Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
It was 70 years ago today when Churchill said this::
""""However matters may go in France or with the French Government or with another French Government, we in this island and in the British Empire will never lose our sense of comradeship with the French people. If we are now called upon to endure what they have suffered we shall emulate their courage, and if final victory rewards our toils they shall share the gains, aye. And freedom shall be restored to all. We abate nothing of our just demands — Czechs, Poles, Norwegians, Dutch, Belgians, all who have joined their causes to our own shall be restored.
What General Weygand has called the Battle of France is over. I expect that the Battle of Britain is about to begin. Upon this battle depends the survival of Christian civilisation. Upon it depends our own British life, and the long continuity of our institutions and our Empire. The whole fury and might of the enemy must very soon be turned on us. Hitler knows that he will have to break us in this island or lose the war. If we can stand up to him, all Europe may be freed and the life of the world may move forward into broad, sunlit uplands.
But if we fail, then the whole world, including the United States, including all that we have known and cared for, will sink into the abyss of a new dark age made more sinister, and perhaps more protracted, by the lights of perverted science. Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves, that if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say, this was their finest hour.' """
What great and stirring words from our greatest Englishman.
Oratory of that splendor just does not exist any more. How minuscule todays politicians seem compared to Winston S Churchill. This was just not a one-off of course. Churchill quotes and great speeches are numerous and many resound today with the same force as they did when they were first spoken.
Will there ever be his like again?
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
great stuff indeed, a wonderful orator, has to be said though that there has not been a situation before or since where the country was about to invaded.
obviously in the distant past, but nothing in the last few centuries.
having said that i cannot envisage people like jon major, ian duncan smith or gordon brown coming up with a series of inspring speeches.
maybe thatcher and kinnock could have whipped up an audience.
Guest 693- Registered: 12 Nov 2009
- Posts: 1,266
I quite agree with you, Barry; oratory such as Churchill's simply doesn't exist any more. Many have tried to emulate him and failed.
In a different vein, John F Kennedy also had the same gift - but Kennedy's speeches were written by a very talented team whereas Churchill wrote his own.
But for me, there can only be one contender for the greatest speech of all time : "I Have A Dream........." - words spoken from the heart and delivered magnificently.
True friends stab you in the front.
Guest 690- Registered: 10 Oct 2009
- Posts: 4,150
My favourite from Churchill was a comment by a Lady somebody after one of his speeches, and I`m sure you`ve heard it before; " Mr Churchill you`re drunk". Reply from Churchill; "But Lady ...... you`re ugly, but in the morning, I shall be sober".
Tell them that I came, and no one answered.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
not forgetting the one when he was very old at a party and commented to his wife that a dashing young cove was dancing only with the older women and not the available debutantes.
his wife explained that he was not that sort, winston not understanding kept probing until the penny dropped, then came out with the classic line "buggers cant be choosers".
Andy - with you mate!
