Churchill, Hitler, and "The Unnecessary War": How Britain Lost Its Empire and the West Lost the World
by Patrick J. Buchanan
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Book Summary Information
Author: Patrick J. BuchananEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2008-05-27
ISBN: 030740515X
Number of pages: 544
Publisher: Crown
Book Reviews of Churchill, Hitler, and "The Unnecessary War": How Britain Lost Its Empire and the West Lost the World
Book Review: The Great Civil War of the West - An Unnecessary War.
Summary: 5 Stars
This war is really the greatest lunacy ever committed by the white races. - Admiral Tirpitz, 1915.
In the book _Churchill, Hitler, and "The Unnecessary War": How Britain Lost Its Empire and the West Lost the World_, published in 2008, traditionalist conservative and former presidential candidate Patrick Buchanan makes his first real foray into history and offers a fascinating account of what could have been and what need not have been when Britain entered World Wars I and II. When Buchanan originally wrote the book _A Republic, Not An Empire_, he was smeared in the press as an isolationist. However, he did receive some positive acclaim and he makes note of the fact that George Kennan who read the book agreed that he made an interesting case for Britain not offering the war guaranty to Poland. Many are certain to take issue with Buchanan's portrayal of events; however, as he effectively shows in this book there really was little reason for Britain and the United States to enter this monstrous series of wars. Buchanan refers to World Wars I and II as the "Great Civil Wars of the West" showing how in effect they brought about the downfall of the British empire and the decline of the West. While America emerged triumphant from these wars, so did the Soviet state and empire resulting in a disastrous Cold War between the twin super-powers. Further, in more recent times with the end of the Cold War, America itself has been plunged into a needless war in Iraq which Buchanan sees as being similar to these world wars which could subsequently result in the end of the American empire itself.
Buchanan begins his book with some reflections on "What Happened to Us?", noting the apparent decline and passing away of the West, the decline of Christianity, and the events that led up to this. Buchanan blames much of this decline on the thirty year period that brought us both world wars. Indeed, as Buchanan shows the casualty rate of the "Great War" was ten times that of America's Civil War (hitherto the bloodiest event in Western civilization). Buchanan also shows how these wars led to the rise of Lenin, Stalin, Mao, and Pol Pot, brutal butcherers all. Following this, Buchanan turns in his Introduction to explaining the "Great Civil War of the West". Buchanan explains the greatness that was the British empire and its enormous influence (including its influence on a fledgling America), but argues that with the two world wars the British empire passed away. Buchanan maintains that World War II is perhaps best thought of as the "Great Civil War of the West, where the once-Christian nations of Europe fell upon one another with such savage abandon they brought down all their empires, brought an end to centuries of Western rule, and advanced the death of their civilization". Buchanan shows how the root of much of this lies in the First World War (as suggested by George Kennan) and the excessively punitive Treaty of Versailles which served as a rallying point for the Germans under Hitler. Buchanan also attempts to shatter the myth and cult surrounding Winston Churchill, arguing that he was not nearly the great man he is often portrayed as. Thus begins the book proper. Following this, Buchanan turns to "The End of "Splendid Isolation"". Here, Buchanan shows how Great Britain came to abandon its isolationist position and eventually became ensnared in a war with Germany and its Kaiser who was indeed the very eldest grandson of Queen Victoria and of British blood. Buchanan turns to a chapter called "Last Days of Summer", in which he shows why Britain fought against Germany in the First World War (including reasons of preservation of France as a great power, British honor, retention of power, Germanophobia, and imperial ambition and opportunism). Buchanan argues that Germany was hardly the bellicose nation the British portrayed it as and provides data to prove this, showing in effect that actually it was Britain which was the most bellicose nation in Europe at the time. Buchanan also traces the career of Winston Churchill, showing his switch from the conservative Tories to the Liberal camp over the issue of free trade and some other issues. Further, Buchanan shows the conflict between the so-called "Little Englanders" and the Imperialists. In a subsequent chapter entitled ""A Poisonous Spirit of Revenge"", Buchanan explains the real costs of victory, including the countless dead, the horrific starvation blockade, and the excessively punitive Versailles Treaty (which even Lord John Maynard Keynes was to condemn in his book _The Economic Consequences of the Peace_). Buchanan also quotes from works by Charles Callan Tansill and Erik von Kuehnelt-Leddihn. Following this, Buchanan turns to a chapter entitled ""A Lot of Silly Little Cruisers" in which he discusses the situation with Japan and the Stimson Doctrine, showing in effect how Japan went from an Allied nation in the First World War to an Axis power in the Second. Following this, Buchanan turns to a chapter entitled "1935: Collapse of the Stresa Front". Here, Buchanan traces the rise of Mussolini and Hitler, the vile murder of Dollfuss (one of the true martyrs to the Nazi regime), and explains some of the efforts at appeasement. Following this, Buchanan turns to a chapter entitled "1936: The Rhineland" showing Hitler's policies and attempts to break the Versailles treaty. Following this, Buchanan turns to a chapter entitled "1938: Anschluss". Here, Buchanan explains Hitler's summits with Halifax and Schuschnigg and his return to Austria. Following this, Buchanan turns to a chapter entitled "Munich" where he shows the failure of appeasement but argues that those who hoped for appeasement are wrongfully discredited by many historians. Following this, Buchanan turns to a chapter entitled "Fatal Blunder" where he shows how the British came to offer Poland a war guaranty and how this proved the disaster that led Britain into the Second World War. Buchanan next offers chapters entitled "April Fools", ""An Unnecessary War"", and "Gruesome Harvest" in which he argues that this war guaranty led to an unnecessary war when Hitler attacked Poland and brought on much unnecessary bloodshed. In fact, Buchanan maintains that had this not occurred, Hitler's pogrom could very well have been avoided and the rise of the Soviet power as well. Following this, Buchanan turns to a chapter entitled "Hitler's Ambitions". Here, Buchanan argues that Hitler was in fact a great admirer of the British empire (at a time when very few individuals were) and that he did not want war with Britain and in fact his ambitions lay mostly in the East (after Poland, Russia). Buchanan maintains that contrary to the claims of some historians, Hitler had no ambitions to the world either and that it is preposterous to think that a nation as small as Germany would be bent on ruling the world. Further, Buchanan easily refutes some of the absurd arguments made that Hitler wanted to attack America. In fact, Buchanan maintains that Hitler's real goals were absolute power in Germany, to overturn the Versailles Treaty, to restore lands severed by Versailles, a drive east to carve out a new German empire, and to cleanse Germany of Jews, smash Bolshevism, and make himself a man of history like Frederick the Great and Bismarck. Buchanan further shows how Nazism and Fascism are hardly ideologies of universal appeal and that in fact they are strictly restricted to the "Aryan race" and aren't even necessarily white supremacist. As such they would not have posed much of a threat to most of the world where they would have had no appeal. On the other hand, Communism was a far more dangerous ideology with a near universal appeal that still continues to live on and posed a far greater threat. Following this discussion, Buchanan turns to a chapter entitled "Man of the Century" where he discusses Churchill and attempts to refute the Churchill myth. Buchanan maintains that Churchill was often hotheaded and reckless and adhered to white supremacist, eugenicist, and certain anti-Semitic notions as well. Buchanan also shows how Churchill's actions show him to be a great failure as a statesmen in that he could not avoid a needless war. Buchanan also discusses such things as Allied war crimes including the bombing of Dresden, the rape of East German women by Soviets, and the loss of Eastern Europe to the Soviets. Buchanan ends with a discussion of how "America Inherits the Empire". Buchanan first discusses the rise of Communism and the beginnings of the Cold War explaining how the Soviets largely won the world war. Buchanan then explains how America opted for a wise policy of appeasement (as proposed by such individuals as George Kennan) with the Soviets thus avoiding another needless war. But, with the end of the Cold War, Buchanan shows how America has come to operate under an entirely different policy, the "New World Order" of President Bush. Buchanan shows how in a post-9/11 world, Bush II became converted to neoconservatism and thus began another senseless war with Iraq with the possibility of further needless interventions elsewhere. This threatens to bring down the American empire.
This book offers a breathe of fresh air on a subject that has been entirely distorted by history. Buchanan's version of events is certainly not that generally accepted or expected among many historians nor does it accept the great myth that is World War II. Nevertheless, I believe he makes a strong case that both world wars were needless and unnecessary. As such, he offers a strong alternative version that effectively shows where the real blunders lie. In addition, he refutes the cult surrounding Winston Churchill and shows how this cult has led to much harm for the Western world. Finally, Buchanan makes an effective case to show how Western civilization has been undermined from within and what must be done to restore it. As a first foray into writing history, Buchanan has offered an excellent book.
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Summary of Churchill, Hitler, and "The Unnecessary War": How Britain Lost Its Empire and the West Lost the World
Were World Wars I and II?which can now be seen as a thirty-year paroxysm of slaughter and destruction?inevitable? Were they necessary wars? Were the bloodiest and most devastating conflicts ever suffered by mankind fated by forces beyond men?s control? Or were they products of calamitous failures of judgment? In this monumental and provocative history, Patrick Buchanan makes the case that, if not for the blunders of British statesmen?Winston Churchill first among them?the horrors of two world wars and the Holocaust might have been avoided and the British Empire might never have collapsed into ruins. Half a century of murderous oppression of scores of millions under the iron boot of Communist tyranny might never have happened, and Europe?s central role in world affairs might have been sustained for many generations.Among the British and Churchillian blunders were:
? The secret decision of a tiny cabal in the inner Cabinet in 1906 to take Britain straight to war against Germany, should she invade France
? The vengeful Treaty of Versailles that muti- lated Germany, leaving her bitter, betrayed, and receptive to the appeal of Adolf Hitler
? Britain?s capitulation, at Churchill?s urging, to American pressure to sever the Anglo- Japanese alliance, insulting and isolating Japan, pushing her onto the path of militarism and conquest
? The 1935 sanctions that drove Italy straight into the Axis with Hitler
? The greatest blunder in British history: the unsolicited war guarantee to Poland of March 1939?that guaranteed the Second World War
? Churchill?s astonishing blindness to Stalin?s true ambitions.
Certain to create controversy and spirited argument, Churchill, Hitler, and ?The Unnecessary War? is a grand and bold insight into the historic failures of judgment that ended centuries of European rule and guaranteed a future no one who lived in that vanished world could ever have envisioned.
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