ABSTRACT
When Victory in Europe was achieved in May 1945 the prestige of Winston Churchill stood toweringly high. Not only had he stood out in the late 1930s against the ‘guilty men’ who appeased Hitler, but he had led Britain through ‘blood, toil, tears and sweat’ to final victory. And yet, when in his first election broadcast this great orator warned that a Labour government would ultimately introduce some form of Gestapo, few took him seriously. Such scare tactics had in the past produced tangible effects, but in July 1945 Labour was elected to power for the first time. The party’s success probably owed very little to the election campaign itself. It was the culmination of almost half a century of history.
