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00:28The
00:49On the 10th of May, 1940,
00:51as German forces drove into France, Belgium, and Holland,
00:55Churchill became Prime Minister.
00:57He was 65.
00:58I speak to you for the first time as Prime Minister
01:03in a solemn hour for the life of our country,
01:07of our allies,
01:09and above all, of the cause of freedom.
01:13A tremendous battle is raging in France and Flanders.
01:19The Germans, by a remarkable combination
01:22of air bombing and heavily armoured tanks...
01:26Within two weeks of Churchill becoming Prime Minister,
01:29the German army had smashed through the Allied defences in France.
01:34Hundreds of thousands of British and French soldiers
01:36were in full retreat before the German Blitzkrieg.
01:40For Churchill, there could be no question of surrender.
01:43Arm yourselves, and be ye men of valour,
01:47and be in readiness for the conflict,
01:50for it is better for us to perish in battle
01:53than to look upon the outrage of our nation and our altars.
01:59It was as if the man had been waiting for this moment all his life,
02:04and it was as if we had been waiting all our lives
02:08for this man to come forward.
02:09When you're up against the threat of defeat,
02:14as we certainly were,
02:15and when we were standing alone,
02:18then you have to have somebody like Churchill,
02:21who isn't rational,
02:23who isn't weighing up the chances soberly,
02:26but who is giving reign to his romantic fantasy life
02:34in his speeches,
02:35and who rallies everybody round
02:37so that people become heroes
02:39and work twice as hard.
02:46Now at last the gloves are off.
02:48There will be no more hesitation on our part.
02:50We must return ten blows for every one we get.
02:53Now the Allied war machine is rolling on
02:55with a momentum that cannot be...
02:57When Mr Churchill took over in May 1940,
03:01the whole place exploded.
03:03It was as if a current of high-voltage electricity
03:08was let loose,
03:10not only in Number 10 itself,
03:13but throughout the fusty corridors of Whitehall.
03:16And we heard that civil servants were seen,
03:21elderly civil servants were seen,
03:22running along the corridors.
03:24The even turn of our life was entirely upset
03:26by this tornado which appeared on the horizon.
03:32But it suddenly became frightfully exciting
03:33because one realized that the country was at war.
03:38He introduced stickers saying,
03:42action this day,
03:44or when requesting information from heads of departments
03:48or ministries,
03:50he would put report to me
03:52on one side of a page.
03:56Those who worked personally for him,
03:59night duty meant just that.
04:03I never remember being released to get to bed
04:06before 1 a.m.
04:08And it was more often 2 to 3 a.m.
04:11In six months of Churchill,
04:13there was five years of change.
04:15It was, again, quite a remarkable thing.
04:18He cut through all the red tape,
04:20he put Beaverbrook into aircraft production,
04:24for example,
04:24and within a very short time,
04:26Beaverbrook had doubled the number of aircraft
04:28that were being produced,
04:30simply by coming through the red tape.
04:32And Churchill was a real red tape cutter.
04:37Churchill now had to guide Britain
04:39through its greatest military disaster.
04:41At the end of May 1940,
04:43the British and French armies
04:44were trapped at Dunkirk.
04:47We have before us an ordeal
04:49of the most grievous kind.
04:51We have before us many, many long months
04:54of struggle and of suffering.
04:57You ask, what is our policy?
04:59I will say it is to wage war
05:02by sea, land, and air
05:03with all our might
05:05and with all the strength
05:06that God can give us.
05:08To wage war against a monstrous tyranny
05:11never surpassed in the dark
05:14and lamentable catalogue
05:15of human crime.
05:17That is our policy.
05:19You ask, what is our aim?
05:22I can answer in one word.
05:24Victory.
05:26Victory at all costs.
05:31More than 300,000 British and French troops
05:34were evacuated from Dunkirk.
05:36It was a miraculous escape.
05:38But Churchill knew that wars
05:40were not won by evacuations.
05:44Sometimes he'd put his head in his hands
05:47and hardly eat.
05:49And then suddenly say,
05:55this is one of the hardest times.
05:59I mean, he reflected everything
06:02that was going on
06:05and there were some very bad times
06:07and worse times
06:08than most of the normal people knew about.
06:13We are told
06:15that Herr Hitler
06:17had a plan for invading
06:18the British Isles.
06:20We shall defend our island
06:22whatever the cross may be.
06:25We shall fight on the beaches.
06:27We shall fight on the landing grounds.
06:30We shall fight in the fields
06:31and in the streets.
06:34We shall fight in the hills.
06:36We shall never surrender.
06:38I mean, the whole situation
06:39was so desperate
06:40and so emotional.
06:43And I think there could have been
06:44a general wave of panic and despair
06:47but he was absolutely like a rock.
06:49I mean, there's no question of defeat
06:51and his great speeches in the house.
06:53You know, we will fight on the beaches.
06:55We will never surrender.
06:56We shall defend our island
07:00and with the British Empire around us
07:04we shall fight on
07:07unconquerable
07:08until the curse of Hitler
07:10is lifted
07:11from the brow of men.
07:14I can tell you that
07:16every man there
07:17they rose in spirits.
07:20You could almost measure it.
07:22We would have gone down
07:23to the beaches then
07:24and beaten the Nazis up
07:25with broom handlers.
07:27Such was the magic effect of Churchill.
07:38In France, the situation was critical.
07:41With the French army
07:42on the verge of collapse
07:43a desperate appeal
07:44was made to Churchill
07:45by the French Prime Minister
07:47Paul Reyna.
07:48At half past seven in the morning
07:51I telephoned Churchill.
07:52I woke him up.
07:53I told him
07:55we have lost the battle.
07:57We are beaten.
08:00But Churchill seemed so astonished
08:02that I had to repeat
08:03we are beaten.
08:04We have lost the battle.
08:06Impossible, he said.
08:08Churchill flew immediately to France.
08:10He knew that if France surrendered
08:12Britain would stand alone.
08:15His destination was a crisis meeting
08:17of the French War Cabinet.
08:18He now made a dramatic
08:20personal attempt
08:21to keep France in the war.
08:24When Churchill came here
08:26the German army
08:27was already poised
08:29to enter Paris.
08:30The French government
08:31had retreated
08:32to this small chateau
08:33in the centre of France.
08:35Churchill needed to know
08:37that France would fight on
08:38and above all
08:39would fight for Paris.
08:41But General Weygand
08:42the commander-in-chief
08:44of the French forces
08:45had already ordered
08:47Paris to be abandoned.
08:49Seeking to stiffen
08:50French resolve
08:51and knowing that
08:53several of the ministers
08:54around this table
08:55wanted France to fight on
08:57Churchill asked
08:58where are the French reserves?
09:02To which Weygand answered
09:04there are no reserves.
09:07To fight on
09:08Reynaud needed
09:09more British planes
09:10but Churchill knew
09:12that they would be needed
09:13to defend Britain
09:14if France were to fall.
09:19Churchill had told the French
09:21that even if France capitulated
09:23Britain would fight on
09:25until victory was secured.
09:27As he left
09:28he knew that those in charge
09:30of the destiny of France
09:31had lost the will to fight.
09:35France was something
09:36very important for him.
09:39So to speak
09:40he could be considered
09:42as a lover of France
09:43and France betrayed him
09:46as a girl
09:47who leaves him
09:49and drops him
09:50abruptly
09:51without explanation
09:53and at the moment
09:55it was
09:57absolutely unexpected.
09:59I have this picture
10:00of him
10:00so to his head
10:01buried in his hands
10:02of poor France.
10:10On the 14th of June 1940
10:12German forces
10:13entered Paris.
10:15A week later
10:16France sought an armistice
10:17with Germany.
10:18The Battle of France
10:20is over.
10:22The whole fury
10:23and might of the enemy
10:25must very soon
10:26be turned on us.
10:29Hitler knows
10:31that he will have
10:32to break us
10:33in this island
10:33or lose the war.
10:35If we can stand up
10:37to him
10:37all Europe
10:39may be freed
10:39and the life
10:41of the world
10:42may move forward
10:43into broad
10:44sunlit
10:45uplands.
10:48But if we fail
10:50then the whole world
10:53including the United States
10:56including all
10:57that we have known
10:58and cared for
10:59will sink
11:01sink into the abyss
11:02of a new dark age
11:04made more sinister
11:06and perhaps
11:07more protracted
11:09by the likes
11:10of perverted
11:12science.
11:14Let us therefore
11:16brace ourselves
11:17to our duty
11:19so bear ourselves
11:21that if the British Empire
11:23and its commonwealth
11:25last for a thousand years
11:28men will still say
11:31this
11:32was their finest hour.
11:36Churchill expected
11:37a German assault
11:38to come at any time.
11:39He had spent
11:40ten years in vain
11:42urging greater rearmament.
11:44now he awaited
11:45the invasion
11:45of a weak
11:46and ill-defended
11:48Britain.
11:49We had no guns
11:50no rifles
11:51we had one
11:52Lee-Enfield rifle
11:53which we
11:54were allowed
11:55to go on
11:55to the range
11:57and fired
11:57only two bullets
11:58because there wasn't enough
11:59and that was in the possession
12:00of the sergeant
12:01of the squad
12:02and so during the day
12:03we trained with broom handles.
12:05I mean
12:05if Hitler had known
12:07he should have come
12:08straight away
12:10I remember once
12:11when there was
12:13talk of an invasion
12:15and all the barriers
12:16were going up
12:17around the coast
12:18and talk of children
12:20being sent overseas
12:22and remember him
12:23one night
12:24at the dinner table
12:25saying to all of us
12:27you can each
12:29take a dead
12:30German with you
12:31and I said
12:32but Papa
12:33I don't know
12:33how to shoot a gun
12:35I haven't got a gun
12:36he looked at me
12:37very severely
12:38and said
12:39you can go
12:40into the kitchen
12:41and get a carving knife
12:44to those in Britain
12:45who now talked
12:46of surrender
12:47Churchill said
12:48let it end
12:49only when each one
12:50of us lies
12:51choking in his own blood
12:53he forbade
12:54all peace dealings
12:55with the Nazis
12:56he also ordered
12:58the French warships
12:58in North Africa
12:59to surrender
13:00to the British
13:01or to sail
13:02to neutral ports
13:05he could not risk
13:06the Germans
13:07using the French
13:08Navy against Britain
13:10his ultimatum
13:11was refused
13:12on the 3rd of July
13:141940
13:14the Royal Navy
13:16opened fire
13:16on the warships
13:17of its ally
13:23over 1200
13:24French sailors
13:26were killed
13:27by British guns
13:29we were very angry
13:31and very happy
13:31and the English
13:33of Churchill
13:33in particular
13:34if Churchill
13:35could come
13:35to the Nizal Kébir
13:37I don't know
13:37what we could do
13:38this is a terrible
13:41this ruthless decision
13:46to sink the French
13:46warships
13:47was the hardest
13:48Churchill had to take
13:49during the whole war
13:52Churchill
13:53Churchill realised
13:55that many countries
13:56notably the United States
13:58believed that Britain
14:00could scarcely carry on
14:02alone
14:02after the collapse
14:04of France
14:04and he was determined
14:06to show them
14:07that the opposite
14:08was the case
14:09six months later
14:11he told
14:12President Roosevelt's
14:15emissary
14:15that Oran
14:17was the turning point
14:18in our fortunes
14:21it showed
14:22the world
14:22that we were
14:24sincere
14:24and determined
14:25in our
14:27intention
14:28to carry on
14:29the war
14:30we cannot tell
14:32when
14:33they will try
14:33to come
14:35we cannot be
14:36sure
14:37that in fact
14:38they will try
14:39at all
14:41but no one
14:42should blind himself
14:43to the fact
14:44that a heavy
14:46full-scale invasion
14:47of this island
14:48is being prepared
14:50with all the usual
14:51German
14:52thoroughness
14:53and method
14:55and that it may be
14:56launched at any time
14:57now
14:58upon England
14:59upon Scotland
15:00or upon Ireland
15:03or upon all three
15:06if this invasion
15:08is going to be
15:09tried at all
15:11it does not seem
15:13that it can be
15:27a very long delay
15:28the first stage
15:29of Hitler's plan
15:30to invade Britain
15:31was to win
15:32air supremacy
15:33so that his army
15:34could cross the channel
15:36unchallenged
15:36during August
15:37hundreds of German aircraft
15:38launched their deadly raids
15:40daily against Britain's
15:42ports and airfields
15:44the battle of Britain
15:44had begun
15:53Britain's fate
15:53now lay in the hands
15:55of a few hundred pilots
15:57many had learned
15:58to fly for fun
15:59before the war
16:00now they were taking
16:01on the full might
16:02of the German air force
16:04it's the time
16:05it's the time
16:06he said
16:07there is a time
16:08to live
16:09and there is a time
16:11to die
16:17he was referring
16:18to the pilots
16:19because Winston
16:20related to young people
16:22and I think
16:23in war particularly
16:24he was terribly conscious
16:25that he was the person
16:27that was instigating
16:28them going
16:29to their death
16:31possibly
16:32and I think
16:33this bothered him
16:34enormously
16:36by September
16:37over half
16:39of Britain's pilots
16:40were shot down
16:40and many killed
16:42on one occasion
16:43from the operations room
16:44Churchill could see
16:46that every squadron
16:47was in the air
16:47there were no reserves
16:49but he refused
16:51to be downhearted
16:54never despair
16:55but certainly
16:59gloom
16:59when the news
17:01was very bad
17:02the loss
17:03of lives
17:05awful
17:06and
17:07my father
17:08of course
17:09understood
17:10what each loss
17:12meant
17:13in relation
17:13to
17:14our actual strength
17:17all our hearts
17:18go out
17:19to the fighter pilots
17:20whose brilliant actions
17:21we see
17:22with our own eyes
17:23day after day
17:25never in the field
17:27of human conflict
17:28was so much owed
17:30by so many
17:31to so few
17:36against the odds
17:38Hitler lost the battle
17:39against Britain's airfields
17:40now he sent his bombers
17:42over Britain's cities
17:43when raids took place
17:44over London
17:45Churchill stayed
17:46in the capital
17:47often watching
17:48from the roof
17:49of one of the government
17:50buildings in Whitehall
17:55I remember on one occasion
17:56it was very lively
17:58around St James' Park
17:59and the environs
18:01heavy bombing
18:02and he said
18:03are you frightened
18:04Miss Holmes
18:04are you sure
18:06you're not frightened
18:06and I said
18:07no
18:07I'm not frightened
18:08it was impossible
18:10to be frightened
18:12in his presence
18:15as more and more
18:16German bombs
18:17fell on London
18:18Churchill and his
18:19closest advisors
18:20were forced to move
18:21underground
18:22here they worked
18:24in cramped conditions
18:25often hearing
18:27the thud
18:28thud
18:28thud
18:28of bombs
18:29falling on London
18:31above
18:32Churchill had a study
18:33here
18:33this was his bed
18:35to this room
18:37British intelligence
18:38brought him news
18:39of Germany's
18:40most secret
18:41invasion plans
18:43behind this curtain
18:45was a map
18:46on which were marked
18:48the most vulnerable points
18:49of Britain's sea defences
18:51Churchill alone knew
18:53the extent of the danger
18:55yet the British public
18:57looked to him
18:58for words of reassurance
18:59that Britain would not
19:01go under
19:02the British nation
19:03is stirred
19:05and moved
19:06and it never
19:07has been
19:08at any time
19:09in its long
19:10eventful
19:11famous history
19:12and it is no
19:14hackneyed trope
19:16of speech
19:16to say
19:17that they mean
19:19to conquer
19:20or to die
19:22what a triumph
19:23the life of these
19:24battered cities is
19:26over the worst
19:27that fire
19:28and bombs
19:29can do
19:29he scarcely stopped
19:31in his journey
19:31through cheering
19:32men and women
19:33it's another way
19:34of saying
19:34are we down
19:35by the end
19:35of December 1940
19:36the city of London
19:38the east end
19:39and the London docks
19:40had been severely
19:41damaged
19:41in five months
19:43more than 22,000
19:45civilians
19:45had been killed
19:47in the outer
19:48suburb somewhere
19:49in a rather poor
19:50region of London
19:51there
19:52little shops
19:53and things
19:53there was a large
19:55long queue
19:55of people
19:56outside a shop
19:58so
19:59he instantly
20:00told the driver
20:02to stop
20:02and told his detective
20:04to go and see
20:04what the queue
20:04was about
20:05this was important
20:07because queues
20:08of anything
20:09in conditions
20:10like that
20:10are a danger signal
20:12serious shortages
20:13may herald
20:14discontent
20:15and he just
20:17always wanted
20:17to be sure
20:18so the detective
20:19went off
20:20to find out
20:22what it was
20:23and he came back
20:24and Churchill said
20:26well what
20:27what are they queuing
20:27for
20:29birdseed
20:29sir
20:30and Winston
20:31well he did
20:32weep
20:33I mean
20:33the great tears
20:34the thought
20:35of these
20:35rich people
20:37queuing
20:38in the dusk
20:39of the raids
20:40just beginning
20:40for their canaries
20:43I think it was
20:44part of his
20:44character
20:45his quality
20:45that he wasn't
20:47ashamed to be
20:47emotional
20:51the people
20:52of Britain
20:53they wouldn't
20:55have shown
20:56that heroism
20:57and stamina
20:57if they'd thought
20:59they got a weak
21:00leadership
21:01that was waiting
21:01to sell them
21:02down the river
21:03and of course
21:05Churchill
21:06epitomized
21:08that fighting
21:09spirit
21:10you know
21:11you had the feeling
21:12if you were in
21:12those London
21:13blitzers
21:15that as you walked
21:16among the
21:18bomb racked
21:20streets
21:20you could
21:21just turn the corner
21:22and run into
21:23Winston Churchill
21:24because he was in touch
21:26he would go out
21:27from his little
21:27hidey hole
21:28and see
21:28for himself
21:29he would share
21:30risks
21:30he would share
21:31danger
21:33and he
21:35completely
21:37created
21:39the will
21:40of the British
21:41people
21:43to fight
21:45whatever the cost
21:46to the very end
21:48surrender
21:49seemed inconceivable
21:52and you need that
21:53you know
21:53when you're all
21:54in the front line
21:55as we all were then
21:56we ask no favours
21:59of the enemy
22:01we seek from them
22:04no
22:04compassion
22:08on the contrary
22:10if tonight
22:11the people
22:12of London
22:13were asked
22:14to cast
22:14their votes
22:15as to whether
22:17a convention
22:17should be entered
22:18into to stop
22:19the bombing
22:20of all cities
22:20an overwhelming
22:22majority
22:23would cry
22:24no
22:25we will
22:26mete out
22:27to the Germans
22:28the measure
22:29and more
22:30than the measure
22:30they have
22:31leased out
22:32to us
22:37we will have
22:38no truce
22:39or parley
22:40with you
22:41or the
22:41grizzly gang
22:43who works
22:44your wicked
22:44will
22:48you do
22:49your worst
22:50and we
22:51will do
22:51our best
22:53we'll have
22:54we'll have
22:55to the
22:56next time
22:57we'll have
22:57these critical
22:58times
22:59Churchill was
23:00supported by
23:00his wife
23:01Clementine
23:01she shared
23:03his worries
23:03and visited
23:04the bomb
23:05damaged cities
23:05with him
23:06the marriage
23:08the marriage
23:09of Clementine
23:09and Winston
23:10Churchill
23:10was remarkable
23:12and the
23:13tender love
23:14between them
23:15for a young
23:16girl to observe
23:17was most
23:18interesting
23:19and a great
23:20example
23:21of the wisdom
23:22that if you
23:23love somebody
23:24lose no
23:25opportunity
23:26to express it
23:27and this
23:28they did
23:28verbally
23:30and when
23:30apart
23:32nurtured
23:33in tender notes
23:34and they had
23:35this wonderful
23:37amusing side
23:38that he would
23:39sign his letters
23:40with a pig
23:41and she would
23:42sign hers
23:42with a cat
23:44it was this
23:45lovely
23:46lovely relationship
23:46this does not
23:48mean to say
23:48that they agreed
23:50on everything
23:51far from it
23:52I don't think
23:52I'd quite describe
23:53it as contented
23:55I don't think
23:56that's quite the word
23:57because
23:58they naturally
23:59had arguments
24:00and so on
24:01I think one of
24:02my first impressions
24:03was
24:03that they were
24:04both selfish
24:06but perhaps
24:07they had to be
24:10they're absolutely
24:11matched
24:12they could talk
24:13and obviously
24:15they were very
24:15much in love
24:16and they were
24:17tremendous companions
24:19you see
24:20she was an educated
24:21woman with a very
24:22good brain
24:23and she wasn't
24:25just beautiful
24:25he liked beautiful
24:27women but
24:28they had to have
24:28brain as well
24:29and she could
24:31match him
24:31in conversation
24:33and in every way
24:36I think
24:37it was very
24:38important to have
24:39Clemmie there
24:39who didn't believe
24:41in flattery
24:44and you know
24:44she would
24:45there was a wonderful
24:47letter I know
24:48that she wrote
24:49wrote to him
24:50at one point
24:51during the war
24:52saying that
24:53he was being
24:55very rude
24:56and objectible
24:57to all his
24:58staff
24:58and they were
24:59all very
24:59unhappy
25:00and that he
25:02should know
25:03about it
25:03and shape up
25:06Churchill's rough
25:07sarcastic behaviour
25:08grew worse
25:09as Hitler's
25:10bombing intensified
25:11and the burdens
25:12on him grew
25:12almost to
25:13breaking point
25:14these were hard
25:15times
25:16and the stress
25:17was beginning
25:17to tell
25:21well he could
25:22get into a
25:22rage
25:23he could
25:24once I knew
25:24him to throw
25:25the telephone
25:26on the floor
25:26because somebody
25:27on the telephone
25:28had annoyed him
25:29and it broke
25:30and he said
25:31when he'd recovered
25:33a bit
25:33he said
25:33you won't tell
25:34them how it
25:34happened
25:35will you
25:36I'd been warned
25:38that he would
25:38not be pleased
25:39to see a new
25:40face
25:41coming to serve
25:42him
25:44and this evening
25:45it was at the
25:46in the study
25:47at the annex
25:48I went in
25:48for dictation
25:50and
25:51he gave me
25:52a sharp look
25:53as I went in
25:54said nothing
25:56and when I
25:57started typing
25:58I found
25:59that somebody
25:59had left
26:00the typewriter
26:01at single
26:01spacing
26:02whereas
26:03of course
26:03we all knew
26:05it had to be
26:06done in double
26:07spacing
26:07at all times
26:08I didn't know
26:10what to do
26:11so I just
26:11carried on
26:12presently he came
26:14behind to see
26:14how I was getting
26:15on
26:15and he just
26:16exploded
26:17like a rocket
26:18and he returned
26:19to his
26:20ministers
26:21at the other
26:21end of the
26:22study
26:22and I heard
26:23him saying
26:24the mug
26:25idiot
26:27bloody fool
26:28so then
26:29he sent
26:30me out
26:30and sent
26:31for somebody
26:31who he
26:32said
26:32could do
26:33his work
26:33right
26:34the first
26:35time
26:35it was
26:36a sin
26:39to ask him
26:40to repeat
26:40anything
26:41because it
26:41upset his
26:42train of thought
26:43and he
26:43objected
26:43to this
26:43very much
26:44and I did
26:45a lot of
26:46work
26:46when I was
26:47on trips
26:47abroad
26:48with him
26:48straight on
26:49to the
26:49typewriter
26:49and I
26:51learnt from
26:51experience
26:52that if you
26:53didn't hear
26:53a word
26:53and sometimes
26:54he wasn't
26:55all that
26:56clear
26:57you couldn't
26:58say
26:58Prime Minister
26:59I didn't
26:59hear
26:59but you
27:00just
27:00leave
27:00you hoped
27:01a sufficient
27:02blank
27:02to put in
27:03a missing
27:04word
27:05when it
27:05was finished
27:06and then
27:07he would
27:09not very
27:10happily
27:11tell which
27:12words
27:12you fix
27:13and you
27:13could just
27:13probably
27:14squeeze it
27:14in the
27:15right
27:15space
27:18in public
27:18Churchill
27:19spoke of
27:19victory
27:20but he
27:21knew that
27:21Britain
27:21could win
27:22only if
27:23America
27:23entered
27:23the war
27:25Roosevelt
27:25had assured
27:26America
27:26it would
27:26remain
27:27neutral
27:28Churchill
27:29had to
27:29persuade him
27:30at least
27:30to send
27:31the maximum
27:31military
27:32help
27:32it must
27:33be remembered
27:34which the
27:34British
27:34often forget
27:35that just
27:36before the
27:37war broke
27:37out
27:38Mr. Roosevelt
27:38was for a
27:39long time
27:39considered
27:40an isolationist
27:41he was not
27:42a supporter
27:42he was not
27:43pro-Nazi
27:44but he was
27:44all for
27:44the United
27:45States
27:46keeping well
27:46out of
27:47any European
27:48problem
27:48regardless
27:49what it
27:49was
27:50and that
27:50is forgotten
27:51and he
27:53was slowly
27:54won over
27:54and brought
27:55over
27:55I think
27:57for the
27:57most part
27:58by
27:58Churchill
28:00Churchill
28:01decided to
28:01appeal directly
28:02to the
28:03American
28:03people
28:03every month
28:05that passes
28:06adds to
28:07the length
28:09and to
28:09the perils
28:10of the
28:11journey
28:11that will
28:12have to
28:12be made
28:14united
28:15we stand
28:16divided
28:17we fall
28:17when
28:18Churchill
28:18made
28:19speeches
28:19that were
28:20obviously
28:21designed
28:21to draw
28:22America
28:22into the
28:23war
28:23I just
28:24wished
28:25he'd
28:25shut up
28:26and drop
28:27into the
28:27deep blue
28:27sea
28:28at the
28:29time
28:29I felt
28:30it was
28:31not
28:31helpful
28:32to
28:32what
28:33was
28:33going
28:33on
28:33in
28:34the
28:34world
28:34and
28:35I
28:35felt
28:36that
28:36there
28:37was
28:37only
28:37trouble
28:37ahead
28:38for
28:38the
28:38US
28:39and
28:40the
28:40rest
28:40of
28:40the
28:40world
28:44there
28:45were
28:45many
28:45Americans
28:46who
28:46were
28:47very
28:47distrustful
28:48of
28:49British
28:49imperialism
28:50particularly
28:50as
28:51represented
28:52by
28:52Winston
28:52Churchill
28:54he was
28:54an
28:55old
28:55fashioned
28:55man
28:56who
28:57some
28:57of
28:58us
28:58thought
28:58was
28:59not
28:59a
28:59real
29:00democrat
29:00with
29:00a
29:01little
29:01d
29:01at
29:01heart
29:03British
29:03had
29:04maintained
29:04their
29:05colonies
29:05for
29:05years
29:06and
29:07obviously
29:07Winston
29:08Churchill
29:08was
29:09loath
29:09to
29:09give
29:09them
29:10up
29:10the
29:11British
29:11colonies
29:12were
29:12to
29:12prove
29:12a
29:12vital
29:13bargaining
29:13point
29:13in
29:14return
29:15for
29:15providing
29:15America
29:16with
29:16naval
29:16and
29:16air
29:16bases
29:17in
29:17the
29:17British
29:17West
29:18Indies
29:18Churchill
29:19persuaded
29:19Roosevelt
29:20to
29:20give
29:20Britain
29:2150
29:21old
29:22destroyers
29:24Churchill
29:25knew
29:26that
29:26he
29:26needed
29:26the
29:26destroyers
29:27for
29:27our
29:28survival
29:29the
29:30other
29:30war
29:30he
29:30was
29:30quite
29:31keen
29:31to
29:31involve
29:31the
29:32Americans
29:32as
29:32far
29:32as
29:33possible
29:33and
29:34anything
29:35which
29:35brought
29:36the
29:36Americans
29:36nearer
29:37to
29:37the
29:37war
29:37which
29:38this
29:38did
29:38was
29:39advantageous
29:44why
29:45the
29:45thumbs
29:45up
29:46because
29:46the
29:46American
29:47under
29:47Lend-lease
29:48arms
29:48and
29:49supplies
29:49would
29:49now
29:49come
29:50from
29:50America
29:50on
29:51a
29:51pay
29:51later
29:52basis
29:52this
29:53was
29:53a
29:54generous
29:54gesture
29:54by
29:54Roosevelt
29:55Churchill
29:56called
29:56it
29:57the
29:57most
29:57unsworded
29:58act
29:58in the
29:59history
29:59of
29:59any
29:59nation
30:05Britain
30:05was still
30:06bracing
30:06itself
30:07for a
30:07full-scale
30:08German
30:08invasion
30:08across
30:09the
30:09Channel
30:09when
30:10in
30:10June
30:111941
30:11Hitler
30:12attacked
30:12Russia
30:13from
30:14secret
30:14intelligence
30:15sources
30:16Churchill
30:16had been
30:17able
30:17to warn
30:17Stalin
30:18of
30:18Hitler's
30:19impending
30:19attack
30:22Stalin
30:22was
30:23actually
30:23a
30:23very
30:23unworthy
30:24man
30:24I think
30:25he was
30:25unworthy
30:26man
30:26he was
30:26not
30:27trusted to
30:28and so
30:29the
30:31warning
30:31that
30:31came from
30:33the
30:33British
30:33islands
30:34he brought
30:34to him
30:35as a typical
30:35diplomatic
30:36attempt to
30:37push the
30:38Soviet Union
30:38to fight
30:39Germany
30:40Churchill was never a real friend of Russia he understood that Russia is now
30:46needed because it is fighting the enemy what is threatening Britain and I think
30:52it was a great relief for Churchill when Hitler attacked the Soviet Union and
30:57then he understood that now Britain will survive and this was then of course a
31:02political gesture when he immediately pronounced his speech next day after the
31:08invasion any man or state who fights against Nazism will have our aid it follows
31:16therefore that we shall give whatever help we can to Russia and to the Russian
31:22people the communist state the Churchill had wished to strangle at its birth in
31:271917 was now a crucial ally but as the German armies swept through Russia
31:32Churchill feared that Hitler's ambitions to dominate the world could now become
31:40reality of that summer Churchill wrote normally I wake up buoyant to face the
31:45new day then I awoke with dread in my heart he was now possessed with one idea to
31:52bring America into the war in August 1941 he crossed the Atlantic with his chiefs of
31:57staff for his first meeting with Roosevelt Churchill was going to come aboard and he was coming aboard from the
32:09Prince of Wales which had just come in and
32:12hankered a little short time before and father was standing at the with and I was holding his
32:22arm to steady him and he was getting ready the head of the gangplank for the prime minister to
32:32come aboard well the prime minister came aboard and advanced toward my father with his hands out
32:40and it was the most moving experience it was just like they were old old friends who had just come
32:49back together hadn't seen each other for quite a while one felt it was in the beginning of a
32:55tremendously close relationship and one could tell whenever the prime minister referred to
33:04president Roosevelt as he would in messages to London and so forth that there was this tremendous
33:10confidence relief and already a sincere friendship as a result of Churchill's urging and the arguments
33:20of the British Chiefs of Staff Roosevelt agreed to send more weapons to Britain and to give aid to
33:26Russia on a massive scale but despite the friendliness not a single American officer one
33:33one of Churchill's staff recorded showed the slightest keenness to be in the war on our side
33:45all of the crews of both vessels were gathered together on the Prince of Wales the service was held on
33:54the
33:54fan tail and the president and the prime minister sat together with all of their advisors ranged around them and
34:07the crew were perched all over the rest of the vessel
34:20the prime minister really chose the hymns and it was really most most impressive and I could see
34:27I was a little way away from him but he was obviously visibly affected with this kind-hearted emotional man
34:51you could see my father very very moved and while I couldn't see whether he was actually crying I knew
35:00that
35:01he was very close to it and I felt that this was probably one of the great moments of history
35:10after four days of talks here off Newfoundland Churchill and Roosevelt signed the Atlantic Charter
35:16pledging to restore sovereignty to all states overrun by the Nazis
35:21Churchill was disappointed however that America still had no intention of entering the war
35:33in December 1941 the Japanese struck the American fleet at Pearl Harbor
35:39yesterday December 7 1941
35:46a date which will live in infamy
35:51the United States of America
35:54was suddenly and deliberately attacked
35:57attacked
35:58by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan
36:03to Churchill's amazement
36:05Germany now declared war on the United States
36:08America had at last become Britain's ally against Hitler
36:12Churchill had no doubts about how the conflict would end
36:15I went to bed he later wrote
36:17and slept the sleep of the saved and the thankful
36:23Winston was delighted of course because this this meant that the Americans were in the war
36:29and they wouldn't have come in willingly you know for a very long time if he hadn't if this hadn't
36:34happened
36:36within a week of Pearl Harbor Churchill left Britain for Washington
36:41Britain and America were now at war with both Germany and Japan
36:45at their talks in the White House
36:47Churchill and Roosevelt pledged that war and peace would be made together
36:51and Roosevelt agreed that the defeat of Germany must come before the defeat of Japan
36:57Churchill worked day and night that Christmas on the most important speech of his life
37:07Roosevelt had asked him to speak to Congress
37:09still reluctant to become involved in a war in Europe
37:13The fact that my American forebears
37:17have for so many generations played their part in the life of the United States
37:24and that here I am an Englishman welcomed in your midst
37:29makes this experience one of the most moving and thrilling in my life
37:37which is already long and has not been entirely uneventful
37:44By the way, I cannot help for reflecting
37:49that if my father had been American and my mother British
37:55instead of the other way around
37:58I might have got here on my own
38:03I was, of course, deeply impressed
38:05not only with the great rolling cadences and the prose
38:09but the substance
38:12and also with the joke which abused Congress so much
38:16about how he might have gotten there on his own
38:18if his parentage had been turned around the other way
38:21and it was a very, very impressive talk
38:24a talk that left, I think, a lasting impress on me
38:27I am so glad
38:28to be able to place before you
38:31members of the Senate
38:33and of the
38:34House of Representatives
38:38at this moment
38:39when you are entering the war
38:41the proof that with proper weapons
38:44and proper organisation
38:47we are able to beat the life
38:50out of the savage Nazi
38:58Lastly
38:59if you will forgive me for saying it
39:01to me the best tidings of all
39:03the United States
39:05united as never before
39:08has drawn the sword for freedom
39:11and cast away the scabbard
39:16the substance of it was a message of hope
39:19a message of the vital necessity of fighting the war
39:24and for young soldiers who were just in the army
39:28and who were not really all that perhaps convinced
39:35that we actually had the fight
39:38it was not only an enormous inspiration
39:41but it was a very, very welcome lift
39:46not just to the day
39:47but for most of the years of the war
39:51But the pace and pressure of Churchill's visit to America
39:54now began to take its toll
39:58Late one night
39:59after a long discussion with the President and his staff
40:02Churchill felt the need for fresh air
40:05struggling to open a window here in the White House
40:07he collapsed
40:08it was a heart attack
40:10you're not to tell me to rest
40:12he told his doctor
40:13I won't
40:14I can't
40:15nobody else can do this job
40:17I must
40:19at the very moment of America's entry into the war
40:22Britain could not be seen to have an invalid Prime Minister
40:25with a damaged heart
40:26and an uncertain future
40:28the news of the illness
40:30had to be kept secret
40:34three days after his heart attack
40:36the 67 year old Prime Minister went by train to Canada
40:42when Mr Churchill went to Canada
40:44what a reception he got on arrival in Ottawa
40:55it was like having a god come out
40:57one realised why the Romans deified their successful generals and emperors
41:04one of the things I had to do in Ottawa was to take care of all the presents which were
41:08sent to him
41:10thousands of presents from all over Canada came
41:13silk handkerchiefs embroidered with the flaxen hair of young women
41:20cigars by the thousands and the instructions there
41:23he wasn't allowed to smoke them for security reasons
41:25but our instructions were to destroy them by fire
41:28which we did
41:29he went to Parliament House to make the second of those great speeches he delivered from overseas
41:34we have been concerning
41:36the united pacts and resolves
41:40of more than 30 states and nations
41:44to fight on in unity together
41:48without any thought
41:50except the total and final extirpation
41:54of the Hitler tyranny
41:57of the Japanese frenzy
41:59and the Mussolini flop
42:05presently he referred to those black days in 1940
42:08just before the fall of France
42:09and the talks he had with the French cabinet at that time
42:13when I warned them
42:15that Britain would fight on alone
42:17whatever they did
42:19their generals told their Prime Minister
42:22and his divided cabinet
42:24in it
42:24in three weeks
42:27England
42:28will have a neck rung like a chicken
42:32some chicken
42:35some chicken
42:43some neck
42:44some neck
42:46from Canada
42:47Churchill went back to Washington
42:49he was exhausted
42:50when he reached the White House
42:52the change in him
42:53was noticed immediately
42:55he was not in very good shape
42:57as a matter of fact
42:59I was quite surprised
43:01at his wan expression
43:05because he was quite a ruddy
43:07round faced individual
43:09and he looked so terribly drawn
43:12that it was quite noticeable
43:17and also
43:18he didn't seem to have the bounce
43:22despite his success in America
43:23in Britain
43:25Churchill's leadership was being questioned
43:27as disaster followed disaster
43:29in the Atlantic
43:30Britain was losing over half its convoys
43:32to German U-boats
43:33I don't think people
43:36ever really appreciated
43:37how desperately close run thing that was
43:42that the German wolf pack
43:45the submarines
43:46out in the Atlantic
43:48really were in very serious
43:51danger of cutting our lifelines
43:53it could have been absolutely desperate
43:55and the losses in merchant shipping
43:58simply could not have gone on
44:00In North Africa
44:02the British army was in retreat
44:04in the Far East
44:05Britain's empire
44:05had been overrun by the Japanese
44:08the biggest blow to Churchill
44:09had been in February 1942
44:11when Singapore surrendered
44:1362,000 Indian
44:15British and Australian troops
44:16were taken into captivity
44:20at home
44:21people were becoming dispirited
44:23and resentful
44:24after two years of war
44:26they expected Churchill
44:27to bring them the victory
44:28he had promised
44:29that summer
44:30a vote of censor
44:31was brought against him
44:32in the Commons
44:33his very position
44:34as Prime Minister
44:35was challenged
44:37this was
44:38a very
44:39very
44:40difficult period
44:41and I think
44:42that it was
44:43a period
44:44when also
44:45we felt
44:46that Winston
44:47was being criticized
44:48and I remember
44:50going to the
44:50House of Commons
44:51to listen
44:52my mother-in-law
44:53to listen
44:54to some of his speeches
44:55and being really
44:56quite worried
44:57worried
44:58I don't think
44:59any of us
45:00thought that his
45:02reign as Prime Minister
45:03was as secure
45:04as when you read history
45:06it seemed
45:07seemed to be
45:09it's the only time
45:10in the whole war
45:11I saw him looking
45:12really anxious
45:14because the only thing
45:15he feared in the world
45:16you know
45:16was parliament
45:18he was frightened of parliament
45:19he was a good democrat
45:21and he said
45:22this is going to be
45:23a critical debate
45:24you know
45:26Churchill won
45:26by a large majority
45:27but an opinion poll
45:29showed half the country
45:30dissatisfied
45:31with the conduct
45:31of the war
45:32the end
45:34may be
45:35far off
45:36we cannot tell
45:39that depends upon
45:40the enemy
45:42how long he will resist
45:44we cannot tell
45:47how long that
45:49wicked man
45:50will torture
45:51and afflict
45:51the nations
45:53how often
45:54or in what direction
45:55he will set
45:56his murder machine
45:58in motion
45:59we cannot tell
46:02the war situation
46:03worsened
46:04with every day
46:04German forces
46:06were now within
46:06a few miles
46:07of Moscow
46:09Russia was bearing
46:09the brunt
46:10of Hitler's aggression
46:11and suffering
46:12horrendous losses
46:14Churchill
46:14and Clementine
46:15urged public support
46:17for Russia
46:18the people of Russia
46:20have set up
46:21a new standard
46:24of courage
46:26and of endurance
46:27in the terrible sufferings
46:29through which they are going
46:32we must pray to God
46:34that we shall not be subjected
46:38to the same trials
46:40which they are undergoing
46:42but if we are
46:44I think
46:45that we shall have
46:47a very great example
46:48to follow
46:51in North Africa
46:53the British army
46:53had been thrown back
46:54by Rommel
46:55to Alamein
46:56Egypt and Suez
46:58were now threatened
46:58a young British officer
47:00who was on leave
47:01in London
47:02asked to see Churchill
47:03to tell him
47:03that the desert army
47:04had lost confidence
47:06in its commanders
47:08suddenly a telephone call
47:09comes through
47:10Downing Street
47:11on the line
47:12and the senior official
47:15I was talking to
47:15was rather chuffed
47:17thought it was for him
47:18could have
47:19Julian Henry come round
47:20to number 10 at once
47:22so I went round
47:23and there was Churchill
47:25at the cabinet table
47:26with Sir Alan Brooke
47:27the chief of the general staff
47:30sitting beside him
47:31otherwise nobody
47:31I think it was private secretary
47:33and he asked me
47:35about the situation
47:38and I explained
47:39that I thought
47:39the army was demoralised
47:42and Sir Alan Brooke
47:43looked pretty cross
47:44that a junior officer
47:45who was only a captain
47:46could express
47:47that sort of opinion
47:49and he tried to intervene
47:50but Churchill shut him up
47:51and said go on
47:52and so I explained
47:53and Churchill then said
47:55is there anything
47:55we can do
47:57and so I said
47:57well you can't get
47:58the tanks there any quicker
47:59but if you were
48:00to go out yourself
48:00show yourself to the army
48:03visit the regiment
48:04make a speech or two
48:05it might make
48:06all the difference
48:08the premier paid a visit
48:09to an advanced landing
48:10in August 1942
48:12after nearly three years
48:14of war
48:15Churchill needed a victory
48:16in the field
48:17he flew to North Africa
48:19to visit the British 8th Army
48:21he arrived in a curious hat
48:27rather like a tortoise
48:28on his head
48:29and I imagine that he'd
48:31asked for this hat
48:33as a memory of his own time
48:36in India
48:36because he was very sensitive
48:39about his skin
48:40he burnt
48:41he sunburnt very easily
48:43so this enormous topia
48:45anyway he appeared
48:47and shuffled across the sand
48:49we were lined up
48:50to be introduced to him
48:51and then after we'd shaken hands
48:55with this small man
48:58much great surprise
49:00that he
49:01because one held him
49:02in such respect
49:05veneration
49:06that he should be so
49:09tiny
49:10although rather paunchy
49:11it was a great surprise
49:15he loved being the man on the spot
49:17and he loved the smell of powder
49:21he liked taking part in these things
49:24would visit the forward troops
49:26and if there were any guns about
49:28that he could possibly get his hands on
49:30so to speak
49:31he would like to have fired them
49:33I think he just
49:34he'd been a soldier in his day
49:36and he now was an old war horse
49:42sniffing powder I think
49:44Churchill found the British troops in bad shape
49:46this splendid army
49:48he wrote to Clementine
49:49is baffled and bewildered by its defeats
49:52there seemed to be no plans for an offensive
49:55no attacking zeal
49:56Churchill realised that to the army commanders
49:59Rommel seemed invincible
50:01I remember him in his bedroom in Cairo
50:05with his dressing gown on
50:08with dragons all over it
50:09and his little black velvet slippers
50:17stamping up and down the room
50:18saying
50:19Rommel, Rommel
50:20what else matters
50:21with beating Rommel
50:22in other words
50:23his mind was entirely fixed
50:25on how
50:25to win a battle
50:27in the western desert
50:28and to drive the Germans away
50:30the British commander
50:32was General Orkinleck
50:33the Orc
50:33senior officers told Churchill
50:36that Orkinleck should be replaced
50:37he probed Orkinleck's plans
50:39to take the offensive
50:41he said to the Orc
50:43well General
50:44what are you going to do about it
50:46or what's that effect
50:48and the Orc
50:49was very inarticulate
50:51and left the impression
50:53that he wasn't quite clear
50:54what he was going to do about it
50:56and I remember
50:57Hugh Manring and I
50:58not having been called on
51:00walked away through the sand
51:02wondering who would replace the Orc
51:04I remember he said
51:05who will we get now
51:09Orkinleck's successor
51:10as commander of the 8th Army
51:11was to be General Montgomery
51:13Churchill told Clementine
51:15if he is disagreeable
51:16to those about him
51:17he is also disagreeable
51:19to the enemy
51:21Churchill then flew eastward
51:22to Moscow
51:23for his first ever meeting
51:25with Stalin
51:48Churchill had only bad news for the Russians
51:51it was he said
51:52like carrying a large lump of ice
51:54to the North Pole
51:57Churchill had come to Moscow
51:59to tell Stalin the brutal truth
52:00Britain and the United States
52:02simply did not have the resources
52:04to launch a successful invasion
52:06of Western Europe
52:07in 1942
52:09with the German army
52:10less than a hundred miles from Moscow
52:12and preparing to launch
52:14a massive new offensive in the south
52:16the Russians had their backs to the wall
52:19Churchill feared most
52:20a Soviet capitulation
52:23when the two leaders met
52:24for the first time
52:25in the Kremlin
52:26here in Stalin's study
52:29Churchill knew
52:30that what he had to say
52:31could seriously threaten
52:33the fragile alliance
52:34Stalin demanded
52:36what he thought
52:36Russia had been promised
52:38an Anglo-American invasion of Europe
52:40in 1942
52:42Churchill explained
52:43that the Western allies
52:44did not yet have the resources
52:46for such a massive undertaking
52:48of course
52:49it was a great discouragement
52:50for Stalin
52:52so
52:53he said that
52:54he cannot accept
52:55this decision
52:55and then he said
52:57you British
52:58are afraid of fighting
52:59the Germans are not supermen
53:02you cannot win a war
53:03if you don't fight
53:04Stalin was his usual gruff
53:07ungrateful
53:08rude
53:09self
53:10and was complaining
53:12about no second front
53:14and
53:15never once
53:16showed any appreciation
53:18for all the equipment
53:19which
53:20England
53:21was shipping out there
53:22or even said
53:23I'm sorry
53:24we've lost so many ships
53:25on the
53:26North Atlantic run
53:27to Moscow
53:28or to Russia
53:30he was making
53:31the most outrageous remarks
53:33such as
53:34if you fought
53:35the Germans a bit more
53:37you wouldn't be so frightened
53:38of them
53:41well you could imagine
53:42saying that to Churchill
53:44and so when Winston came back
53:46he was in a filthy mood
53:47because
53:48he obviously didn't care for him
53:50in any way
53:50he never had done
53:52and he said to me
53:53take a telegram
53:54to Mr Atley
53:55Mr Atley
53:56Mr Atley was the
53:57Deputy Prime Minister
53:58and he started
54:00saying
54:01in this telegram
54:02exactly what he thought
54:04of Stalin
54:04this rude
54:05ungrateful
54:06man
54:06etc etc
54:07and
54:10Clark Carr the ambassador
54:12said
54:12Prime Minister
54:13I must remind you
54:14that this room
54:16will be
54:17bugged
54:17like all
54:18the rooms
54:19in Moscow
54:21I think he thought
54:22well
54:22Winston would
54:23quieten down
54:24his criticism a bit
54:26but it had the
54:27exact opposite effect
54:28knowing Winston
54:29then he really
54:30said
54:31exactly what he thought
54:33of Stalin
54:34and all I've mentioned
54:36before about him being
54:37ungrateful and rude
54:38and said
54:39if this continues
54:40we shall return
54:41to England
54:42I won't stay
54:44anyhow
54:45next day
54:46Winston had another meeting
54:48arranged
54:48with Stalin
54:50and the whole atmosphere
54:51had changed
54:52so he'd obviously had a
54:53transcript of his very
54:56outspoken message
54:57to Mr Atley
54:58and obviously
55:00didn't want the British
55:00Prime Minister
55:01to leave it
55:02after being there a day
55:03or a day and a half
55:04so it changed the whole
55:05atmosphere of the conference
55:08Despite his disappointment
55:09Stalin accepted
55:11Churchill's reasons
55:11as valid
55:12I think that Stalin
55:14you see
55:14he was a very
55:15pragmatic person
55:16he couldn't force
55:17the British
55:19and the Americans
55:20to change their mind
55:21and to start the invasion
55:22he couldn't do that
55:24but on the other hand
55:25he understood
55:26how important
55:26is the
55:28is
55:29the alliance
55:33the visit ended
55:34with a banquet
55:36toasts were drunk
55:36to the defeat of Hitler
55:39Britain's substantial
55:40military aid to Russia
55:41would go on
55:43the alliance
55:44had held
55:46on his way home
55:47Churchill returned
55:48to the desert
55:49there he greeted
55:50Montgomery
55:51the new commander
55:52of the 8th Army
55:53I think that he
55:56sensed that
55:57the arrival of Montgomery
55:58had made a significant
55:59difference
56:00to the morale
56:01of the troops
56:02and as he went about
56:04he himself
56:05obviously got chaired
56:06and that sort of thing
56:08naturally enough
56:09I think Churchill
56:11went away then
56:12very much aware
56:14that the situation
56:15was in safe hands
56:18I want to ensure
56:19on everyone
56:20that the bad times
56:21are over
56:21they are finished
56:23our mandate
56:24from the Prime Minister
56:25is to destroy
56:26the Axis forces
56:27in North Africa
56:28it can be done
56:30and it will be done
56:32Montgomery had to wait
56:33for reinforcement
56:34and for intelligence reports
56:36to confirm
56:37that the Germans
56:38were running out
56:38of vital fuel
56:40Churchill fretted
56:41at any delay
56:42on the part
56:42of his commanders
56:45Monty
56:46like all generals
56:47annoyed him
56:48at various times
56:49because
56:50they didn't always
56:51do what he wanted
56:52them to do
56:52at the time
56:53he wanted them
56:54to do it
56:54and Monty
56:55wouldn't be hurried
56:56and he wouldn't
56:56be pushed about
56:58On October the 23rd
57:001942
57:01launching the heaviest
57:02artillery barrage
57:03of the war
57:04Montgomery struck
57:05at Alamein
57:16after twelve days
57:18of battle
57:18the Allied breakthrough
57:19came
57:20Rommel's once
57:21invincible army
57:22was in full retreat
57:27Hitler had ordered
57:29victory or death
57:30now 10,000 Germans
57:32and Italians
57:33were dead
57:33on the battlefield
57:34a further 30,000
57:36had surrendered
57:37here at last
57:39was the victory
57:39for which Churchill
57:40and Britain
57:41had waited so long
57:42we have victory
57:44a remarkable
57:46and definite victory
57:49a bright gleaming
57:51has caught the helmets
57:52of our soldiers
57:54and warmed and sheer
57:56all our hearts
57:59ah this is not the end
58:02it is not even the beginning
58:04of the end
58:07but it is perhaps
58:08the end
58:09of the beginning
58:12in Churchill's instructions
58:14the church bells
58:15which had been silent
58:16since the beginning
58:17of the war
58:18were rung throughout Britain
58:19tonight
58:20he told his staff
58:21there is sugar
58:23on the cake
58:24the battle of Alamein
58:26takes its place
58:28with the most famous
58:30victories
58:30in British history
58:32up till Alamein
58:35we survived
58:37after Alamein
58:39we conquered
58:49from that famous moment
58:53in British military history
58:54to the VE Day celebrations
58:56Churchill's leadership
58:57continues at 2
58:58tomorrow afternoon
58:59more defiant
59:00wartime spirit
59:01later on BBC 2
59:02told by those
59:03who lived through it
59:04our darkest hour
59:05becomes their finest hour
59:07at 7
59:23in British history
59:24the
59:24the
59:24the
59:25the
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