On this day, June 18, 1940, Winston Churchill delivered his "This was their finest hour" speech.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Churchill had some serious flaws, but public speaking wasn't one of them.

"If we fail, then the whole world, including the United States...will sink into the abyss of a new Dark Age...Let us...so bear ourselves that, if the British Empire...last[s] for a thousand years, men will still say, “This was their finest hour.”
--Churchill 80 years ago {today}

Link to tweet

This was their finest hour

"This was their finest hour" was a speech delivered by Winston Churchill to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom on 18 June 1940. It was given just over a month after he took over as Prime Minister at the head of an all-party coalition government.

It was the third of three speeches which he gave during the period of the Battle of France.

1. The "Blood, toil, tears, and sweat" speech of 13 May, given 3 days after the start of the German offensive in the West; his first speech to Parliament as Prime Minister, reporting the formation of an all-party coalition government implacably resolved to fight on to ultimate victory.
2. The "We shall fight on the beaches" speech of 4 June, reporting the success of the Germans in over-running the Netherlands, Belgium and France north of the Somme, and the evacuation of the BEF from Dunkirk, and preparing the British to fight on alone, if necessary.
3. This speech, made after France had sought an armistice on the evening of 16 June.

{snip}

The sound bite:

More:

The whole thing:

Winston Churchill - Their Finest Hour Speech - Complete
647,131 views • Jun 18, 2014

Jonathan Thomas
7.31K subscribers

Since no one has uploaded the full Finest Hour speech, here is the entire 30 minute long speech. Well worth a listen.

Bonus footage. He says he's in the Senate chamber, but I don't think that's possible. There's not enough room. The House chamber? That I could believe.

This is from December 26, 1941:

Address to Joint Session of US Congress, 1941

Sun Jun 18, 2023: On this day, June 18, 1940, Winston Churchill delivered his "This was their finest hour" speech.

Thu Jun 18, 2020: On this day, June 18, 1940, Winston Churchill delivered his "this was their finest hour" speech.

Tue Jun 18, 2019: 79 years ago today, June 18, 1940: "This was their finest hour."

[bucolic_frolic]

1. Old Winnie left his mark upon the world

Probably the best politician wordsmith ever, one who eclipsed even FDR in that regard. Where would the world be without his tenure?

[appalachiablue]

2. Marvelous speeches, thank god he was there. Remember, Churchill

was half American through his mother, Jennie Jerome. - Never surrender.