23 pages • 46 minutes read
Winston ChurchillWe Shall Fight on the Beaches
Nonfiction | Essay / Speech | Adult | Published in 1940A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Themes
The Battle is Won, but Not the War
Churchill begins this famous speech by listing the losses of soldiers and supplies in recent battles. Managing to keep the port of Dunkirk open for a meaningful evacuation is cause for praise, but Churchill reminds the listeners that a favorable outcome in one battle does not mean the tide of the war is turning in their favor. Rather, the British and French armies are facing a scarcity of weapons, ammunition, and army transports, slowing the expansion of their forces. Churchill compares recent losses to those of March 21, 1918—evoking memories of the catastrophic losses the Germans inflicted on France and Britain in World War I’s German Spring Offensive—to sustain a sense of urgency among British people and industries. While fewer lives were lost in the recent battle, the impact on supplies and weapons was similar. Churchill must prevent the nation from becoming complacent, and he praises the unprecedented levels of munitions production currently being achieved by a unified populace.
Churchill gives credit where it’s due and praises the unflagging efforts of both military and merchants in the retrieval of the armed forces from what seemed like a horrific battle scene. Rescuing more than 300,000 people and bringing them to Britain is an accomplishment that should be noted, but the nation must continue to strengthen its military forces. Churchill signals a shift in strategy: There are a record number of troops on the island, but Britain cannot continue to rely on the defensive stance that other countries and leaders have used to combat Hitler. Rather, the nation must go on the offensive. He notes that freedom from invasion was never guaranteed, citing centuries of threats across the English Channel.
Further, the war is coming to the British in this time of vulnerability when they do not yet have the supplies to wage an offensive attack. Churchill credits the bravery and sacrifice demonstrated in this evacuation but emphasizes that there is much work to be done so that victories can take place in the future. Now is not the time to sit idly by; now is the time to work.
Together We Stand, Until the Very End
Germany has worked to dismember all of Europe under the umbrella of fascism, seeking their fall to the Nazi order and “Herr Hitler.” Churchill wishes to remind his audience throughout the speech that there is resistance when citizens—whether military or civilians—work together and take a stand. Resistance comes not only from the military but also from the citizens who manned the sea vessels and assisted with the evacuation of the soldiers at Dunkirk. Resistance allowed the Belgian King to call for aide, and for aide to be given, even though at the last minute he snatched away his armies. In the name of resistance, there is a brotherhood that can lead to change when people stand together. Praising the nation’s united front and ceaseless work to prepare to defend itself, Churchill notes: “Work is proceeding everywhere, night and day, Sundays and week days. Capital and Labor have cast aside their interests, rights, and customs and put them into the common stock” (Paragraph 14). Political divisions, self-interest, and the normal boundaries between work and rest are temporarily undone as the British people concentrate on rebuilding their reserves.
Churchill mentions the losses of men, both the known dead and the missing, as numerous soldiers are reported missing after the evacuation at Dunkirk. He seeks to create a sense of unity among the government and the citizenry by noting the absence of the President of the Board of Trade, who is grieving the loss of his own son, and the anguish of loss suffered by many other members of Parliament. This repeated acknowledgment of the dead and missing also helps spur national unity by highlighting the need for continued vigilance and preparation. Churchill’s stance that even if the Island of Britain is overcome, there are enough forces in the world for the fight for freedom to continue highlights that these deaths were not in vain; Britain will not surrender. In the final paragraphs, Churchill urges his audience to remember that “we” shall fight, no matter where the battleground may be, and “we” shall be victorious, even in death. This use of the first person plural emphasizes national unity and shared destiny.
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By Winston Churchill
