one of the books you heard congressman jordan seems reading is troublesome young men. she writes often about world war ii history particularly about england. we want to show you her book troublesome young men. >> i am a resident scholar here at the american enterprise institute. our president wasn't with us this evening so since i am the resident and i even have the tie, i was appointed to do the honors this evening of introducing the speaker and the first lecture in what turns out to be the 19th season of lectures here at aei the topic is entitled not playing the game how winston churchill came to power. i will set the scene this way the story of the statecraft that the minister is very well-known

and has won a one famous scholar put it, the contrast between the indomitable and magnanimous statesman is in its clear simplicity one of the greatest blessings men can learn at any time. equally well-known is the appeasers. british foreign policy between 1939, excuse me, but in 1939 it's one of the wonders of the world george orwell wrote. why would it have been coming he went on to say. what was it that at every decisive moments made every british statesman do the wrong thing. he was no fan of this party but churchill was able to grasp it isn't one without fighting. there is an important back story in this chapter of the momentous history of that time that has receded from view in the

frequent retelling but for the critical mass of the party insurgents, churchill would never have become the prime minister. the strengths and weaknesses of the group and the broad lessons about the political life driving the story are the subjects of the new book troublesome young men to rebels who brought churchill to power and helped save england. the former white house correspondent at the "baltimore sun" and before that served as a correspondent for the associated press and had written for the american heritage, "los angeles times" magazine, washington journalism review and others. she's the author and co-author of the books. please join me in giving a warm welcome. [applause]

thanks very much, steve. i am honored and delighted to be invited to kick off a bradley lecture series here at aei and i don't think ottawa and the rest of the staff i've worked with. i am truly delighted to be here. this is the story of a small group of politicians who on a beautiful spring day in 1940 set out to do the unthinkable. they banded together to oust the leader of the country's government. it's important to realize this they knew they were risking political suicide and almost

nobody expected them to succeed, but they did. and by standing up for what they believe, they helped change the course of history. the target was of the first british prime minister never will chamberlain and they were members of parliament were strong opponents of the appeasement policies. it's important before i get into this further thanks to these troublesome young men the house of commons launched the most crucial debate in its history. britain was on the brink of disaster. the british had been at war ever since hitler invaded poland in september 1939. defending poland was supposedly the reason britain and france

declared war in the first place. but neither of them have done anything to help save and the british people were asking was there any other reason for continuing the so-called four and if there was the government never said what it was. it refused to declare and seemed to prefer a token conflict one that was waged as cheaply as possible. the british army was ill-equipped and very badly organized. able-bodied men were still working with chauffeurs and doorman at the private clubs and luxury hotels. the production was proceeding at a snails pace. according to one of the rebels might write about, it was a war

without arms but how hard. if they had no interest or attention in fighting a real war. they have imposed an economic blockade on germany and seemed to think that would be enough to bring hitler to his knees. he on the other hand, hitler used those eight months to prepare for an all-out war. his forces had ripped through poland and then in april 1940 had invaded denmark and routed the british army and the navy in norway. throughout the spring, which was one of the most beautiful in the history of england, virtually every book you read about in the period that talks about how gorgeous the weather was, hitler was getting ready to launch western europe. it would aim straight at the english channel. the story rebels i mentioned in

the book had have spoken out repeatedly against chamberlain's failure to wage the war just as they had approached germany and italy before the war was declared. the struggle really began in february, 1938 after anthony resigned as the foreign secretary and protested the conciliation of mussolini. the fight ended in early may of 1940 when they engineered the crucial debate to discuss the disaster of norway. when it began the odds of succeeding were regarded. nobody thought it was more than an outside chance of dislodging chamberlain. yet three days later neville chamberlain was gone and winston churchill was premised her.

and on that very day, hitler did launch in europe. this book is the story of how all of that came to be and how winston churchill and that's where he did. i would like to talk a little bit about how i got the idea for the book. it grew out of research that my husband who is sitting over there and i did on two previous books both of them touching on england in the spring and summer of 1940. that's when he took power and when fans and the rest of your file and germany launched the battle of britain. that story is without question i don't think anybody would disagree. as we researched that the period

it seemed to me behind the scenes story of how churchill came to power involved the tory rebels defying the party and the prime minister was in its way just as significant and fascinating as the story of churchill himself. because if it hadn't been for them and further parliamentary colleagues that joined them in against the norway debate, churchill probably would never have come to power and britain might well have negotiated for peace with hitler or gone down to the sea. so why has the story been overlooked as i think it has? i think the main reason is that in the past 60 odd years, churchill has become such a monumental historical figure that he has literally swept everyone off the stage.

a lot of people now believe that he stood virtually alone in the appeasement before the war and his rise to power was inevitable. ideas which churchill kind of attributed to himself and his memoir of world war ii, but neither despite all the writing, neither of those assumptions is true. there is no question churchill was the most eloquent and outspoken critic of chamberlain's policy before the war began. but there were these others that i've been talking about, about 20 to 30 of them who'd been fighting appeasement as well. some of them as long as churchill. and in terms of getting rid of chamberlain, churchill had no role at all in bringing him down, trying to bring him down. when the war began, chamberlain

brought them into the war cabinet and churchill stood loyal to the feminist or publicly throughout the war even though privately he urged chamberlain and the rest of the government to wage the war which the government wasn't doing. churchill made it very clear that he would do nothing to get rid of chamberlain. in fact he spoke against them in that debate and support of chamberlain. it's really fascinating if any of you have read the transcript of the debate. most of these rebels wanted to make him prime minister but he wasn't having anything to do with it. he made it very clear that it would have to be there doing, not his. ounce as for the idea that chamberlain was easy to get rid

of and churchill's power was inevitable, it's important to realize that chamberlain was a very powerful prime minister, was a huge conservative majority in the house of commons until just shortly before he resigned most people thought he was untouchable. there's this idea that chamberlain was weak because of his reluctance to stand up to hitler and mussolini and that was one of the most interesting things i researched and doing the book. he wasn't weak at home. he was atrocious and attacking anyone who opposed or even criticized him. he tried to shut down public debate by intimidating the press and by claiming anyone who dared criticize the government was guilty of disloyalty and damaging the national interest in a time of war. he and his men passed the phone

to the tory rebels. he was involved in these dirty tricks long before richard nixon and watergate. he spied on them to give you an example, the number of the rebels used to meet at the townhouse of one of the rebels just very near parliament. that house was kept under constant surveillance by chamberlain's operatives but often stood watch on the street corners nearby. the print industry and the tory whip offered everything in their power to ruin the rebels politically. ..

>> >> size scenic thy friends and

acquaintances. tuesday i would like to crush his head. in the head of the judiciary? so they should be shot or hanged but it wasn't anything like a rhetoric. so there was between 20 or 30 that i write about but i focus we have written two books together and if they

get will give you a flavor and to be involved but the first one is ronald cortland he was the youngest and the most fearless and is one of the top stories in the house of all the younger men that i knew you were also sure he had a great part to play very politically ambitious when he was four years old

he would scribble on sheets of paper and command his sister and his nanny listen to him. [laughter] en e he remained ambitious. when he was 12 he moved to london and on the first mate they ticket to see the sights of kensington and barbara was about 18 at the time or younger asked him what he wanted to do he said i will become prime minister. and he never went back on that ambition but at the same time he never backed

away no matter the consequences. it was clear it was about to break out, no question heller was demanding poor linda give him the polish corridor. but he was going on the annual two month summer break many people were appalled by that but that he had turned parliament in to that legislature and told

his friends the house of commons was nothing more than a marionette show. during this particular debate in august in fact, it was the most heated debate they called him a dictator to his face which was extraordinary. also young englishmen and americans self if they were going to fight they were going to die by members of his own party for the opposition that he committed the greatest of all heresies

to affront the sacred name of two berlin himself. he personally did his best and wrote this to his sister that the constituency and the political machine was very strong gets elected you can understand his displeasure. he has always been a disloyal member of the team remains lose them as a result we would rather do that than have a trader in the camp. however dirty was not around with that norway debate and when the germans invaded the low country he and his

regiment were part of the of british forces tried to stop the advance and he wrote to his mother but winston with our hope may still save civilization a few weeks later he lives killed at 33 years old so it turned out to be true personally and so you heard of one maybe not the other they entered parliament the same year as very young men and very different men one was shy and repressed a senior partner in the up publishing

firm but the other on the of their hand was very handsome and attracted to women. he also had ambitions of being prime minister everybody really thought he was on his way up there were very, very close friends and colleagues they worked closely together to bring economic reform to britain and were considered socialist. when he fell in love with with macmillan's wife dorothy that affair was

lifelong in this was the few years after was prime minister. he was devastated by the affair. but to break tradition he continued to align himself and they did work very closely together and a circle around each other but with push came to shove they worked very closely together. the last of the four probably is not that well-known but it shows that of churchill as a journalist

and held several cabinet positions he had known churchilchurchil l's since they were schoolboys and they met with the 14 year-old winston push him into the swimming pool. that incident set the tone for that testy relationship that they had for the rest of their lives they were rivals they did not get along very well with each other his diary is filled with references and as a good friend of neville chamberlain but avery was

responsible for bringing churchill to power in joined the anti-peas in a rubbles in 1937 half jewish himself it was very much a secret until after he died. a year-and-a-half later speaking now very strongly as what he saw. but unlike the more radical rivals he was ready to bring chamberlain down. he said no he had not lost faith of the prime minister but chamberlain made very clear but at that point

avery took over leadership of the rebels at the same time churchill would be the senior critic of the government and he did not criticize. he was determined chamberlain not be allowed to run roughshod over parliament with the government's failure to gear up for war on the military and economic front. but his greatest contribution that he had the reputation to have a boring speaker to be in the house of commons there was a saying he was also very short he was 5-foot 4 inches.

there was a saying in that house of commons may be half an hour shorter here we would have become prime minister during the debate a savage attack that would help to lead to the downfall he knew this be to his life before he gave it but the morning of the speech with oliver cromwell that would just like to read a couple of paragraphs because he is is that quotation this was a day to day debate and on the first day recognized by the

speaker of the house he should have been one of the first to be recognized as a former cabinet member wishes death then open almost immediately but so quickly he realized that meant everybody would be out of the chamber eating and when he finally got up then he thought there is hardly anybody in their. but one of the other rebels said i will go out and round up so he spoke 20 minutes.

>> caller: got into the heart of the speech every his voice grew quieter as he looked around the chamber. those who can match our enemies in fighting spirits that may not be easy only by trial said ruthless the discarding for we're fighting to dave for life and liberty and paz said chamber was hushed from equitation he had jotted down the morning benghazi study the faces of his colleagues he knew he could

take those comments along with him. because i am speaking of those that our old friends and associates they are words that our applicable to the present situation this is what cromwell said to the parliament but with his foyers hardening he fixed his gaze from the front bench it is pretty good you have been doing so in the name of god. so as you can imagine in daddy electrified the house with that speech and members were very affected many of

those did not openly oppose him said he should resign because they say in the book the most important debate was the of oratory of avery but not churchill that had a lasting impact there is a set a post script that has such a great love for his country city is the greatest petri he had seen he had a son wanted to people paying to for treason and while his father served in his cabinet john was living in berlin trying to persuade british prisoners of war to fight for the germans.

he was constantly getting in trouble than the germans founded -- founded a persuaded him to come and then in december of that year he was hanged in his father tried to get the sentence commuted. so there you have a very brief look at the men at the center of my story of a blake to make clear that those men with the possible exception are not heroes as you will see they were very timid and cautious as well as an appeal to loyalty in

to be branded as a pariah the when the future home in the balance they took all of those considerations aside to show moral political courage and leadership when it mattered most there are a number of historians that argue parliamentary spontaneous combustion but in my opinion that is untrue these men and others like him that brought churchill to power in summer 1939 frankfurter who was in

london at the time said the 30 resolute men did your house of commons could save the world they said he was absolutely right and that is exactly what they did. another of the rebels that was forgotten wrote politics is the art of the up possible to all the prevail through the energy of resolute men that succeeded to make the impossible possible. they did and for that britain and the rest of the world is forever in their debt. [applause]

>> now we are free to take questions and comments please wait for the of microphone. could you say some words about the ability even the? he was the obvious alternative but did not be merged to what the devil was working -- looking for. >> am glad you brought that up. idg could have been prime minister but he did at that time when he resigned as probably the most popular politician in the country.

he was in 1938 what kennedy was to the united states in the '60s. he was young, glamorous, a good-looking war hero who won the of military cross is in world war i and one political fame very early before he was 35. and regarded as the natural leader and he re-signed 1938 over chamber -- of chamberlain did not if hitler but mussolini. they thought he would stand up to oppose chamberlain and many people were ready to follow him because by that

time with the foreign policy but he did not take that opportunity he gave a very convoluted speech and the air went out of the bubble. but he never wanted to fight for his ambition. it is my belief he really wanted it to be handed to him to say you could be prime minister but did not want to fight for it. he was still considered a likely person to succeed chamberlain if there was a rebellion before a 1940 but

he lost that standing once war began and then was brought back to the cabinet was not even in the war cabinet. if you follow the career of the of the knee even though he himself was determined and he continued to be a leader of the party and those that said churchill was too old but he did would not have anything to do with that. saw that was only after churchill agreed to step down in 1955 and then was 21

months and tell suez. so the decision not to fight really hurt him. because most of the men early on considered him their leader in there really wasn't before the war began and a little later they realized he did could not pick up the baton that they all wanted.

>> i have the microphone. but the mechanics of british politics how was pressure herb brought to bear? it is like taking it, in campaign contributions was that period a legislative caucus? >> for the of party stooge aside the leader generally they become the prime minister. >> so though whole party selects the leader they had

very little power or influence at the time but none of them were really regarded terribly high the. but had the support of the tory party, that was one of their problems, they did not have the elementary support at the time there were very suspicious of the labor party and they were suspicious do collaborate with them. >> basically the tory party

withdrew support there wasn't an election scheduled that day would schedule the election because of that would have been the support would be gone virtually every tory rebel who spoke out they were threatened with the party to be withdrawn from them. and had them the mikulka but it was made very clear if they continued with they were doing then the next election came around they

will most assuredly lose their seat but in fact, one of the most outspoken and rebels had to be a woman who was not really a part of this group but in fact, she resigned as support was withdrawn and she babesia -- resigned and ran in a special election. they did everything they could with that election with all of the cabinet members with the voters in her constituency allegedly from stall and saying congratulations.

[laughter] it was a very rural constituency and they would get things in their envelope to say if they did not vote for the duchess' it was a nasty dirty campaign but not by much considering by 1800 votes but she never returned after that. >> first of all, your talking say wonderful counterpoint rather than the decisions of the individuals but i recall reading

revisionist history of neville chamberlain that presents the theory that he did not believe in peace and our time he was thinking britain needs time and that is what he had in mind. so what do you think of that theory? how was he presented himself at that time?. >>. >> he was the first speaker in the debate and plays a very important role in the debates because when the labor party said they would force a vote as the vote of confidence.

that he was serious and said he basically said have your vote i have friends in this house they're trying to make sure everything is okay. but he used the word friends and had done this over and over again and made his personal. who were his friends and who were not? so basically you better be very careful but that backfired. there was great any easing in the house and that helped

to bring him down. >> there are a number of historians to write that. but the series balls down that guess who was chancellor through the early 30's when they were not preparing enough? it was not what it should have been but neville chamberlain along said we cannot afford that as those service chiefs wanted. coming out of a sad depression but he was really afraid that the economy

would just fall so that is one issue. second having not gone to war in munich that was the time as if you were going to war and did not do that. avery was with him up to that point if he would have done what he said he was going to do but he did not do that until the day he left. but it wasn't nearly as much as there should have been for what happened to the british army and the british air force that resulted in dunkirk.

>> in addition there was another major decision that had to be made with halifax and churchill so initially he was favored to be selected so how does that decision come to be made?. >> that is true having this vote by the way i should be clear that it was a vote in favor of a carrot -- chamberlain but the margin of victory was so small he knew he had to redo the government or resign.

said a majority of people would have preferred halifax search of the most of the tories would have. and most of the labor leaders wanted halifax churchill was not a popular with labor and infuriated them time after time. so with this group of tory rebels and from the time the debate was over when chamberlain finally resigned their work today's that they really campaigned for churchill very hard to get

the same time halifax wanted to be prime minister he would have. he had that meeting with chamberlain and churchill in which he said there are a number of reasons that he gave but one reason he know really churchill would be running the war he didn't want any part of that. and i don't they get played a major role but at this a meeting he was told in fact, the mood in the house of commons was changing toward churchill. but inveigle the low country

of france through everything off. the old ideas of who should be prime minister and the idea of hitler invaded helped churchill as well. >> those of us who have been speechwriters like to think of the idea of rhetoric and reality you -- reality and later churchill played an eager misrule so could you comment? was that part of the english public opinion

or was that isolationist?. >> i feel public opinion swung around that chamberlain had to go so to cite those polls that said the house of commons was very far apart in the british people were ready to fight they did not know what would happen there is a great mood of dissatisfaction and suspense that many people think this period when nothing happens but there is a lot going on and turmoil and i think public opinion really had turned against chamberlain

but nobody thought anything would have been but that was of reason why the rhetoric summer they demanded that every member of parliament had to return to london for the debate and that held true with the tories between 20 and 30 where it uniform fighting france to return to they fought in france and norway said they knew exactly what was going on so they were inclined to vote

so i think in that regard really did have an impact. >> hq shows those rebels having the progressive disposition?. >>. >> some of the more radical or outspoken of the economic progressives and had others actually he was lord korean born his father was lord

salisbury. he was not liberal or progressive that they basically got those policies were disastrous. >>. >> did you find any living resources?. >> not a huge number but a few as the daughter although ronald never married but in

fact, doing research on churchill was so much fun that the best part was that he died in nobody knows what happened to his official papers but to have scrapbooks so we did some research in those drawing rooms they let us sit in we had just a wonderful time and nobody really knows much of anything.

celeste has just gone out of my mind to else i interviewed but actually this is a great story we were added gender party -- a dinner party talking about these men and the guest said what about these young men? that was his goddaughter. in fact, she is quoted in the book quite a bit. >> i start with the cynical promise -- premise that your work has led you to conclusions of the of their own ambition with the sense

of duty with the fear of invasion or bombing?. >> there was fear of hitler they he would take over england yes. a number of them wrote on the subject but what it stood for democracy, freedom , , etc.. >> [inaudible] >> that played into it certainly for kreymborg who approved later ron in the

government but it did not play into it that much. >> what if, and as you pointed out a couple of times churchill stood back from the fight and allowed it to take place as far as his public image was concerned. if he had been more outspoken and did he delayed the day of reckoning by holding back or make it all the more possible?. >> that is a really good question and i don't know the answer however today's

or the day before in england declared war for those of you who have studied the period germany invaded poland september 1st and according to a treaty that was supposed to come to poland's a immediately with all power available. but britain did not declare war september 1st but september 2nd there was a part of the terry meeting -- parliamentary meeting after germany had invaded and said we are still trying to see if there is something that we can and do. at that point many believe

the house of commons was totally against this and at that point of lot of historians said j. berlin could have been brought down -- chamberlain could be but he sat there quiet. but earlier that day he had asked him even though he was not formally announced he accepted and regarded that he had to be loyal. so there was an incredible eruption in the house of commons after words it was

made very clear unless he declared war the following day he would be out not even just the rebels but a number of tories you have to go get him out of office and churchill said i have given my word. so i do think there is a possibility that churchill could have become prime minister earlier. but it was the nature of the man that would not happen if he had anything to do with it. >> did the troublesome young man had any co-conspirators co-conspirators?. >>.

>> they did on a lower level and there were also in chamberlains camp most of that appeasement period even though a number of those thoughts and i would not criticize him personally, i just the of the government. but there was quite a bit of support on of journalistic level and a lot of opposition to what the editors for doing the with

that editorial policy there wasn't much support. >> so those of us who don't know the story of what happened we can piece it together so how can you give us the narrative that three days three people found the prime minister intrenched?. >> debates held churchill was the last speaker to debate and to support the of government and was held down by the labour opposition party so at that point the vote was taken and it was

very dramatic the house of commons is very tidy know goes one way and the enesco's another so they have to watch in the lobby to tell them how they are voting then they had to go out and tell the tory whip so in any event this second hour that they came back and sat down and to announce chamberlain had one that at that point to everybody knew it was probably over the

macmillan if you can imagine. [laughter] with that the motion in the heat of the moment then chamberlain knew he was desperately in trouble but he said all is not lost you can still hold on and get your game together. so the next day the next day they went full press lobbying they've made calls that he would reconstruct the cabinet he offered a free any job that he wanted but it was the full-court press but those tory rebels

were doing their own lobbying campaign to get people to come around to churchill and the day after that with one day of lobbying hitler in fades chamberlain thought he would pull out because it was a time of terrible turmoil meanwhile the labor people say he cannot stay the number of cabinet say you have to resign so when those leaders report back to him they would not participate

he had to have a coalition government there is no way this could be fought without a coalition he knew if he didn't have that labor party and there just was no way so when he heard that he decided to resign but chamberlain had to say no. >>. >> did chamberlain write his memoirs?. >> no. he died within six months after he left as prime

minister. he had intestinal cancer and was diagnosed a couple months after he resigned and was dead by december 40. he never had a chance to tell his story. they he was included in churchill's cabinet churchill wanted him to remain also to make him leader of the house but the tory rebels said absolutely not so he did not but he was in the churchill war cabinet and they supported him although a number of the other cabinet members that

were reappointed by a churchill including lord halifax chamberlain did return to some extent. they give very much. [applause] >> when you think about the national book festival with over 100 authors and illustrators, and graphic novels all day over 100,000 people celebrate books and reading you cannot have the better time. i am a library of the half to tell you anybody who

wants to be inspired the book festival is the perfect place.

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