105-Speech-on-Hitlers-Invasion-of-the-USSR

1SpeechonHitler'sInvasionoftheU.S.S.R.1WhenIawokeonthemorningofSunday,the22nd,thenewswasbroughttomeofHitler'sinvasionofRussia.Thischangedconvictionintocertainty.Ihadnottheslightestdoubtwhereourdutyandourpolicylay.Norindeedwhattosay.Thereonlyremainedthetaskofcomposingit.IaskedthatnoticeshouldimmediatelybegiventhatIwouldbroadcastat9o'clockthatnight.PresentlyGeneralDill,whohadhasteneddownfromLondon,cameintomybedroomwithdetailednews.TheGermanshadinvadedRussiaonanenormousfront,hadsurprisedalargeportionoftheSovietAirForcegroundedontheairfields,andseemedtobedrivingforwardwithgreatrapidityandviolence.TheChiefoftheImperialGeneralStaffadded,Isupposetheywillberoundedupinhordes.2Ispentthedaycomposingmystatement.TherewasnotimetoconsulttheWarCabinet,norwasitnecessary.Iknewthatweallfeltthesameonthisissue.Mr.Eden,LordBeaverbrook,andSirStaffordCripps---hehadleftMoscowonthe10th---werealsowithmeduringtheday.3ThefollowingaccountofthisSundayatChequersbymyPrivateSecretary,Mr.Colville,whowasondutythisweekend,maybeof2interest:4OnSaturday,June21,IwentdowntoChequersjustbeforedinner.Mr.andMrs.Winant,Mr.andMrs.Eden,andEdwardBridgeswerestaying.DuringdinnerMr.ChurchillsaidthataGermanattackonRussiawasnowcertain,andhethoughtthatHitlerwascountingonenlistingcapitalistandRightWingsympathiesinthiscountryandtheU.S.A.Hitlerwas,however,wrongandweshouldgoallouttohelpRussia.WinantsaidthesamewouldbetrueoftheU.S.A.5Afterdinner,whenIwaswalkingonthecroquetlawnwithMr.Churchill,herevertedtothistheme,andIaskedwhetherforhim,thearchanti-Communist,thiswasnotbowingdownintheHouseofRimmon.Mr.Churchillreplied,Notatall.Ihaveonlyonepurpose,thedestructionofHitler,andmylifeismuchsimplifiedthereby.ItHitlerinvadedHellIwouldmakeatleastafavourablereferencetotheDevilintheHouseofCommons.'6Iwasawokenat4a.m.thefollowingmorningbyatelephonemessagefromtheF.O.totheeffectthatGermanyhadattackedRussia.TheP.M.hadalwayssaidthathewasnevertobewokenupforanythingbutInvasion(ofEngland).Ithereforepostponedtellinghimtill8am.Hisonlycommentwas,'TelltheB.B.C.Iwillbroadcastat9tonight.'Hebegantopreparethespeechat11a.m.,andexceptfor3luncheon,atwhichSirStaffordCripps,LordCranborne,andLordBeaverbrookwerepresent,hedevotedthewholedaytoit…Thespeechwasonlyreadyattwentyminutestonine.7InthisbroadcastIsaid:8TheNaziregimeisindistinguishablefromtheworstfeaturesofCommunism.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.Iseeadvancinguponallthisinhideousonslaughtthe4Naziwarmachine,withitsclanking,heel-clicking,dandifiedPrussianofficers,itscraftyexpertagentsfreshfromthecowingandtyingdownofadozencountries.Iseealsothedull,drilled,docile,brutishmassesoftheHunsoldieryploddingonlikeaswarmofcrawlinglocusts.IseetheGermanbombersandfightersinthesky,stillsmartingfrommanyaBritishwhipping,delightedtofindwhattheybelieveisaneasierandasaferprey.9Behindallthisglare,behindallthisstorm,Iseethatsmallgroupofvillainousmenwhoplan,organise,andlaunchthiscataractofhorrorsuponmankind...10IhavetodeclarethedecisionofHisMajesty'sGovernment---andIfeelsureitisadecisioninwhichthegreatDominionswillindueconcur---forwemustspeakoutnowatonce,withoutaday'sdelay.Ihavetomakethedeclaration,butcanyoudoubtwhatourpolicywillbe?Wehavebutoneaimandonesingle,irrevocablepurpose.WeareresolvedtodestroyHitlerandeveryvestigeoftheNaziregime.Fromthisnothingwillturnus---nothing.Wewillneverparley,wewillnevernegotiatewithHitleroranyofhisgang.Weshallfighthimbyland,weshallfighthimbysea,weshallfighthimintheair,until,withGod'shelp,wehaveridtheearthofhisshadowandliberateditspeoplesfromhisyoke.Anymanorstatewhofightsonagainst5Nazidomwillhaveouraid.AnymanorstatewhomarcheswithHitlerisourfoe...Thatisourpolicyandthatisourdeclaration.ItfollowsthereforethatweshallgivewhateverhelpwecantoRussiaandtheRussianpeople.Weshallappealtoallourfriendsandalliesineverypartoftheworldtotakethesamecourseandpursueit,asweshallfaithfullyandsteadfastlytotheend....11Thisisnoclasswar,butawarinwhichthewholeBritishEmpireandCommonwealthofNationsisengaged,withoutdistinctionofrace,creed,orparty.ItisnotformetospeakoftheactionoftheUnitedStates,butthisIwillsay：ifHitlerimaginesthathisattackonSovietRussiawillcausetheslightestdivergenceofaimsorslackeningofeffortinthegreatdemocracieswhoareresolveduponhisdoom,heiswoefullymista