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Chapter Overview
Chapter 1: AudiobookHub Recommendation
Chapter 2: From the outset, Churchill focused on one aim: securing crucial American assistance.
Chapter 3: A valiant citizen-led rescue gave Britain the morale surge it needed for the battles ahead.
Chapter 4: As England braced for invasion, air combat would determine the nation’s fate.
Chapter 5: As air battles raged overhead, Churchill persistently courted Roosevelt for crucial naval support until he finally succeeded.
Chapter 6: An accidental raid on London sparked the next phase of the air war.
Chapter 7: German bombing made life in London a terrifying ordeal.
Chapter 8: The fear of imminent invasion had waned, but the bombardment was harsher than ever.
Chapter 9: Roosevelt at last answered Churchill’s overtures — and not quite a moment too soon.
Chapter 10: As American involvement deepened, bad news kept on arriving from across the Channel.
Chapter 11: The Blitz’s worst bombing coincided with one of its most bizarre events ever.
Chapter 12: Hitler’s Operation Barbarossa ended the invasion threat and became a crucial turning point for the overall war.
Description
The Splendid and the Vile (2020) is a meticulously researched account of Winston Churchill’s first year of leadership. Beginning in 1940, he led the country through France’s surrender, the miraculous rescue at Dunkirk, and the Nazi air force’s bombing blitz of the UK, which killed over 44,000 Brits. Through it all, he retained his sense of humor and charming eccentricities that ensure him a fond place in our collective memory.
Who Should Listen
- World War II nerds
- People interested in eccentric histories
- Anyone curious about Winston Churchill’s legacy