Winston Churchill

Churchill's government supported the strategy of bombing urban areas to destroy German industry and morale. After Dresden, Churchill drafted a memorandum warning against attacks intended principally to terrorise cities.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Shared responsibility

The Bengal famine caused several million deaths. Indian requests for food imports long encountered wartime shipping priorities and restrictive decisions by the War Cabinet led by Churchill.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility

Fearing that the French fleet might fall into German hands after the armistice, Churchill supported Operation Catapult. At Mers el-Kébir, the Royal Navy opened fire after an ultimatum failed, killing approximately 1,300 French sailors.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility

Churchill campaigned vigorously against constitutional change in India and used humiliating language about Gandhi, notably the phrase "half-naked fakir".

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility

Churchill fought the Government of India Act 1935, opposing much of the Conservative establishment and contributing to a lasting political rupture with Indian nationalists.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility

During the General Strike, Churchill took charge of the British Gazette, which portrayed strikers as a constitutional threat while the state controlled access to paper and distribution facilities.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility

As Chancellor of the Exchequer, Churchill restored sterling to the gold standard at its pre-1914 parity. Keynes criticised the decision for overvaluing the currency and increasing pressure on wages, exports and employment.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility

In War Office memoranda, Churchill supported using gas against colonial adversaries and employed the now notoriously racist expression "uncivilised tribes".

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

Churchill approved the reinforcement of police forces with former servicemen and subsequently supported a policy of official reprisals during the Anglo-Irish War. The Black and Tans and Auxiliaries became synonymous with abuses against civilians.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility

Churchill pressed for material support for anti-Bolshevik armies and regarded the new Soviet regime as a threat to Europe.

State of the evidence

Documented

Churchill was the most energetic advocate of the Dardanelles naval offensive, which developed into the Gallipoli land campaign and caused very heavy casualties without achieving its objectives.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Shared responsibility

As Home Secretary, Churchill authorised the deployment of additional forces during the Rhondda mining dispute. He initially sought to keep soldiers in reserve but eventually approved their deployment, with the police acting as a buffer.

State of the evidence

Documented

Churchill personally attended the siege involving armed anarchists and authorised the use of soldiers. His conspicuous presence in a top hat was immediately ridiculed and criticised as unnecessary ministerial interference.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated