Neville Thompson on Mackenzie King, Churchill and Roosevelt

History Matters by Canadian Institute for Historical Education · Jul 23, 2026 · 46m

Allan talks with Neville Thompson, emeritus professor of History at Western University, about Mackenzie King and his relationships with Winston Churchill and Franklin Roosevelt. In his book, The Third Man, based largely on King’s incredibly detailed personal diary, Thompson argues that King’s friendships with the two leaders – he knew both of them better than they knew each other – made him a vital intermediary, and consequently a more important player in the story of World War Two than has generally been acknowledged. Thompson also talks about his friend Lynton "Red" Wilson, whom he knew…