Transcript
Introduction
Churchill lost something in 1915 that he never regained. At 40 years old, youth begins to slip away for most people. But what Winston lost was not merely a matter of looks or energy. It was a spirit that had once seemed so vital and inexhaustible, a lively spark that had served him well from crisis to crisis but it flickered and went out in 1915 and Churchill was never the same.
He persevered in politics until his moment in the sun came 25 years later in 1940. But by that time, he was a harder, much less exuberant character. He had learned the tough lessons of a long life lived at a high level, that even the best plans go awry, that even the best friends prove unreliable, and that even the best intentions may be misunderstood. It was better for the world that he had known failure and suffered moments of self-doubt.