Winston Churchill | Blood, Toil, Tears, and Sweat | Full Speech, 13 May 1940

This was Winston Churchill's first speech as prime minister, delivered to the House of Commons on the 13th of May, 1940. Churchill had been appointed by King George VI just three days earlier, following Neville Chamberlain's resignation from the position amidst growing scrutiny of his leadership surrounding the war with Germany. Churchill spent the first days of his tenure organizing a war cabinet and forming a coalition government, acting swiftly to ready the nation for a hopeful turning point in the war.

In his speech, Churchill stressed the gravity of the situation Europe found itself in and prepared his countrymen for the struggle ahead. He succeeded in conveying the immense effort and sacrifice that was ahead, as well as the importance of victory and the consequences should it not be achieved. This address also had the intended effect of rallying the nation and fostering unity during a time of great uncertainty. A tone of strength, endurance, and commitment was set for Churchill's administration and the struggle to come...

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