I have read, watched and learnt from first hand accounts so many things about WW2 since I was a child and whilst I recognised Brendan Bracken’s photograph never knew his name or anything about the man. Today was a good day as I learnt something new about the war (Which happens rarely these days) and also someone who made a great contribution which definitely needs to be remembered. Thank you. 😊👍
We still exist. What we lack is politicians worthy of us. I've put this country back at the top table four times now, and each time, one of our Glorious Leaders becomes a joke. What's the point when we can't get rid of them?
He was born for such times as was then, so when those days were over and his work was done, everything afterwards became anticlimactic with nothing to fill in the gaps. I think that Churchill must have felt the same. Only GOD can fill the voids.
What's sad is with each generation, some of the depth of what great characters lived during that crucial WW2 England. I'm from the US and love my history. I can't even imagine how intense that period was for England. How a nation's balance was in danger, Churchill took the challenge head on. Knowing his failures and you can just imagine the balls it took to do some of the unorthodox things Churchill did. Whenever I see Churchill, or hear him mentioned, I get this warm, proud, just good feeling. Like he's to me one of the best heros and inspirations ever.
Wow! Respect from Holland, and thank you very much for helping to feed Holland in 1944-1945. My highest regards, I will buy a hat just to be able to take it off to show my respect. David
One of a number of squadrons that participated in Operation Manna, chosen for the old saying Manna from Heaven, was RAAF 460 sqn If you go to normal internet, type in Oz at War. That chap has a special section on 460 sqn, as his father-in-law was a Polish pilot who flew Lancasters in 460 sqn. I am sure there is info on the Dutch - Netherland - food drops. The Americans who participated called it Operation Chowhound. Sort of shows the difference in education, with name choices... I think a few bomber crew wrapped up parcels of their own chocolate rations and extras and made a few little drops on random isolated farms, which must have caused some unexpected joy.
Captivating story and a key part of Britain's 'silent' history. It poses the question as to whether Churchill would have been 'the great war leader' without his intervention, personal support and effectiveness in the role of Minister of Information?
I think for a second time Britain has great need for another Bredan Bracken, sadly we lack both a Churchill and a BB, what a great man he must have been. His type is sadly now extinct no one uses their great power and wealth for the benefit of others. Thanks for this doc, I learned a lot.
Have you heard of Benjamin Netanyahu?????? Apparently his new autobiography is called BB. He HUGELY impresses me. Courage,intellect,integrity and humility.
@@dorothywillms115 You should read it again it is called BiBi, not BB which is used in the documentary as a simple contraction on the name Brendan Bracken, the person whom this documentary is about.
@@pingpong5000 OK I may be corrected. I heard Mr. Netanyahu himself,promote his book a bit. I certainly hope to read it. This podcast was interesting but what an odd man.
@@dorothywillms115 Thats the thing about the British we can produce 'Odd' people, they are very useful when our backs are to the wall but we don't want them around otherwise, if WW2 had not happened I recon Churchill himself would have been nothing but a foot note in our history. I cannot share your interests in Mr Netanyahu, I feel the whole Israeli thing is US finance terrorism, just my personal view and not something i talk about
Thank you for an excellent story. Reminds me of Paul Harvey’s The Rest of the Story. The story behind the story that so few people know about yet so important in history.
Always something new to discover about Churchill. The "two minute silence" a perfect dramatic scene for a film. That was the Heroic Generation and I am blessed that my parents survived that war and i can write this littel note in a bottle. They always tried to us cheer up ... never cheer down
Virgin Mary appeared in Necedah, Wisconsin and said Harry Hopkins was a traitor to America, he, like many in the Roosevelt administration compromised America to the communists. ( and that includes Roosevelt himself.)
This demonstrates quite clearly how liars, cheats, and crooks are drawn to both politics and journalism, and can be seen today in the sorry state of both.
- the Brits -, and i have neither proof or do know who it was told the Zionists, if they could convince Rosenfeld to enter the war, which he did not want to do in the first place, that they will get Palestina, today's - Israel -.
Satu kisah perjalanan hidup seorang manusia yang sunyi diri tetapi tidak sepi dari segi budi yang telah ditaburkan kepada sejarah England dan dunia. Hebat! Terima kasih dari Malaysia 🇲🇾!
I knew nothing about this evidently quite competent fellow and of his association with Churchill. Too bad his personal life was so tragic... Excellent documentary. Thanks for this engaging upload.
Outstanding! I learned more from this video on Brendan Bracken then I did befor. In fact befor this history I thought of him as Churchill's wife originally did !
My grandfather invented electromagnetic fog device & with help from Churchill n the 40s sold his device to the British to help the London airport & British Navy blue fleet to hide there planes & allow them to land &take off ,. I don't the reason why &is classified to why he went to Europe to sell the invention , I was told by his daughter who is currently still alive (93)
@@timfool I hope u realize that device can't literally transfer battleships from one location to another ? The story took off into the far fetched world , I know the precise name it's called my adopted mom has paper work on it his daughter , there a family of inventors , my brother was a test designer for NASA at white sands NM, my multi great grandfather invented curved transition bridges &sold it to Europe ( Autobahn) oddly in the time period of ben Franklin , & Washington & John Adams were his hanging buddies , my uncle invented welding art (national archives Smithsonian institute) also , has a painting of buzz aldrin first step on the moon not Neal's? (National archives as well, )
My grandpa who is 95 years old and still alive invented the “ *roll-on-roll-off* “system for ferries ⛴️ who transport goods, as well as people nowadays.
Churchill is certainly a great man and leader of the modern world. This piece shows he had an equally brilliant assistant and confident. perhaps this great assistance allowed Churchill the confidence to push and soar even higher than he may have thought possible. When you have great backup to aid you, it's possible to stretch your horizons even further. I've watched this presentation three times and it has been enjoyable each time.
Always some video that pops up you never seen Bracken story sounds more like a bond movie than a documentary glad i watched this this Should be a movie i,m sure it'll be a hit .
A fascinating insight into someone before watching this I only knew of the name. I had no idea who he was or what he had done. His dishonesty and ambition, perhaps we should forgive, for he clearly helped Winston Churchill to guide the war cabinet to the ultimate victory Britain and the Allies achieved in 1945. And in that we owe the man a great debt.
Neil Patrick Harris definitely and absolutely should play Bracken if a movie is ever made about Bracken! Facially they are doppelgänger’s though decades apart,
How fascinating. Our two countries (Ireland and Britain) really are so intertwined in so many ways I consider the British my cousins rather than my neighbours.
We're very different, but I think we complement each other If it wasn't for the centuries of colonisation, atrocities and repression things could've been so much better For both of us
DeValera said he always seemed to get on better with the English than the Northern Irish. I think it was their common exacting want for order and for doing the right thing. Propriety is a big deal with us Irish-Americans, and remember, Dev was born in New York City.
Wonderful story. A brash, brilliant boy with massive dreams who fulfilled his childhood ambitions. But breathtakingly sad that there was no real love to share his life with. There ought to be a movie about him!
🤔…..yup. Another example of one of THE most important hero’s of another war: the American Revolutionary War that very few people know about is the Marquee de Lafayette. Absolutely essential to Washington in terms of his war skills, his leadership, his personally financial backing of the Revolution, AND his ability to convince France to help. Without the Marquee, I am 99% convinced that the Revolution would have been a very short effort ending in failure.
I suspect the colonials would have won anyway, although it would have taken longer. The British government had other issues, apart from it being a long distance war.
Yes, you may be right about that. However, a recent book by Harlow Giles Unger simply titled, “Lafayette“ is an incredible biography of Lafayette, and the American revolution, followed by the difficulty he faced in the French revolution, which followed. If you get the book and read it, you will not regret it - and you may indeed come away with a bit of a different opinion, with regard to how the American revolution was so fragile that, without Lafayette, it would have likely failed. Had that been the case, I think that eventually there would have been another revolutionary war, ultimately won by the colonies….so if you are a history buff, this book I have recommended is top notch.
@@Farsider3955 we learnt about him at school history lessons in the 1970’s England, you might be surprised to hear how many people are aware of him. Thank you for the book recommendation.
At 41:44 the author says of American supplies: "Britain was not alone" : Well, since the start of WW2, Commonwealth Countries had fully supported Britain with soldiers, equipment, aviation training abroad, and the blood of the Commonwealth military. So Britain had never really "been alone" .
I am astonished that I've never known of Brendan Bracken! Actually, the logical queries (some call it a paranoid/Conspiracy) I have, is why was we never taught about this incredible, self made Irish man? His whole life story is just astounding! Everything he achieved is so important to know, so why isn't this widely known knowledge?
Absolutely such an up-lifting and inspirational documentary! But seriously, what an unsung hero. He saw the greatness in Winston Churchill and by the sound of it, Churchill never would have gotten to make the contributions to his country that he did without him! ( take heart all parents being told that your children need medicated , and are failing classes! Perhaps a sabbatical in Australia is in order! So many great men were failures in school. it means very little, many are just not cut from ordinary cloth )
Brendan could talk the hind legs of a donkey , that's at typical Irish saying . By all accounts Brendan made the decision early in life to achieve wealth & position , this he achieved . As they he did it his way . Ireland's loss ,England's gain .
There is one thing about this documentary I REALLY didn't like- and one thing only: Onion rings- especially on a burger. Way too sweet. Other then that I did enjoy watching this immensely ! Thank you very much!
You can get rid of most of the sweetness in your onion rings if you: (1) don't use Vidalia onions or yellow onions. Use plain, old white onions. (2) don't add sugar/molasses/corn syrup/etc. to the breading mixture. In general, a corn-based breading is going to be sweeter than a flour-based breading.
A Great documentary made with a huge insight in psychology and with respect, showing us how one man or woman can change our every day Life. Till today. “Big Brother Is Watching You” ❤
My dog is taking notes. This was such an amazing story!! I loved this. Wasn't depressing at all. I feel like more people need to hear stories like this because it's inspiring. My dog is also named after Churchill's bff. ❤️
In the end his actions and achievements far outweighed and outlived his lies.I think at heart ❤️ he was an honest man,he did what he did to deny his Irish ancestry,and that was sad.
If ever an author would have wrote a novel about a ‚fictional‘ character alike Brendan Bracken (who actually was himself a somewhat fictional, if not even a hyper fictional, character, any publisher would have declined to publish it for the ‚obvious‘ reason that it would be completely unbelievable
Bracken had dubious credentials as an anti-appeaser; he backed Chamberlain in both the Munich and Norway Debates. He also opposed pre-war measures to re-arm.
Brendan Bracken was just a conman, but a conman with some talent for economics and politics with whom Winston Churchill got on very well. The expression "Bracken was an O'Connell's boy" conjured up an Irish civil service, local government, or teaching career -- a fairly ordinary background. However, this expression wouldn't have meant anything in contemporary England, so Bracken could hide within his self made "mystery".
In Canada, Trudeau made large increases to budget of the CBC. In return they have been the leading cheerleaders for his governments policies and have downplayed his greatest failures.
"The BBC fiercely guards its independence from government." The tradition of an army of lies protecting the truth was not dead when this was filmed, at least.
*His Mother was Beautiful, and her sending him away to school was no more tragic than countless Elites sending their children to Boarding Schools. Her decision gave him opportunities that served him well and his dream was his. We all have dreams, he merely was far more determined.* Tragic it required his denile of birth truth, as an Irish American, I can see both sides of that reality, yet it hurts to think of his decision to keep himself separate from the truth. Apparently having been a Journalist, he knew too well the undesired Experiences of being publically accused and turned away from social opportunities. *This is why we have a need to Master our Ego Mind, aka Lower Mind, with Our Higher Mind and completely comprehend the "Universal Law of Attraction".* We must realize, we find all desires within.
Clementine Churchill charmed Hopkins with special for dinners and food and her young dtr in law in order to gain Roosevelt's permission to help Britian with the war
Curious.... Why would he want the anonymity in death. One would think that with as much as he always tried to be known and outshine others in, his youth that he would at least want some portion of his legacy to live on.
