Winston+Churchill

__** Strength Personified: Winston Churchill **__ __** Early Life **__ Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill was born on November 30, 1874 in Woodstock, United Kingdom. His father named Lord Randolph Churchill acted as a Chancellor- dealing with matters of finance, while his mother Jennie Jerome was a homemaker. At a young age his family lived in Dublin, Ireland this where the groundwork of Churchill's education began. However, he was not the most academically inclined student, often rebelling as a result of not being around his parents very often. Throughout his youth Churchill was educated at various schools landing him at Harrow School in London by the time he was 14 years old. It was at this time Winston began to develop a love for the English language math and history. This didn't waver his hatred for school or bring him any closer to his parents but it offered a glimpse into his capabilities as a pupil.

__**Boer War**__ After the war between Britain and the Boer Republics had arose in October of 1899, Churchill received commission to serve in the war. Being in the line of battle was not new to Winston who had served in the three previous wars prior to this one. While in South Africa during his time in the Boer War he was imprisoned in a Prisoner of War Camp. He was able to escape from the prison camp and decided to rejoin the British Army instead of returning home. A deeper analysis of the Boer Wars is accessible on this [|website].

As a member of the Conservative Party, Churchill became a member of Parliament for a town in Manchester in 1900. Due to his strong support of progressive social policies he saw himself too awry from conservative policies and switched the Liberal Party in 1904. Churchill became President of the Board of Trade in 1908 under Prime Minister Asquith.
 * __ Political Beginnings __**

His tenure as President of the Board of Trade was marked by prison system reforms regarding overpopulation of jails, excessive sentencing and punitive fines. Churchill also introduced England's first minimum wage under the Trades Board Act of 1909. Furthermore, Churchill was able to set up labour exchanges for unemployed persons and unemployment insurance. These policies were important not just for Churchill as a politician but for England as an advanced society.

**__The Battle of Britain__** During the beginning of the Second World War Churchill began gathering political capital as he was appointed chairman of the Military Coordinating Committee. As a critique of Neville Chamberlain's policy of appeasement toward the Nazis, Churchill strongly resisted against Nazi dominance. On June 18, 1940 while addressing Parliament Churchill spoke about the "Battle of Britain". This vehement speech attracted adversarial alliances with the United States and the Soviet Union who saw Adolf Hitler and the Nazis as a common threat. media type="youtube" key="CKOuS0pmEEk" width="344" height="258"

During the Cold War period the West and the East were divided by chasm of ideological and geographical division. This war was one marked by capitalism against communism. The geographical divide was embodied through border defenses and the Berlin Wall. Churchill was an outspoken person on Cold War matters as he was at the forefront of this Post World War II conflict. In a speech in the United States at Westminister College Churchill remarked that this divide may be noted as the "Iron Curtain." More information on the Cold War can be accessed [|here]. The Second World War had seen various human rights violations that took place in Britain and throughout the world. It created a need for transnational advocacy with regards to. This was the precursor to the formation of the United Nations in 1948 which was heavily supported by Joseph Stalin, Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill. His reasons for supporting the formation of the UN were rooted in his belief of meritocracy, " What is it that all these wage earners... may be led to demand? Is it not a fair chance to make a home, to reap the benefits of the fruit of their toil,... That is what is meant to win for them." That best reflects the notion Churchill had being one of the front men of this historic intergovernmental organization that remains a pillar on the international forum.
 * __The Cold War__**
 * __ Churchill and The United Nations __**

__** Churchill's Death and Legacy **__ Towards the end of his life Churchill suffered from many stroke and on January 24, 1965 just nine days after his 90th birthday, Winston Churchill died of a sever stroke. His state funeral was the largest funeral in world history as of that time period. As for his legacy it remains solely in his contribution to the maintenance of Western democracy and human rights. Churchill is recognized in various statues, street names and buildings.

[[image:http://www.winstonchurchill.org/wp-content/uploads/2006/12/Churchill_funeral_002.jpg width="330" height="193" caption=" Churchill State Funeral"]]