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Winston Churchill
Blood, toil, tears and sweat
(1940)
Upon his very first
entrance into the House of Commons as Britain's new Prime Minister on May
13, 1940, Winston Churchill only received a lukewarm reception from the
assembly, while at his side, outgoing Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain was
heartily cheered. Churchill then made this brief statement, which became one
of the greatest calls-to-arms ever uttered. It came at the beginning of
World War II when the armies of Adolf Hitler were roaring across Europe,
seemingly unstoppable, conquering country after country for Nazi Germany,
and when the survival of Britain itself seemed quite uncertain.
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On Friday evening last I received from His Majesty the mission to form a new
administration. It was the evident will of Parliament and the nation that
this should be conceived on the broadest possible basis and that it should
include all parties. I have already completed the most important part of
this task.
A war cabinet has been formed of five members, representing, with the
Labour, Opposition, and Liberals, the unity of the nation. It was necessary
that this should be done in one single day on account of the extreme urgency
and rigor of events. Other key positions were filled yesterday. I am
submitting a further list to the king tonight. I hope to complete the
appointment of principal ministers during tomorrow.
The appointment of other ministers usually takes a little longer. I trust
when Parliament meets again this part of my task will be completed and that
the administration will be complete in all respects. I considered it in the
public interest to suggest to the Speaker that the House should be summoned
today. At the end of today's proceedings, the adjournment of the House will
be proposed until May 21 with provision for earlier meeting if need be.
Business for that will be notified to MPs at the earliest opportunity.
I now invite the House by a resolution to record its approval of the steps
taken and declare its confidence in the new government.
The resolution:
"That this House welcomes the formation of a government representing the
united and inflexible resolve of the nation to prosecute the war with
Germany to a victorious conclusion."
To form an administration of this scale and complexity is a serious
undertaking in itself. But we are in the preliminary phase of one of the
greatest battles in history. We are in action at many other points-in Norway
and in Holland-and we have to be prepared in the Mediterranean. The air
battle is continuing, and many preparations have to be made here at home.
In this crisis I think I may be pardoned if 1 do not address the House at
any length today, and I hope that any of my friends and colleagues or former
colleagues who are affected by the political reconstruction will make all
allowances for any lack of ceremony with which it has been necessary to act.
I say to the House as I said to ministers 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 months of
struggle and suffering.
You ask, what is our policy? I say it is to wage war by land, sea, and air.
War with all our might and with all the strength God has given us, and to
wage war against a monstrous tyranny never surpassed in the dark and
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 terrors - Victory, however long and
hard the road may be, for without victory there is no survival.
Let that be realized. No survival for the British Empire, no survival for
all that the British Empire has stood for, no survival for the urge, the
impulse of the ages, that mankind shall move forward toward his goal.
I take up my task in buoyancy and hope. I feel sure that our cause will not
be suffered to fail among men. I feel entitled at this juncture, at this
time, to claim the aid of all and to say, "Come then, let us go forward
together with our united strength."
Winston Churchill - May 13, 1940
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