The Conquest of Hate and Fear

The Conquest of Hate and Fear

1988 6 June 8 The Conquest of Hate and Fear (230) Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965), Britain’s Prime Minister from 1940 to 1954, was one of that country’s most famous politicians. Historians have credited him with “leading Britain from near defeat to victory in World War II.” But Churchill was the leader for war, not for peace, and when the general elections were held at the end of the Second World War, the British public showed great political astuteness in not re-electing their war hero. They clearly deemed him unsuitable for the post-war reconstruction of the country.

Indians too had no great love for him, because for them, he was the leader who had announced that he had “not become His Majesty’s First Minister to preside over the liquidation of His Majesty’s Empire.” Nevertheless, Churchill did have certain unusual qualities, one of which – has been touched upon by Mrs. Vijay Lakshmi Pandit in her autobiography. Writing of the point in history when India stood on the brink of independence, she notes that “what was surprising was that when he finally met my brother (Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru) after the formation of the interim government, they liked each other and were able to talk freely. When they parted, Sir Winston paid Bhai a handsome tribute: ‘I want to say that you have conquered two of man’s greatest enemies – hate and fear.”

The compliment could, with equal justice, have been paid to Churchill himself.