Churchill's Starvation Blockade

By | May 27, 2022

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A statue of Winston Churchill at Parliament Square. Source: (Getty Images)

The cost of war is well known, but what of the cost of peace? When the fighting is done, the winners must choose between justice and revenge. So many leaders throughout history have chosen the latter, thus sowing the seeds for the next generation’s conflict. In 1919, just months after Europe suffered over 30 million casualties and almost eight million civilian deaths, the winners descended upon their prize. England and France chose revenge, and stripped Germany to the bone. Winston Churchill was the architect of the suffering. As First Lord of the Admiralty, he’d been imposing a starvation blockade on the German people since 1914. This story shows us that revenge is always a two way street - and that a trampled people will eventually return to seek their own vengeance.

Churchill was a career politician, and was known to change sides when public opinion shifted. He began politics as a Tory conservative like his father, before flipping to the Liberal party over disagreements on free trade. He would eventually reinvent himself as a conservative again after the war. His lust for war was well known, and while many English statesmen were reluctant to join the conflict in 1914, Churchill was elated. After the fighting began he was quoted saying “I know this war is smashing and shattering the lives of thousands every moment and yet - I cannot help it - I enjoy every second.” 

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A depiction of the Third Battle of Picardy, a turning point for Allied success. Source: (Getty Images)

The War

The American Civil War opened the world’s eyes to modern military technology, and the destruction it would bring. It was something the world had never seen, and The Great War would only up the ante. Britain was the lone great power who lost less than one million fighting men. Germany lost the most of all, a death toll just over 2 million. With no end in sight to the stalemate on the western front -and fresh American troops reinforcing the Allies - Germany opted for surrender. They hoped that their decision would earn them peace talks in good faith. They were wrong.