Winston Churchill's "War Speech"

(BRUXELLES2) Great idea that Tallandier editions (Texto collection) had to republish Winston Churchill's speeches, in a bilingual edition (English - French), please. With a small introduction, very useful each time, written by Guillaume Piketty. The bilingual edition is tasty. Because his mother tongue, Churchill handles it simply, with precise and clear words. The tone thus sometimes seems more direct or abrupt than in French. And some of the sentences spoken can take on their full meaning, on this 70th anniversary of the outbreak of the 2nd World War. Thus this speech delivered in the House of Commons, on September 3, 1939, during the declaration of war. “It's not about fighting for Danzig or fighting for Poland. We are fighting to save the whole world from this plague that is Nazi tyranny and to defend what is most sacred to man. This is not a war for dominance, for empire expansion, or for material gain; it is not a war that would deprive a nation of its light or lead it away from progress. It is essentially a war to establish and restore human dignity. »

Blood, tears. The Tory Churchill, supporter of a policy of firmness against Germany, has just agreed to enter the government of Neville Chamberlain, to whom everything opposes him. The latter, however, offered him to regain the post of First Lord of the Admiralty - which he had held between 1911 and 1915. And the new minister has this sentence, which has remained in history, and taken up by others afterwards: "Winston is back“. Or this speech of May 13, 1940 when he had just been appointed Prime Minister: “I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat».

The battle is lost. A few days later, on May 19, when German General Guderian's army corps had just forced the French forces on the Meuse, and the "battle rages in France and Flanders", it has this sentence " Our task is not only to win this battle but to win the war. words taken up in another twist by De Gaulle a month later. But these speeches are not just sentences. It is also the story that we sometimes tend to forget like this word: “I received from the leaders of the French Republic (...) the sacred assurance that, whatever happens, they will fight until the end, whether bitter or glorious. » This word will not be completely kept... But he still has confidence in the French.

May God protect France. In a rather pessimistic speech delivered on July 14, 1940, he made a real ode to France: “Some of us will live long enough to see a July 14 when liberated France will once again rejoice in its greatness and glory, and once again stand up as the champion of freedom and human rights. When this dawn breaks, for it will, the soul of France will turn with understanding and gratitude to those French men and women, wherever they are, who, in the darkest hour, have not desperate for the Republic. » He will develop the Francophile fiber which animates him on October 21, 1940 in a "God protect France"vibrating with these words" French, come to your senses before it's too late! ».

Tragic moments before the denouement. But on August 20, 1940, it was the wild count of the losses: " 92 killed, wounded, prisoners and missing, including civilians”... Something to thrill. And the story unfolds over the speeches: the Alliance with Russia, the disastrous times of 1941 and 1942, with its watchword " never give up “, then the period 1943-1944, happier, but which remains terrible. " Blood Price for Liberation “, he recalls on September 28, 1944, “There is no word to translate the horror on April 19, 1945 after the extent of the concentration camps was discovered. Going through the key moments: D-Day, June 6, 1944, la
conference of Yalta and the question of Poland, in February 1945 or the capitulation and peace, May 8, 1945... To read absolutely and to read again.

(Editions Taillandier, Texto collection, 410 p., 12 euros)