ESSENTIAL QUESTION
How did Winston Churchill use language to help lead the British in the early days of WWII?
CONTEXT
Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965) was a British politician, author, and international statesman during World War II and the early 1950s. Born into a wealthy family and a member of the aristocracy, he served in the military as a young man and joined His Majesty’s government in 1900. He became Prime Minister in 1940 and led Britain through World War II, working with American President Franklin D. Roosevelt as well as Joseph Stalin of Russia.
Seen by many historians as one of the most significant world figures of the 20th century, Churchill wrote several books on history and is considered a master orator. In 1939, Britain declared war on Germany (America would not enter the war until December, 1941). By 1940 England faced a dismal future and many called for a negotiated peace with Hitler, the leader of Nazi Germany. Churchill realized that Hitler was intent upon world domination and set out to convince Britain that they must fight Hitler, even though at the time Britain was suffering under constant aerial bombardment and military defeat. Two of his well known speeches from this early period are excerpted below. The first text is from Churchill’s first speech to the Parliament (the equivalent of the American Congress), made on May 13, 1940.
The second text is from Churchill’s address to the British House of Commons after the “Miracle of Dunkirk.” By the end of May, Hitler had overrun France and the British Army had been surrounded at the port of Dunkirk. The only option was to evacuate the Army across the English Channel. Expectations were low–perhaps 45,000 troops might escape German capture–but over 330,000 troops made it back to England. Churchill reported the “miracle” but wanted to remind Britain that the war was not over. He also wanted to remind US President Franklin Roosevelt that Britain needed American help.
TEXT 1
I would say to the House…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…
TEXT 2
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 to tyranny, if necessary for years, if necessary alone…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….
INQUIRY
- What imagery does Churchill use in the first text to portray a difficult road ahead for the British?
- What is the tone of the first text? How do you know? Cite examples from the text.
- Identify an appeal to ethos that Churchill uses in Text 1.
- What does Churchill identify as Britain’s aim?
- What is the effect of Churchill repeatedly using the word “victory” in sentence 8 in text 1?
- How does Churchill convey that victory must be achieved?
- In Text 2, how does Churchill encourage the British people?
- What is the tone of Churchill’s phrase, “if necessary for years, if necessary alone”? To what country is this line addressed?
- Anaphora is the repetition of beginning words or phrases in a series of sentences. Churchill does this in sentence 3 of Text 2. What is the effect of this repetition? What tone does it convey?
- How does Churchill encourage each British man, woman, and child, regardless of whether they are serving in the military, to help “defend our Island home”?
- Compare the tones of Text 1 and Text 2. How does Churchill convey these different tones?
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
winstonchurchill.org
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