Often in history, people change their opinion about important historical figures. Statesmen despised by their people are often admired soon after their death or even right after they are deselected. People revered during their lifetime have become outcasts after historical facts turned up that proving they were failures or even felons. Winston Churchill, British Prime Minister from 1940 to 1945 and from 1951 to 1955, has experienced both during lifetime. Before Winston Churchill became British Prime Minister, some people called him a “brilliant abnegator.“ But his courageous fight against Hitler during World War II had a lasting effect on Churchill’s reputation, and in the years after the war he was almost transfigured. Incredibly much has been written about Churchill as a politician, statesman, strategist and historian, a man with indomitable zest for action, a brilliant mind and a hot temper. As a consequence from the personality cult of his time, he was declared the “Anti-Hitler.“ John Charmley, a Churchill biographer, writes that „Churchill stood for the British Empire, for British independence and for an “anti-socialist vision of Britain.“ Yet not every aspect of his long and eventful life is viewed positively today: Charmley also points out that all Churchill had contributed to the European idea was “hardly more than an impressive speech.“ Churchill’s order to bomb civil residential areas of German cities in WWII to demoralize the people and to take revenge on the Germans for air raids on Coventry and London is seen as critically as his involvement in decisions that led to the to the expulsion on 12.4 million people after WWII. Yet most people agree that Churchill’s unbendingness saved the lives of millions of people. Other biographers often emphasized his racist attitudes, although these were still common among Europeans until the late 1950s. Churchill was convinced of the White - not to say Anglo-Saxon - supremacy. Most interestingly, under his government Britain started becoming a multicultural society. The same goes for the principles of eugenics, which he was convinced of, but which were also widespread among contemporaries. However, he also talked about the Jews as „the most impressive and remarkable race that has ever appeared on earth,“ which contrasts him from ideological racists of his time as well as the fact that many biographers mention his magnanimity as his predominant character trait. [...]
Table of Contents
- I. "The Man Who Saved The World?" - How the British Think About Winston Churchill Today
- II. Introduction
- Churchill's reputation
- Why I wrote this paper
- Historical Facts about Churchill
- A short biography
- Prime Minister Churchill and his role in World War II
- The years after the war and his second term as Prime Minister
- III. How is Churchill depicted in British Media today?
- IV. Usability of different newspaper web sites
- V. The recent depiction of Churchill in British print media
- VI. What do you think about Churchill? - a sample questionnaire for a survey in Britain
- Explanation of the questionnaire and its different questions
- Possible results of a survey
Objectives and Key Themes
The objective of this research paper is to investigate the current perception of Winston Churchill in Britain. The paper explores how Churchill's legacy is portrayed in contemporary British media and seeks to gauge the extent of his continued admiration or criticism amongst the British public.
- Churchill's evolving reputation throughout history
- The portrayal of Churchill in contemporary British media
- Contrasting perspectives on Churchill's actions and policies
- The impact of World War II on Churchill's legacy
- Churchill's complex personality and multifaceted contributions
Chapter Summaries
I. "The Man Who Saved The World?" - How the British Think About Winston Churchill Today: This introductory chapter sets the stage for the research paper by posing the central question: how do the British view Winston Churchill today? It highlights the fluctuating nature of historical reputations, using Churchill as a prime example, and touches upon both the widespread admiration and the growing critical assessments of his actions and beliefs. The chapter establishes the context for the subsequent investigation into Churchill’s contemporary image in Britain.
II. Introduction: This chapter provides background information on Winston Churchill's life and career. It details his early political career, his rise to prominence as Prime Minister during World War II, and his subsequent second term. The chapter also introduces the complexities of Churchill's legacy, highlighting both his wartime leadership and controversies surrounding his policies and personal views. It concludes by stating the author's motivation for writing the paper: to explore the modern British perception of this complex historical figure.
III. How is Churchill Depicted in British Media Today?: This chapter examines how British media outlets currently portray Winston Churchill. It analyzes the range of perspectives found in various newspapers and online publications, noting both positive and negative portrayals. The chapter explores how Churchill is sometimes compared to contemporary politicians, used in anecdotes, and critically assessed for his past actions and beliefs. It also discusses accessibility challenges in obtaining relevant articles from different online news sources.
Keywords
Winston Churchill, British history, World War II, British media, public opinion, legacy, reputation, political leadership, controversies, contemporary perception.
Frequently Asked Questions: "The Man Who Saved The World?" - How the British Think About Winston Churchill Today
What is the main objective of this research paper?
The main objective is to investigate the current perception of Winston Churchill in Britain. It explores how his legacy is portrayed in contemporary British media and seeks to gauge the extent of his continued admiration or criticism among the British public.
What are the key themes explored in the paper?
Key themes include Churchill's evolving reputation throughout history; his portrayal in contemporary British media; contrasting perspectives on his actions and policies; the impact of World War II on his legacy; and his complex personality and multifaceted contributions.
What topics are covered in each chapter?
Chapter I sets the stage by examining how Britons view Churchill today, highlighting the fluctuating nature of historical reputations. Chapter II provides background information on Churchill's life and career, including his wartime leadership and controversies. Chapter III analyzes how British media outlets currently portray Churchill, noting both positive and negative portrayals and discussing accessibility challenges of online sources. Chapter VI details a proposed questionnaire for a survey in Britain to gauge public opinion on Churchill, including an explanation of the questions and possible results.
What kind of media sources are analyzed in the paper?
The paper analyzes the portrayal of Winston Churchill in contemporary British print and online media, examining various newspapers and online publications.
What is the proposed method for gathering public opinion on Churchill?
A sample questionnaire for a survey in Britain is proposed to gauge public opinion. The chapter explains the questionnaire's questions and discusses possible survey results.
What are the keywords associated with this research?
Keywords include Winston Churchill, British history, World War II, British media, public opinion, legacy, reputation, political leadership, controversies, and contemporary perception.
What is the overall scope of the research?
The research comprehensively investigates Churchill's current image in Britain, combining historical context with an analysis of contemporary media portrayals and a proposed method for gathering public opinion.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Bernd Blasius (Autor:in), 2003, "The Man Who Saved the World"? - How the British Think About Winston Churchill Today, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/58293
