Speech-on-Hitlers-invasion-of-the-USSR

1SpeechonHitler'sInvasionoftheU.S.S.R.WinstonS.ChurchillWhenIawokeonthemorningofSunday,the22nd,thenewswasbroughttomeofHitler'sinvasionofRussia.Thischangedconvictionintocertainty.Ihadnottheslightestdoubtwhereourdutyandourpolicylay.Norindeedwhattosay.Thereonlyremainedthetaskofcomposingit.IaskedthatnoticeshouldimmediatelybegiventhatIwouldbroad-castat9o'clockthatnight.PresentlyGeneralDill,whohadhasteneddownfromLondon,cameintomybedroomwithdetailednews.TheGermanshadinvadedRussiaonanenormousfront,hadsurprisedalargeportionoftheSovietAirForcegroundedontheairfields,andseemedtobedrivingforwardwithgreatrapidityandviolence.TheChiefoftheImperialGeneralStaffadded,Isupposetheywillberoundedupinhordes.Ispentthedaycomposingmystatement.TherewasnottimetoconsulttheWarCabinet,norwasitnecessary.Iknewthatweallfeltthesameonthisissue.Mr.Eden,LordBeaverbrook,andSirStaffordCripps–hehadleftMoscowonthe10th–werealsowithmeduringtheday.ThefollowingaccountofthisSundayatChequersbymyPrivateSecretary,Mr.Colville,whowasondutythisweekend,maybeofinterest:OnSaturday,June21,IwentdowntoChequersjustbeforedinner.Mr.andMrs.Winant,Mr.andMrs.Eden,andEdwardBridgeswerestaying.DuringdinnerMr.ChurchillsaidthataGermanattackonRussiawasnowcertain,andhethoughtthatHitlerwascountingonenlistingcapitalistandRightWingsympathiesinthiscountryandtheU.S.A.Hitlerwas,however,wrongandweshouldgoallouttohelpRussia.WinantsaidthesamewouldbetrueoftheU.S.A.Afterdinner,whenIwaswalkingonthecroquetlawnwithMr.Churchill,herevertedtothistheme,andIaskedwhetherforhim,thearchanti-Communist,thiswasnotbowingdownintheHouseofRimmon.Mr.Churchillreplied,Notatall.Ihaveonlyonepurpose,thedestructionofHitler,andmylifeismuchsimplifiedthereby.ItHitlerinvadedHellIwouldmakeatleastafavourablereferencetotheDevilintheHouseofCommons.'Iwasawokenat4a.m.thefollowingmorningbyatelephonemessagefromtheF.O.totheeffectthatGermanyhadattackedRussia.TheP.M.hadalwayssaidthathewasnevertobewokenupforanythingbutInvasion(ofEngland).Ithereforepostponedtellinghimtill8am.Hisonlycommentwas,'TelltheB.B.C.Iwillbroadcast2at9to–night.'Hebegantopreparethespeechat11a.m.,andexceptforluncheon（=lunch）,atwhichSirStaffordCripps,LordCranborne,andLordBeaverbrookwerepresent,hedevotedthewholedaytoit…Thespeechwasonlyreadyattwentyminutestonine.InthisbroadcastIsaid:TheNaziregimeisindistinguishablefromtheworstfeaturesofCommunism.Itisdevoidofallthemeandprincipleexceptappetiteandracialdomination.Itexcelsallformsofhumanwickednessintheefficiencyofitscrueltyandferociousaggression.NoonehasbeenamoreconsistentopponentofCommunismthanIhaveforthelasttwenty-fiveyears.IwillunsaynowordthatIhavespokenaboutit.Butallthisfadesawaybeforethespectaclewhichisnowunfolding.Thepast,withitscrimes,itsfollies,anditstragedies,flashesaway.IseetheRussiansoldiersstandingonthethresholdoftheirnativeland,guardingthefieldswhichtheirfathershavetilledfromtimeimmemorial.Iseethemguardingtheirhomeswheremothersandwivespray-ah,yes,fortherearetimeswhenallpray–forthesafetyoftheirlovedones,thereturnofthebread-winner,oftheirchampion,oftheirprotector.IseethetenthousandvillagesofRussiawherethemeansofexistenceiswrungsohardlyfromthesoil,butwheretherearestillprimordialhumanjoys,wheremaidenslaughandchildrenplay.IseeadvancinguponallthisinhideousonslaughttheNaziwarmachine,withitsclanking,heel-clicking,dandifiedPrussianofficers,itscraftyexpertagentsfreshfromthecowingandtyingdownofadozencountries.Iseealsothedull,drilled,docile,brutishmassesoftheHunsoldieryploddingonlikeaswarmofcrawlinglocusts.IseetheGermanbombersandfightersinthesky,stillsmartingfrommanyaBritishwhipping,delightedtofindwhattheybelieveisaneasierandasaferprey.Behindallthisglare,behindallthisstorm,Iseethatsmallgroupofvillainousmenwhoplan,organise,andlaunchthiscataractofhorrorsuponmankind...IhavetodeclarethedecisionofHisMajesty'sGovernment-andIfeelsureitisadecisioninwhichthegreatDominionswillindueconcur–forwemustspeakoutnowatonce,withoutaday'sdelay.Ihavetomakethedeclaration,butcanyoudoubtwhatourpolicywillbe?Wehavebutoneaimandonesingle,irrevocablepurpose.WeareresolvedtodestroyHitlerandeveryvestigeoftheNaziregime.Fromthisnothingwillturnus–nothing.Wewillneverparley;wewillnevernegotiatewithHitleroranyofhisgang.Weshallfighthimbyland,weshallfighthimbysea,weshallfighthimintheair,until,withGod's3help,wehaveridtheearthofhisshadowandliberateditspeoplesfromhisyoke.AnymanorstatewhofightsonagainstNazidomwillhaveouraid.AnymanorstatewhomarcheswithHitlerisourfoe...Thatisourpolicyandthatisourdeclaration.ItfollowsthereforethatweshallgivewhateverhelpwecantoRussiaandtheRussianpeople.Weshallappealtoallourfriendsandalliesineverypartoftheworldtotakethesamecourseandpursueit,asweshallfaithfullyandsteadfastlytotheend....Thisisnoclasswar,butawarinwhichthewholeBritishEmpireandCommonwealthofNationsisengaged,withoutdistinctionofrace,creed,orparty.ItisnotformetospeakoftheactionoftheUnitedStates,butthisIwillsay：ifHitlerimaginesthathisattackonSovietRussiawillcausetheslightestdivergenceofaimsorslackeningofeffortinthegreatdemocracieswhoareresolveduponhisdoom,heiswoefullymista