Winston Churchill.
Today I had the chance to visit the Churchill Museum and Cabinet War Rooms in London for the second time since I’ve visited and London and once again I was blown away. The entire concept of the war rooms, similar to that of the Diefenbunker in Ottawa, is just astounding and what is even more astounding is that during the course of the bombing of London, the location that Churchill’s underground quarters were stationed was never once hit directly with a bomb. Furthermore, if it had had been directly hit and the bomb had been packed with more than 250 kilos of explosives - results could have been catastrophic.
However, the real reason I am writing this entry is not too awe at the structural integrity of the Churchill war time residence, as incredibly as it may be, but rather I thought I’d comment on my experience of learning a little more about Churchill today.
“We make a living by what we get, we make a life but what we give.”
This being one of the only many brilliant quotes of the man that I found myself indulged in today. I first must admit, I knew very little about Churchill and in fact the reason I went back to the museum for a second time was because the first time I hardly had any interest to indulge in the copious amounts of historical material. However, today was much different. I couldn’t get over the accomplishments that this man had achieved by the time he died in 1965: he fought in the Boer war and been captured by the Boers and had escaped, he commanded troops in 1915 during WW1, he was Britain’s Prime Minister for two second terms including for almost the entirety of WW2, he won the Nobel Prize for Literature on his memoirs of WW2 and other than several high ranking honours he was knighted. Humbling? I think so.
It must also be mentioned that I understood that Churchill was being portrayed in this way and that it was cut and clear that the objective of the museum was of no less then to glorify him. So I got back to my hotel and started doing some research and came across some interesting arguments. Most argued either Churchill was Britain’s saviour during WW2 and that without him Nazi Germany would have taken London and others argue Churchill was a tyrant who thought irrationally and acted without thinking.
I still haven’t formulated a strong opinion yet, but I’m leaning towards the pro-conservative view at this point. Hard to find too many faults in the man.
Nonetheless it’s an incredible museum. Also I went to the London Imperial War Museum today, but I was too tired to look at all the exhibits so I think I am going to go back, but shit for a free admission, what a wicked museum.
Cheers.
However, the real reason I am writing this entry is not too awe at the structural integrity of the Churchill war time residence, as incredibly as it may be, but rather I thought I’d comment on my experience of learning a little more about Churchill today.
“We make a living by what we get, we make a life but what we give.”
This being one of the only many brilliant quotes of the man that I found myself indulged in today. I first must admit, I knew very little about Churchill and in fact the reason I went back to the museum for a second time was because the first time I hardly had any interest to indulge in the copious amounts of historical material. However, today was much different. I couldn’t get over the accomplishments that this man had achieved by the time he died in 1965: he fought in the Boer war and been captured by the Boers and had escaped, he commanded troops in 1915 during WW1, he was Britain’s Prime Minister for two second terms including for almost the entirety of WW2, he won the Nobel Prize for Literature on his memoirs of WW2 and other than several high ranking honours he was knighted. Humbling? I think so.
It must also be mentioned that I understood that Churchill was being portrayed in this way and that it was cut and clear that the objective of the museum was of no less then to glorify him. So I got back to my hotel and started doing some research and came across some interesting arguments. Most argued either Churchill was Britain’s saviour during WW2 and that without him Nazi Germany would have taken London and others argue Churchill was a tyrant who thought irrationally and acted without thinking.
I still haven’t formulated a strong opinion yet, but I’m leaning towards the pro-conservative view at this point. Hard to find too many faults in the man.
Nonetheless it’s an incredible museum. Also I went to the London Imperial War Museum today, but I was too tired to look at all the exhibits so I think I am going to go back, but shit for a free admission, what a wicked museum.
Cheers.