60 acast.com Churchill: The Finest Half Hour https://shows.acast.com/churchill-the-finest-half-hour en Mercury Productions Fact and Fiction Ltd. Winston Churchill Prof. Richard Toye and Dr. Warren Dockter Winston is Back: Episode 1: The Battle Begins

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]]> false Mercury Productions Fact and Fiction Ltd. info+69206d2c087c4173ab6a8c1f@mg-eu.acast.com 69206d2c087c4173ab6a8c1f churchill-the-finest-half-hour episodic https://assets.pippa.io/shows/69206d2c087c4173ab6a8c1f/1764560627574-b8fbe83f-28b6-4ff7-b808-73b570c18420.jpeg https://shows.acast.com/churchill-the-finest-half-hour Churchill: The Finest Half Hour 487364 Series 5: Young Man in a Hurry Episode 2 Series 5: Young Man in a Hurry Episode 2 Thu, 02 Apr 2026 04:00:00 GMT 28:05 69b4a81c559de2c63469a882 false https://shows.acast.com/churchill-the-finest-half-hour/episodes/series-5-young-man-in-a-hurry-episode-2 69b4a81c559de2c63469a882 69206d2c087c4173ab6a8c1f series-5-young-man-in-a-hurry-episode-2 The crucible of the frontier full 5 2

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]]>

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]]> Series 5: Young Man in a Hurry Episode 1 Series 5: Young Man in a Hurry Episode 1 Thu, 26 Mar 2026 05:00:00 GMT 29:22 69b496e4559de2c634655082 false https://shows.acast.com/churchill-the-finest-half-hour/episodes/series-5-young-man-in-a-hurry-episode-1 69b496e4559de2c634655082 69206d2c087c4173ab6a8c1f series-5-young-man-in-a-hurry-episode-1 full 5 1

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]]> Series 4: The Soundbite of the Century - Bonus Episode Series 4: The Soundbite of the Century - Bonus Episode Thu, 19 Mar 2026 05:00:00 GMT 27:45 69a0df23eebc4a99c62235d6 false https://shows.acast.com/churchill-the-finest-half-hour/episodes/series-4-the-soundbite-of-the-century-bonus-episode 69a0df23eebc4a99c62235d6 69206d2c087c4173ab6a8c1f series-4-the-soundbite-of-the-century-bonus-episode full The location of WInston Churchill's 'Iron Curtain' speech - Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri - is now the home of America's National Churchill Museum.


80 years on from the speech, Tim Riley, Director and Chief Curator of the Museum, talks to Prof. Richard Toye and Dr. Warren Dockter about how the museum came to be and how it commemorates not only Churchill's famous address but his long career as a politician, author - and sometime painter.

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]]> The location of WInston Churchill's 'Iron Curtain' speech - Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri - is now the home of America's National Churchill Museum.


80 years on from the speech, Tim Riley, Director and Chief Curator of the Museum, talks to Prof. Richard Toye and Dr. Warren Dockter about how the museum came to be and how it commemorates not only Churchill's famous address but his long career as a politician, author - and sometime painter.

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]]> Series 4: The Soundbite of the Century Episode 2 Series 4: The Soundbite of the Century Episode 2 Thu, 12 Mar 2026 16:22:00 GMT 31:11 69a0bdbceebc4a99c61685e2 false https://shows.acast.com/churchill-the-finest-half-hour/episodes/series-4-the-soundbite-of-the-century-episode-2 69a0bdbceebc4a99c61685e2 69206d2c087c4173ab6a8c1f series-4-the-soundbite-of-the-century-episode-2 The world reacts full 4 2 Professor Richard Toye and Dr. Warren Dockter explore the immediate reaction to Churchill's 'Iron Curtain' speech of March 1946 - and its enduring legacy.


Outlining responses by everyone from members of the British public to Stalin (who denounced the speech in forthright terms), they show how an address made in a small town in Missouri echoed round the world.


They ask how a rallying cry for freedom was received by African-Americans, particularly when the speech was delivered to an all-white audience in a segregated state.


And they show how Churchill's phrase came to sum up the division of Europe, with the Soviet Union dominating "behind the Iron Curtain".

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]]> Professor Richard Toye and Dr. Warren Dockter explore the immediate reaction to Churchill's 'Iron Curtain' speech of March 1946 - and its enduring legacy.


Outlining responses by everyone from members of the British public to Stalin (who denounced the speech in forthright terms), they show how an address made in a small town in Missouri echoed round the world.


They ask how a rallying cry for freedom was received by African-Americans, particularly when the speech was delivered to an all-white audience in a segregated state.


And they show how Churchill's phrase came to sum up the division of Europe, with the Soviet Union dominating "behind the Iron Curtain".

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]]> Series 4: The Soundbite of the Century Episode 1 Series 4: The Soundbite of the Century Episode 1 Thu, 05 Mar 2026 05:00:00 GMT 32:24 699efc5c1eb5ccf4561aad79 false https://shows.acast.com/churchill-the-finest-half-hour/episodes/series-4-the-soundbite-of-the-century-episode-1 699efc5c1eb5ccf4561aad79 69206d2c087c4173ab6a8c1f series-4-the-soundbite-of-the-century-episode-1 full 4 1 Eighty years ago - on 5 March 1946 - Winston Churchill made what would be one of the most consequential speeches of the 20th century. Assessing post-war Europe claimed that "From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the continent."


Professor Richard Toye and Dr. Warren Dockter assess the background to the speech, its political context and the messages of an address which Churchill actually called 'The Sinews of Peace'.

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]]> Eighty years ago - on 5 March 1946 - Winston Churchill made what would be one of the most consequential speeches of the 20th century. Assessing post-war Europe claimed that "From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the continent."


Professor Richard Toye and Dr. Warren Dockter assess the background to the speech, its political context and the messages of an address which Churchill actually called 'The Sinews of Peace'.

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]]> Series 3: The Prime Minister and the President Episode 4 Series 3: The Prime Minister and the President Episode 4 Thu, 26 Feb 2026 05:00:00 GMT 30:49 6994d87c1774b22d5ae5e7aa false https://shows.acast.com/churchill-the-finest-half-hour/episodes/series-3-the-prime-minister-and-the-president-episode-4 6994d87c1774b22d5ae5e7aa 69206d2c087c4173ab6a8c1f series-3-the-prime-minister-and-the-president-episode-4 full 3 4 Dr Warren Dockter and Professor Richard Toye discuss the last eighteen months of the relationship between British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and US President Franklin D. Roosevlet.


They highlight the tensions leading up to 'Operation Overlord' - the Allied invasion of France carried out despite Churchill's preference for a continued attack through southern Europe.


They explore the significance of the Yalta Conference in February 1945, when FDR, Stalin and Churchill - by now very much a minor figure relative to the leaders of the emerging superpowers - met to hammer out the future of Europe.


Finally, the look at Churchill's eulogy in the House of Commons following President Roosevelt's death in April 1945. Was this speech, as some observers have suggested, lukewarm in its praise of FDR? Can we see in it any evidence that the relationship between the two leaders was less friiendly than four years of newsreel coverage had suggested?

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]]> Dr Warren Dockter and Professor Richard Toye discuss the last eighteen months of the relationship between British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and US President Franklin D. Roosevlet.


They highlight the tensions leading up to 'Operation Overlord' - the Allied invasion of France carried out despite Churchill's preference for a continued attack through southern Europe.


They explore the significance of the Yalta Conference in February 1945, when FDR, Stalin and Churchill - by now very much a minor figure relative to the leaders of the emerging superpowers - met to hammer out the future of Europe.


Finally, the look at Churchill's eulogy in the House of Commons following President Roosevelt's death in April 1945. Was this speech, as some observers have suggested, lukewarm in its praise of FDR? Can we see in it any evidence that the relationship between the two leaders was less friiendly than four years of newsreel coverage had suggested?

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]]> Series 3: The Prime Minister and the President Episode 3 Series 3: The Prime Minister and the President Episode 3 Thu, 19 Feb 2026 05:00:00 GMT 29:13 6988895cba7d04f1d4acac5d false https://shows.acast.com/churchill-the-finest-half-hour/episodes/series-3-the-prime-minister-and-the-president 6988895cba7d04f1d4acac5d 69206d2c087c4173ab6a8c1f series-3-the-prime-minister-and-the-president The Big Two - and the Big Three full 3 3 How was it decided that only Germany's unconditonal surrender would end the war in Europe?


How did Winston Churchill make the case for the 'Germany First' strategy in the US Congress?


What happened when the Allies' 'Big Three' - Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin - met for the first time at the Tehran Conference of 1943?


And when did Winston Churchill realise that Britain was now a junior partner alongside the two emerging superpowers. the USA and the USSR?


Professor Richard Toye and Dr. Warren Dockter address these questions and more in this edition of Churchill: The Finest Half Hour.



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]]> How was it decided that only Germany's unconditonal surrender would end the war in Europe?


How did Winston Churchill make the case for the 'Germany First' strategy in the US Congress?


What happened when the Allies' 'Big Three' - Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin - met for the first time at the Tehran Conference of 1943?


And when did Winston Churchill realise that Britain was now a junior partner alongside the two emerging superpowers. the USA and the USSR?


Professor Richard Toye and Dr. Warren Dockter address these questions and more in this edition of Churchill: The Finest Half Hour.



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]]> Series 3: The Prime Minister and the President Episode 2 Series 3: The Prime Minister and the President Episode 2 Thu, 12 Feb 2026 05:00:00 GMT 31:57 698b84fc0581faffc76eac73 false https://shows.acast.com/churchill-the-finest-half-hour/episodes/series-3-episode-2 698b84fc0581faffc76eac73 69206d2c087c4173ab6a8c1f series-3-episode-2 Forging the alliance full 3 3 Professor Richard Toye and Dr. Warren Dockter chart the beginnings of the wartime alliance between the United States and Great Britain and the birth of the "special relationship".



They begin with

Churchill's visit to Washington in December 1941, his major speeches to the US Congress and the Canadian Parliament and follow the dealings between America's

President Franklin Roosevelt and British Premier Winston Churchill as the new allies fight to turn the tide of the war during 1942.



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]]> Professor Richard Toye and Dr. Warren Dockter chart the beginnings of the wartime alliance between the United States and Great Britain and the birth of the "special relationship".



They begin with

Churchill's visit to Washington in December 1941, his major speeches to the US Congress and the Canadian Parliament and follow the dealings between America's

President Franklin Roosevelt and British Premier Winston Churchill as the new allies fight to turn the tide of the war during 1942.



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]]> Series 3: The Prime Minister and the President Episode 1 Series 3: The Prime Minister and the President Episode 1 Thu, 05 Feb 2026 05:00:00 GMT 32:21 697d589af0f157225a6efebb false https://shows.acast.com/churchill-the-finest-half-hour/episodes/series-3-episode-1 697d589af0f157225a6efebb 69206d2c087c4173ab6a8c1f series-3-episode-1 The courtship full 3 1 "No lover ever studied every whim of his mistress as I did those of President Roosevelt."


So Winston Churchill remembered his efforts to secure material support from the United States in the 18 months between taking office as Prime Minister and the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor which brought America into the Second World War.


Professor Richard Toye and Dr. Warren Dockter explore the nuances and fascinating details of this courtship as President Roosevelt navigated domestic resistance to entering a European war. They discuss the Atlantic Conference of August 1941 and its careful presentation to Roosevelt and Churchill''s domestic audiences. And Churchill's reaction to the news of Pearl Harbor.

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]]> "No lover ever studied every whim of his mistress as I did those of President Roosevelt."


So Winston Churchill remembered his efforts to secure material support from the United States in the 18 months between taking office as Prime Minister and the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor which brought America into the Second World War.


Professor Richard Toye and Dr. Warren Dockter explore the nuances and fascinating details of this courtship as President Roosevelt navigated domestic resistance to entering a European war. They discuss the Atlantic Conference of August 1941 and its careful presentation to Roosevelt and Churchill''s domestic audiences. And Churchill's reaction to the news of Pearl Harbor.

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]]> Series 2: Disaster and Defiance Episode 8 Series 2: Disaster and Defiance Episode 8 Thu, 29 Jan 2026 05:00:00 GMT 30:35 6963079523ce58f14684b0ba false https://shows.acast.com/churchill-the-finest-half-hour/episodes/series-2-disaster-and-defiance-episode-8 6963079523ce58f14684b0ba 69206d2c087c4173ab6a8c1f series-2-disaster-and-defiance-episode-8 full 2 8

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]]>

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]]> Series 2: Disaster and Defiance Episode 7 Series 2: Disaster and Defiance Episode 7 Thu, 22 Jan 2026 05:00:00 GMT 29:43 6970df954ed4c50b032ceeab false https://shows.acast.com/churchill-the-finest-half-hour/episodes/series-2-disaster-and-defiance-episode-7 6970df954ed4c50b032ceeab 69206d2c087c4173ab6a8c1f series-2-disaster-and-defiance-episode-7 The most hateful decison full 2 7 Professor Richard Toye and Dr. Warren Dockter discuss a decision which Winston Churchill called"the most hateful, the most painful and unnatural in which I have ever been involved." Namely the order to attack French warships at Mers-el-Kebir in Algeria, following the armistice between France and Nazi Germany.


They explore the background to the attack - and how Churchill explained and justified the move, one which bolstered his political position in Britain and improved Britain's standing in the US.

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]]> Professor Richard Toye and Dr. Warren Dockter discuss a decision which Winston Churchill called"the most hateful, the most painful and unnatural in which I have ever been involved." Namely the order to attack French warships at Mers-el-Kebir in Algeria, following the armistice between France and Nazi Germany.


They explore the background to the attack - and how Churchill explained and justified the move, one which bolstered his political position in Britain and improved Britain's standing in the US.

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]]> Series 2: Defiance and Disaster Episode 6 Series 2: Defiance and Disaster Episode 6 Thu, 15 Jan 2026 05:00:00 GMT 31:17 6963061723ce58f146846bb7 false https://shows.acast.com/churchill-the-finest-half-hour/episodes/churchill-the-finest-half-hour-series-2-episode-6 6963061723ce58f146846bb7 69206d2c087c4173ab6a8c1f churchill-the-finest-half-hour-series-2-episode-6 full 2 6

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]]>

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]]> Series 2: Disaster and Defiance Episode 5 Series 2: Disaster and Defiance Episode 5 Thu, 08 Jan 2026 05:00:00 GMT 28:53 695e7f3f1c1db1c5bdeae56d false https://shows.acast.com/churchill-the-finest-half-hour/episodes/churchill-the-finest-half-hour-series-2-episode-5 695e7f3f1c1db1c5bdeae56d 69206d2c087c4173ab6a8c1f churchill-the-finest-half-hour-series-2-episode-5 full 2 5 The extraordinary story of how Churchill threw his weight behind a last-ditch attempt to keep France in the war against the Nazis - by joining the British and French nations together to form the "Franco-British Union".


And the story of how this daring plan crashed and burned...

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]]> The extraordinary story of how Churchill threw his weight behind a last-ditch attempt to keep France in the war against the Nazis - by joining the British and French nations together to form the "Franco-British Union".


And the story of how this daring plan crashed and burned...

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]]> Series 2: Disaster and Defiance Episode 4 Series 2: Disaster and Defiance Episode 4 Thu, 01 Jan 2026 05:00:00 GMT 27:37 694f46e409314afbec4a9ac6 false https://shows.acast.com/churchill-the-finest-half-hour/episodes/churchillfinesthalfhour 694f46e409314afbec4a9ac6 69206d2c087c4173ab6a8c1f churchillfinesthalfhour June 1940 - France on the brink full 2 4 It's early June 1940. Though the Nazi invasion of France continues to progress at speed, Winston Churchill remains determined to keep France in the war.


Professor Richard Toye and Dr. Warren Dockter discuss whether, when Churchill said "We shall never surrender", he was actually referring to Britain and France.


And they explore Churchill's frantic efforts to sustain morale within the French government, making two dramatic flights o France in 48 hours.

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]]> It's early June 1940. Though the Nazi invasion of France continues to progress at speed, Winston Churchill remains determined to keep France in the war.


Professor Richard Toye and Dr. Warren Dockter discuss whether, when Churchill said "We shall never surrender", he was actually referring to Britain and France.


And they explore Churchill's frantic efforts to sustain morale within the French government, making two dramatic flights o France in 48 hours.

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]]> Series 2: Disaster and Defiance Episode 3 Series 2: Disaster and Defiance Episode 3 Thu, 25 Dec 2025 05:00:00 GMT 28:23 694b5d7409314afbec671cbe false https://shows.acast.com/churchill-the-finest-half-hour/episodes/churchillfinesthalfhourseries2episode3 694b5d7409314afbec671cbe 69206d2c087c4173ab6a8c1f churchillfinesthalfhourseries2episode3 We shall fight on the beaches full 2 3 Professor Richard Toye and Dr. Warren Dockter explore the context and the impact of what's become one of most famous speeches in modern history. When despite weeks of military setbacks, Winston Churchill pledged that Britain would never give in to Hitler.


But when Churchill said "We shall never surrender", did "We" actually mean Britain and France?

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]]> Professor Richard Toye and Dr. Warren Dockter explore the context and the impact of what's become one of most famous speeches in modern history. When despite weeks of military setbacks, Winston Churchill pledged that Britain would never give in to Hitler.


But when Churchill said "We shall never surrender", did "We" actually mean Britain and France?

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]]> Series 2: Disaster and Defiance Episode 2 Series 2: Disaster and Defiance Episode 2 Thu, 18 Dec 2025 05:00:00 GMT 30:51 69435697b4589744b12586c8 false https://shows.acast.com/churchill-the-finest-half-hour/episodes/series-2 69435697b4589744b12586c8 69206d2c087c4173ab6a8c1f series-2 Crisis on the battlefield, confrontation in the Cabinet full 2 2

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]]>

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]]> Series 2: Disaster and Defiance Episode 1 Series 2: Disaster and Defiance Episode 1 Thu, 11 Dec 2025 05:00:00 GMT 27:47 693a23534f84d8410f316447 false https://shows.acast.com/churchill-the-finest-half-hour/episodes/series-2-disaster-and-defiance 693a23534f84d8410f316447 69206d2c087c4173ab6a8c1f series-2-disaster-and-defiance Walking with destiny, flying into catastrophe. full 2 1

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]]>

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]]> Series 1: Winston is Back Episode 2 Series 1: Winston is Back Episode 2 Thu, 04 Dec 2025 05:00:00 GMT 29:56 69271eaa30ebd38648591b8c false https://www.mercuryproductions.co.uk 69271eaa30ebd38648591b8c 69206d2c087c4173ab6a8c1f 2winston-is-back Fiasco in the fjords, drama in Downing Street full 1 2 In the second episode of this new podcast on the dramatic life of WInston Churchill, Professor Richard Toye and Dr. Warren Dockter explore the military and political crises which propelled Winston Churchill into office as Britain's Prime Minister.


How was it that a disastrous operation against the Nazis in Norway came to benefit Churchill, when as the minister in charge of the Royal Navy, he bore primary responsibility for the fiasco? We'll reveal that Churchill himself couldn't quite understand...

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]]> In the second episode of this new podcast on the dramatic life of WInston Churchill, Professor Richard Toye and Dr. Warren Dockter explore the military and political crises which propelled Winston Churchill into office as Britain's Prime Minister.


How was it that a disastrous operation against the Nazis in Norway came to benefit Churchill, when as the minister in charge of the Royal Navy, he bore primary responsibility for the fiasco? We'll reveal that Churchill himself couldn't quite understand...

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]]> Series 1: Winston is Back Episode 1 Series 1: Winston is Back Episode 1 Thu, 27 Nov 2025 05:00:00 GMT 31:00 69206fd3f1f764f82367a1a4 false https://www.mercuryproductions.co.uk 69206fd3f1f764f82367a1a4 69206d2c087c4173ab6a8c1f 1winston-is-back The Battle Begins full 1 1 In this new podcast, international experts Professor Richard Toye and Dr. Warren Dockter explore the career of a giant of 20th century history - British Prime Minister and statesman Sir Winston Churchill.


The podcast dives straight into the most momentous years in Churchill's long and dramatic life, beginning with the outbreak of war with Nazi Germany in September 1939, an event which saw Churchill recalled from the political wilderness to take charge of the Royal Navy.


Within months, Churchill would be leading his country in the gravest crisis of our times.

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]]> In this new podcast, international experts Professor Richard Toye and Dr. Warren Dockter explore the career of a giant of 20th century history - British Prime Minister and statesman Sir Winston Churchill.


The podcast dives straight into the most momentous years in Churchill's long and dramatic life, beginning with the outbreak of war with Nazi Germany in September 1939, an event which saw Churchill recalled from the political wilderness to take charge of the Royal Navy.


Within months, Churchill would be leading his country in the gravest crisis of our times.

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]]> Churchill: The Finest Half Hour Trailer Churchill: The Finest Half Hour Trailer Wed, 26 Nov 2025 03:15:36 GMT 0:19 692670d81874a1556d1bb575 false https://shows.acast.com/churchill-the-finest-half-hour/episodes/churchill-the-finest-half-hour 692670d81874a1556d1bb575 69206d2c087c4173ab6a8c1f churchill-the-finest-half-hour Trailer full Introducing a new podcast exploring the life of one of the most extraordinary men of modern history, Winston Spencer Churchill.


Britain's Professor Richard Toye and Dr. Warren Dockter from the US provide an appropriately transatlantic perspective on the life of the man voted the Greatest Briton - but who was actually half-American.

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]]> Introducing a new podcast exploring the life of one of the most extraordinary men of modern history, Winston Spencer Churchill.


Britain's Professor Richard Toye and Dr. Warren Dockter from the US provide an appropriately transatlantic perspective on the life of the man voted the Greatest Briton - but who was actually half-American.

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]]>