The Electronic Telegraph 25 April 1995 FRONT PAGE

Churchill just a footnote in VE Day video

By John Clare, Education Editor

It said the only mention of Churchill was in the context of losing the 1945 general election: "Though defeated, Mr Churchill is proclaimed a great war leader."

His defeat, the commentary added, allowed the Labour Party "to use profits from State-owned industries to finance better public services, such as health care".

A 34-minute video sent to every primary school also gave Churchill only 14 seconds, the campaign said. The only comment on him was by a child who said: "People thought he helped the war end in Britain."

The film's main focus was on social attitudes, such as "gender awareness", illustrated by such comments as: "It was quite sexist in the war."

Mr Nick Seaton, chairman of the campaign, said: "We regret the way in which one of the nation's greatest figures has been marginalised by these teaching packs. Churchill has almost been written out of history.

"Although his name is missing in the coverage of events prior to VE Day in 1945, other leaders are mentioned - Chamberlain, Hitler, Mussolini, Daladier and Stalin."

The Education Department said the aim of the videos was not to describe the war but to "put VE Day in context" - to help children to understand what it was like to live through the war by describing the everyday life of ordinary people. Obviously, Churchill played a great part in the war, and we acknowledge that in the video."

Editorial Comment: Japan's abiding shame

The Electronic Telegraph is a Registered Service Mark of The Telegraph plc