September 13, 2013

Finest Hour 104, Autumn 1999

Page 21

BY JAMES W. MULLER

WHAT Sir Winston called “the remote and forbidding expanse of Alaska” will be a warm and welcoming location for our next Churchill Conference: the Westin Alyeska Prince Hotel, Anchorage. This is an early bulletin on what to expect—which we hope will cause you to register early when your registration materials arrive in January or February.

The Events For its theme the conference looks across the icy waters of the Bering Strait to Russia, examining Winston Churchill’s lifelong relationship with that country. Sir Martin Gilbert will present “A Russian Triptych”— three talks on Churchill and Russia, exploring Churchill’s connection to Russia in successive periods of his career.

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Conference registrants will learn of the little-known Alaskan battlefields of World War II. The Aleutian Islands were the only part of the United States occupied by the enemy during the war, and the Japanese were dislodged only after many months of fierce fighting. Alaska’s strategic location also made the future state crucial in conveying American war materiel to Russia.

The annual book discussion will be on The Aftermath, Churchill’s riveting sequel to The World Crisis, which explains what happened in the decade following World War I. In addition to the peace setdement, the beginnings of the Irish Free State and the Greco-Turkish War, The Aftermath describes the foundation of the Soviet Union and Churchill’s unavailing effort to “strangle Bolshevism in its cradle.”

The conference coincides with an important milestone: Lady Soames will be our guest of honor at a black-tie dinner to celebrate her birthday on Friday, September 15th. The next day, she will attend a panel discussion on her book, Speaking for Themselves, her parents’ letters to each other. This correspondence reveals their views of each other, their family and friends, and leading personalities, controversies, and events of the twentieth century. After hearing the discussion, Lady Soames is invited to speak for herself as well.

The conference will convene on Wednesday, September 13th, at the hotel, 35 miles south of downtown Anchorage at the Alyeska Resort in Girdwood. The Prince Hotel, which offers beautiful views of Turnagain Arm of Cook Inlet and the mountains of the Chugach Range, was built in the early 1990s and resembles the old Canadian Pacific hotels.

The hotel has offered the attractive conference rate of US$130 per night, plus tax, for a standard room, to those who identify themselves as attending the Churchill Conference. Larger rooms and suites may also be booked at special rates, and are available for up to three days before or after the conference. You are responsible for your own hotel reservations. Make reservations by calling (800) 228-3000 in Canada or the USA (or, in the UK, by ringing 0800-282-565).

THE SETTING

The conference takes place at the peak of the fall foliage in Alaska, one of the loveliest times of year. Temperatures may range from 40 to 70 F., with an average temperature in the mid-50s. Prepare to dress in layers, which may be put on or taken off as weather dictates. Conference dress is informal except for the evening events.

CONFERENCE TRIPS

During the conference, two trips will be organized. The first, on Thursday, September 14th, takes us to Seward, the town on Prince William Sound named for the American Secretary of State who negotiated the purchase of Alaska from Russia in 1867. This trip will include a boat tour of Prince William Sound, with a chance to see seals, sea lions, otters, eagles, puffins, and whales in their home waters. We will enjoy an Alaskan Salmon Bake on an island and visit the Alaska Sea Life Center, where we will view and be viewed by sea birds and mammals, and we will hear the first lecture of Martin Gilberts “Russian Triptych.”

The second trip, on Saturday, September 16th, takes us to our afternoon program of Churchill presentations and music at the University of Alaska, Anchorage, and to Anchorage’s Hotel Captain Cook, site of our closing dinner, with traditional English food and Harrow School songs by the Alaskan Canaries and Friends of The Churchill Center.

Along with the special events during the conference will be the wonderful opportunities always associated with this annual gathering of Churchillians: outstanding meals, a report on activities of The Churchill Center, conversations about Churchill, a chance to buy new Churchill books, reunions with old friends, and meetings with new ones.

PRE-CONFERENCE TOURS

Two special pre-conference tours have been organized for those who would like to see more of Alaska beforehand. The first tour is a cruise from September 2nd-9th. For seven days, in a small cruise ship that allows a close look at the wonders of southeast Alaska, including the colorful and historic Russian capital of Sitka and the grandeur of Glacier Bay with its famous icebergs, you can cruise the calm waters of southeast Alaska’s “inside passage” with other Churchillians, starting in Seattle and ending in Juneau, the state capital. Then, after a plane flight to Anchorage on September 10th, you can ride the Alaska Railroad on September 11th to Mt. McKinley, the tallest mountain in North America, whose twin peaks were named for Churchill in 1965. The mountain is the crown jewel of Denali National Park, where visitors often see moose, caribou, and grizzly bears from the comfort of the park coaches. The Alaska Cabin Night show at the park offers a taste of old Alaska. This national park tour concludes at the Westin Alyeska Prince Hotel on September 13, in time to settle in before the conference begins with an evening reception.

These tours are arranged by Cruise West, the firm that delighted Minnie Churchill on her visit to Alaska last year. Both the ship and the tour are first-rate. Early bookings allow a significant discount on regular rates. Churchill Center members should have already received a mailing about these tours. To make your booking, or for more information, contact Custom Travel Consultants, 11300 Jerome Street, Anchorage, AK 99516, USA, or fax your request to (907) 344-8802 for a return call.

A SPECIAL INVITATION

The conference promises to be unforgettable, and gives you the chance to explore the wonders of America’s largest state. The conference organizers, and all Friends of the Churchill Center in Alaska, look forward to welcoming you next September to Americas “Last Frontier.”