Event—Adult Education

Churchill and the Second World War

Winston Churchill’s extraordinary leadership of Britain during its “darkest hour” and through the ultimately victorious campaigns of the Second World War will be the subject of this seminar. Topics will include Churchill’s opposition to appeasement at the Munich Conference; the fall of France...

Cost and Registration Information

Early Registration Price (January 8 at 9 am** – January 25 at 4 pm): $300
Regular Registration Price (January 25 at 4 pm – first day of class): $330

** Registration opens online at 9 am. Phone registration will be accepted starting at 10 am.

Members, seniors, and students get a 10% discount.

Register Online

Seminar Description

Winston Churchill’s extraordinary leadership of Britain during its “darkest hour” and through the ultimately victorious campaigns of the Second World War will be the subject of this seminar. Topics will include Churchill’s opposition to appeasement at the Munich Conference; the fall of France; the “finest hour” of the RAF during the Battle of Britain; the Blitz; relationships with Franklin Roosevelt and Josef Stalin; the D-Day landings at Normandy; the liberation of France; and the shaping of the post-war world.
Ten sessions. E - $300, L - $330

Frank A. Biletz received his PhD in history from the University of Chicago, with a primary specialization in modern British and Irish history. He is currently an adjunct instructor of history at Loyola University Chicago. He has been teaching seminars at the Newberry since 1994.

Materials List

Required:

  • Winston S. Churchill, Memoirs of the Second World War, Houghton Mifflin, 1987 reprint. ISBN: 978-0395599686

First Reading:

  • Because of the length of Winston Churchill's Memoirs of the Second World War, participants are advised to get as much of a head start as possible before the seminar begins. At a minimum, participants should read Book I, chapters 1 to 11 before the first class meeting.

This class is part of the Newberry’s Adult Education Seminars Program. Learn more about our registration procedures.