Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat

Winston Churchill
May 13, 1940.
First Speech as Prime Minister to House of Commons

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.
I now invite the House, by the Motion which stands in my name, to record its
approval of the steps taken and to declare its confidence in the new
Government.
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."

Winston Churchill Speech We shall fight

them on the beaches
4 June 1940
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 Majestys Governmentevery 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 Gods good time, the New World, with all its power
and might, steps forth to the rescue and the liberation of the old.