Right Man...Right Time

Sir Winston Churchill was Prime Minister of Great Britain during the dark years of World War II.  Perhaps never in history has such a great leader emerged at just the right time and in the right place to effect a change in the course of human history.

The German war machine under the guidance of Adolph Hitler, was building strength, conquering nations, and placing much of Europe under the tyranny of the Nazi regime.  Churchill knew that if they were to be stopped, Great Britain would be the one to stop it.  He knew he would have to call on all of the strength and reserve of the British Empire as well as the United States in order to reverse the steamroller that was the German war machine.

And he made no bones about invoking the power of God, just as he did in this excerpt from his first speech to Parliament following his installation as Prime Minister.  The speech was given on this day in 1940.  Read through this part of his speech.  Think about the war and all that it meant for not only Great Britain, but for all of civilization at that time.  Yes, Mr. Churchill was one of a kind…the right kind…in the right place…at the right time.

"I would say to the House, as I said to those 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 long months of struggle and of suffering.

You ask, ‘What is our policy?’ I can say: It is to wage war, by sea, land, and air, with all our might and with all the strength that God can give us; to wage war against a monstrous tyranny, never surpassed in the dark, 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 terror, 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 and impulse of the ages, that mankind will move forward towards its goal.

But I take up my task with buoyancy and hope. I feel sure that our cause will not be suffered to fail among men. At this time I feel entitled to claim the aid of all, and I say, 'Come then, let us go forward together with our united strength.'"