Winston Churchill speeches

The war started in 1939 when Germany invaded Poland.


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In 1940 France was being severely attacked by the German nazis, in Great Britain Chamberlain resigned as Prime Minister. Winston Churchill became the Prime Minister in May 1940.

First Broadcast as Prime Minister:

I speak to you for the first time as Prime Minister in a solemn hour for the life of our country, of our empire, of our allies, and, above all, of the cause of Freedom. A tremendous battle is raging in France and Flanders.
(...)
Side by side, (...) the British and French peoples have advanced to rescue not only Europe but mankind from the foulest and most soul-destroying tyranny which has ever darkened and stained the pages of history. Behind them - behind us- behind the Armies and Fleets of Britain and France - gather a group of shattered States and bludgeoned races: the Czechs, the Poles, the Norwegians, the Danes, the Dutch, the Belgians - upon all of whom the long night of barbarism will descend, unbroken even by a star of hope, unless we conquer, as conquer we must; as conquer we shall.
 

For the first time, the people had hope but Churchill commented: "Poor people, poor people. They trust me, and I can give them nothing but disaster for quite a long time."

Here are some extracts of his speeches:

"I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat."

"We have before us an ordeal of the most grievous kind. We have before us many, many long months of struggle and of suffering. You ask, what is our policy? I can say: It is to wage war, by sea, land and air, with all our might and with all the strength that God can give us; to wage war against a monstrous tyranny, never surpassed in the dark, lamentable catalogue of human crime. That is our policy. You ask, what is our aim? I can answer in one word: It is victory, victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory, however long and hard the road may be; for without victory, there is no survival."

Famous quotes from Winston Churchill :

If you are going to go through hell, keep going.  

Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/w/winston_churchill.html#GAKxOOzYDeT82XcP.99

To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.

Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/w/winston_churchill.html#GAKxOOzYDeT82XcP.99

Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/w/winston_churchill.html#GAKxOOzYDeT82XcP.99

Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/w/winston_churchill.html#GAKxOOzYDeT82XcP.99Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.

Never, never, never give up.


We shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender.

All great things are simple, and many can be expressed in single words: freedom, justice, honor, duty, mercy, hope.


I like pigs. Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals.

The British nation is unique in this respect. They are the only people who like to be told how bad things are, who like to be told the worst.

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Winston Churchill's influence continued after the world wars. His speech around the "iron curtain" is significant of the COLD WAR. 

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