The Written Word
for December 10, 2000

Last Wednesday I spoke about the impact of the Japanese bombing Pearl Harbour on December 7, 1941 and spoke of this being a watershed event. So were the events that followed in the next few days thereafter.

Immediately after he heard the news, Churchill invited himself to the United States. He had one mission in mind and he accomplished it. He wanted Germany dealt with first.

Of course there was a lot of self interest in such a desire. While Japan threatened British possessions, only Germany threatened Britain herself. It must be remembered too that while Russia was fighting with enormous will and courage, her chances of survival without direct American aid were not good. If Russia fell, Britain would again be under threat of invasion and this time by a Germany that had no fears from the east.

(When latter day know-it-alls aver that Churchill should have made peace with Germany in June of 1940 so that Germany could proceed freely against the USSR they naively suppose that after whipping Russia that Germany would not again turn he attention on Britain.)

Churchill was not all that welcome in Washington, especially with men like Admiral Ernest King, the senior sailor in America, who wanted to go after Japan first. Men like King had the ear of the American people because, after all, it was not the Germans who killed all those boys in Pearl Harbour. But Churchill carried the day. He was invited to address a joint sitting of the House of Commons and after reminding them “that if my father had been American and my mother British, instead of the other way around, I might have got here on my own.” He charmed the politicians and he carried the day. He couldn’t have done so without Roosevelt but happily for Churchill the president agreed with his strategy.

This visit included Canada where Churchill addressed both Houses of Parliament recounting how the French generals in June 1940 said that in six weeks Britain’s neck would be would wring like a chicken. “Some chicken”, the great man roared. “Some neck”

While in the Parliament buildings Churchill had his photograph taken by the great Karsh. Karsh, just before pushing the button, reached over and snatched Churchill’s cigar from his hand. The resulting Churchill scowl that was caught on film became the most famous portrait of the war. If you are fortunate enough to visit this chamber, as I have, you will see the place where this picture was taken marked out for posterity.

But Churchill, always the Anglo American, managed in a few days 49 years ago to forge a partnership that was to play a huge part in defeating the awful might of Hitler and his Nazis.