Churchill & F.D.R.

s Famous Speeches: A Comparison

June 18, 1940-Winston Churchill gave the following speech to the House of Commons following Frances fall
and just prior to the Battle of Britain.
What General Weygand called the Battle of France is over. I expect that the Battle of Britain is about to
begin. Upon this battle depends the survival of Christian civilization. Upon it depends our own British
life, and the long continuity of our institutions and our Empire. The whole fury and might of the enemy
must very soon be turned on us. Hitler knows that he will have to break us in this island or lose the war.
If we can stand up to him, all Europe may be free and the life of the world may move forward into
broad, sunlit uplands. But if we fail, then the whole world, including the United States, including all that
we have known and cared for, will sink into the abyss of a new Dark Age made more sinister, and
perhaps more protracted, by the lights of perverted science. Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties
and so bear ourselves that, if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men
will still say, 'This was their finest hour.
The day after the attack on Pearl Harbor, President Roosevelt addressed Congress and the nation with these
words:
Yesterday, Dec. 7, 1941 - a date which will live in infamy - the United States of America was suddenly
and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan. The United States was at peace
with that nation and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with the government and its
emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific.
Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in Oahu, the Japanese
ambassador to the United States and his colleagues delivered to the Secretary of State a formal reply to a
recent American message. While this reply stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing
diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of war or armed attack.
It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes it obvious that the attack was
deliberately planned many days or even weeks ago. During the intervening time, the Japanese
government has deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false statements and expressions of
hope for continued peace.
The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian Islands has caused severe damage to American naval and military
forces. Very many American lives have been lost.No matter how long it may take us to overcome this
premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute
victory. I believe I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not
only defend ourselves to the uttermost, but will make very certain that this form of treachery shall never
endanger us again.
Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that that our people, our territory and our interests are in
grave danger. With confidence in our armed forces - with the unbounding determination of our people we will gain the inevitable triumph - so help us God.
I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, Dec.
7, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese empire.

Churchill & F.D.R.s Speech Comparison Activity

Task 1: Read the two speeches given by Churchill and Roosevelt. Underline words or parts of the speech that
stand out to you (what parts of the speech create an emotional response from the reader? What parts speak to
you? What parts do you think are important?).
Task 2: Answer the following questions in complete sentences.
1. According to Churchill, what depends on the Battle of Britain?

2. What emotions do you think Churchill was trying to invoke with his speech?

3. What do you think the overall purpose of this speech was? What was Churchill trying to convey to
the British people?

4. According to FDR why is December 7, 1941 a day which will live in infamy?

5. What emotions do you think FDR was trying to invoke with his speech?

6. What was the purpose of FDRs speech? What was FDR trying to convey to the American people?

7. How are the two speeches given by Churchill and FDR similar? Provide at least 2 examples.

Task 3: Select one passage from Churchills speech and one passage from FDRs speech to re-tweet.
Rewrite the passage/tweet in your own words (you can use hashtags when appropriate).
PresFDR

7 Dec

BritBulldog#1

18 June