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"You know why his three sisters aren't here? They're all married to Nazis! Prominent Nazis!"
—{{{2}}}

Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill KG OM CH TD PC DL FRS RA is played by actor John Lithgow. He served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 - 1945 under King George VI, then again from 1951 - 1955 under Queen Elizabeth II.

Life[]

Early Life[]

Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill was born into two aristocratic families on November 30 1874 at Blenheim Palace in Woodstock, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom. As a member of the Churchill family, he is related to the Dukes of Marlborough, and as a member of the Spencer family, to the Earls Spencer; the current earl is the elder brother of the late Diana, Princess of Wales.

Blenheim-Palace

Blenheim Palace, Churchill's birthplace

His father, Lord Randolph Churchill, was a Tory politician, and his mother, Jennie Jerome, was an American "buccaneer", one of the first wealthy American heiresses to marry into aristocratic, but impoverished British families in the late 1800s, making him (technically) an American citizen as well. Churchill was also the nephew of the 7th Duke of Marlborough, his father's elder brother.

Beginnings[]

As a less prominent member of the Spencer-Churchill family, Winston's career was largely self made. He began his public life as a war correspondent, taking part in and writing books about many wars and battles throughout the British Empire as a member of the 4th Queen's Own Hussars. Most notably, he took part in a cavalry charge at the Battle of Omdurman in Sudan and he was captured and imprisoned by Boer forces during the Second Boer War. After escaping prison and returning to Britain a national hero, he began his career in politics, entering the House of Commons as a member of the Conservative Party.

Churchill adhered to a political philosophy called "Tory Democracy" (conceived by Tory Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli and improved upon by Winston's father, Lord Randolph) which aimed to combine social reform and economic liberalism at home with the continuing expansion and preservation of the British Empire. However, Churchill's domestic policies were not shared by many other members of the Conservative Party, and he often criticised members of his own party on matters of domestic policy. For this reason, he crossed the floor in 1904 to join the Liberal Party.

During his time with the Liberals, the First World War broke out in Europe, during which Churchill served as First Lord of the Admiralty. As Lord of the Admiralty, Churchill was a key figure in the Gallipoli landings of 1915, which were intended to open a new front against the Ottoman Empire in the Middle East. The landings were a spectacular failure, resulting in thousands of British, Australian and New Zealand casualties, and scarring Churchill's reputation for decades to come. Embarrassed, Churchill resigned from the Admiralty and volunteered to serve on the western front.

In 1916, Churchill returned to politics and served in several offices up until 1940. After previously being against women's suffrage, Churchill voted in favour of the Representation of the People Act 1918, which granted the right to vote to landed women over 20. As Secretary of State for War (from 1919-1921) he oversaw the final departure of British forces from Europe after the end of World War I and saw the beginning of the Irish War of Independence, during which he supported the controversial "Black and Tans" paramilitary group to fight against the rebels. As Secretary of State for the Colonies (from 1921-1922) he had a role in the writing and signing of the Anglo-Irish treaty, which granted independence to most of Ireland; he also supported migration of European Jews to Palestine, which was largely opposed by Palestinian Arabs.

Preparing for War[]

From this point on, Churchill was a largely obscure political figure, until the rise of Adolf Hitler as leader of Germany. Churchill had opposed a long term peace plan with Nazi Germany throughout the 1930s, and personally attacked Hitler's antisemitism and his government's irridentist claims on Austria, Czechoslovakia, Poland and Danzig. Despite having crossed the floor back to the Conservatives, Churchill still opposed the Tory government's policy of appeasement to Germany, which had allowed Hitler to annex Austria and Czechoslovakia entirely unopposed. Nazi Germany's invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939 forced the British Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain, to declare war on Germany, and Churchill was reappointed as First Lord of the Admiralty.

Second World War[]

Chamberlain's handling of the early war was largely defensive, allowing the Nazis more time to prepare for their invasion of western and northern Europe. Within a year, France was on the verge of being conquered and the Nazis were already making their advance on Norway, prompting Chamberlain to resign. The Conservatives reluctantly allowed Churchill to succeed him as Prime Minister, as Churchill was the only prominent member of the Conservative Party that could command the support of both the Labour Party and the Liberals (having previously been a member of the Liberals and one of the most ardently anti-Fascist Tories). Churchill formed a coalition government with the Labour Party, leaving Labour leader Clement Atlee largely in charge of domestic policy, and appointing himself as Minister of Defence.

Within weeks of becoming Prime Minister, France fell to Germany, but not before Churchill had ordered Operation Dynamo, a massive rescue mission to relieve British troops from the French shores at Dunkirk. The Royal Navy mad use of civilian volunteers to carry out the rescue. Afterwards, Churchill delivered his most famous speech proclaiming "We shall fight on the beaches; we shall fight in the landing grounds; we shall fight in the fields and in the streets; we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender!".

Britain Stands Alone[]

From the fall of France, the United Kingdom and Commonwealth and Imperial allies were the only major power that stood against Germany, and now that Italy had joined the war on the side of Germany and all other European nations had either been conquered or stayed neutral, the British Empire was alone. Despite this, Churchill continued to authorise operations against Germany where it was possible, sending troops to Greece to aid them against German invasion, and sending troops to Iraq to topple the pro-German government there. the most fighting took place in North Africa, where Britain wrestled with Italy and Germany for control of the continent. Mainland Britain was also bombed relentlessly, with the Luftwaffe targeting RAF bases first, then large cities with civilian populations, especially London. Churchill and the King stayed in London, despite the bombings.

Finding New Allies[]

In June 1941, the Soviet Union was invaded by Nazi Germany, forcing them to join the allies against them. Britain sent materiel, supplies and weapons to help them fight. then in December, Germany's ally, the Empire of Japan, attacked a United States naval facility in Pearl Harbour, Hawaii. The United States then declared war on Japan and Germany. Although Churchill had always intended for the United States to join the war, the entry of Japan into the conflict opened a series of new fronts in Burma, Malaya, China, Borneo, the East Indies and New Guinea, as Japan expanded its Empire across the Pacific. Japanese bombing raids were launched on the Northern Territory of Australia, and India came under threat once Burma had been conquered.

As Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union began to slow to a halt, and the introduction of American troops had resulted in a final victory in North Africa, the allies began preparing for an invasion of Europe. Churchill suggested invading from the south, taking Italy first, and the invasion of Italy began on 9 June 1943. Soon after, the Fascist regime in Italy collapsed, allowing the allies to advance up the Italian mainland. When Northern Italy was then occupied by Germany, the campaign slowed to a halt, and the allies began planning an invasion of Western Europe, using Britain as a base to prepare. The D-Day landings began on June 6, 1944, with American, British and Canadian forces launching a massive invasion of France. By the time France had been liberated, the Soviets had pushed back the German forces and were fast approaching Berlin. Then, on May 8, 1945, German forces surrendered, ending the war in Europe.

Out of Government[]

In the 1945 general election, Churchill was voted out as Prime Minister, being succeeded by Clement Atlee. Under Atlee, the war officially ended, as Japan signed their unconditional surrender to Allied forces. Churchill remained as Leader of the Opposition until being elected again as Prime Minister in the 1951 election.

Churchill's Honours[]

It is customary that high-ranking and aristocratic British citizens will include in their names abbreviations indicating honours earned. Churchill's honours include:

  • KG: Most Noble Order of the Garter
  • OM: Order of Merit (Ordre du Mérite, France)
  • CH: Order of the Companions of Honour
  • TD: Territorial Decoration
  • PC: Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council
  • DL: Deputy Lieutenant
  • FRS: Fellowship of the Royal Society
  • RA: Member of the Royal Academy of Arts, earned for his accomplishments as a painter

Appearances[]

Season 1 Appearances
Wolferton Splash Hyde Park Corner Windsor Act of God Smoke and Mirrors
Gelignite Scientia Potentia Est Pride & Joy Assassins Gloriana
Season 2 Appearances
Misadventure A Company of Men Lisbon Beryl Marionettes
Vergangenheit Matrimonium Dear Mrs. Kennedy Paterfamilias Mystery Man
Season 3 Appearances
Olding Margaretology Aberfan Bubbikins Coup
Tywysog Cymru Moondust Dangling Man Imbroglio Cri de Coeur
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