History's villains are more easily recognized in retrospect. In an article published in 1935 and reprinted in 1937, Winston Churchill expressed a curious ambivalence towards the German chancellor prior to the outbreak of war: We cannot tell whether Hitler will be the man who will once again let loose upon the world another war in which civilization will irretrievably succumb, or whether he will go down in history as the man who restored honour and peace of mind to the great Germanic nation. . . .

Writing ... it begins as an amusement, then it becomes a mistress, then a master, and finally a tyrant.

The salvation of the common people of every race and of every land from war or servitude must be established on solid foundations and must be guarded by the readiness of all men and women to die rather than submit to tyranny.

The man who stands firm in order to protect a sand-castle can never be relied upon; for he has given away his common sense.

I am strongly in favour of using poisoned gas against uncivilised tribes.

You never can tell whether bad luck may not after all turn out to be good luck.

It is in the interest of the wage-earner to have many other alternatives open to him than service under one all-powerful employer called the State