Winston S. Churchill (1874-1965) was an outstanding political leader of the 20th century. He was a first-rate politician, war hero, writer, orator, and historian. Elected as a British Conservative Party member of parliament in 1900, he later held key positions in the British government, including Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies, President of the Board of Trade, and Home Secretary.
He performed remarkably well in each role. During World War I, he served as the First Lord of the Admiralty, and during World War II, he was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, leading Britain through its darkest and most challenging times to ultimate victory.
World War II
At the beginning of World War II, the British army suffered continuous defeats on the battlefield. However, after redeployment and adjustments, they finally won a significant victory and captured many German soldiers; Prime Minister Churchill flew to the front lines to visit the troops.
The British forces harbored deep resentment towards the Germans. Upon Churchill’s arrival, someone suggested executing the German soldiers or sending them to the most arduous labor camps in the rear. Churchill did not immediately express his opinion, but shared a story during a meeting with senior officers.
Hitler organized a special task force of 16 men to assassinate Churchill. These 16 individuals successfully approached his residence according to plan. However, they saw a child fall into a river at that moment. Ignoring the captain’s warning, one member jumped into the river to save the struggling child. A crowd gathered on the riverbank, and when he emerged with the child, people noticed the Nazi emblem on his clothing, exposing their mission and causing the plan to fail. The captain ordered an immediate retreat, but guards captured the soldier who saved the child.
Assassinating a country’s leader could warrant immediate execution, but to uncover the truth, he was interrogated. The Nazi soldier remained stubbornly silent throughout, leading to his execution by firing squad. Anticipating a possible rescue attempt by Nazis, he was watched from a nearby two-story building. As the Nazi soldier awaited execution, a child suddenly jumped out, shouting: “He saved me; he’s a good man. You can’t kill him.” The leader, fixated on the shouting child, instructed his aides: “Do not execute him; send him to a prisoner of war camp.”
“Do you know who that was?” asked Churchill. He answered his question by saying it was him. He went on to say: “Have you ever considered that if those prisoners had fiercely resisted and refused to surrender on the battlefield the day before yesterday, many of you might have bid farewell to this world forever? When you fight, you fulfill the duty of war; when they lay down their arms, they meet the duty of kindness. If you punish prisoners of war most extremely, you are punishing kindness. I have always believed that a true soldier should possess a kind heart.”
Churchill continued: “When we look back at the mountains of history, we should not only focus on the towering peaks.” Perhaps Churchill’s concerns extended beyond victory, including basic human morality and maintaining kindness even during war.
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