Churchill’s Words: Relevance in Today’s Instability

The Gathering Storm: A Warning for Today

Winston Churchill’s The Gathering storm, the first volume of his six-volume history of World War II, is a book for our time. Published in 1948, it was written in the aftermath of his wartime leadership – a period spanning from May 10, 1940, until his party’s defeat in a post-VE Day election on July 26, 1945. That defeat afforded him the chance to complete this masterful work, aided by a partisan government recognizing the past value of his insights as the Cold War began.

while five volumes detail Churchill’s time as Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, the Gathering Storm meticulously examines the critical years from 1919 through the fall of France in 1940 and his subsequent ascent to leadership. He was 65 when he assumed power in a dire situation he had long predicted, 70 when voters ousted him, and 76 when he returned to office, serving until age 80.

Churchill authored 43 books across 72 volumes, but I contend that the Gathering Storm is his most crucial work, especially for readers in 2025. Though scholars may favor his “Marlborough” as his greatest literary achievement, I stand by my assessment.

A Prophet of Modern Warfare

In 1925, Churchill penned an essay, referenced in Chapter 3 of The Gathering Storm, questioning whether “a bomb no bigger than an orange” could unleash destructive power equivalent to “a thousand tons of cordite,” capable of obliterating a town. He also warned that “onyl the first chapter has been written in a terrible book” regarding poison gas and chemical warfare.

Churchill was not only a wartime leader but a prescient observer of warfare’s future, and his eloquence earned him the 1953 Nobel Prize for Literature. His unique vantage point – witnessing the rise of the Nazis from the parliamentary sidelines, coupled with his wartime leadership and literary talent – makes his work indispensable.

I urge all serious individuals to order and read The Gathering Storm. I’ve recently revisited it to discuss with Dr. Larry Arnn,president of Hillsdale College,a scholar of Churchill’s work. our conversations are available here (Part one) and here (Part Two). Dr. Arnn provides insightful commentary, but the book itself demands individual engagement.

Echoes of the Past

The Gathering Storm resonates profoundly today, reflecting a period of national exhaustion and a desire to avoid conflict, leading to a dangerous underestimation of future threats.

the United States, unlike post-WWII Britain, did not succumb to complacency, rebuilding the West and containing the Soviet Union. However, a “holiday from history” in the 1990s led to 9/11. President George W. Bush rebuilt the military and achieved victories in Afghanistan and Iraq, only to see those gains squandered by Presidents Obama and Biden. Now, the Democratic Party appears to embrace a form of pacifism masked by “wokeism.” Only President trump’s decisive action against Iran’s nuclear program prevented the acquisition of that “orange-sized bomb” Churchill warned about.

President Trump is now working to broker peace in Europe and restore our military. Despite this, much of the media seems to actively root for his failure, hoping to deny him a legacy as a peacemaker.

A Call to Action

If you doubt the urgency of his success and the need for continued Republican control of Congress, read The Gathering Storm and listen to Dr. Arnn’s analysis. The world is not becoming safer; it is becoming more dangerous. A Third world War would dwarf the scale of destruction seen in the first two, with no Marshall Plan to follow. the battlefields of Ukraine offer a grim preview.

Even if you dislike the president, I urge you to read this book. It may offer clarity. This is not a time for divisive policies or unfounded alarms about “fascism.” There are genuine totalitarian threats abroad, regardless of your political affiliation. Americans must recognize the emerging “Gathering Storm” and unite to prevent a repeat of the disastrous complacency that preceded World War II.