Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat - Уинстон Черчилль

On Friday evening last I received from His Majesty the mission to form a new

administration

It was the evident will of Parliament and the nation that this should be

conceived

on the broadest possible basis and that it should include all parties

I have already completed the most important part of this task.

A war cabinet has

been formed of five members, representing, with the Labour, Opposition and

Liberals, the unity of the nation

It was necessary that this should be done in one single day on account of the

extreme urgency and rigor of events.

Other key positions were filled yesterday.

am submitting a further list to the king tonight.

I hope to complete the

appointment of principal ministers during tomorrow

The appointment of other ministers usually takes a little longer.

I trust when

Parliament meets again this part of my task will be completed and that the

administration will be complete in all respects

I considered it in the public interest to suggest to the Speaker that the House

should be summoned today.

At the end of today’s proceedings, the adjournment of

the House will be proposed until May 21 with provision for earlier meeting if

need

be.

Business for that will be notified to M. P. s at the earliest opportunity

I now invite the House by a resolution to record its approval of the steps

taken and

declare its confidence in the new government.

The resolution

«That this House welcomes the formation of a government representing the united

and inflexible resolve of the nation to prosecute the war with Germany to a

victorious conclusion.»

To form an administration of this scale and complexity is a serious undertaking

in

itself.

But we are in the preliminary phase of one of the greatest battles in

history

We are in action at many other points--in Norway and in Holland--and we have to

be prepared in the Mediterranean.

The air battle is continuing, and many

preparations have to be made here at home

In this crisis I think I may be pardoned if I do not address the House at any

length

today, and I hope that any of my friends and colleagues or former colleagues who

are affected by the political reconstruction will make all allowances for any

lack of

ceremony with which it has been necessary to act

I say to the House as I said to ministers 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 months of struggle and

suffering

You ask, what is our policy?

I say it is to wage war by land, sea and air.

War with

all our might and with all the strength God has given us, and to wage war

against a

monstrous tyranny never surpassed in the dark and 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 terrors -- victory, however long and hard the

road may

be, for without victory there is no survival

Let that be realized.

No survival for the British Empire, no survival for all

that the

British Empire has stood for, no survival for the urge, the impulse of the ages,

that

mankind shall move forward toward his goal

I take up my task in buoyancy and hope.

I feel sure that our cause will not be

suffered to fail among men

I feel entitled at this juncture, at this time, to claim the aid of all and to

say,"Come

then, let us go forward together with our united strength."