Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat
I now invite the House,
by the Resolution which stands in my name,
to record its approval of the steps taken
and to declare its confidence in the new Government.
Sir, to form an Administration of this scale and complexity
is a serious undertaking in itself,
but it must be remembered
that we are in the preliminary stage of
one of the greatest battles in history,
that we are in action
at many points in Norway and in Holland,
that we have to be prepered in the Mediterranean,
that the air battle is continuous
and that many preparations have to be made here at home.
In this crisis I hope I may be pardoned
if I do not address the House at any length today.
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 would say to the House,
as I said to those who've 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 will 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 and lamentable catalogue of human crime.
That is our policy.
You ask, what is our aim?
I can answer in one word: 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 realised; 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."