Churchill at War 1940-45

Charles McMoran Wilson Moran

3.65 · Rating details · 57 ratings · 6 reviews

In January 1940, at Scapa Flow on the northern tip of Scotland, when the United States committed its support to Churchill and England; at the White House twelve months later, after Pearl Harbor, when President Roosevelt and the prime minister sealed their alliance; at Casablanca, Moscow, Teheran, Quebec, Yalta, and Potsdam—wherever Churchill traveled, conferred, maneuvered ...more

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Paperback, 352 pages

Published October 31st 2002 by Basic Books (first published 1966)

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Sep 21, 2008 Lauren rated it really liked it

Shelves: biographies, historical, non-fiction, 2008

This is a biography told from the perspective of Lord Moran, former PM Churchills doctore during the war. A very interesting acccount. It does have some gaps in time, and is not the best biography ever written. It is very interesting, however, in what it is. It is the life of Churchill in the war years, told by someone who did not have a political slant on Churchill, somone who was close enough to Churchill to gain insight, but not so close to him as to become blind to all his faults. In that re ...more

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Mar 27, 2018 Jacky Yong rated it did not like it

Maybe it's just me, but the narrative style does not suit me at all. One moment the author is talking about a war in London, the next entry he's in a bomber plane flying to America. It's all very confusing with no clear direction. I have stopped reading the book without even reaching half of the book! ...more

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Jul 27, 2010 Bluenose added it

Lord Moran – Charles McMoran Wilson when he was at home – was Churchill’s pretty well full time physician during the war and indeed up till Churchill’s death in 1966. This book is taken from his original memoir The Struggle for Survival which covered his entire relationship with Churchill. I haven’t read the original and can’t even remember seeing it but this must be the meaty bit for meaty it is, full of candid, immediate and penetrating portraits of Churchill and other great figures of World W Lord Moran – Charles McMoran Wilson when he was at home – was Churchill’s pretty well full time physician during the war and indeed up till Churchill’s death in 1966. This book is taken from his original memoir The Struggle for Survival which covered his entire relationship with Churchill. I haven’t read the original and can’t even remember seeing it but this must be the meaty bit for meaty it is, full of candid, immediate and penetrating portraits of Churchill and other great figures of World War II.

Moran’s son John contributes a deftly written introduction that deals with some of the controversy that accompanied the publication of the original book. I’ll bet there was controversy and not a few pairs of twisted underpants at Moran’s undiplomatic and highly entertaining sketches of people and events where he was often a somewhat underemployed fly on the wall. He accompanied Churchill everywhere and Churchill really got around during the war as he was always eager to be on the move, at the scene of the action and face to face with the central characters of the war. What emerges is a portrait of Churchill that I have found in no other account, and I have read quite a few of them including Manchester’s great but truncated biography and Gilbert’s complete but oddly unmoving one. Moran really knew Churchill on an intimate day to day basis. His other biographers did not have this opportunity and for this reason alone, Moran’s account is invaluable.

His son takes up the issue of Moran’s “diary” which was not a diary at all but a bunch of contemporaneous notes that Moran made when the moment and the urge struck him. His book mixed these notes with later reflections. Apparently Martin Gilbert was shocked to discover this after he had finished Churchill’s official biography and questioned Moran’s credibility because of this. The younger Moran gracefully refutes Gilbert’s assertions. Inevitably other physicians questioned Moran’s professional responsibilities in publishing details of his care for Churchill but again, John convincingly says that this was done with the patient’s acquiescence and given his life long affinity for self promotion this is entirely understandable.

Moran is no scholar and makes no pretense of being one. He writes of his own experience and understanding of individuals and events that he was personally involved with and he does it with admirable brevity and insight. He is quick to admit that he may be wrong, that he may not appreciate the wider picture but he is always honest about his own thoughts.

Churchill emerges as an entirely human figure as only his physician could see him. It is a view that is missing from other biographies and it is a great credit to Moran that he gave us this account. ...more

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Jun 09, 2016 William rated it it was amazing

A fascinating look at one of the most important and well known political figures/leaders of the 20th century. Reading this book provides one with unique insight into Churchill not only as a politician and leader but as a complex and insightful person. In my opinion this is an excellent book to read for anyone with an interest in the politics of WWII in Great Britain and the way in which Churchill handled himself. The book has been around since 1966. Simply this was a great read.

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