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Winston Churchill's War Leadership
How does he assess the information that is brought to him? How does his personal or political philosophy, or a moral sense, sustain him? How does he draw inspiration from those around him? How does he deal with setbacks and disasters? In this brilliant close-up look at Winston Churchill's leadership during the Second World War, Gilbert gets to the heart of the trials and struggles that have confronted the world's most powerful leaders, even up to current politicians such as George Bush and Tony Blair.
Basing the book on his intimate knowledge of Churchill's private and official papers, Sir Martin Gilbert, Churchill’s official biographer, looks at the public figure and wartime propaganda, to reveal a very human, sensitive, and often tormented man, who nevertheless found the strength to lead his nation forward from the darkest and most dangerous of times.
Basing the book on his intimate knowledge of Churchill's private and official papers, Sir Martin Gilbert, Churchill’s official biographer, looks at the public figure and wartime propaganda, to reveal a very human, sensitive, and often tormented man, who nevertheless found the strength to lead his nation forward from the darkest and most dangerous of times.
112 pages, Paperback
First published April 13, 2004
12 people are currently reading
185 people want to read
About the author
Martin Gilbert
249 books417 followersThe official biographer of Winston Churchill and a leading historian on the Twentieth Century, Sir Martin Gilbert was a scholar and an historian who, though his 88 books, has shown there is such a thing as “true history”
Born in London in 1936, Martin Gilbert was educated at Highgate School, and Magdalen College, Oxford, graduating with First Class Honours. He was a Research Scholar at St Anthony's College, and became a Fellow of Merton College, Oxford in 1962, and an Honorary Fellow in 1994. After working as a researcher for Randolph Churchill, Gilbert was chosen to take over the writing of the Churchill biography upon Randolph's death in 1968, writing six of the eight volumes of biography and editing twelve volumes of documents. In addition, Gilbert has written pioneering and classic works on the First and Second World Wars, the Twentieth Century, the Holocaust, and Jewish history.
Gilbert drove every aspect of his books, from finding archives to corresponding with eyewitnesses and participants that gave his work veracity and meaning, to finding and choosing illustrations, drawing maps that mention each place in the text, and compiling the indexes. He travelled widely lecturing and researching, advised political figures and filmmakers, and gave a voice and a name “to those who fought and those who fell.”
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Born in London in 1936, Martin Gilbert was educated at Highgate School, and Magdalen College, Oxford, graduating with First Class Honours. He was a Research Scholar at St Anthony's College, and became a Fellow of Merton College, Oxford in 1962, and an Honorary Fellow in 1994. After working as a researcher for Randolph Churchill, Gilbert was chosen to take over the writing of the Churchill biography upon Randolph's death in 1968, writing six of the eight volumes of biography and editing twelve volumes of documents. In addition, Gilbert has written pioneering and classic works on the First and Second World Wars, the Twentieth Century, the Holocaust, and Jewish history.
Gilbert drove every aspect of his books, from finding archives to corresponding with eyewitnesses and participants that gave his work veracity and meaning, to finding and choosing illustrations, drawing maps that mention each place in the text, and compiling the indexes. He travelled widely lecturing and researching, advised political figures and filmmakers, and gave a voice and a name “to those who fought and those who fell.”
https://twitter.com/sirmartin36
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
May 27, 2025
4.5 stars
Though I’m not a fan of biographies as a book genre, this one was short and interesting, and considering it was about Churchill, well worth the read :)
Though I’m not a fan of biographies as a book genre, this one was short and interesting, and considering it was about Churchill, well worth the read :)
May 16, 2024
In a world where our political leaders are more associated with scandal and incompetence than bravery or integrity, we’d be best to take a few leadership lessons from Churchill. Few core aspects of Churchill’s leadership that stood out to me:
1. Courage. Churchill’s finest moments occurred when his county was backed into a corner from 1941-1942 during the Battle of Britain. He stood steadfastly by his conviction that Britain could stand her ground and would not be overcome. Defeatist chatter seeped among members of Parliament during this time, yet Churchill would not give into any thought of loss. His will and strength to challenge defeatism carried the entire nation through the dark night of that time.
2. Moral Clarity. He unequivocally saw the monstrous tyranny of Nazi Germany for who they were in broad daylight. In his own government, there were voices calling for appeasement and even surrender to the Nazis in hope of more favorable peace terms, yet Churchill knew that there was no negotiating with the devil - this war was to save humanity from an evil the world had not ever known.
3. Dogged optimism. This was not a flowery “all is well” mood but a true conviction and belief born out of courage and moral clarity. He did not flinch or show weakness or unsteadiness; he lead with confidence and vision. He did mourn, showing deep emotion for the civilian toll of the war, yet his default posture was of hope and belief in his people and the cause.
1. Courage. Churchill’s finest moments occurred when his county was backed into a corner from 1941-1942 during the Battle of Britain. He stood steadfastly by his conviction that Britain could stand her ground and would not be overcome. Defeatist chatter seeped among members of Parliament during this time, yet Churchill would not give into any thought of loss. His will and strength to challenge defeatism carried the entire nation through the dark night of that time.
2. Moral Clarity. He unequivocally saw the monstrous tyranny of Nazi Germany for who they were in broad daylight. In his own government, there were voices calling for appeasement and even surrender to the Nazis in hope of more favorable peace terms, yet Churchill knew that there was no negotiating with the devil - this war was to save humanity from an evil the world had not ever known.
3. Dogged optimism. This was not a flowery “all is well” mood but a true conviction and belief born out of courage and moral clarity. He did not flinch or show weakness or unsteadiness; he lead with confidence and vision. He did mourn, showing deep emotion for the civilian toll of the war, yet his default posture was of hope and belief in his people and the cause.
August 30, 2012
I came across this book by chance, attracted more by the subject (leadership) than by a specific interest for Churchill (whom I did not know much besides him being Prime Minister during WW2).
After completing its reading, I've learned enough about the man to be willing to know more, and also gotten very concrete example of leadership.
I definitely recommend this book.
After completing its reading, I've learned enough about the man to be willing to know more, and also gotten very concrete example of leadership.
I definitely recommend this book.
May 29, 2021
Here's a short and straightforward look at how Churchill handled his Premiership during WWII. If you are interested in the period, there won't be much to learn.
We already know about his character -workaholic, determined, ambitious, that the strain of the war will nevertheless burden heavily. We know about his resolve -his speeches among the most famous are repeated here, and put back into context. We know about his strong leadership, relying on the expertise of individuals he will entrust with high positions and with no care for their popularity (or lack thereof) nor conventions when it comes to ranks and climbing a career ladder (the last few pages, in fact, turn out to be as much about the 'pillars of Churchill's war leadership' than they are about Churchill himself -Anthony Eden, General Montgomery, Lord Beaverbrook, Percy Hobart...).
Sadly, its strengths also are its weaknesses. It's short and straightforward for sure (clocking at less than an hundred pages, clearly structured like a lecture) it also appears to be an eulogy with not much room for critical step back.
The author acknowledges his turmoil around the issue of bombing civilians. We are told, for instance, that the decision to bomb Dresden was not his, but approved by Clement Attlee while he was away at Yalta. It might be true, but let's not forget that, in 1920, the same man had encouraged the use of chemical weapons for bombings in Iraq, then to suppress a revolt against British rules. Are we to infer that civilians mattered to him only when they were White? The author don't mention any of that, staying well clear of such controversies. We are also reminded of his strong view that fighting Nazism was a moral imperative, as the racism and antisemitism it embodied were a cruel insults to human values. This is true, and also why in Europe we owe him a great deal. Yet, cruel racism was what was also at play across the British Empire, a regime which he fully supported. Churchill was prejudiced at least, and if he had sympathies for the Jews on the continent, we also know he had no such sympathy for other people elsewhere (how many died during the Bengal famine of 1943 alone?...). Here too, if the man is praised for despising antisemitism and violence in Europe, no mention is made of the racist policies and resulting violence in other parts of the world. Of course, some controversies are so blatant they can't be escaped! When it comes to WWII (the core topic, after all) Churchill posed as a fighter for freedom (and in many respect he was) yet he would have gladly accommodated the fascist regime of Mussolini, simply because doing so would have protected British interest in Egypt and the Suez canal. He had double standard in fighting totalitarianism, something the author alludes to, albeit without delving too much...
Now, the man remained a man, and so he was far from being perfect. I certainly don't want to denigrate him nor take away his achievements. For a start, I am a Frenchman -my country would have been lost without his courage, determination, ideal for Europe, and strong resolve (what could have a de Gaulle do without Britain still standing?). But isn't the purpose of an historical work to demonstrate how intricate and morally complex and challenging past leaders and the events that shaped them were? Simplistic views never make justice to the great people of the past, besides never serving our understanding of today's world. Ha! But this was written in the wake of the second war in Iraq, when Bush and Blair had allied themselves against yet another common foe... It begs the question: was there an agenda behind publishing such a simplistic book, about the war leadership of someone who remains, still, one of our greatest leader? How we present history can also be a powerful political tool...
In the end, no matter how incisive and straightforward such read is (for it remains a very good read) I regret its lack of critical judgement.
We already know about his character -workaholic, determined, ambitious, that the strain of the war will nevertheless burden heavily. We know about his resolve -his speeches among the most famous are repeated here, and put back into context. We know about his strong leadership, relying on the expertise of individuals he will entrust with high positions and with no care for their popularity (or lack thereof) nor conventions when it comes to ranks and climbing a career ladder (the last few pages, in fact, turn out to be as much about the 'pillars of Churchill's war leadership' than they are about Churchill himself -Anthony Eden, General Montgomery, Lord Beaverbrook, Percy Hobart...).
Sadly, its strengths also are its weaknesses. It's short and straightforward for sure (clocking at less than an hundred pages, clearly structured like a lecture) it also appears to be an eulogy with not much room for critical step back.
The author acknowledges his turmoil around the issue of bombing civilians. We are told, for instance, that the decision to bomb Dresden was not his, but approved by Clement Attlee while he was away at Yalta. It might be true, but let's not forget that, in 1920, the same man had encouraged the use of chemical weapons for bombings in Iraq, then to suppress a revolt against British rules. Are we to infer that civilians mattered to him only when they were White? The author don't mention any of that, staying well clear of such controversies. We are also reminded of his strong view that fighting Nazism was a moral imperative, as the racism and antisemitism it embodied were a cruel insults to human values. This is true, and also why in Europe we owe him a great deal. Yet, cruel racism was what was also at play across the British Empire, a regime which he fully supported. Churchill was prejudiced at least, and if he had sympathies for the Jews on the continent, we also know he had no such sympathy for other people elsewhere (how many died during the Bengal famine of 1943 alone?...). Here too, if the man is praised for despising antisemitism and violence in Europe, no mention is made of the racist policies and resulting violence in other parts of the world. Of course, some controversies are so blatant they can't be escaped! When it comes to WWII (the core topic, after all) Churchill posed as a fighter for freedom (and in many respect he was) yet he would have gladly accommodated the fascist regime of Mussolini, simply because doing so would have protected British interest in Egypt and the Suez canal. He had double standard in fighting totalitarianism, something the author alludes to, albeit without delving too much...
Now, the man remained a man, and so he was far from being perfect. I certainly don't want to denigrate him nor take away his achievements. For a start, I am a Frenchman -my country would have been lost without his courage, determination, ideal for Europe, and strong resolve (what could have a de Gaulle do without Britain still standing?). But isn't the purpose of an historical work to demonstrate how intricate and morally complex and challenging past leaders and the events that shaped them were? Simplistic views never make justice to the great people of the past, besides never serving our understanding of today's world. Ha! But this was written in the wake of the second war in Iraq, when Bush and Blair had allied themselves against yet another common foe... It begs the question: was there an agenda behind publishing such a simplistic book, about the war leadership of someone who remains, still, one of our greatest leader? How we present history can also be a powerful political tool...
In the end, no matter how incisive and straightforward such read is (for it remains a very good read) I regret its lack of critical judgement.
December 30, 2018
When I spent a summer at Cambridge, I took every opportunity I could to go down to London. I spent the vast majority of my time in bookstores, but one rainy Sunday morning a friend of mine convinced me to go to the Churchill War Rooms, where they’ve preserved the bunker from which England fought World War II.
I’ve always focused my reading on the American Revolution, but what I learned in that museum was that great men and women with great ideals and great effort have done great things throughout history, regardless of the time. Churchill was one of the those people.
More than anything, what I learned about Winston Churchill, and what I’m sure someone has written about even more in another book, was his role as the original king of life hacks. His was a victory of organization and effectiveness when faced with a barricade of other people’s fear and minutia.
“The problem is not winning the war, but persuading people to let you win it.”
Many thanks to Manchester By The Book in Manchester, Massachusetts, for exposing me to this one.
I’ve always focused my reading on the American Revolution, but what I learned in that museum was that great men and women with great ideals and great effort have done great things throughout history, regardless of the time. Churchill was one of the those people.
More than anything, what I learned about Winston Churchill, and what I’m sure someone has written about even more in another book, was his role as the original king of life hacks. His was a victory of organization and effectiveness when faced with a barricade of other people’s fear and minutia.
“The problem is not winning the war, but persuading people to let you win it.”
Many thanks to Manchester By The Book in Manchester, Massachusetts, for exposing me to this one.
June 1, 2011
Did not like the flow of the book, but great nuggets of advice for professionals seeking to gain influence from any level of an organization. Good advice on how to lead in stressful and changing times. And a few good Churchill antidotes to boot!
January 22, 2016
Very quick and good read about the leadership style of Winston Churchill. I was actually wanting a longer book but didn't notice that this was just a long lecture. I would highly recommend it for any person interested in WW II because it gives the inner-workings of his daily grind.
March 1, 2010
Churchill's my hero. Learned he was notoriously unpunctual. I stand validated.
August 21, 2017
Here's one quote I liked from the book: "Of this I am quite sure, that if we open a quarrel between the past and the present, we shall find we have lost the future." - Winston Churchill
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews