Key players of World War II

By Premasara Epasinghe

Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (1874-1965) British Statesman, Prime Minister (1940-1945) – (1951-1955), Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1882-1945) 32nd US President (1933-1945), and Joseph Stalin leader of the Soviet Union were great world leaders who played an important role in eradicating the Nazi German power of dictator Adolf Hitler who pursued an aggressive foreign policy of territorial expansion in East Europe.

Churchill

One of the greatest men of the 20th century, Sir Winston Churchill, was the architect who saved the European British civilisation. On the outbreak of World War 2, he once more became the first Lord of the admiralty. He, earlier spoke against the rising threat of Nazi Germany. In 1940, he replaced Neville Chamberlain, (British Prime Minister 1937-1945) as Prime Minister. He proved an inspiring war leader, resolute in his opposition to Fascism. Cultivating close relations with American President Roosevelt, Churchill was the key-player of the grand alliance of Britain.

Once attending an important conference at Yale, Roosevelt in his wheelchair came to meet Churchill.

Roosevelt said “Winston, I am sorry”.

One of the most lovable and witty statesmen Churchill smilingly replied, “Delano, Britain does not have anything to hide to United States of America.”

Churchill hated Hitler. “I hate nobody except Hitler and that is professional.”

Churchill was the principal architect of the grand alliance of Britain, the USA, and Soviet Union led by Joseph Stalin which eventually defeated the Axis Powers the term applied to Germany and Italy after they signed the Rome-Berlin Axis in October 1936. It included Japan. Other states that joined the Axis were Hungary and Romania (1940) and Bulgaria (1941).

In 1945, Churchill was succeeded by Labour Prime Minister Clement Atlee but Churchill was re-elected again in 1950. Churchill, reversed some of Labour Party's Nationalisations. He remained an MP until 1964.

After losing his seat Dundee, very wittily Churchill remarked, “I am without office, without a seat and without an appendix”. He was operated for appendicites.

Sir Winston Churchill was a brilliant English scholar and one of the best orators the world produced. His extensive writing include a “History of the World War 2” and “History of the English Speaking People (1956-1958). Churchill received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1953.

Once, George Bernard Shaw commented, “Churchill was a saint; sage; and clown; venerable, profound and irresistible.”

Roosevelt

Franklin Delano Roosevelt was the 32nd US President. He was a Democrat who served in the New York Senate as Assistant Secretary (1913-1920) of the Navy under Woodrow Wilson. He was the Vice-Presidential candidate in 1920. In the same year, he contested as the Vice-Presidential candidate. He lost the use of his legs due to polio. He was the Governor of New York (1928-1932) and won the candidacy for President. He was elected in 1932. He restored the economy which was clouded by the Great Depression.

Roosevelt created history in the USA. He was re-elected in 1936 for the second time and in 1940 for the third time and again in 1944 for the fourth occasion. It was a unique record indeed.

When the second world war broke out, Roosevelt gave a big support to Britain, as a neutral government. He died in office and was succeeded by Harry S. Truman 33rd US President. In 1944, he was Roosevelt's running mate. On December 7, 1941, Pearl Harbour was attacked. It killed about 2,400 people, destroyed 200 aircrafts and 18 ships. The attack provoked the United States’ entry into the World War II.

Adolf Hitler

The estimated number killed in the World War II exceeded 50 million. The great majority were civilians. Many were brutally massacred, murdered in Nazi concentration camps. Hitler was responsible in killing many Jews. He was the most feared Dictator ever lived in the world.

Adolf Hitler (1889-1945), German Fascist dictator (1933-1945), was born in Austria. He served in the German Army, during World War I. In 1921, Hitler became the leader of the small National Socialists Workers Party (NAZI Party) Hitler became the Chancellor in January 1933. He made himself a dictator of one party state and his Gestapo. With upto 50,000 members by 1945, the Gestapo ran the concentration camps. He pursued an aggressive foreign policy.

The invasion of Poland finally goaded Britain and France into declaring war on Germany in September 1939. Hitler played a vital role in determining the strategy during the World War II. In April 1945, with Germany in ruins, dictator Hitler committed suicide.

Joseph Stalin

Joseph Stalin was the leader of the Soviet Union (1924-1953). He supported Lenin, Russian Revolutionary and the Bolsheviks (led by Lenin, who seized power in Russian Revolution of 1917). He adopted the name Stalin (Man of steel), while editing Pravda – party newspaper.

In 1922, he became secretary of the Central Committee of the party . On Lenin's death, in 1924, he achieved supreme power through his control of the party organisation.

During World War 2, Stalin controlled the armed forces and negotiated skilfully with the allied leaders – Churchill and Roosevelt.