Churchill had been warning the British people and government for years that Hitler was not to be trusted. Yet you believe what you want to be true.
Chamberlain came home in 1938 after the famous Munich meeting with a piece of paper with "Herr Hitler's" signature on it that was supposed to guarantee that the German and British people would never again go to war with each other. Gullible little man. You can't make a deal with the devil and come out on top.
Churchill was really in no position in government to have his way with any foreign policy. Once Hitler invaded Poland, France and Germany had to keep their promise to defend the small, beleagured nation. Chamberlain resigned and Winston was chosen by the King and others to succeed him. It wasn't a real act of love as many in the Parliament opposed him but thankfully for Britain he was placed in charge. So not only did he have to fight Nazis he had to spar with his peers in government at the same time.
We visited his War Rooms. Surely you have seen WW2 movies set in that clostrophobic storage cellar with the pudgy little bull dog of a man barking out orders to his staff all the while puffing on a cigar.
Watch the movie Darkest Hour.
We were lucky to have a local tour guide with us who is also an actor and has played Churchill on stage. He had Churchill's shape and look and peppered our tour with quotes from the great man himself with his great imitation of his voice and mannerisms. Chilling.
The war rooms were never discovered by the Germans. Good thing because they were only 10 feet underground. Not secure from aerial bombing at all. They did reinforce it with additional concrete walls but a direct hit or even close would have taken out the men and women who were the brain trust of the whole operation in defending the island and conducting the offensive.
I gotta admit I was a bit disappointed with the map room. That was the real nerve center of it all. There were maps on the wall with pins marking different strategic operations. Very lo-tech and not the giant table with little wooden ships and planes being moved around (like in the movies). A row of telephones and an operator running the board. That's about it.
The Generals and secretaries pretty much lived in the bunker, They had tiny little bedrooms and chemical toilets. There was a kitchen and a small dining room. Churchill had his own bedroom of course but only spent a hand full of nights there.
I always feel when I visit these historically important sites that I should whisper like in a library. They deserve respect. The emotions and stress, personal stories and human sacrifices that went on there from 1940-1945 can not be measured.
On the way to the Imperial War Museum our Churchill guy pointed out many statues and monuments to British and American soldiers and statesmen. Do men like that exist now?
The War Museum had a new Holocaust exhibit and I spent most of my time there. You were not allowed to take pictures. Just as well. Of course it was depressing as hell. Learning our history is not all rainbows and bunnies but I feel it is important to make sure these stories are told.
Many of the guests are still adjusting to the jet lag thing so we went back to the hotel and I suppose many are taking naps. I have been here a few days so I am raring to go, On my way out to find somewhere for dinner and say goodbye to London. Tomorrow we pack up and drive a couple hours to Bletchley Park to check out the Enigma Machine. It's truly a WW2 nerd's paradise!
P.S.
Near the end of the war Churchill warned FDR and then Truman that although "Uncle Joe" Stalin was an ally in this war he would soon become an enemy. Right again!
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