Speech to the House of Commons, August 20, 1940 Quotes

Context

This sentence was spoken by Winston Churchill as he left the Royal Air Force base in Uxbridge on August 16, 1940. He then included the sentence in his speech to the House of Commons four days later.

Because human history goes back a bit further than Churchill’s lifetime, who’s to say if he’s right or not? Doesn’t matter. He gets an A+ for impact.

But what did his speech mean?

At that point of WWII, Churchill's Royal Air Force were few in number and they were going up against the powerful Luftwaffe (German fighter pilots) in the Battle of Britain. Up until that battle, the Brits had been wondering if they needed to acquire a taste for German beer and lederhosen. But because of the RAF's shocking victory, fish & chips and afternoon tea were saved. Churchill was acknowledging the pivotal role the few played in saving the many.

Where you've heard it

From superheroes. Surely, the earth would have exploded or melted or been overrun by colossal criminal cockroaches were it not for the valiant antics and glorious costumes of our caped crusaders.

Pretentious Factor

If you were to drop this quote at a dinner party, would you get an in-unison "awww" or would everyone roll their eyes and never invite you back? Here it is, on a scale of 1-10.

If your dinner friends are referencing this episode in history or the discovery of antibiotics or electricity, then tip your hat with respect. But if they’re talking about the invention of that dessert you’re holding, we change the factor to 9…well, maybe 8, since some desserts can be life-changing.