The Churchill Series - Nov. 16, 2005

(One of a series of daily posts about Winston S. Churchill.)

It was 1932, and the Great Depression was hard upon Europe and the world. With few exceptions, the continent's leaders thought the depression the gravest threat Europe faced.

But Churchill saw two other threats at least as grave: Bolshevism and Nazism. He despised both.

When Hitler obtained 40% of the vote in Germany's May '32 presidential election Churchill, almost alone among Europe's leaders, realized Nazism had now become the most immediate and gravest threat facing Britain and the civilized Europe he loved.

On May 13, three days after the German election, Churchill sat in Commons listening to Foreign Secretary Sir John Simon who, Martin Gilbert says:

urged upon the House of Commons the need for further rapid and comprehensive disarmament (to bring about parity between Germany and France's armies). Only by reducing the level of arms, Simon argued, could he dangers of a future war be averted."
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Simon's appeal for disarmament was widely and enthusiastically supported.

And Churchill?

Gilbert goes on to tell us Churchill immediately stood and warned Commons:

"I should very much regret to see any approximation in military strength between Germany and France. Those who speak of that as though it were right, or even a question of fair dealing, altogether underrate the gravity of the European situation.

I would say to those who would like to see Germany and France on an equal footing in armaments: "Do you wish for war?"

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Martin Gilbert, Churchill: A Life. (p. 506)