|
History Pages
Various
Authors
|
Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat
First Speech as Prime Minister
May 13, 1940
to House of Commons
|
 On
May 10, 1940, Winston Churchill became Prime
Minister.
When he met his Cabinet on May 13 he told
them that
"I have nothing to offer but blood, toil,
tears and sweat."
The following is excerpted from this speech,
the full
version can be found on The
Churchill Centre Website. |
" I beg to move,
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.
|
On
Friday evening last I received His Majesty's
commission to form a new Administration. It
as the evident wish and will of Parliament
and the nation that this should be conceived
on the broadest possible basis and that it
should include all parties, both those who
supported the late Government and also the
parties of the Opposition. I have completed
the most important part of this task.
A War Cabinet has been formed of five Members,
representing, with the Opposition Liberals,
the unity of the nation.
|
....
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."
|
Source Link : http://www.winstonchurchill.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=391 |
|
|
|
A
Historian Looks at Jesus
Paul
Johnson |
The
Anzac Spirit
Page
One
... Two
Col
Stringer |
Sir
Raymond Lionel Leane
Ronald
Hopkins |
The
Piggin Lecture on William Wilberforce (PDF)
Professor
Stuart Piggin, March 2007 |
On
This Day 220 Years Ago
Gordon
Moyes |
A
Lovable Rogue
Gordon
Moyes |
| |
The
Explorers
- Hebrews 11:13-16 |
The Women
- Esther 4:1-17 |
The
Convicts
-
Acts 16:16-30
|
The Missionaries
-
Acts 28:1-10
|
The
Governors
-
Acts 25:1-12
|
The
Explorers
-
Hebrews 10:19-25
|
The
Educators
-
Psalm 22:1-6
|
The
Pioneers
-
Hebrews 12:1-3 |
Wrestling
With God
Story
of Edward Eagar |
| |
| Richard
Johnson 1753-1827 |
| Alfred
Deakin 1856-1919 |
| |
Martin
Luther Timeline
1452-1493
|
Martin
Luther Timeline
1494-1510 |
Martin
Luther Timeline
1511-1522 |
Martin
Luther Timeline
1523 - 1546 |
| |
The
Life of William Wilberforce & his impact on Australia
Senate
Speech: Guy Barnett - 29th March 2007 |
| |
| Blood,
Toil, Tears and Sweat - Winston Churchill, May 1940 |
| We
shall Fight them on the Beaches - Winston Churchill, June 1940 |
| The
Price of Greatness is Responsibility - Winston Churchill, 1943 |
| Broadcast
to the Nation of Israel - David Ben Gurion, 1948 |
| I
have a Dream - Martin Luther King Jr, 1963 |
| Broadcast
to the Nation of Israel - Levi Eshkol, 1967 |
| Broadcast
to the Nation of Israel - Golda Meir, 1973 |
| I
Have Sinned - Bill Clinton, September 11, 1998 |
| Eli
Wiesel - 1999 Millenium Lecturers |
| Text
of Bush's address September 11, 2001
|
| Transcript
of President Bush's address to a joint session of Congress September 20,
2001
|
| Transcript
of PM. John Howards Address to Parliament, 14th October, 2004 - Bali Bombing |
| Anniversary
of Holocaust - Chancellor Gerhard Schroder - January 25, 2005 |
|
