Read Winston’s War for Free Online Page B

hope.”
    “Your Excellency,” Cooper responded, not even trying to contain his dislike. Joseph Kennedy, the United States Ambassador to the Court of St. James's, was one of the least diplomatic envoys ever provided by Washington. His admiration for the efficiency and ambition of the German Reich was as deep-rooted as the contempt he retained for the decaying, chaotic democracies of the Old World, and he took no trouble to hide either.
    “Brought along a couple of guests to see the performance. My son, Jack"—he introduced a fresh-faced man in his earlytwenties, but looking younger—"and someone you may already know. Captain Charles Lindbergh.” The aviator, the first man to fly the Atlantic alone and famed throughout the world, held out his hand.
    “I'm delighted you should think my performance worthy of such an audience, Joe. I'll try not to disappoint.”
    “You already have, Duffie. If you'd had your way, you'd already be at war against Hitler. You might as well take a dip in a bath of acid.”
    “What did I tell you, Brendan. A veritable Dr. Crippen.”
    “Look, ask Lindie here. He's been telling me all about the Luftwaffe—and he knows, goddamn it. They can send up ten times the number of planes as you, the French, and the Russians put together. His view is that in a shooting war London wouldn't last a week—is that what you want?”
    “That's what puzzles me, Joe. Here we are—according to you—totally without any option. And there was me thinking we'd won the last war.”
    “That's where you Brits always get it wrong, Duffie. We won the last war. America bailed you out in '17. Fifty thousand dead to prove it. Damned if we're gonna do that again.”
    “We'd fight alone, if necessary.”
    “Fight! What the hell you got to fight with? Hitler's got more planes, more tanks, more divisions, more everything.” His finger was stabbing in the direction of Cooper's waistcoat. “Hey, you know what happened to your English unemployment this month?”
    Cooper, who wasn't following the American's train of thought, shook his head. “I've had other things on my mind…”
    “Through the goddamn roof. Again. Nearly two million. Your factories are closing down and producing nothing but cobwebs. Meanwhile the Führer's got his factories working to splitting point. Building the biggest army and air force this side of the Atlantic. Face it, Duffie, you guys've got about as muchchance as a cock in a convent. What are you gonna do when the Wehrmacht comes marching down Whitehall? Throw cricket balls at 'em?”
    A flush of anger had risen in Cooper's cheeks. “And what will you do when he's turned Europe into a dictatorship? When the world is dominated by Communism and Fascism? When America is cut off from its markets, without friends? When Hitler can hold you to ransom?”
    Kennedy smiled coldly, not rising to the bait. He nodded towards the Chamber. “You're gonna go in there and make a fool of yourself, Duffie.”
    “Stop pulling your punches, Joe.”
    “Hell, it's not the time to pull punches with the situation in Europe.”
    “My point precisely.”
    “Then, as I said, it should be a fine performance. Damn fine. Gotta go claim our seats now. See you around.” Then, in a final act of insult to the former First Lord, he turned to Bracken, who had remained silent throughout the exchange. “Nice talking with you, Mr. Bracken. Come to dinner later in the week. I'll give you a call.” “That would be splendid…”
    Bracken replied, before realizing how insensitive he must have appeared to his parliamentary colleague. He turned to offer some words of remorse, but it was too late. He'd gone.
     
    Duff Cooper had got it wrong. He wasn't going to be alone on the benches. When he rose to make his resignation speech, the Government whips had ensured he was surrounded by a platoon of loyalists who saw it as their duty to make his moment in the parliamentary spotlight as uncomfortable as possible. By tradition