WINSTON CHURCHILL

WINSTON CHURCHILL

TIME LINE:

June, 21^st 1919 – Treaty of Versailles

September, 1^st 1939 until the end of August 1945 – Second War World

May, 1940 – Hitler moved to France and conquered it in one month

May, 10^th 1940 – Winston Churchill became Prime Minister

                                               “Blood, toil, tears and sweat”

“ […] To form an Administration of this scale and complexity is a serious undertaking in itself, but it must be remembered that we are in the preliminary stage of one of the greatest battles in history, that we are in action at many other points in Norway and in Holland, that we have to be prepared in the Mediterranean, that the air battle is continuous and that many preparations, such as have been indicated by my hon. Friend below the Gangway, have to be made here at home. In this crisis I hope I may be pardoned if I do not address the House at any length today. I hope that any of my friends and colleagues, or former colleagues, who are affected by the political reconstruction, will make allowance, all allowance, for any lack of ceremony with which it has been necessary to act. I would say to the House, as I said to those who have joined this government: "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. Let that be realised; no survival for the British Empire, no survival for all that the British Empire has stood for, no survival for the urge and impulse of the ages, that mankind will move forward towards its goal. But I take up my task with buoyancy and hope. I feel sure that our cause will not be suffered to fail among men. At this time I feel entitled to claim the aid of all, and I say, "come then, let us go forward together with our united strength.”

Content

This speech was delivered by Winston Churchill on his very first day into the House of Commons as Britain’s new Prime Minister. The speech was given on May 13, 1940 at the beginning of the World War II when the army of Adolf Hitler were conquering all Europe, and when the existence of Great Britain itself looked uncertain.

Purpose

The speech was a call-to-arms speech; thereby its purpose was to persuade the government of Great Britain to wage war against Germany.

Audience

The intended audience was all the members of the House of Commons and his majesty himself. However, this speech was later broadcast by radio and television in all Great Britain.

Analysis

The language is full of intensifiers, superlatives, comparatives and exaggerations. These are all examples of how Churchill intensifies his need to impress the audience.  He makes it give the idea as if there is no other alternative but to fight.  He underlines the greatness of the war because he mentions different part of Europe (Norway, Holland, Mediterranean, Great Britain itself). It is strong the dipole between “we” and “I”: the war is made by all British, he has just to help an guide them, but on the other side there is a “tyranny”, a “lamentable catalogue of human crime” that has to be destroyed. Rhetorical questions are designed to get us to agree with the speaker and to be involved. These are the key words of the speech: “hope”, “struggle”, “tyranny”, “victory”, “survival”.

The speaker appears firm, bold, and strong. The way Churchill speaks highlights facts that might change the future of Great Britain with such simplicity and ease, and the makes the audience have trust in the him.

                                               “We shall never surrender”

“ [...] We are told that Herr Hitler has a plan for invading the British Isles. This has often been thought of before. When Napoleon lay at Boulogne for a year with his flat-bottomed boats and his Grand Army, he was told by someone. "There are bitter weeds in England." There are certainly a great many more of them since the British Expeditionary Force returned.[...]

 I have, myself, full confidence that if all do their duty, if nothing is neglected, and if the best arrangements are made, as they are being made, we shall prove ourselves once again able to defend our Island home, to ride out the storm of war, and to outlive the menace of tyranny, if necessary for years, if necessary alone. At any rate, that is what we are going to try to do. That is the resolve of His Majesty's Government-every man of them. That is the will of Parliament and the nation. The British Empire and the French Republic, linked together in their cause and in their need, will defend to the death their native soil, aiding each other like good comrades to the utmost of their strength. Even though large tracts of Europe and many old and famous States have fallen or may fall into the grip of the Gestapo and all the odious apparatus of Nazi rule, we shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, 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, and even if, which I do not for a moment believe, this Island or a large part of it were subjugated and starving, then our Empire beyond the seas, armed and guarded by the British Fleet, would carry on the struggle, until, in God's good time, the New World, with all its power and might, steps forth to the rescue and the liberation of the old.”

Content

This speech was given by Winston Churchill to the House of Commons on 4^th  June 1940. This was the second speech given around the period of the Battle of France.

Purpose

Churchill had to describe a great military disaster, and warn of a possible German invasion attempt, without casting doubt on an eventual victory. However he encouraged all British people to resist and to not let hope fall down, they “shall never surrender”.

Audience

The intended audience was all the members of the House of Commons and his majesty himself. However, this speech was later broadcast by radio and television in all Great Britain.

Analysis

Churchill understands the potentialities of the British army and encourages it to not fall down. He highlights some familiar words, such as “island home” and “our Empire”, describing the British landscape, in order to involve the audience. For the second time, the Prime Minister paints Germany as a “tyranny” that has to be destroy. He creates a big gap between France with Great Britain and German and he's able to underline the word “we” to persuade the audience that he will be next to British people in this war, whenever it will be. This part is a big climax that ends with the invitation “we shall never surrender” and the request of God's help and blessing.