Tuesday, January 24, 2012
THEN
Jan. 24, 1965, British leader Winston Churchill dies in his London, England, home after suffering a stroke that leaves him unconscious for 15 days. When he first take ill, crowds gather near his home to hold vigil, but few are left by the time he ultimately dies. Churchill is one of the key leaders of the Allied Forces responsible for defeating Nazi Germany and the Axis powers during World War II. After establishing himself as a battle-tested leader in the British Military, Churchill enters politics in 1900 as a Conservative member of Parliament. In 1906, he becomes a Liberal before returning to the Conservatives in 1924. Shortly after the beginning of World War II, Churchill becomes British prime minister in 1940. His unwavering determination to defeat the Axis powers along with his powerful and eloquent speech-writing skills allow Churchill to quickly galvanize British public support. As a diplomat, Churchill is key in forming an alliance with Franklin D. Roosevelt of the United States and other Allied leaders. Following the end of World War II with the defeat of Hitler and the Axis powers, the Labor Party wins the 1945 British election and Churchill is removed from office. Churchill returns as prime minster in 1951, but then steps down four years later due to health problems. He remains in Parliament until one year prior to his death.
NOW
Last week, it was announced that George Washington University in Washington, D.C. will be the site of the National Churchill Library and Center—the first U.S.-based research center devoted to Winston Churchill’s legacy. The center is slated to open between 2013 and 2015 and $8 million has already been pledged to the project. In a statement, president of George Washington University Steven Knapp said, “We’re going to be able to study the 20th century through the study of one of the towering figures of the 20th century, Winston Churchill.”
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