Who was Winston Churchill? Even fifty years after his death,he is one of the most iconic figures in British history. As ayoung man he was a maverick journalist; his many positions in politicsbefore 1940 marked him as a courageous but foolhardy man.<br /><br />Yet it is Churchill&rsquo;s record in war, which has recently been questioned,that confirms his genius as a military commander andnational leader&mdash;someone who understood the dangers of NaziGermany before 1939 and someone uniquely capable to lead theempire through the turmoil of the Second World War. ChristopherCatherwood argues that it was Churchill&rsquo;s stand in 1940-41 thatsaved Britain and that only he was able to bring together the alliesthat eventually defeated Hitler in 1945. Catherwood has produceda challenging yet lively reassessment of the life and career of WinstonChurchill, lion of British history and flawed hero.