Page 49 - All About History - Issue 33-15

Hero or Villain?
WINSTON CHURCHILL

Churchill and Roosevelt
meet aboard the USS Augusta

Churchill waves to crowds in Whitehall on the
day he broadcast to the nation that the war Leo Amery, Secretary of
with Germany had been won, 8 May 1945 State for India and Burma

Ironically for a man whose Although he had no objection to It is a fallacy to say that Churchill won the war
reputation rests on his resistance labour camps, Churchill’s favoured – no man could have – yet when Chamberlain
to the Nazi threat, Amery In 1943, approach was to sterilise rather urged a softly-softly approach, he spoke up loudly
commented in 1944 that Churchill than confine those who were about the Nazi threat, and when the country went
he “couldn’t help telling considered “feeble minded” to war, Churchill was the leader that the people
him that I didn’t see outlined plans to and had not been convicted of Great Britain could believe in and rally around.
much difference between establish the National of any crime. It was cheaper, He remains the hero of a nation, the man who
his outlook and Hitler’s, for a start, and he considered spoke stirringly of its “finest hour,” who said he
which annoyed him no Health Service, for the protection of the bloodline would “never yield to the apparently overwhelming
little.” Although Amery was “cradletograve” as paramount, but when the might of the enemy,” and who continues to serve
speaking of the famine, more care Mental Deficiency Act went as the symbol of wartime Britain. Yet like all
than three decades earlier, through Parliament in 1913, iconic figures, he is undoubtedly painted from
there were other elements of it advocated only confinement, shades of grey. Forged in the cultural melting pot
Churchill’s beliefs that would later with no quarter given to sterilisation. and politically charged fires of the British Empire,
be echoed by those of Hitler. Again, such a policy is abhorrent to our Churchill was a product of a bygone Victorian
An enthusiastic champion of eugenics, as early as 21st-century sensibilities, yet the Mental Deficiency age and his personality held up a mirror to his
1910 Churchill informed Herbert Asquith that “the Act was passed by the overwhelming majority formative years.
multiplication of the feeble-minded is a very terrible of MPs and remained on the statute books for Winston Churchill will likely forever enjoy a
danger to the race.” In 1911, he addressed the House more than 40 years. By the time the 1945 General reputation as a Great Briton and deservedly so. He
of Commons and announced plans to introduce Election rolled around, the war was over and the was indeed the man of the hour, but when that
compulsory labour camps for those judged as people of Britain were hungry for social reform. hour ended, shadows still remained.
“mental defectives,” while those considered as such Despite Churchill remaining personally popular
and convicted of a crime would be transported to with the public and retaining leadership of his Was Winston Churchill a hero or a villain?
labour colonies. It was a political hot topic, and in party, the Conservatives were voted out of power. Let us know what you think
1912, Churchill was once again publicly discussing Churchill returned to Downing Street in 1951,
eugenics at a major conference in London, in the but ill health blighted his final term, and in 1955, Facebook Twitter © Alamy
company of some illustrious colleagues. following a series of strokes, he resigned. /AllAboutHistory @AboutHistoryMag
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