‘We Shall Fight on the Beaches’

A Review of one of Churchill’s ‘Battle of France’ Speeches
20th March 2010
Introduction
Winston Churchill made his “fight on the beaches” speech to the British Parliament in the House of Commons on the 4th June 1940. Churchill had recently been made Prime Minister on 10th May, and it was the second year of World War II. This was one of two speeches that he made to the United Kingdom, during the period known as the ‘Battle of France’.


Our group chose this particular speech out of the series because it carries with it a significant point in the War. Hitler’s armies were unstoppable; they had already sacked a large part of Europe and were over-running France at the time. Only the British Isles remained and with them the hope of preventing the Germans from domination of Europe.


Churchill’s address to the nation on 4th June 1940 remains one of his most memorable speeches. Delivered in the aftermath of the evacuation of the allied forces from Dunkirk which took place from 26th May to 4th June 1940, and in the wake of Churchill’s struggle to retain political power, this speech is renowned in particular for its unforgettable peroration - the incantatory and defiant call to arms against tyranny: “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...”. Churchill had to make the speech to temper the euphoria of the British people; although it was an amazing evacuation, there was still a terrible threat to the Britain, and indeed the World.


This paper analyses the use and effectiveness of the rhetoric employed by Churchill in this speech; first, through a reconstruction of the context in which it was delivered; second, through a focused examination of the audiences to whom Churchill was delivering his message; and third, through a detailed decomposition of the rhetorical techniques and style used in the speech itself. A key principle behind our methodology is that to better appreciate the power and meaning of this speech, it must not be read or listened to in isolation by a modern audience; rather, it must instead be analysed within the frame by which contemporaries would have experienced and interpreted it (Chambliss, 2004). When one re-reads or listens to a historical speech, one can marvel at and admire the preparation and craftsmanship in its composition, and if an audio or video recording exists one can further witness the nuances of its delivery. But they are not necessarily persuasive to us “because the occasion for persuasion has passed” (Toulmin, 1993). At best one can attempt to reconstruct some of the significant contextual aspects to conjure up a feeling for how the contemporary audience would have responded to Churchill’s speeches. The background to Churchill’s leadership assists in setting the scene for the speech; it helps identify the man behind the rhetoric, building the profile of a strong individual that had to oppose political parties and create a single, unified stance against the tyranny of Nazi Germany.


This analysis has defined Churchill’s thesis as ‘the nation needed to remain resolute and determined to succeed, no matter what the sacrifice’. Churchill wanted the British audience to accept the claim that while Nazi Germany was a force to be reckoned with, a strong, united nation could stand forever against such a foe. We argue that Churchill succeeds in achieving his goal through a combination of the vivid and detailed reporting of the events of the evacuation, a celebrationof military achievements, the rallying of national pride and subtle appeal to the United States to join the allies in the fight against Nazi Germany. He also used counter-arguments as a powerful technique in strengthening persuasive resistance (Perloff, 2008). Churchill’s success is further demonstrated through BBC polls the following day finding that the anxiously awaited speech was considered "courageous and hopeful" (Lukacs, 1999).

Conclusion

Winston Churchill was the perfect leader for this juncture in British history. Axis forces were rampant in Europe and had driven the British Expeditionary Force into the sea. The nation was demoralised in the face of a mighty foe. It was with this backdrop that Churchill assumed the Prime Ministership. How could he best steel his nation for a backs-to-the-wall final battle? He played to his strength – public oratory. Using the dual platforms of Parliament and the public wireless Churchill preached a message of hope. His thesis was simple: that while Nazi Germany was a force to be reckoned with, a strong, united nation could stand forever against such a foe provided they remain resolute and defiant. His audience was primarily his own nation, but also his allies and adversaries in Europe and a large potential ally in the United States.


Using skilful rhetoric and careful preparation in his speeches of the spring of 1940, Churchill effectively rallied the nation to stand up and fight. The subject of this research paper was the “fight on the beaches” speech, delivered soon after entering the office of Prime Minister and immediately after the successful evacuation of British troops at Dunkirk. This memorable speech set the foundation for his wartime public campaign and prepared his nation for the Battle of Britain. His achievement was all the more remarkable given that he was not universally supported. Churchill won support by connecting with the ground roots folk first and working his way up the social and class structure. His realistic assessment of the imposing odds stacked against them and his down-to-earth yet confident style built trust in his listeners, while his allusion to the great Britons of history stirred national pride. This speech culminated in delivering a significant turning point in morale on the island nation and showed a clear correlation between public performance and effective leadership; soon after, Hitler suffered his first defeat in the Battle of Britain.


“...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.”