Churchill Comes of Age Cuba 1895

The untold story of Churchill’s first international adventure, coming of age, and showing for the first time his exceptional characteristics—told with the help of original research into Spanish and Cuban archives and interviews

In 1895, Churchill showed already what kind of man he was going to be, as he went on his first international adventure, saw his 21st birthday, had his baptism of fire, wrote his first military analysis, engaged in his first dicey diplomatic mission, conducted his first intelligence work, found himself in his first major controversy with the press, and was a journalist and indeed a war correspondent for the first time. He engaged in his first political analysis, shamelessly used his connections, and did all of this in what was soon to be known as the "Churchill style." While up to now attention has been put on his Indian frontier and Boer War experience as the most formative moments in his youth, this book shows that his much earlier Cuban trip was really the moment when he "came of age" in almost every sense.

Dr Hal Klepak is Professor Emeritus of History and Strategy, Royal Military College of Canada, Senior Research Associate, Institute for the Americas, University College London and Special Adviser to Commander of the Canadian Army for Inter-American Affairs. He spent eight years as a strategic analyst at the Canadian ministry of defense and NATO. He holds a variety of military decorations and was an infantry officer for 16 years. He is the author of nine books, including Cuba’s Military 1990-2005: Revolutionary Soldiers during Counter-revolutionary Times. Glen Hartle is a photographer. He lives in Ottawa, Ontario.