Winston s. churchill: the challenge of war, 1914-1916 (winston s. churchill #3)

The third volume in the multi-volume biography of Winston S. Churchill begins with a study of Churchill's ebullient mood on the eve of war in 1914. It contrasts his initiatives and achievements as First Lord of the Admiralty with the recurring setbacks of the first four months of war, leading to increasing public criticism. The enthusiasm and forcefulness with which Churchill argued for an offensive naval policy, first against Germany, then against Turkey, impressed and influenced his colleagues. But as the war progressed the leading government ministers -- Asquith, Kitchener, Grey, and Lloyd George -- became skeptical of his arguments and were wearied by his fervor. By the end of 1915, Churchill's obsession with the Gallipoli campaign had seriously weakened his political credibility.