His Finest Hours

The greatest British statesman and a truly outstanding orator, Winston Churchill steered his nation through the bloodiest war in history. His famous speeches raised the morale of an anxious people - but also warned them of the perils ahead. In his honesty and unshakeable belief, he inspired and reassured Britons and their allies around the world. Opening with his 1939 broadcast on the looming war, which had cast 'a hush over Europe', and closing with his prophetic statement in 1946 that 'an iron curtain has descended across the Continent', His Finest Hours presents Churchill's most rousing wartime speeches. From the tensions on the eve of conflict, to the bravery of an embattled nation, and ultimately the relief and elation of victory, each speech paints a vivid picture of the world at war. But not only are Churchill's speeches rich in historical content, they also demonstrate his mastery of language. With such eloquent phrases as 'a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma' and the patriotic rallying cry for each individual to 'stand alone in the breach', Churchill's words offer a lyricism unrivalled by any other speechmaker of the era. His power to captivate an audience earned him the trust of those who heard him, and continues to stir our emotions today. Graham Stewart's perceptive commentary introduces each speech by explaining its background and the key events of the time. Together with Churchill's own words and iconic wartime photography, His Finest Hours is a concise and compelling history of the Second World War. Included here are Churchill's best-known addresses: 'Their finest hour', 'Blood, toil, tears and sweat', 'Fight them on the beaches', 'Never in the field of human conflict', 'Some chicken. Some neck', and 'This is your victory!' - as well as 30 other momentous speeches by the remarkable leader who gave hope to his country in its darkest hour.

“Our reluctance to fight was mocked at as cowardice. Our desire to see an unarmed world was proclaimed as the proof of our decay. Now we have begun. Now we are going on. Now, with the help of God, and with the conviction that we are the defenders of civilization and freedom, we are going to persevere to the end.” 1 October 1939, on the first month of war. “I would say to the House, as I have said to those who have joined this Government: I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat. You ask, What is our aim? I can answer in one word: Victory - victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory, however long and hard the road may be; for without victory, there is no survival.” 13 May 1940, on becoming prime minister. “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.” 4 June 1940, on Dunkirk. “The gratitude of every home in our island, in our Empire, and indeed throughout the world, except in the abodes of the guilty, goes out to the British airmen who, undaunted by odds, unwearied in their constant challenge and mortal danger, are turning the tide of the world war by their prowess and by their devotion. Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.” 20 August 1940, on the Battle of Britain. “We welcome Russia to her rightful place among the leading nations of the world. It is my duty, however, for I am sure you would wish me to state the facts as I see them to you, to place before you certain facts about the present position in Europe. From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the Continent.” 5 March 1946, on the aftermath of the war.