Churchill maintains a stance that he wants the British to take the offensive against the Germans instead of constantly being on the defensive.įrance Surrenders. Upon taking office, Churchill jumps into action. His predecessor, Chamberlain, resigns because people believe he is too slow moving and they've lost faith in his ability to fight the Germans.Ĭhurchill re-energizes the British government. Churchill becomes Prime Minister during WII on May 10, 1940, as their French allies are nearly defeated. It covers a period of nightly German air raids known as the Blitz ("Blitzkrieg" is German for "lightning war").Ĭhurchhill becomes Prime Minister.
This book is almost exclusively centered around British involvement in WWII in a one-year period from (when Chruchill becomes Prime Minister) to (when the German Air Raids cease). (The Detailed Plot Summary is also available, below) to join in the fight and watching building collapse and people die around them. They waited helplessly as their military tried to hold off the Nazis, hoping for the U.S. As the book progresses, you can feel the tension ramp up and get a sense of what life was like in those days in Britain.ĭuring the Blitz, the English, and especially Londoners, spent a year under continuous assaults that disrupted their lives and killed thousands upon thousands. It draws you into the mindset of the people and the major players at that time.
Larson does a great job of providing an account that feels very immediate. WWII was a time that demanded leadership and courage, and Churchill had the difficult job of trying to lead Britain as it single-handedly fought Hitler while other countries cowered and accepted defeat. The Splendid and the Vile is about Churchill during WWII and how those formative years cemented his reputation as the leader we now remember.
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