FT 011-F Winning World War II-Lessons of Character and Leadership from Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill
Scott Himsel, Department of Political Science
December 1941. The Nazis are ruling Europe, starving England, and driving deeply into Russia; Japan has largely destroyed the US Pacific fleet; and the US Army is ranked 17th in the world. Despite these terrible odds, FDR and Churchill rallied their people to win the war and built the world's most successful alliance. What lessons can we learn from them today? How do great leaders inspire us to achieve (and even exceed) our highest potential? How do they work together despite their towering egos and mistrust among their peoples? How do we decide when to cooperate with other nations and when to act alone? We'll also explore darker moments when the alliance failed to follow its principles. When did the alliance depart from democratic principles to save lives on the battlefield, and should we do the same? How did the war expose and begin to stop discrimination against women, racial and religious minorities, and the disabled on the home front? We have much to learn. FDR and Churchill not only led their nations from defeat to victory; they overcame incredible personal difficulties that would have ended the careers of lesser men. They were also extremely colorful and entertaining characters who knew how to find moments of joy and fun that helped them bear the burdens of leadership.
