Harold Macmillan

Harold Macmillan, also called "Supermac," was a British leader. He was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1957 to 1963. He was known for his clever thinking, jokes, and calm attitude. In World War I, he was hurt and felt pain for the rest of his life.

After the war, Macmillan worked in his family's book-publishing business. He later became a member of Parliament. He had important government jobs, including Foreign Secretary and Chancellor of the Exchequer. He worked closely with Prime Minister Winston Churchill.

When Anthony Eden left office in 1957, Macmillan became Prime Minister. He supported the welfare state and a mixed economy. During his time, Britain had good times with low unemployment. He worked to improve friendships with the United States and helped guide the decolonisation of Africa. His time in office had some difficult moments, including scandals. After leaving office, Macmillan stayed active in the House of Lords until he died in 1986 at the age of 92.

Early life

Harold Macmillan was born on 10 February 1894 in London to a publishing family. He grew up learning languages and went to schools such as Eton College and Balliol College, Oxford. He liked politics and looked up to leaders like David Lloyd George.

When World War I started, Macmillan joined the army. He served in France and was hurt a few times, such as during the Battle of Loos and the Battle of the Somme. After being badly hurt, he went to the hospital to get better. Even after the war ended, he still needed more time to fully recover. Later, he worked with his family’s publishing business before starting his political career.

Personal life

Harold Macmillan, a British leader, had some rumors from his school days, but these were not proven true.

He married Lady Dorothy Cavendish in 1920, and they had four children. Although their marriage had some difficulties, Macmillan kept working in politics. Lady Dorothy died in 1966. Later in life, Macmillan made close friends, including Ava Anderson and Eileen O’Casey.

Political career, 1924–1951

Member of Parliament (1924–1929)

Harold Macmillan tried to become a member of Parliament for Stockton-on-Tees in 1924. He spent a lot of his own money on his campaign. He won because many people did not vote for another party. In 1927, he and three other politicians wrote a book about big changes they wanted. By 1928, a famous leader named David Lloyd George called him a "born rebel."

Macmillan lost his seat in Parliament in 1929 because many people in his area were struggling to find jobs. He almost became a candidate for another place called Hitchin in 1931, but another politician decided to stay, so Macmillan ran again in Stockton and won.

Member of Parliament (1931–1939)

During the 1930s, Macmillan worked hard but did not hold a big government job. He wrote several books and articles about his ideas for the country's future. In 1932, he visited the Soviet Union. He also wrote about how the government should help guide business and industry.

In 1936, Macmillan suggested a meeting between different political groups to work together, but leaders from both big parties turned him down. He supported some of Hitler's early meetings but not all of them. He also wrote about how Britain, France, and the Soviet Union should work together for peace.

Phoney War (1939–1940)

In early 1940, Macmillan visited Finland, which was being invaded by the Soviet Union. He spoke out about how the British government should help Finland. Later that year, he voted against the government, which helped change the leadership.

Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Supply (1940–1942)

In 1940, Macmillan got a government job helping to provide weapons and equipment for the army and air force. He traveled around the country to organize production and improve quality.

Colonial Under-Secretary (1942)

In 1942, Macmillan took a new job helping to manage the British colonies. He talked about working together with different groups in the colonies for better understanding and friendship.

Minister Resident in the Mediterranean (1942–1945)

Later in 1942, Macmillan went to work in Algeria, which had just been freed from enemy control. He worked closely with American leaders and helped negotiate peace with Italy in 1943. He was badly burned in a plane accident but recovered.

Air Secretary (1945)

After World War II ended in Europe, Macmillan served briefly as the leader for air matters for two months.

Opposition (1945–1951)

Macmillan lost his seat in 1945 but won another election later that year. He worked with Winston Churchill and others to support closer ties between European countries to prevent future wars.

Political career, 1951–1957

Housing Minister (1951–1954)

After the Conservative Party won the election in 1951, Macmillan became the Minister of Housing & Local Government. He needed to build 300,000 houses each year, more than before. At first, he felt unsure about this job. But he worked hard and met this goal by the end of 1953, finishing a year early.

Minister of Defence (1954–1955)

From October 1954, Macmillan served as Minister of Defence. His work was sometimes limited because Churchill, the Prime Minister, was very involved. During this time, the government began relying more on nuclear weapons. In February 1955, they announced plans to build a hydrogen bomb, which was supported by both main political parties.

Foreign Secretary (1955)

In April 1955, Macmillan became Foreign Secretary. After returning from a meeting in Geneva that year, he famously said, 'There ain't gonna be no war.' He described his role as being careful with words, as anything he said that wasn’t obvious could cause trouble.

Chancellor of the Exchequer (1955–1957)

Budget

In December 1955, Macmillan became Chancellor of the Exchequer. He introduced a new way to save money called premium bonds in April 1956. Though some criticized this idea at first, it became very popular with people.

Suez

In November 1956, Britain, along with France and Israel, invaded Egypt after Egypt took control of the Suez Canal. Macmillan supported the invasion at first but later urged withdrawal when the United States opposed it. This event caused problems for Britain’s relationship with the United States and led to Eden’s resignation as Prime Minister in January 1957.

Succession to Eden

After the Suez crisis, many in the Conservative Party were unhappy. Eden resigned due to health issues on January 9, 1957. Queen Elizabeth II appointed Macmillan as Prime Minister after consulting with Churchill and others. Some were surprised because they thought Eden’s deputy, Rab Butler, would take the job. Macmillan began his time as Prime Minister unsure how long his government would last, but he ended up leading for more than six years.

Prime Minister (1957–1963)

Harold Macmillan became the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in 1957 and served until 1963. Known as "Supermac," he tried to look calm and stylish, which was different from the person before him. He had experienced advisors and worked on improving life at home and working well with other countries.

During his time, Macmillan helped improve living standards and made important laws. He also worked to keep peace between countries, especially during difficult times with the Soviet Union. His leadership helped guide the country through big changes.

Retirement, 1963–1986

Macmillan decided to leave politics in 1964 after serving for 37 years in Parliament.

Oxford chancellor (1960–1986)

In 1960, Macmillan became the leader of Oxford University. He liked talking with students and helping the university grow.

Return to Macmillan Publishers

After leaving politics, Macmillan helped run his family’s book company, Macmillan Publishers, until 1974.

London clubs

Macmillan was part of many clubs in London and often met friends there.

Political interventions

Even after retiring, Macmillan sometimes talked about politics. He once joked about a leader’s old shoes and later talked about working together during hard times.

Relations with Margaret Thatcher

When Margaret Thatcher became leader of the Conservative Party, Macmillan shared his thoughts with others. He supported some of her ideas but questioned others, like selling parts of the country’s resources. He even gave a speech comparing it to selling valuable family items.

Death and funeral

Harold Macmillan died on the evening of 29 December 1986 at Birch Grove, his family home near Horsted Keynes in West Sussex. He was 92 years old and was getting weaker and could see less. His last words were, "I think I will go to sleep now."

Leaders from around the world honored him for his service. Thatcher called him "a very remarkable man and a very great patriot." US President Ronald Reagan praised his wisdom and humanity. A private funeral happened on 5 January 1987 at St Giles' Church in Horsted Keynes, with family and friends there. A public memorial service was held later at Westminster Abbey.

Honours, awards and legacy

Harold Macmillan was chosen as a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1962. In 1976, he received the Order of Merit. In 1984, he was given the Freedom medal from the Roosevelt Study Center.

His papers are kept at Oxford University's Bodleian Library. He also received many honorary degrees from universities, including:

• 1956 – Indiana University
• 1958 – DePauw University
• 1958 – Johns Hopkins University, with Eisenhower
• 1961 – Cambridge University

Historians have different views about Macmillan's time as Prime Minister. Some think he was very interesting and left a lasting impact. Others think he was a skilled leader who could explain his ideas clearly. He faced many challenges, but he is remembered for his style and how he led during a time of change in Britain.

Arms

Harold Macmillan was known for leading Britain during a time of change. He was Prime Minister from 1957 to 1963 and was called "Supermac" because of his calm and practical style. In the First World War, he was hurt while serving as a soldier, which affected his later views.

Cabinets (1957–1963)

Harold Macmillan was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1957 to 1963. During this time, he changed his team of leaders, called the Cabinet, several times.

At the start of 1957, important roles were held by Lord Kilmuir as Lord Chancellor, Lord Salisbury as Lord President of the Council, and Rab Butler as Lord Privy Seal and Secretary of State for the Home Department. Other key members were Peter Thorneycroft as Chancellor of the Exchequer and Selwyn Lloyd as Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.

Over the years, many changes happened in these roles. For example, in October 1959, Alec Douglas-Home became Lord President of the Council and Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations. By July 1962, Macmillan made big changes in a reshuffle. Rab Butler became Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State, and new members like Sir Edward Boyle and Enoch Powell joined the Cabinet.

Cultural depictions

Further information: Cultural depictions of Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom § Harold Macmillan

Harold Macmillan, called "Supermac", has appeared in many plays, films, and television shows. He was a famous leader of the United Kingdom. People liked his smart and calm way of leading, and he often showed up in stories about British history.

Memoirs

Harold Macmillan wrote several books about his life. These books talk about different times, from before and during World War II to when he led Britain. The books cover changes in the world, the challenges of war, and helping the country through hard times.