How Churchill did battle with words

How Churchill did battle with words

Winston Churchill has many famous speeches. From 'We shall fight on the beaches' and 'Their finest hour', to 'Blood, toil, tears, and sweat' and 'The few', Churchill's words have shaped how we remember the Second World War. But what made his speeches so special and how did his words affect the outcome of the Second World War?

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Churchill 1945 Election Thumbnail
Second World War
How did Churchill Lose the 1945 General Election
Winston Churchill is arguably Britain's greatest wartime leader, having led his country through its 'Darkest Hour' all the way to victory over Nazi Germany in 1945. So why, just months after VE Day, did he lose the 1945 General Election?
Second World War
How Sugar Cubes Reveal Churchill War Rooms Well Preserved Past
When IWM took over the Churchill War Rooms in the early 80s, three sugar cubes were discovered, hidden away in a desk drawer of the Map Room.
Churchill waving to crowds in Whitehall, London, as they celebrate VE Day, 8 May 1945.
© IWM (H 41849)
Second World War
How Churchill Led Britain To Victory In The Second World War
Winston Churchill became Britain's prime minister on 10 May 1940. As he was later to write: 'I felt...that all my past life had been but a preparation for this hour and for this trial'. On the very day that Churchill fulfilled his life's ambition, Germany had, that morning, invaded France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg.