In this three-part history series David Starkey uncovers the links between Britain's two greatest war leaders, both called Churchill: Winston, who defeated Hitler, and his ancestor John Churchill, who faced down Louis XIV of France. Starkey tells the story of the two greatest war leaders in British history, both of whom were called Churchill. Everyone knows Winston Churchill led Britain and her Allies in their struggle against Hitler; less well known is John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough, who led Britain and her Allies against an earlier would-be dictator of Europe, the Sun King Louis XIV of France.
In this second episode it's 1932, Churchill visits Germany to research his ancestor's biography but missed meeting Hitler. Historian Starkey argues that the so-called Wilderness Years of the 1930s were misnamed as the decade long account of the life of John Churchill enabled Winston to see a parallel between Hitler and Louis XIV,the seemingly unstoppable conqueror of the rest of Europe,whom John Churchill soundly defeated at the battle of Blenheim in 1704. As a consequence he received the dukedom of Marlborough and the residence of Blenheim Palace. In 1938,when the fourth and last volume of the biography was published,Neville Chamberlain made his futile trip to Munich,where he was betrayed by Hitler. Winston foresaw the German's treachery and,in two years' time,found his country anxious to return him as their leader.
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