丘吉尔演讲6theirfinesthour.docx

丘吉尔演讲6theirfinesthour.docx

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丘吉尔演讲6theirfinesthour

丘吉尔演讲

6their-finest-hour

Thedisastrousmilitaryeventswhichhavehappenedduring,thepastfortnighthavenotcometomewithanysenseofsurprise・Indeed,IindicatedafortnightagoasclearlyasIcouldtotheHousethattheworstpossibilitieswereopen;andImadeitperfectlyclearthenthatwhateverhappenedinFrancewouldmakenodifferencetotheresolveofBritainandtheBritishEmpiretofighton,'ifnecessaryforyears,ifnecessaryalone・'DuringthelastfewdayswehavesuccessfullybroughtoffthegreatmajorityofthetroopswehadonthelinesofcommunicationinFrance;andseven-eighthsofthetroopswehavesenttoFrancesincethebeginningofthewar-thatistosay,about350,000outOf400,000men-aresafelybackinthiscountry.OthersarestillfightingwiththeFrench,andfightingwithconsiderablesuccessintheirlocalencountersagainsttheenemy・Wehavealsobroughtbackagreatmassofstores,riflesandmunitionsofallkindswhichhadbeenaccumulatedinFranceduringthelastninemonths.

Wehave,therefore,inthisislandtodayaverylargeandpowerfulmilitaryforce・Thisforcecomprisesallourbest-trainedandourfinesttroops,includingscoresofthousandsofthosewhohavealreadymeasuredtheirqualityagainsttheGermansandfoundthemselvesatnodisadvarrtage・Wehaveunderarmsatthepresenttimeinthisislandoveramillionandaquartermen.BehindthesewehavetheLocalDefenceVolunteers,numberinghalfamillion,onlyaportionofwhom,however,areyetarmedwithriflesorotherfirearms・WehaveincorporatedintoourDefenceForceseverymanforwhomwehaveaweapon.Weexpectverylargeadditionstoourweaponsinthenearfuture,andinpreparationforthisweintendforthwithtocallup,drillandtrainfurtherlargenumbers・Thosewhoarenotcalledup,orelseareemployeduponthevastbusinessofmunitionsproductioninallitsbranches-andtheirramificationsareinnumerab1e-wi11servetheircountrybestbyremainingattheirordinaryworkuntiltheyreceivetheirsummons・WehavealsooverhereDominionsarmies.TheCanadianshadsctuallylandedinFrance,buthavenowbeensafelywithdrawn,muchdisappointed,butinperfectorder,withalltheirartilleryandequipment・Andtheseveryhigh-classforcesfromtheDominionswillnowtakepartinthedefenceoftheMotherCountry.

LesttheaccountwhichIhavegivenoftheselargeforcesshouldraisethequestion:

WhydidtheynottakepartinthegreatbattleinFrance?

Imustmakeitclearthat,apartfromthedivisionstrainingandorganizingathome,onlytwelvedivisionswereequippedtofightuponascalewhichjustifiedtheirbeingsentabroad・AndthiswasfullyuptothenumberwhichtheFrenchhadbeenledtoexpectwouldbeavailableinFranceattheninthmonthofthewar.Therestofourforcesathomehavefightingvalueforhomedefencewhichwill,ofcourse,steadilyincreaseeveryweekthatpasses.Thus,theinvasionofGreatBritainwouldatthistimerequirethetransporta/tionacrosstheseaofhostilearmiesonaverylargescale,andaftertheybeensotransportedtheywouldhavetobecontinuallymaintainedwithallthemassesofmunitionsandsupplieswhicharerequiredforcontinuousba/ttle-ascontinuousbattleitwillsurelybe.

HereiswherewecometotheNavy一andafterall,wehaveaNavy・SomepeopleseemtoforgetthatwehaveaNavy・Wemustremindthem.ForthelastthirtyyearsIhavebeenconcernedindiscussionsaboutthepossibilitiesofoverseasinvasion,andItooktheresponsibilityonbehalfoftheAdmiralty,atthebeginningofthelastwar,ofallowingallregulartroopstobesentoutofthecountry.Thatwasaveryserioussteptotake,becauseourTerritorialshadonlyjustbeencalledupandwerequiteuntrained.Therefore,thisislandwasforseveralmonthspracticallydenudedoffightingtroops・TheAdmiraltyhadconfidenceattha/ttimeintheirabilitytopreventamassinvasioneventhoughatthattimetheGermanshadamagnificentbattlefleettheproportionoftentosixteen,eventhoughtheywerecapableoffightingageneralengagementeverydayandanyday,whereasnowtheyhaveonlyacoupleofheavyshipsworthspeakingof一theScharnhorstandtheGneisenau・Wearealsotoldtha/ttheItalianNavyistocomeoutandgainseasuperiorityinthesewaters・Iftheyseriouslyintendit,

1shallonlysaythatweshallbedelightedtoofferSignorMussoliniafreeandsafeguardedpassagethroughtheStraitsofGibraltarinorderthathemayplaytheparttowhichheaspires・ThereisageneralcuriosityintheBritishFleettofindoutwhethertheItaliansareuptotheleveltheywereatinthelastwarorwhethertheyhavefallenoffatall.

Therefore,itseemstomethatasfarasseaborneinvasiononagreatscaleisconcerned,wearefarmorecapableofmeetingitt