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Jewish World Review
January 6, 2010
/ 20 Teves 5770
Ignore Churchill at our own risk
By
Tony Blankley
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http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
Over the Christmas holiday, I read a couple of books that, at least for
me, may provide some guidance in the upcoming tumultuous and probably
consequential year. The first book was "Munich, 1938" by David Faber
(grandson of former British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan), by far the
most authoritative book on that world-changing event.
Beyond the obvious policy point that appeasement is generally bad, the
value of the book is in its dissection of how the experienced leadership
class of the then-leading power the British Empire was able to
think, talk and deceive itself to a catastrophically bad policy
decision. The author reveals in minute example how domestic politics,
leaks and counter leaks to major newspapers shaped and misshaped
both vital foreign policy judgment and how the world construed and
misconstrued British strategic thinking.
The author also reveals in fresh details the well-known story of how
Winston Churchill, Duff Cooper and a handful of others in and out of
government dissented from the policy.
The other half of the story of "Munich, 1938" was events in Germany,
where, unlike in Britain, the problem was a war policy advocated by
Hitler that was opposed by most of the institutional leadership
(including many of the very top generals) and by the general public,
which feared another war. (As Hitler paraded his armored columns through
Berlin in preparation for entering Czechoslovakia, according to a
witness, "(T)he people of Berlin ducked into subways, refused to look
on, and the handful that did stood at the curb in utter silence. It was
the most striking demonstration against the war I've ever seen." Hitler
watched it from a window and, in furious contempt of the German people,
complained that "With such people I cannot wage war." Of course he did,
in part because of what the author points out was Hitler's "exceptional
insight into the tendency of men torn between conscience and
self-interest to welcome what made it easier to opt for the latter.")
The second book is a new short biography of Winston Churchill by the
prolific English writer Paul Johnson. It has the advantage of being
probably the last Churchill biography that will be written by an author
who personally knew the great man and is filled with personal tidbits
that bring further color to the well-known story of Churchill's life.
At a mere 166 pages, the book, among other things, encapsulates how to
dissent on the great policies of war and peace by a politician who is
both personally ambitious and honorable. It also brings to life how such
a man fights on in the face of overwhelming public opposition and elite
scorn. These are lessons we need to learn and practice here in America
in 2010.
The author identifies five Churchillian attributes that guided his
eventual success: 1) He aimed high, but never cadged or demeaned himself
to gain office or objectives, 2) there was no substitute for hard work
even though he was brilliant, 3) Churchill "never allowed mistakes,
disasters personal or national accidents, illnesses, unpopularity,
and criticism to get him down. His powers of recuperation, both in
physical illness and in psychological responses to abject failure, were
astounding," 4) Churchill wasted extraordinarily small amounts of energy
on hatred, recrimination, malice, revenge grudges, rumor mongering or
vendettas. Energy expended on hate was energy lost to productive
activity, and 5) he always had something other than politics to give joy
to his life.
My old boss Newt Gingrich used to say that he studied history as a practical guide
for a working politician and political activist. And it is with that in mind that I
offer the foregoing.
| BUY THE BOOKS … |
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at a discount
by clicking HERE.

And HERE.
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2010 is going to be a tough year. We are going to have huge struggles
over terrorism, war, shockingly large new deficits and public debt
policies, crushing tax proposals on energy, income, health care and many
other human activities. We have every right to dissent, and to do so
vigorously even on such matters as terrorism policy.
Contrary to White House and Democratic Party complaints in the last few
days, there is nothing partisan or improper about sharply criticizing
such administration policy. As a loyal conservative Republican, I
nonetheless wrote an entire book in 2005 criticizing Bush's
anti-terrorism policy and operations. As did many other conservative
Republicans dissent. At a much, much grander level, Winston Churchill in
the 1930s powerfully dissented from a policy of appeasement that
Britain's leaders at the time were convinced were vital to secure the
peace. Dissenting with honesty, ferocity and courage is one of
Churchill's lessons to us today.
And, whether fighting as an underdog in a political struggle or trying
to keep things together as a breadwinner in this second hard economic
winter, Churchill's last words in his last speech in Parliament as prime
minister in 1955 are sturdy guides to conduct: "Meanwhile, never flinch,
never weary, never despair."
Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in the media and Washington consider "must-reading". Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here.
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Tony Blankley is executive vice president of Edelman public relations in Washington. Comment by clicking here.
© 2010, Creators Syndicate
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