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Winston Churchill

Winston Churchill was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945, during the Second World War, and again from 1951 to 1955. He is also well known for his writing, speeches and oratory skills, and was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1953. Many of his most famous speeches were during the Second World War, and these are credited with raising morale among British communities and soldiers during difficult times. 

Churchill joined the British Army at the age of 21 as both a soldier and a journalist. He fought around the world, including during the Boer conflict and the First World War. He also held a number of political positions, and was made First Lord of the Admiralty at the start of the Second World War. When the former Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain resigned in 1940, Churchill was made the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

© IWM (HU 73115) MR WINSTON CHURCHILL LEAVING 10 DOWNING STREET AFTER ATTENDING A WAR COUNCIL MEETING.

© IWM (HU 73115) MR WINSTON CHURCHILL LEAVING 10 DOWNING STREET AFTER ATTENDING A WAR COUNCIL MEETING.

Although most politicians employ speechwriters, Churchill, like Hitler, did not, and became well known for his speeches. Churchill believed a speech should involve “rapid succession of waves of sound and vivid pictures”, using techniques such as alliteration and repetition to build suspense. Although he was sometimes criticised for using old fashioned vocabulary, he used emotive language and metaphors to create powerful imagery. Churchill overcame his speech impediment and became a renowned public speaker. He spent much time practicing his speech aloud in order to overcome his nervousness. He also considered his rhythm when delivering his speeches and used dramatic pauses.  

Churchill delivered three major speeches in 1940 around the time of the Battle of France, when Germany invaded France, all with similar themes but addressing different military contexts. The second of these speeches is known as “We shall fight on the beaches”, during which he reiterated that the British would fight to the end to defeat Germany. His repetition of the phrase “We shall fight” was effective in creating a vivid image for the audience and building momentum. 

Here is an extract from his “We shall fight on the beaches” speech:

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.