Saturday, August 21, 2010

"The few" who saved the West

"Seventy years ago, Winston Churchill made one of his most stirring speeches.

In his address, given in Parliament, he praised the Battle of Britain aircrews who had fought off the threat of Nazi invasion during the summer of 1940. It become known as "The Few"..."



Full speech HERE:
..

The gratitude of every home in our Island, in our Empire, and indeed throughout the world, except in the abodes of the guilty, goes out to the British airmen who, undaunted by odds, unwearied in their constant challenge and mortal danger, are turning the tide of the World War by their prowess and b~ their devotion. Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.

MP3 - 4 Megs

Hitler expected Britain to surrender, but they didn'; and by keeping air superiority, the British prevented the expected German invasion, meaning the Germans then turned their army to the East instead.

and of course everyone in Britain knew Churchill was referring to the St. Crispin's day speech in Henry V:

KING HENRY V:
This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remember'd;
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition:
And gentlemen in England now a-bed
Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day.

No comments: