Churchill versus Hitler: War of Words

Adolf Hitler and Winston Churchill clashed for years in public as their opinions of each other and feuding helped determine the course of the Second World War. As diplomatic and military episodes unfolded – both men analysed, commentated upon, and taunted each other with Churchill continuing to do so for many years after Hitler’s death. Yet, until now, there has been no dedicated, detailed history of the men’s rivalry.

Based on three years of research in archives across Britain, Germany and the United States, Churchill versus Hitler: War of Words chronicles the Second World War, and much more, through the protagonists’ speeches, writings and private conversations, and includes revealing perspectives from other major figures including Goebbels, Roosevelt and Chamberlain. This fascinating book sets the battle for victory in the context of the momentous historical developments of the age and new light is shed upon various incidents in both men’s lives including their first encounters of each other, and their abortive meeting in 1932. What becomes clear is that the opinions of the two leaders were more complicated and changeable than is often assumed.

Table of Contents

Introduction
Sources
Oratory
Writing styles
Chapter 1 – Early Years (1874-1925)
Childhood and adolescence
First recognition?
Churchill’s views on Germany to 1924
Hitler’s views on the British Empire to 1924
Chapter 2 – First Impressions (1925-1933)
Reformation and development of the Nazi Party to 1930
Hitler’s Second Book
Churchill and Mussolini in the 1920’s
Reparations and the Young Plan referendum
Churchill and the “Ten-Year Rule”
Growth of the Nazi Party after 1929 and Churchill’s reaction
Hitler meets Churchill’s son, but refuses to meet Churchill, 1932
Churchill’s reaction to German rearmament before 1933
Churchill’s response to Hitler’s seizure of power (Machtergreifung)
Churchill’s British allies on German rearmament
Chapter 3 – Hitler Acts; Churchill Objects (1934-1936)
Hitler’s salami slicing
Churchill on Hitler’s Germany
Churchill’s private intelligence network
Hitler’s diplomatic overtures towards Britain to 1936
Chapter 4 – Into the Maelstrom (1937-1939)
Growing German hostility to Britain
Churchill’s public campaign against Hitler to February 1938
Great Contemporaries – “Hitler and his Choice”
Anschluss – the ‘rape’ of Austria
The turn of Czechoslovakia
German propaganda launches its counter-offensive against Churchill
Poland and war
Chapter 5 – “Winston is Back” (1939-1940)
Hitler’s offers of peace refused
Scandinavian diversions
The fall of France
“Britain at bay”
Singeing Hitler’s beard
The Battle of Britain
Invasion
The Blitz
Chapter 6 – Germany on Top (1941)
Invasion
The Battle of the Atlantic
Mutual intelligence
Setting the Balkans ablaze
The flight of Rudolf Hess
Churchill and Hitler’s invasion of Russia
North Africa
Naval and military prowess
Churchill, Hitler and the Japanese/American war
Chapter 7 – The Turning Point (1942)
Taunts
The Pacific War
Russia
North Africa
Carpet bombing
Submarine war
Hitler, Churchill and the Holocaust
Prospects for the future
Chapter 8 – The Turn of the Tide (1943)
The end of the War and after
The War in the Mediterranean
Bombing of Germany
Russia
Casablanca and Teheran
Japan
Chapter 9 – Churchill Triumphant (1944 – August 1945)
Churchill, Hitler and the liberation of Western Europe
Churchill tries to kill Hitler
Thunderbolts from the sky
Ramblings in the bunker
Peace feelers
Hitler on trial?
Hitler’s death
Hitler and the problems of reconstruction
Churchill visits Berlin, July 1945
Chapter 10 – Churchill Alone (July 1945 – 1965)
Hitler in Churchill’s war memoirs
The Cold War
Using Hitler to attack the Labour government
Churchill, Hitler and Germany’s place in Europe
British decline
Private conversation and anecdotes
Conclusion
Bibliography
Index

Articles

Hitler’s views on the British Empire to 1924

Author: Peter John

Published: September 7, 2012) | 978-1909125131 | Paperback: 360 pages | Print price: $19.99 / £12.99 | Also available on Kindle and iBooks

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Book Categories: Biography and History.