I also hate to think what would have happened to Southern Africa if Jan Smuts had not brushed his critics aside and stopped the Afrikaner Broedebond (brotherhood) from allowing the Nazis to take hold of the entire area from East Africa to what is now Namibia.
What is also astonishing is that Mohandas K Gandhi, who played such a pivotal part in India, had started his legal career in South Africa and was one of the first people to fight against the system of keeping the white race “pure.” Both Churchill and Smuts admired his initiative for peaceful protest but neither particularly liked the man.
This is a book that would appeal to anyone interested in not only the Boer War but the role that South Africans took in the two World Wars, thanks to their leader, Jan Smuts.
I wonder if we will ever truly appreciate just how much Winston Churchill did for world freedom from what could have been worldwide capturing by the Nazis and their allies. But what this book has also given me is the insight into not just these two formidable men in Churchill and Smuts but at the same time a man like Gandhi.
Will we ever again see three men with so much foresight and intelligence prepared to do whatever was necessary to preserve justice and (relative) peace for the world as a whole?
Treebeard
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.
February 3, 2023
A fantastic read about two of the greatest statesman of the 20th Century. Truly remarkable how these two men, so very different, were truly great complements to each other.
September 2, 2025
As a 58-year-old history buff, I found Churchill & Smuts: The Friendship to be a deeply satisfying and eye-opening read. I’ve long admired Churchill, but this book gave me a new appreciation for Jan Smuts—someone I knew of, but had never fully understood. Richard Steyn does a great job of capturing the depth of their friendship and the mutual respect these two brilliant but very different men had for each other.
What I appreciated most was how the book balances political history with personal insight. You see not just their roles in two world wars, but also the philosophical bond they shared—especially around leadership, democracy, and empire, however complex that legacy may be. Steyn writes with clarity and respect, and the research feels solid without being overwhelming.
If you're someone who enjoys leadership studies, wartime strategy, or simply the human side of great historical figures, this book is well worth your time. It reminded me that even in turbulent times, friendships like this can shape the course of history.
What I appreciated most was how the book balances political history with personal insight. You see not just their roles in two world wars, but also the philosophical bond they shared—especially around leadership, democracy, and empire, however complex that legacy may be. Steyn writes with clarity and respect, and the research feels solid without being overwhelming.
If you're someone who enjoys leadership studies, wartime strategy, or simply the human side of great historical figures, this book is well worth your time. It reminded me that even in turbulent times, friendships like this can shape the course of history.
November 3, 2019
Churchill and Smuts friendship
This book analyses the friendship of two men through the history of 3 wars: Boer War, World War 1 and World War 2. The strategies they developed and influenced not only the outcome of these wars, but also the political make up and destiny of those countries. Some will judge these two men harshly for their wrong policies on warfare and on race related complexities that they influenced in their time.
To understand the holistic impact of their legacies, we need to read extensively and view the current scenarios with understanding and sympathy.
Their contribution to international world peace is well documented.
How much have we learned from this book to personally contribute to peace through friendship?
This book analyses the friendship of two men through the history of 3 wars: Boer War, World War 1 and World War 2. The strategies they developed and influenced not only the outcome of these wars, but also the political make up and destiny of those countries. Some will judge these two men harshly for their wrong policies on warfare and on race related complexities that they influenced in their time.
To understand the holistic impact of their legacies, we need to read extensively and view the current scenarios with understanding and sympathy.
Their contribution to international world peace is well documented.
How much have we learned from this book to personally contribute to peace through friendship?
August 6, 2025
Anyone who appreciates Churchill should make the effort to read this book. Every South African should make the effort to read this book, which tells of a friendship between two one-time enemies-turned allies, which changed the world.
Sadly, as the author comments on near the end of the book, Smuts has been unfairly judged in modern times as representative of a South Africa with significant moral shortcomings. Yet, when appreciated for who he was and what he did, I find myself immensely proud at being a part of a nation who produced such an extraordinary soldier-statesman.
I am privileged to have been given a copy signed by the author, including a photograph of Jan Smuts and Isie Smuts - also both autographed.
Sadly, as the author comments on near the end of the book, Smuts has been unfairly judged in modern times as representative of a South Africa with significant moral shortcomings. Yet, when appreciated for who he was and what he did, I find myself immensely proud at being a part of a nation who produced such an extraordinary soldier-statesman.
I am privileged to have been given a copy signed by the author, including a photograph of Jan Smuts and Isie Smuts - also both autographed.
October 9, 2022
An excellent read about the remarkable friendship between Winston Churchill and Jan Smuts, extremely well researched as are all Richard Steyn's works. The one shortcoming I believe is that the explanations regarding Smuts' racial policies do not take into account the critical element of the sentiments of his electorate and how they would have accepted a relaxation of the segregationist policies that were prevalent worldwide at the time. One day an author will take this crucial element into account.
December 8, 2020
Fascinating
I found this book fascinating; I had no idea the influence and impact Smuts had had on the world, let alone South Africa. I find it hard that because of where each of their respective countries are in the world today, the recognition of one as a hero and statesman stands in such contrast to the other despite the comparable significance of the achievements discussed in this book. Absolutely worth a read.
I found this book fascinating; I had no idea the influence and impact Smuts had had on the world, let alone South Africa. I find it hard that because of where each of their respective countries are in the world today, the recognition of one as a hero and statesman stands in such contrast to the other despite the comparable significance of the achievements discussed in this book. Absolutely worth a read.
July 12, 2025
IMPERIAL BOYS, would have made great alternative title. Two influential man that shaped so much of the world today, their belief in imperialism is fascinating. And Ghandi as there foil make for compelling reading. Steyn has a beautiful matter of fact, way of writing that comes across with slight whimsy. I could not help but see the a Wes Anderson movie in my mind as I read every sentence. Steyn is great at imparting history.
December 30, 2022
Fascinating to see the friendship of these two men in history. The sections on Jan Smuts I found more interesting because 1. I live in South Africa, 2. It seems he might have actually been born again, 3. Many of his positions on culture I found intriguing, and 4. He overall seemed more well-rounded.
If you like history, especially comparisons and contrasts you will love this book.
If you like history, especially comparisons and contrasts you will love this book.
January 12, 2023
A very well written book.
The author’s narrative exposes the reader to the lives of these two great men, divided by so much earlier in life and driven further apart as opponents in the Boer War, who become Allies as nd collaborators during the Great War and good friends later in life.
Giants of history!
The author’s narrative exposes the reader to the lives of these two great men, divided by so much earlier in life and driven further apart as opponents in the Boer War, who become Allies as nd collaborators during the Great War and good friends later in life.
Giants of history!
April 5, 2019
An interesting fast-paced trek through the early 20th century history that surrounded these two men, especially in relation to the Second World War. A great introduction to Smuts for those who don’t know much about him.
January 3, 2020
I enjoyed learning of the relationship between these two men and hearing this part of history through this perspective.
May 8, 2020
A lovely read if you are a fan of the two, as I am, though not perhaps as ground-breaking and memorable as I'd hoped.
March 3, 2024
Really interesting
May 27, 2024
An excellent read about real leaders and towering, imperfect men who have no equal.
January 9, 2025
Great book. Well written and very interesting.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews