Winston Churchill Quotes
You ask what is our policy? I will say: It is to wage war, be sea, land, and air, with all our might and with all the strength that God can give us…. You ask, what is our aim? I can answer that in one word: It is victory, victory at all cost, victory in spite of all terror, victory no matter ho long and hard the road may be; for without victory, there is no survival.
Winston Churchill, 1874-1965, British Prime Minister (Conservative), Saint Crispin’s Day Speech after becoming Prime Minister, 1940
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The Americans had attacked the Belgian city of Brest and had been repulsed by a well fortified and led German contingent. Analysis of the wartime situation showed that Brest, a port city was no longer necessary for the Allied supplies as numerous other ports were taken and were available. Many of the officers wondered why Bradley wanted them to attack and defeat the Germans in Brest when all they had to do was surround them and eventually starve them out. Bradley’s response explained a subtle aspect of military and foreign policy. It is that the United States Army, once committed, will never be defeated or stopped. Had the Americans not already attempted to take Brest, they would not have bothered at this stage of the war, but since they had, it was imperative that they succeed. Otherwise, it was felt that Allies and enemies would not take future American threats as seriously and that the morale of American soldiers would even be affected if they thought they could be beaten. A similar problem occurred in the Vietnam War and later in the Iraq war. Once the short term military necessity of fighting was gone, the long-term factors came into play and often will. Others argue that the United States military is so strong and well equipped, that it no longer necessary to take casualties just to prove a psychological point.
He has exactly right, but at the time there was much isolationist sentiment arguing against getting involved in “foreign wars”. To obtain the full industrial power of the United States, most of the manufacturing capability and raw materials would have to be taken from the civilian sector and devoted to military production. That would take men like Nelson, but primarily President Franklin Delano Roosevelt who would persuade the American people to make the immediate sacrifice to insure the future. See {642356} as an example.
Clovis did and the Romans were routed.
Note that he assumes that not only will there be another World War, but he assumes that we will be on opposite sides.
This historic speech is regarded as one of the most important in Australia's history, marking a turning point in Australia's relationship with its founding country, the United Kingdom. Many felt that Prime Minister Curtin was abandoning Australia's traditional ties to the British Isles. -- Wikipedia
The Germans did not believe the British would send land troops. See {642105}.
Women were needed in industry and the military. See {584783}.
During the presidential debates George W. Bush stated that he would be very hesitant to use the military for nation building around the world. Less than a year later, the Bush administration, faced with the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, launched a massive attack on the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. After fighting and winning the war, the military soon realized that they would in fact be involved in nation building. However, with the assistance of the United Nations much of the humanitarian burden was lifted from the U.S. military.
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, DL, FRS, RA was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945, during the Second World War, and again from 1951 to 1955. Apart from two years between 1922 and 1924, Churchill was a Member of Parliament (MP) from 1900 to 1964 and represented a total of five constituencies. Ideologically an economic liberal and imperialist, he was for most of his career a member of the Conservative Party, as leader from 1940 to 1955. He was a member of the Liberal Party from 1904 to 1924. Churchill was also well known for his military career and as a historian, painter and writer, and among his many awards was the Nobel Prize in Literature.
