If we can stand up to him, all Europe may be free and the life of the world may move forward into broad, sunlit uplands. Hitler knows that he will have to break us in this island or lose the war. The whole fury and might of the enemy must very soon be turned on us. Upon it depends our own British life, and the long continuity of our institutions and our empire. Upon this battle depends the survival of Christian civilization.
I expect that the Battle of Britain is about to begin. Czechs, Poles, Norwegians, Dutch, Belgians have joined their causes to our own.
We abate nothing of our just demands not one jot or tittle do we recede. If we are now called upon to endure what they have been suffering, 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 in this island and in the British empire will never lose our sense of comradeship with the French people. The House will have read the historic declaration in which, at the desire of many Frenchmen-and of our own hearts-we have proclaimed our willingness at the darkest hour in French history to conclude a union of common citizenship in this struggle. The French government will be throwing away great opportunities and casting adrift their future if they do not continue the war in accordance with their treaty obligations, from which we have not felt able to release them. We do not yet know what will happen in France or whether the French resistance will be prolonged.
0 kommentar(er)
