BY KAREN BOSSICK
Learn about Sun Valley Resort Founder Averell Harriman’s friendship with Winston Churchill in a free Zoom talk Thursday, Oct. 29.
Historian Lee Pollock will discuss “Churchill and Harriman: Friends and Leaders in War and Peace” at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29. RSVP to Kristin.fletcher@haileypubliclibrary.org to become part of the discussion.
“At the height of Nazi domination during World War II, President Franklin Roosevelt sent a special envoy--Sun Valley’s own Averell Harriman--to take the measure of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. Harriman went on to form a close bond with Churchill and his family,” said HPL program and outreach coordinator Kristin Fletcher.
Harriman, for instance, was present at the meeting between Franklin Roosevelt and Churchill where they formulated the Atlantic Charter, which would establish American and British goals following the end of World War II.
He also accompanied Churchill to the Moscow Conference in 1942, to explain to Stalin why the allies were fighting in North Africa instead of opening a promised second front in France.
On a personal front, Pamela Churchill, who was married to Winston’s womanizing alcoholic son Randolph, had an affair with Harriman and married Harriman after her marriage to Randolph Churchill was annulled.
Pollock’s writing about Churchill has appeared in the Wall Street Journal and other publications, and he has spoken about Churchill’s legacy and leadership at venues ranging from the U.S. House of Representatives to the U.S. Supreme Court.
He is a trustee and of The International Churchill Society, having previously served as the Society’s executive director. The Montreal native is author of a forthcoming book, “Action This Day: Adventures with Winston Churchill.”