This weekend marks a major milestone for a towering figure of world history. Winston Churchill was born 150 years ago, on November 30, 1874.

Churchill led an incredible life, with multiple accomplishments in the literary, political, and military worlds. Most people today likely picture him as the man who led Great Britain to victory in World War II. But his triumph as a great Allied statesman only came out of his ability to overcome earlier failures.

In Blood, Mud, and Oil Paint: The Remarkable Year that Made Churchill, AUSA author J. Furman Daniel III recounts tribulations the leader faced during the previous world war. He shows how dealing with a series of disastrous events from May 1915 through May 1916 required personal reinvention and resilience, skills that the world would later need. As Daniel notes, “Churchill could not have succeeded in 1940 had he not failed in 1915.”

Daniel is an associate professor at Concordia University Chicago. He writes on a wide range of subjects and his previous books include 21st Century Patton and Patton: Battling with History. The Book Program sat down with him to talk about his new book.

AUSA: You have written on many disparate subjects. Why did you want to focus on Churchill for this book?

Daniel: During the spring of 2020, my daughter was born two months early, she was helicoptered to a hospital 100 miles away. To say the least, this was a test of my family and faith. I found myself alone one morning, misquoting Churchill's “we will fight on the beaches” speech. I found the courage to continue and knew that I would write a book about Churchill and dedicate it to my daughter. Fortunately, my daughter is a healthy and beautiful child, and this book is for her.

AUSA: What is the significance of this particular year in his life?

Daniel: Simply stated, this was the worst year of Churchill's entire life. He faced his first major political failure, teetered on the brink of financial ruin, was abandoned and betrayed by many of his friends, struggled with depression, and was nearly killed multiple times while serving in the trenches! Any one of these struggles could have broken him, and yet he endured and emerged stronger.

AUSA: Where did Churchill find the resilience to persist after this low point?

Daniel: Churchill believed in himself, had a few close friends, and found solace in a new hobby—painting. The book discusses each of these in greater detail, but simply surviving this tumultuous year was an incredible triumph.

AUSA: How did fellow soldiers react to serving in the trenches with the former First Lord of the Admiralty?

Daniel: At first, Churchill was treated with suspicion and disdain. Most saw him as an effete politician, not a serious soldier. Ultimately, he was able to win the trust and respect of his troops by sharing the harsh conditions with the men and showing that he cared about their health and welfare.

AUSA: Which part of Churchill’s story do you love but didn’t have room to include?

Daniel: Churchill's letters! Even while at the front, he found time to compose multiple letters per day to his wife, his friends, artists, journalists, and politicians. These letters comment on an impressive range of subjects and are a pleasure to read.

Please visit www.ausa.org/books to order a copy of Blood, Mud, and Oil Paint. and other titles in the AUSA Book Program. Use the promo code F24AUSA for select member discounts when purchasing directly through the publisher links.