On 13 May 1940, shortly after becoming Prime Minister during the early stages of World War II, Winston Churchill delivered his first major speech to the House of Commons, known as the “Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat” address. In it, he warned that Britain faced a prolonged and severe struggle against Germany following its rapid advances in Western Europe. Churchill claimed that he had nothing to offer but “blood, toil, tears, and sweat,” framing the war effort as a “national mobilization requiring total commitment to defeat Germany’s offensive in France and the Low Countries.”
Churchill’s “Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat” Speech (13 May 1940)
