Book contents
- The Cambridge Companion to Winston Churchill
- The Cambridge Companion to Winston Churchill
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Figures
- Contributors
- Foreword
- Acknowledgements
- Abbreviations
- Introduction
- 1 Churchill’s Contested History
- 2 The Inheritance of Winston Churchill
- 3 Learning Lessons
- 4 Churchill As a Writer and Orator
- 5 Churchill and Social Policy
- 6 Churchill, the ‘Irish Question’ and the Irish
- 7 Churchill’s First World War
- 8 Churchill, Art and Politics
- 9 Churchill’s Economics
- 10 Churchill, the Roosevelts and Empire
- 11 Churchill, India and Race
- 12 Churchill’s Campaign against Appeasement
- 13 Churchill As War Leader
- 14 Churchill, The English-Speaking Peoples and the ‘Special Relationship’
- 15 Churchill As International Statesman
- 16 Churchill and the Bombing Campaign
- 17 The Influence of Clementine Churchill
- 18 Churchill and the ‘United States of Europe’
- 19 Indian Summer or Conservative Winter?
- Conclusion
- Book part
- Index
- References
1 - Churchill’s Contested History
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 19 January 2023
- The Cambridge Companion to Winston Churchill
- The Cambridge Companion to Winston Churchill
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Figures
- Contributors
- Foreword
- Acknowledgements
- Abbreviations
- Introduction
- 1 Churchill’s Contested History
- 2 The Inheritance of Winston Churchill
- 3 Learning Lessons
- 4 Churchill As a Writer and Orator
- 5 Churchill and Social Policy
- 6 Churchill, the ‘Irish Question’ and the Irish
- 7 Churchill’s First World War
- 8 Churchill, Art and Politics
- 9 Churchill’s Economics
- 10 Churchill, the Roosevelts and Empire
- 11 Churchill, India and Race
- 12 Churchill’s Campaign against Appeasement
- 13 Churchill As War Leader
- 14 Churchill, The English-Speaking Peoples and the ‘Special Relationship’
- 15 Churchill As International Statesman
- 16 Churchill and the Bombing Campaign
- 17 The Influence of Clementine Churchill
- 18 Churchill and the ‘United States of Europe’
- 19 Indian Summer or Conservative Winter?
- Conclusion
- Book part
- Index
- References
Summary
This chapter looks at how and why Churchill has become such a divisive figure. It opens with a description of recent debates in the public discourse and on social media. It then briefly discuses Churchill’s reputation during his lifetime before recounting the role that he played in shaping his own legacy through his words, written and spoken, and through the creation of his archive and official biography. The authors then examine the long and complex historiography of Churchill, highlighting some of the most significant challenges to the dominant Churchillian narrative. Particular attention is paid to the more recent politicising of Churchill as a result of debates over Brexit, empire and race.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- The Cambridge Companion to Winston Churchill , pp. 11 - 27Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2023