Episode Description:
Churchill (Part 1) Over the years, many people have told me they like how I can help them make connections between people and events in history and our lives today. That is a goal for this episode, where we look at the life of Winston Churchill, especially his strong will, bravery, humor and amazing way with words. After the sudden fall of France in June 1940, until Hitler’s foolish invasion of the USSR one year later, tiny England basically stood alone against the Nazi onslaught. (The British Empire, though large, powerful, and helpful, was far away.) It is incredible to think that, to a great extent, it was Churchill’s powerful personality and oratory that kept the British Empire (and thus the cause of freedom) afloat in an Axis ocean. We have much to learn from Churchill, and we owe him a debt of gratitude.
Word of the Day: evacuation (noun) a large retreat or withdrawal from a place of danger to a place of safely.
The evacuation at Dunkirk in 1940 was a turning point in World War II.
Question of the Day: Do you think Churchill was a politician or a statesman? What is the difference?
Listen to Episode 16 below.
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Check your listening ability:
1. What lesson did Churchill take away when his father died when Churchill was young?
2. Which of the following is NOT a failure Churchill made in his life?
A. political elections
B. the Gallipoli Campaign
C. Invasion of Russia
D. school exams
3. What is another way to say “put a sock in it?”
A. shut up
B. stay warm
C. wipe that up
D. I’ll punch you!
4. Churchill recognized the danger of Hitler while the rest of the world was crying for ____________.
5. With what animal did the French president compare England, and why?
6. At 21:20, what does it mean that Göring felt slighted?
A. he didn’t see enough combat
B. he felt he wasn’t getting enough attention
C. he heard of assassination threats against himself
D. he was underweight
7. How were regular British citizens able to foil Göring’s plans for the air strike?
8. Humor was a defining attribute of Churchill. Share one story of how he was humorous in his life.
9. Where did Churchill coin the term “Iron Curtain?”
A. Fulton, Missouri
B. Topeka, Kansas
C. London, England
D. Berlin, Germany
10. Which of the following was Churchill NOT known for?
A. Humor
B. Bravery
C. Meekness
D. Collaboration
E. Communication
Answer Key:
1. There is no time to waste, he must make something of his life.
2. C. Invasion of Russia
3. A. shut up
4. appeasement
5. a chicken. France had just surrendered to Hitler and, being a fatalist, the French president assumed England “would be wrung like a chicken’s neck.”
6. B. he felt he wasn’t getting enough attention
7. British citizens ferried soldiers from France across the English channel under cover of heavy clouds, clouds which had caused the Germans to postpone their air strike.
8. When President Roosevelt found himself standing face-to-face with a naked Winston Churchill, Churchill said this showed he had nothing to hide from the American president.
A hateful Lady Aster told Churchill if she were his wife, she would poison his coffee. Churchill said if she were his wife, he would drink it.
Churchill was accused of drinking a lot. One woman said, “You are drunk, and what’s more, you are disgustingly drunk.” Churchill said, “You are ugly, and what’s more, you are disgustingly ugly. But tomorrow, I’ll be sober and you’ll still be ugly.”
A reporter asked Churchill is he was prepared to meet his Maker. Churchill said, “I am ready but whether my Maker is prepared to meet me is another matter.”
9. A. Fulton, Missouri
10. C. Meekness
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