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Foreword By Jack Kemp
Many figures throughout the long march of humanity have been deemed “great” but few have remained in the collective conscience of those who came after. In times of supreme crisis, great leaders counter pessimism and fear with hope and resolve. The quality and character of their leadership is key to the survival of their people. Such leaders transcend time and bend history to their will. Great Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy once posed an intriguing question: Do the times create the leader, or does the leader create the times? When considering the life and legacy of Sir Winston Churchill, the answer to both questions is yes.
Rarely has a man and a moment been so wonderfully wedded than in May 1940 when Winston Churchill became Prime Minister of Great Britain. His were the most dangerous of times in which the fate of the world hung in the balance. His uncertain days seemed to be waiting for a certain kind of leader, a leader with an unmatched spirit of courage and conviction. With unwavering assurance, he believed destiny had saved him for that moment in history. As history looks back, it is assured as well, for without his leadership, the fate of his nation and the world would have taken a markedly different course. As world events continue to unfold, it is evident the redoubtable Mr. Churchill is still the man of the moment.
The Spirit of Churchill is a stirring call to this present generation to reclaim the noble heritage of those who preserved our freedom. Author Deborah Brezina brings to life Winston Churchill. She challenges and inspires by the heroic example of a man who never gave up, who only considered victory in the face of defeat, and who had indomitable determination to stand alone for what he believed was right.
The Spirit of Churchill causes the reader to think about issues of integrity and character as it presents Winston Churchill as the consummate historical model of conviction and courage in the face of impossible odds. In entertaining narrative style, Debbie recounts the forces in his life that helped Winston Churchill become the bold and brilliant leader he was—truly one of the most pivotal figures of the 20th century. Her account of his life and times is inspirational, refreshing, dramatic, and moving.
The Spirit of Churchill literally takes the reader through the major events of the Second World War and presents a leader who left no room for compromise in the defense of liberty, a leader who understood he had to take a stand regardless of the consequences. Churchill never changed from being Churchill: consistency of character, consistency of aim, consistency of will. His stubborn quality of unchangeableness brought steadiness to an unsteady world. He could be reviled but not ignored, scorned but not silenced, even in the lonely times deemed his “wilderness years.”
The Spirit of Churchill illustrates the continuing relevance of the Anglo-American Alliance and special relationship between the leaders of the United States and Great Britain. It stresses a vital truth: what one believes matters. In 1940, it mattered to the whole world. In the 21st century, it still does. As the Free World stands fast in the global war against terrorism, we could do no better than to capture the man and his moment. This book does it.
John F. Kennedy once said of Winston Churchill that he marshaled the English language and sent it into battle. Thankfully, for those of us who have come after, he did. The history of the 20th century was, in great part, the narrator of his life. The history of the 21st century is, in great part, a measure of his legacy.
Winston Churchill carved a path of duty and honor in defense of freedom. His spirit won the heart of the British people. Their blood, toil, tears, and sweat won Britain its finest hour. He left the world a heritage of hope time cannot dim. Courage, conviction, optimism, devotion to family, duty to country, reliance on history, adherence to tradition, love of liberty, and romantic reverence for the crown and throne of England is the spirit of Churchill. But, his spirit does not—it cannot—belong to England alone, it belongs to freedom-loving people everywhere.
Jack Kemp
November 1, 2005
Washington, D.C
