Victorious Leadership

May 8, 2023?

Dear Leaders,?

May 8th – Victory in Europe Day, VE-Day, when in 1945, jubilant allies celebrated the final surrender of the Nazis.?While still celebrated in some countries, it is less marked in many of those same allied countries and is all but unknown in the United States.?This defining moment in the 20th century was made possible through the resolute leadership of two men who had to fight against strong opinions of appeasement and pacifism:?British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and American President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.?Their examples of resolve and acumen give leaders today a model on how to stand by your beliefs, prepare for the inevitable in the face of opposition, and rise to the call of leadership above and beyond.??

Winston Churchill is the embodiment of success by way of failure, for he experienced plenty of both in his lifetime.?Drawn to adventure and politics alike, he served in various colonial posts with the British Army, as a journalist in South Africa, and wrote extensively of his exploits.?He entered politics and was elected to Parliament, moving between the parties based on his refusal to compromise on his principles.?Serving in various cabinet posts, he was First Lord of the Admiralty in World War I when he was held responsible for the disastrous defeat at Gallipoli, so he resigned and re-entered Army service at the front in Europe.?Serving in cabinet posts again after the war, he found himself out of power in the 1930s, and suffering from depression.??

Seeing the rise of Hitler and Nazism as a threat, he sounded the alarm for the country to ready itself for what he saw was an inevitable war, only to be thwarted by those who naively believed that peace was possible, some out of fear, others protecting what they saw as their own interests.?Recalled to the Admiralty when war broke out, the governing coalition collapsed, and King George VI turned to Churchill to be Prime Minister.??

Franklin Delano Roosevelt was born into a prominent family, practiced law, and entered politics, serving as a New York state senator.?He was named Assistant Secretary of the Navy during World War I and was the Democratic Party candidate for Vice-President in 1920, an election he lost.?Disabled by polio in 1921, he successfully returned to politics and was elected Governor of New York in 1928.?As the nation sank into the Great Depression, he successfully ran for President, assuming office in 1933 and at once began changing the course of American governance from laissez-faire to more direct involvement, meeting much resistance along the way.??

Also seeing the war clouds forming in Europe and across the Pacific, and the threat of Fascism and Nazism, he knew that he had to prepare for war but had to walk a tightrope with opposition from his own party and opponents alike.?Perceiving a lack of leadership in American politics, he broke with tradition to run for, and was elected to, a third term.?As war broke out in Europe, he had to persuade a skeptical and isolationist public to support sending arms and equipment to Britain and France and begin building up the American military.??

The Japanese attack on December 7th, 1941 settled the question of involvement in the war, and the two leaders who had formed a friendship worked together to plan a grand strategy, all while dealing with political realities and resistance, but most importantly, inspiring their people to bear the hardships while the conflict raged on with failure and success.?Each man was a shrewd and skilled politician who knew how to collaborate with political friend and foe alike to get what they needed.?More so they were great speakers, and used their talents for maximum effect, making radio speeches to encourage their populace and those in occupied countries alike to do their part and never lose hope, focusing on victory as the result.??

Franklin Roosevelt didn’t live to see VE-Day, having died but a few weeks before, and he was mourned by a nation no stranger to death at the time of so many lost.?It was left to Harry Truman, who assumed the presidency, to proclaim it to the nation.?Having described their cause as his nation’s finest hour five years previously, Winston Churchill enjoyed his greatest moment on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, as he was cheered by throngs along with the King and Queen.??

Shortly thereafter, Truman and Churchill reminded their people the war was still going on in the Pacific, and while it ended four months later, Churchill had been turned out of office in elections, leaving the final victory in the hands of Clement Atlee, a man he described as “a sheep in sheep’s clothing.”?He turned to writing and painting, and returned to service as Prime Minister in 1951, before stepping away four years later.?When he died in 1965, he received a nationwide state funeral, and for the first time in history, the reigning monarch attended.??

It takes fortitude, resolve, a thick skin, and a lot of political muscle and maneuvering to espouse unpopular opinions in the face of strong opposition, but great leaders see beyond the immediate and popular perceptions and are willing to take a stand to do what is right.?In doing so, you have to know that you won’t change everyone’s mind overnight, but through effective messaging and incremental action, you will see the momentum and opinion shift to your favor, and when you have established a reputation for trust and bold leadership as Winston Churchill and Franklin Roosevelt did, when you face times of upheaval and darkness, people will turn to you for the direction on the road to victory.??

Sincerely,

Tim