A more unexpected ally had already been found in the form of the Soviet Union: an uncomfortable ally, certainly, but Churchill couldn’t afford to be choosy and realized the necessity of the relationship. When Hitler invaded Russia on 22 June 1941, Germany had unwittingly played into the hands of the Allies. Churchill seized on the advantage. And so the ‘grand alliance’ – of ‘The Big Three’ – was established. It was Churchill who kept the ‘big three’ together throughout the remaining years of the war and did most of the travelling to ensure they continued to talk, negotiate, and plan. He established the first of his ‘summit’ meetings – with Teheran, Yalta and Potsdam – and these have remained a feature of international diplomacy and foreign affairs ever since. Relations were often tense and uneasy and the ‘Big Three’ often argued over the direction the war should take – what tactics should be used, how various strategies should be implemented – and of course the three countries had very different interests and aims. But Churchill, at some cost to his health (he suffered at least one minor heart condition and a severe bout of pneumonia during the War; he was in his late sixties, after all), kept talking. It was one of his great skills, of course.

Back in August 1941, and the signature of the Atlantic Charter, Roosevelt hadn’t been ready or able to enter the war. But the situation changed dramatically on 7 December 1941. Churchill was at Chequers (the Prime Minister’s official country residence) with the American Ambassador and Averell Harriman when news of the Japanese attack on the American fleet at Pearl Harbor came on the radio. Churchill immediately called the President to confirm the news and then on 8 December, Britain declared war on Japan. The partial involvement of the US and the Pearl Harbor attack led Hitler to declare war on the US three days later. Did Churchill (and Roosevelt) know of the impending Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor? Find out .

Churchill knew that the fastest way to political advancement lay in active service – ‘the glittering gateway to distinction’. He bemoaned the fact that the world was growing so ‘sensible and pacific’. There weren’t any battles close to home – as yet – so he had to look further afield to find action. For the moment, though, there was action to be found on a far-distant island – Cuba – and, through his mother’s contacts, Churchill managed to wangle a commission as a war correspondent for the Off he went, spirits high, to see some action. In late 1895, he and a friend Reginald Barnes were given leave to travel to Cuba, to observe the military campaign by the Spanish government troops against Cuban guerrilla rebels. Churchill spent some of his twenty first birthday under fire when the column he was travelling with was attacked. Despite only being in Cuba for sixteen days, he was recommended for the Spanish Cross of the Order of Military Merit.

Contrary to popular opinion (an opinion encouraged by Churchill himself in his autobiography,), he was actually quite good at some subjects at school. He was particularly good at English and history, both subjects in which he showed considerable promise. This early promise was borne out when he became a war correspondent, sending dispatches back to London from far-flung parts of the Empire for newspapers. He was determined to get himself noticed and to get himself into politics – and, for an adventurous, reckless young man on a mission, this seemed as good a way as any. Between 1897 and 1900, with the help of his mother’s lobbying, he fought in three of Queen Victoria’s wars while doubling up as a war correspondent. He quickly turned all three experiences into books. His literary career was off to a flying start.

On his arrival in Durban in December 1899, Churchill was hailed a war hero. His new fame allowed him to override the objections of the War Office and he continued to assume the dual role of officer – with a local volunteer unit, the South African Light Horse – and war correspondent. For the next six months, he encountered fire, took part in the bloody and unsuccessful battle of Spion Kop in January 1900 and, as the war turned in Britain’s favour, was present at the relief of Ladysmith and the occupation of Pretoria. Returning to England in July 1900, Churchill was feted on the streets of Oldham. Having been defeated there in the by-election of 1899, he now prepared to contest the seat again as a celebrity. Now a well-known and celebrated figure, he won a seat in the next election and was elected to the House of Commons, for the Conservatives, in October 1900 just before his twenty-sixth birthday. Victory was followed by a speaking tour of the United Kingdom and North America. Although he was of course to return to the front lines of war in later life, his youthful career as a soldier was over.

A collection of Winston Churchill's most famous quotes from the World War II period accompanied by a host of images, audio, video and suggested further reading.

During the First World War, Emmeline Pankhurst’s Suffragette movement turned its efforts away from violent protests towards encouraging women to contribute to the war effort. The war offered greater opportunities for women to work, replacing men who had been sent to the front line; they became drivers, plumbers, postwomen, clerks and land workers, as well as workers in dangerous munitions factories producing weapons and shells. And in the Second World War, many women served in the uniformed services, too, contributing in a more active way to the war effort. It's often felt that women's roles in both wars were instrumental in securing the eventual political and social liberation many enjoy today.

World War II saw the rationing re-introduced to Britain and, as the war progressed, food shortages became even more severe. Shortages in this period saw creative inventions such as carrot jam and also lead to spam becoming an iconic wartime symbol.

Sonia Purnell, author of First Lady: The Life and Wars of Clementine Churchill, discusses the political influence and importance of Clementine Churchill and Eleanor Roosevelt in her lecture at the Winston...