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William John Shepherd
The Churchill Project - Hillsdale College > William John Shepherd
The Whole of Churchill and Africa, Explored by C. Brad Faught
15
Apr
2024
By WILLIAM JOHN SHEPHERD
African leaders like Jomo Kenyatta and Nelson Mandela cited the Atlantic Charter as their inspiration. Ultimately, when accompanied by civil order and democratic institutions, Churchill accepted African independence. Charges of racism are now so perversive as to be a trope, far removed from historical contextualization and based on modern notions of morality. Finely written books like Faught’s go a long way to righting the balance and revealing the truth.
Robert Kershaw Looks at Dunkirk from the Other Side
07
Sep
2023
By WILLIAM J. SHEPHERD
Kershaw explains Hitler’s “halt” order and Germany’s focus on the still formidable and as yet undefeated French army. But his greatest accomplishment is to unpack established historical hindsight by depicting how letters, diaries, and reports of contemporary players reveal on-the-ground realities. This is particularly valuable through his use of overlooked or otherwise unknown German language sources.
Taylor Downing Adds a New Dimension to the Monumental Churchill Canon
30
May
2023
By WILLIAM J. SHEPHERD
Downing does a great job in presenting the story in a near-real time format. This enables the reader to have a better understanding of the impact of intertwining events. His extensive use of Mass-Observation, a compilation of surveys and observations on the concerns of Britons, is illuminating in light of the later hindsight that sometimes approaches dogma. It genuinely adds a new dimension to the monumental Churchill canon.
Cheers, Mr. Liddle: Building a Better Scottish Churchill
25
Apr
2023
By WILLIAM JOHN SHEPHERD
Andrew Liddle believes today’s Scotland ignores Churchill in part because the hero of 1940 eclipses the memory of his earlier Liberal phase. Also, Churchill is a victim of the constitutional debate that sees him as representing the union with England now resisted by some Scots. Yet Churchill supported Scottish devolution long before it became politically popular.
A New Account of Churchill Remaking the Mideast by Brad Faught
13
Mar
2023
By WILLIAM JOHN SHEPHERD
Brad Faught has given us an expertly researched and thoughtfully argued examination of one of the seminal diplomatic events of the 20th century. He explains why British officials like Curzon and Allenby opposed a Jewish homeland within the Mandate of Palestine. Allenby, aided by Lawrence, was the general who had conquered the Ottoman provinces in the First World War.
Alan Saltman Looks at Churchill’s Decision to Fight On—Again
09
Mar
2023
1
By William John Shepherd
Once Churchill became prime minister, ignominious vassalage à la Vichy France was never a serious possibility. But Saltman's psychological profile of why Churchill fought on omits a crucial dimension: Churchill’s belief in constitutional democracy. That didn’t come from his upbringing or the military, but from his wide reading of the classic philosophers, and broad understanding of representative government.
Benjamin Hett on Leadership during the “Gathering Storm”
22
Dec
2022
By William John Shepherd
This excellent commentary notes how Gallipoli, the great millstone of failure, was hung round Churchill’s neck, while the Norway campaign, first great failure of the Second World War, was blamed almost entirely upon Chamberlain. Churchill loyally defended the Prime Minister and, in a display of character, tried to take responsibility. But Chamberlain was wrongheaded and arrogant, while Churchill displayed wit and respect for democracy.
John Smithback Discovers Churchill’s Sins in Asia
02
Nov
2022
By WILLIAM JOHN SHEPHERD
Britain was truly overstretched trying to deter Far East attacks with inexperienced troops and second-rate weaponry. That was because all the best soldiers and materials were sorely needed in war against Germany and Italy. And they were spread throughout Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. Churchill was very well aware of this. Yet he sent the battleships Prince of Wales and Repulse to Singapore hoping to cow the Japanese. They would act, he said, as “a vague menace.” It is hard to consider such actions—however doomed—efforts to signal British weakness.
Gary Stiles Offers a Brilliant Catalogue of Mr. Punch’s Churchill
21
Oct
2022
By WILLIAM JOHN SHEPHERD
For an archivist and curator of books such as this writer, Stiles has crafted an exquisite work. It will delight both the connoisseur and the casual reader of Churchill or British history. A noted physician and collector of Churchilliana, Stiles offers an heirloom volume: every Churchill cartoon in Punch, Britain’s famed magazine of humor and satire. Over 600 drawings span nearly a century from 1899 to 1988.
Sara Reguer Focuses on Churchill Reorganizing the “Fertile Crescent”
17
Nov
2021
1
The Max Morris Churchill Quotations Selection Gets a C-Minus
22
Jun
2021
No major canard is too preposterous for this mini-biography by Hanson.
07
Jun
2021