What were the outcomes of Churchill's Second World War diplomacy efforts?

Britain – Churchill and International Diplomacy, 1939-51

In this course, Professor N. Piers Ludlow (London School of Economics) explores Churchill in the context of international diplomacy from 1939-51. In the first lecture, we think about Churchill’s wartime diplomacy efforts. In the second lecture, we think about the role of allied wartime conferences within the context of Second World War diplomacy. In the third lecture, we think about Churchill’s views on post-war Germany. Next, we think about the outcomes of Churchill’s The Sinews of Peace speech. In the fifth and final lecture, we think about Churchill’s post-war views on Europe and on the British Empire.

What were the outcomes of Churchill's Second World War diplomacy efforts?

In this lecture, we think about Churchill’s wartime diplomacy, focusing in particular on: (i) Churchill’s view of Britain being a blend of certainty of its importance in the world, idealism, and ruthless pragmatism; (ii) Churchill’s confidence in Britain being born out of, at least in part, his 19th century birthdate and his links to aristocracy; (iii) Churchill’s proposition of an ‘indissoluble union’ between Britain and France in the wake of an advancing Nazi Germany in June 1940; (iv) Churchill’s regular meetings with Roosevelt to discuss supplies and strategy; (v) Churchill’s visit to the Soviet Union for the Moscow Conference in 1942, to meet with Stalin in person; (vi) Churchill’s enormous volume of letter exchanges with allied leaders, alongside his broadcasts and speeches; (vii) Churchill’s recognition of the importance of his speeches and broadcasts appealing to the United States public; (viii) one result of Churchill’s diplomacy being the functionality of the Grand Alliance; (ix) Stalin and Roosevelt’s recognition of the exhaustion and advancing weakness of Britain towards the end of the Second World War.