Lincoln and Churchill: Statesmen at War

Independent historian and journalist Lehrman (Lincoln in Peoria; Churchill, Roosevelt and Co.) examines the political skills and military strategies of Abraham Lincoln and Winston Churchill, both of whom led their countries during crises that threatened their nations’ survival. Lehrman uncovers striking similarities; both, for example, had very strong work ethics and showed unassuming courage and magnanimity. Also, the health of each deteriorated significantly during his significant war. Churchill, however, was frequently impatient, aggressive, and even abrasive with his generals—“He had little respect for some, no faith in others, confidence in few”—while Lincoln was often patient to a fault with Union generals and was loved for showing warmth and caring toward lower-rank soldiers. Lehrman organizes this comparative study largely topically rather than chronologically, examining such subjects as the men’s respective paths to power, their rhetorical skills, their recruitment strategies, and their legacies. Its only major shortcoming is an overreliance on paragraph-length quotes. Quibbles aside, this is a well-researched, first-rate work whose comparative approach significantly enhances readers’ understanding of both men and of effective political leadership during wartime. (Jan.)