The untold history of Winston Churchill and the British Empire | Tariq Ali | The Big Picture S4E9

Winston Churchill is one of the most biographed figures in modern history, held up as an orator and wartime strategist that turned the tide against Hitler and Nazi Germany.

But how accurate is this image? And is it hiding a darker reality?

This week on The Big Picture, we sit down with British-Pakistani writer, political activist and public intellectual Tariq Ali.

Ali published his own biography, titled ‘Winston Churchill: His Times, His Crimes’. In it, he paints a different portrait - one of a self-obsessed, ruthless and deeply racist colonial leader, who lost little sleep over his crushing attempts to maintain Britain’s rule.

In particular, his actions in Ireland, Kenya and Bangladesh led to some of the most horrific atrocities of the 20th Century.

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Timeline:
0:00 - Intro
2:46 - The historical context that created Winston Churchill
5:22 - The reformation of Churchill’s image by Thatcher
9:50 - No one wants to hear the other side
12:02 - Churchill should be credited for defeating Hitler
17:30 - The British Empire created today’s conflicts in the Middle East
20:22 - The partition of India and its consequences
25:20 - Writing an alternative history to European narratives
34:30 - Hollywood & Shadow of the Pomegranate Tree
39:40 - Challenging Britain’s history
43:00 - Churchill’s reformation and the decline of Britain
47:30 - Is the West declining, or will it rise again?
53:55 - Advice to young writers
56:00 - Outro

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