温斯顿·丘吉尔在短短四周内撰就三篇不朽演说。
高压之下，丘吉尔调动起语言的所有能量，并使之化为战斗力。他代表同僚与民众发出强音，这前所未有的狮吼响彻云霄。
时间：1940年5月13日 下午2点45分
地点：下院辩论庭
“热血、劳作、眼泪与汗水”
“BLOOD, TOIL, TEARS AND SWEAT”
新首相丘吉尔根基未稳，他在下院发表第一次演说，一是要平息来自白厅的批评声，二是要获得亟需的哪怕有限的支持。一句话，第一次演说只能成功。
我们不可忘记，这场战争是史上一场大战，我们尚在其初始阶段……我想向诸位重复之前向本届内阁同仁说过的话：“我所能奉献的只有热血、辛劳、眼泪与汗水。”
我想向诸位重复之前向本届内阁同仁说过的话：“我所能奉献的只有热血、劳作、眼泪与汗水”。
我们面临最严峻的考验。我们面临难以预估的漫长的奋争与苦难。诸位要问，我们的对策是什么？我可以告诉诸位：是宣战，在海上，在陆地，在空中，动用我们全部能量，动用上帝所能给予我们的所有力量，对敌宣战；对专制恶魔宣战，这个恶魔犯下了空前黑暗、令人发指的反人类罪行。这就是我们的对策。诸位要问，我们的目标是什么？我可以一语答之：胜利，不惜代价赢得胜利，不惧任何可怕局面赢得胜利，无论前路何其漫长艰险也要赢得胜利；因为，不赢得胜利，则无任何存续之机。请让此成为诸位共识，不赢得胜利，大英帝国则不能存续；大英帝国所倡导的一切则不能存续；每个时代的共同憧憬与渴望，即人类要奔向共同目标，则不能存续。虽然肩荷重任，但我斗志昂扬，充满希望。可以肯定，我们不会坐忍我们的事业败于我们男子汉之手。此刻，我认为有权得到诸位相助；我要说：“时候既至，勿犹豫，让我们团结起来，凝聚力量，踏上征程”。
…it must be remembered that we are in the preliminary stage of one of the greatest battles in history. I would say to the House, as I said to those who have joined this Government: ‘I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat.’
We have before us an ordeal of the most grievous kind. We have before us many, many long months of struggle and of suffering. You ask, what is our policy? I can say: It is to wage war, by sea, land and air, with all our might and with all the strength that God can give us; to wage war against a monstrous tyranny, never surpassed in the dark, lamentable catalogue of human crime. That is our policy. You ask, what is our aim? I can answer in one word: It is 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. Let that be realised; no survival for the British Empire, no survival for all that the British Empire has stood for, no survival for the urge and impulse of the ages, that mankind will move forward towards its goal. But I take up my task with buoyancy and hope. I feel sure that our cause will not be suffered to fail among men. At this time I feel entitled to claim the aid of all, and I say, ‘Come then, let us go forward together with our united strength.’
丘吉尔只演说了七分钟，完毕，回到自己座位。
他演说最后吁求团结与凝聚力量，尚欠感召力：他的对手未积极响应，给予支持。钱农在日记里写道，丘吉尔的演说——如今被视为史上最伟大的政治演说之一——当时“收效不尽如人意”。下院反丘吉尔的情绪并未因其演说而得以缓释，不过，一些有关那天情形的日记倒不吝称道。尼克尔森称演说“[非]常短……但切中肯綮”；乔克·科尔维尔认为演说“简短精彩”；钱农评价，“新首相的演说不止于好，甚至有出其不意之效……”。丘吉尔这篇演说如今被视为可媲美葛底斯堡演说，展示了同等高超政治演说才能，具有同等强大感染力，然而，当时，谁也没能估测到它的真正能量。
时间：1940年5月19日 晚9点
地点：BBC播音室
BBC广播
BBC BROADCAST
传记作家威廉·曼彻斯特如此描绘：“丘吉尔浸淫于下议院达四十年之久，因此习惯[演讲时]头左右来回摇晃。这在英国广播公司话筒前当然不行。”于是，在播音室里，“[伦敦]老维克[剧院]的蒂龙·格思里站在[丘吉尔]身后，紧紧薅住[他的]两耳……”
英国广播公司的壁钟敲响了晚9点，绿灯亮起，丘吉尔开始向全国演讲：
这是我第一次作为首相和你们说话。在这个时刻，我们国家，我们整个帝国，我们的盟友，最重要的是，自由事业，到了生死关头。在法国和佛兰德，一场大战正在激烈进行。德国将空中轰炸与重型装甲坦克进攻结合得令人惊叹，突破了法国在马其诺防线北边的防御。德国一列列势不可挡的装甲坦克正在碾压蹂躏这个在他们眼里堪为一马平川的国家，这是因为战争开始一两天里竟无任何防御。德国人已攻入法国腹地，给所到之处带去一片慌乱。……
狰狞邪恶的侵略之师几日内便让荷兰山河破碎，受其奴役。我们须料到，一俟西线稳定，它的主体将扑向我们。可以肯定，当我说，我们将严阵以待，经受住考验，遵循历来遵循的战争法则全力反击，这其实正是大家的心声。英伦之岛将有众多男女，承受考验时，只会感到欣慰甚至自豪，因为他们分担着前线小伙子们经历的种种凶险——愿上帝保佑我们陆军、海军、空军的小伙子们，还有，他们至少部分分散了前线小伙子们须承受的敌人的猛烈攻击。这样的时刻难道不是上帝为我们安排的重要时刻？在这样的时刻，我们每个人难道不该尽己所能，竭己之力？要想赢得这场战斗，我们须更多提供将士们亟需的武器弹药；我们须拥有，而且要尽快拥有，更多飞机、坦克、火炮、枪支。这些武器弹药至关重要，刻不容缓。它们可让我们抗击强敌的力量倍增。有了它们，我们则不会陷于持久苦战，不会遭受无谓牺牲；一切资源目前的确尤显精贵，但是，我们知道了武器弹药可迅速改变无谓牺牲的局面，会因此更愿动用储备资源服务于战争。
……
我已获得国王陛下授权，业已组建新政府，其中有男士，也有女士，他们代表了各个党派及几乎各种立场。我们有过分歧争执，但是，现在，共同信念将我们团结在一起，这就是，对敌宣战，直到赢得胜利；无论付出多大代价，无论可能经历怎样的苦痛，绝不放弃抵抗、任人奴役、忍受屈辱。这是法英两国历史长河中最令人为之动容的时期，毫无疑问，也是最庄严神圣的时期。英法两国人民肩并肩，在仅有自治领父老兄弟姐妹与受到庇护的邦联国家援助的情况下，肩并肩，勇往直前，要将欧洲乃至人类从暴政下解救出来。历史上有过令世界暗无天日、令人类蒙羞的暴政，当下的暴政则最恶浊、最毁灭性灵。英法两国人民——我们——英法陆军、海军、空军当前要要保护的，是数个相互为邻的支离破碎的国家与受欺凌的民族：捷克人，波兰人，挪威人，丹麦人，荷兰人，比利时人——除非我们征服敌人，否则，野蛮残虐的漫漫长夜将笼罩这些国家与民族，阻断哪怕星点希望之光；我们必须征服敌人；我们必将征服敌人。
……
I speak to you for the first time as Prime Minister in a solemn hour for the life of our country, of our empire, of our allies, and, above all, of the cause of Freedom. A tremendous battle is raging in France and Flanders. The Germans, by a remarkable combination of air bombing and heavily armoured tanks, have broken through the French defences north of the Maginot Line, and strong columns of their armoured vehicles are ravaging the open country, which for the first day or two was without defenders. They have penetrated deeply and spread alarm and confusion in their track…
We must expect that as soon as stability is reached on the Western Front, the bulk of that hideous apparatus of aggression which gashed Holland into ruin and slavery in a few days will be turned upon us. I am sure I speak for all when I say we are ready to face it; to endure it; and to retaliate against it – to any extent that the unwritten laws of war permit. There will be many men and many women in the Island who when the ordeal comes upon them, as come it will, will feel comfort, and even a pride, that they are sharing the perils of our lads at the Front – soldiers, sailors and airmen, God bless them – and are drawing away from them a part at least of the onslaught they have to bear. Is not this the appointed time for all to make the utmost exertions in their power? If the battle is to be won, we must provide our men with ever-increasing quantities of the weapons and ammunition they need. We must have, and have quickly, more aeroplanes, more tanks, more shells, more guns. There is imperious need for these vital munitions. They increase our strength against the powerfully armed enemy. They replace the wastage of the obstinate struggle; and the knowledge that wastage will speedily be replaced enables us to draw more readily upon our reserves and throw them in now that everything counts so much.
Having received His Majesty’s commission, I have formed an Administration of men and women of every Party and of almost every point of view. We have differed and quarrelled in the past; but now one bond unites us all – to wage war until victory is won, and never to surrender ourselves to servitude and shame, whatever the cost and the agony may be. This is one of the most awe-striking periods in the long history of France and Britain. It is also beyond doubt the most sublime. Side by side, unaided except by their kith and kin in the great Dominions and by the wide empires which rest beneath their shield – side by side, the British and French peoples have advanced to rescue not only Europe but mankind from the foulest and most soul-destroying tyranny which has ever darkened and stained the pages of history. Behind them – behind us – behind the Armies and Fleets of Britain and France – gather a group of shattered States and bludgeoned races: the Czechs, the Poles, the Norwegians, the Danes, the Dutch, the Belgians – upon all of whom the long night of barbarism will descend, unbroken even by a star of hope, unless we conquer, as conquer we must; as conquer we shall.
丘吉尔六天前证明了自己的修辞炉火纯青，此刻依然如此：在此千钧一发之际，他能借此唤起民众为其事业而战。
政治同僚此次响应积极，力度巨大。安东尼·艾登当晚致信丘吉尔，说：“这是你迄今做的最精彩也可以说是最伟大的事。谢谢你。谢谢主派来了你。”克劳德·伯克利上尉，战时内阁秘书处一员，在日记里评论道：“首相昨晚的广播演说气势恢弘，让人民终于知道了须以什么姿态面对现实。演说每一层均让人有天降大任之感。四天前，巴黎沦陷，形势堪忧，他竟巧妙地避开了这个难以回避的话题，满是让英国人民备受鼓舞的言辞”。前首相斯坦利·鲍德温致信丘吉尔，说：“我昨晚聆听了你那熟悉的声音，可惜当时不能哪怕短时握握你的手，当面向你表达我对你的衷心祝福，祝你一切好——身心强健，因为你现在肩荷的担子可谓难以承受之重”。
时间：1940年6月4日 下午3点40分
地点：下院辩论庭
“在任何一块滩涂战斗”
“FIGHT ON THE BEACHES”
敦刻尔克撤退大功告成，三十三万名将士奇迹般得救。下院里座无虚席。首相站起身来，仅四步便到了发言台前。
发言需三十四分钟。他先详述过去数周法国战场形势，继以报告敦刻尔克撤退情形。他不讳言现实，言辞坦诚生动、令人错愕。关于纳粹如何凶猛，将士们如何英勇守港舍身成仁，他均简要概之，但也足以让听众悉知其详。他称敦刻尔克撤离行动是“[一场]堪称奇迹的大运送。它的成功，靠的是无畏、坚韧、铁的纪律、无懈可击的后勤、智慧、才干、宁死不屈的忠诚”，但警醒：“任何战争中，胜者靠的不是撤退。”
……
他谈及希特勒各种进攻策略，但提请听众注意，数百年来，拿破仑与“欧洲大陆的形形色色专制君王”何尝不也如此盘算，然终告失败。演说最后部分乃其苦心孤诣的华章：
我本人充满信心：如果所有人克尽厥职，如果万事周全，如果各项布置一如现在这般无一纰漏，我们将再次证明，纵使不得已独自战斗，纵使不得已历经数年，我们也完全可以保卫自己的岛国家园，闯过战争的惊涛骇浪，抗击一时的暴政胁迫，得以存续。总之，这就是我们竭尽所能须做之事；这就是国王陛下政府，即其每个成员的决绝意志。这也是议会与英国民众所望。共同之需与事业将不列颠帝国与法兰西共和国系为一体，两国将如亲密战友，竭尽全力相助彼此，至死守护自己的故土。欧洲大片土地，欧洲许多历史悠久、名闻遐迩之国，已为或将为盖世太保及纳粹治下令人不齿的爪牙控制，即便如此，我们也绝不动摇或胆怯。我们将战斗到底；我们将在法国战斗；我们将在任何海域战斗；我们将在空中战斗，愈战愈勇、愈战愈强；我们将不惜代价守卫我们的岛国。我们将在任何一块滩涂战斗；我们将在任何一处敌人登陆之地战斗；我们将在任何一畦田野、任何一条街巷战斗；我们将在任何一座山岗战斗；我们绝不投降；纵使，我绝不相信，英伦全岛或大部分落入敌手，遭受奴役，无力反击，驻守在帝国海外领地的舰队仍将继续苦战，直至新世界适时秉承主意，全力以赴，拯救旧世界，让其重获自由。
I have, myself, full confidence that if all do their duty, if nothing is neglected, and if the best arrangements are made, as they are being made, we shall prove ourselves once again able to defend our island home, to ride out the storm of war, and to outlive the menace of tyranny, if necessary for years, if necessary alone. At any rate, that is what we are going to try to do. That is the resolve of His Majesty's Government – every man of them. That is the will of Parliament and the nation. The British Empire and the French Republic, linked together in their cause and in their need, will defend to the death their native soil, aiding each other like good comrades to the utmost of their strength. Even though large tracts of Europe and many old and famous States have fallen or may fall into the grip of the Gestapo and all the odious apparatus of Nazi rule, 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, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, 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, and even if, which I do not for a moment believe, this island or a large part of it were subjugated and starving, then our Empire beyond the seas, armed and guarded by the British Fleet, would carry on the struggle, until, in God's good time, the new world, with all its power and might, steps forth to the rescue and the liberation of the old.
演说直达其旨，力量巨大。反响强烈；几位工党议员热泪盈眶。丘吉尔后来谈及自己肩负的大任，即代英国民众发出强音时，说道，“拥有一颗雄狮之心的”是英国民众，他仅“有幸受召，代其发出狮吼”。在英国民众经历的至暗时刻，这前所未有的狮吼响彻云霄。
