Figure 1.--Ambassador Winant served as a pilot in France during World War I. After the War he was active in New Hamopshire politics as a progressive Republican and was a rare Republican supporting President Roosevelt's New Deal. We are not sure just why the President chose Winant, but he could not have made a better choice. Upon landing in Britain, King George sent his personal train and met him in person when he arrived in London--an unprecedented event (March 1941). Winant told a BBC correspondent at the station, "I'm very glad to be here. There is no place I'd rather be at this time than in England." Which was an extraordinary statement during the Blitz. His remarks appeared on the front page of 'The Times' and other British newspapers. It was not they were used to hearing from the American Ambassador.

"Ambasador Winant convinced us that he was a link between ourselves and millions of his countrymen, who, by reason of his inspiration, spoke to our very hearts."

-- Unidentified Londoner, 1941

John Gilbert Winant may be the most important World War II that few American have ever heard of, even those interested in the War. Winant came from a well-to-do New Hampshire family. He attended Princeton University, but was not a particularly good student and did not graduate. He entered politics (1916), but the enlisted in the U.S. Army when America entered World War I (1917). He served as a pilot in France, a very dangerous assignment. He was decorated for his service. He continued his political career when he returned and was elected governor of New Hampshire as a progressive. He was a rare Republican supporting President Roosevelt's New Deal program. As a result Roosevelt appointed him to the new Social Security Board (1936). He was then chosen to head the International Labour Organization in Geneva, Switzerland (1939). President Roosevelt then selected him to replaces Joe Kennedy as ambassador to Britain (1940). The President has selected Kennedy, an Irish Catholic, to antagonize Prime-Minster Chamberlain, but as it turned out the two got on well together, sharing Appeasement views. To replace Kennedy, he wanted a man that would support his interventionism policies and get on with Churchill. In the middle of World War II, this was a very important post. An American newspaper described what was involved, "... one of the toughest and biggest jobs the President can give. He has to explain to a country that is daily being bombed why a country 3,000 miles away ... wants to help but will not fight. That's a difficult thing to tell a person whose home has just been wrecked by a bomb." 【New York Times】 We are not sure just why the President chose Winant, but he could not have made a better choice. Upon landing in Britain, King George sent his personal train and met him in person when he arrived in London--an unprecedented event (March 1941). 【Olson. p. 3.】 Kennedy left Britain during the Blitz, declaring "Englnd is gone." Winant in sharp contrast told a BBC correspondent at the station, "I'm very glad to be here. There is no place I'd rather be at this time than in England." Which was an extraordinary statement during the Blitz. His remarks appeared on the front page of The Times and other British newspapers. It was not they were used to hearing from the American Ambassador. Winant developed exceptionally close relations with the King, Churchill and other British officials. One major Labour leader later wrote, "There was one man who was with us, who never believed we would surrender and that was John Gilbert Winant." 【Bevin】 And he would talk with ordinary Londoners, visiting bombed out areas during the Blitz and askinghow hev cvould help. He worked tirelessly to overcome the many differences between America and Britain that developed during the war. So it was that Winant was having dinner with Churchill at Chequers when the news of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor came through on the radio (December 1941). The Anglo-American World War II relationship is too often depicted as an harmonious, idyllic partnership. It was the greatest military alliance in history, but it was anything but harmonious. Ambassador Winant brought a badly needed ray of light to Britain. 【Olson, p. 3.】 But he did much more. There were many very serious differences and Winant played an important role in helping to work them out. He was instantly recognized by Londoners and most Brits, but not familiar to most Americans. One of his sons was a bomber pilot who was shot down and spent 2 years in a German POW camp. The SS at the end of the War selected him as a Prominente.

Sources

Bevin, Enest.

Olson, Lynne. Citizens of London: The Americans Who Stood with Britain in its Darkest, Finest Hour (Random House: New York, 2017), 482p.

New York Times

Created: 11:34 PM 1/10/2024
Last updated: 11:34 PM 1/10/2024