How The Greatest Person of the 20th Century Overcame A Ghost
Despite feeling despair, Churchill prodded on, serving at the front for 13 months, until he was called back by Lloyd George, his former partner in the effort for House of Lords Reform, as Minister of Munitions. It was a godsend for Churchill. Churchill demonstrated that, if Gallipoli meant anything, it meant that he was a survivor. [6] Reinvigorated, Churchill proceeded on to serve as Minister of War and of the Colonies until the fall of Lloyd George's Government following the Chanak Crisis of 1922.
An immediate General Election occurred, and in the middle of it, Churchill had to have his appendix removed. Unable to campaign, he lost his seat. Again a major setback.
For the ensuing two years, Churchill was "without a Party, without a Seat, and without an Appendix." [7] Again another setback, again another recovery. By 1924, Churchill had gone back to his old Party, the Conservatives, won a safe seat at Epping, was elected again to Parliament in 1924, and immediately became Chancellor of the Exchequer - the same post his father once held.
He would remain Chancellor for 5 years, one of the longest stretches for anyone in that post during this century. He would lose office when Labour won the General Election of 1929, and immediately fell out of favor when he opposed the granting of autonomy to India. For much of the 1930s, he was in the wilderness. Again another major setback... but this time, it seemed permanent: 10 years.
But yet again, a setback, a recovery. This time, the recovery was caused by Adolf Hitler. When World War II began, Churchill was back at the Admiralty. Ten months later, after a Parliamentary Debate over the failure of the Norwegian campaign, Neville Chamberlain resigned as Prime Minister, and Churchill took his place. He had finally made it, and during the greatest crisis that Britain had ever faced. He felt that night as if he was "...walking with Destiny." By 1945, through his legendary leadership, Britain won the Second World War. At the same time, Britain held an election, and Churchill was booted out of office. Again a major setback.
Six years later, Churchill regained office again. Then in 1953, Stalin died, and Churchill went to work trying to end the Cold War. It was as if he was trying to prove, beyond a doubt, to the ghost of his dead father, that he was worthy. In the end, he
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