WINSTON CHURCHILL BECAME BRITISH PM 75 YEARS AGO TODAY
London (JFK+50) Neville Chamberlain resigned as Prime Minister of Britain 75 years ago today, May 10, 1940 and was replaced by Winston Churchill.
As Churchill assumed the position, word came that Hitler's forces had invaded both Holland and Belgium.
Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill, was born at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, England on November 30, 1874. He was the son of Lord Randolph Churchill and American socialite, Jennie Jerome. Lord Randolph's father, John Strange Spencer-Churchill, was the 7th Duke of Marlborough.
Winston Churchill was 1st educated by a governess in Dublin, Ireland but later had a poor academic record in school. WC graduated from Royal Military College. In 1904, WC married Clementine Hozier.
After a short service in the military, WC was elected to Parliament in 1900 & became the First Lord of the Admirality in 1911 and served in that capacity again in 1939.
In May 1940, WC became PM and served until 1955. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II. Known for his great oratory, WC said he wrote every word of his speeches and spent an hour working on one minute of a speech.
In 1963, President John F. Kennedy said:
"In the dark days...when England stood alone...he mobilized the English language and sent it into battle."
One of the most quoted Churchill lines is:
London (JFK+50) Neville Chamberlain resigned as Prime Minister of Britain 75 years ago today, May 10, 1940 and was replaced by Winston Churchill.
As Churchill assumed the position, word came that Hitler's forces had invaded both Holland and Belgium.
Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill, was born at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, England on November 30, 1874. He was the son of Lord Randolph Churchill and American socialite, Jennie Jerome. Lord Randolph's father, John Strange Spencer-Churchill, was the 7th Duke of Marlborough.
Winston Churchill was 1st educated by a governess in Dublin, Ireland but later had a poor academic record in school. WC graduated from Royal Military College. In 1904, WC married Clementine Hozier.
After a short service in the military, WC was elected to Parliament in 1900 & became the First Lord of the Admirality in 1911 and served in that capacity again in 1939.
In May 1940, WC became PM and served until 1955. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II. Known for his great oratory, WC said he wrote every word of his speeches and spent an hour working on one minute of a speech.
In 1963, President John F. Kennedy said:
"In the dark days...when England stood alone...he mobilized the English language and sent it into battle."
One of the most quoted Churchill lines is:
"Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duty & so bear ourselves that if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say "This was their finest hour.'"
Winston Churchill
May 20, 1940
Imperial War Museum Photo
