ABSTRACT
Churchill did not become Prime Minister by winning a general election, or even by winning the support of the majority of his own party. Circumstances in May 1940 were out of the ordinary, to say the least: Britain was at war, and therefore could not afford to be, or appear to be, distracted by an internal political crisis. Therefore, once it had become obvious that Chamberlain had lost the confidence of the House of Commons during the Norway debate of May 1940, there could be no delay in choosing his successor. Churchill’s ascent to Prime Ministerial office took place in a whirlwind four days, during which time five major events played key roles in the fall of Chamberlain and the rise of Churchill. An examination of these five events will explain how the careers of these two men changed so dramatically in such a short space of time, and how the outcome was not as inevitable as it may seem today.
