Winston Churchill: We Shall Fight on the Beaches

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“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,” exclaimed Winston Churchill in a speech in the midst of World War II on June 4, 1940. This is a small passage of the passionate speech he delivered in the United Kingdom, House of Commons in Parliament. Churchill was your typical British speaker. He acquired a stiff upper lip, which enabled him to suppress emotions and refrain from trembling ensuring his powerful delivery. This particular speech was given during a time of a crucial importance. The British Isles were left to fight the Nazi’s singlehandedly due to the majority of Europe being occupied by Nazi Germany. Churchill’s speech was delivered in order to raise the morale of the British citizens as well as its military personnel during the war, to continue the struggle, and to ultimately overthrow the Nazis. To this very day, this speech remains as one of the most influential and unforgettable speeches concerning World War II. Churchill’s remarkable speech was delivered after the events of the Dunkirk Evacuation, which forced 336,000 Allied troops to retreat from Dunkirk to Britain. Because of this Nazi power being exerted over allied forces, Churchill had to make sure his speech was profound and direct. He wanted to enthuse and excite the British people and to cause urgency that difficult times were upon them and an inevitable crisis was on the horizon. Churchill’s had articulated an essential determination and urgency to defend Britain “no matter what the cost”. He conveyed a message of necessary unity that was required to win the war and to fend off the Nazi influence and assault. Churchill wanted ... ... middle of paper ... ... nonexistent because of their surrender, he was able to portray the British Empire not alone in their struggle to fight Nazi Germany. As explained before, this speech was able to significantly restore and raise morale. It prepared Britain for its ‘Darkest Hour’ and how long of a road it would be. This is considered one of Churchill’s finest speeches to this day and how it was so effective amongst the British people. It proved that a valiant defense and an effective leadership could overcome a significantly larger army. Churchill’s speech was not in vain. The blitzkrieg on Britain was a strategic German failure and the consistent bombing of London was able to in some cases improve morale with the British people and was able to show how resilient the island nation can be. For once, Nazi Germany suffered its first major defeat blazing a war trail throughout Europe.

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