What is the main message of the speech We shall fight on the beaches?

This speech, given on June 4, 1941, is probably Churchill's most famous. And just like in "Blood, Toil, Tears, and Sweat," the famous line comes towards the end. (Churchill believed in building up to a strong ending). But unlike "Blood, Toil, Tears, and Sweat," he was pretty passionate and poetic throughout—even when he was talking business.

Churchill gave this speech to the House of Commons after the relatively successful evacuation of the British forces from near-disaster in Dunkirk. He described the situation in great detail and explained why the evacuation was necessary: "the German eruption swept like a sharp scythe around the right and rear of the Armies of the north." He described the "dull brute mass of the ordinary German Army and German people, always so ready to be led to the trampling down in other lands of liberties and comforts which they have never known in their own" (source).

Wow Winnie, tell us how you really feel about Germany.

Most of the speech is a detailed description of the circumstances leading up to the evacuation at Dunkirk, the effort to rescue the survivors, and the aftermath of the event. He praised all those who assisted with the evacuation, from French soldiers to fighter pilots to the medical services. He emphasized the need to consider the victory of the evacuation, despite it being an evacuation. There are a lot of great lines about this "miracle of deliverance" and several references to Napoleon. Who doesn't love a good Napoleon shout-out?

Like BTTS, the last paragraph is where he gets repetitive for the sake of glorious emphasis. These are the lines that everyone at least vaguely knows, although it's often slightly misquoted. He was discussing the future German invasion of Britain that everyone was expecting by this point. That's when he busted this out:

We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender. (Source)

What a finish. It pretty much all came true.

People in the UK revere Winston Churchill as a great wartime leader. However, it’s his speaking skills that stand out more than his tactical knowledge. Here’s what you can learn from one of his most famous speeches.

Some see him as one of the greatest politicians in British history.

Others see him as an amazing military tactician who led Britain through one of the most turbulent times in its recent history.

At Speakers Institute, we see Winston Churchill as one of the greatest storyshowers who ever existed.

You’ll see that a lot of other people give him similar accolades. Churchill built his reputation on his speaking ability. He was a man who knew how to deliver the right words when his people needed him the most. During times of struggle, he was the man who could show stories that inspired those he led.

At no point was this truer than when he delivered his famous “We Shall Fight Them on the Beaches” speech. Churchill reinvigorated a nation’s courage and pride, with his speech serving as a call to arms for the exhausted British troops.

In this article, we’re going to take a closer look at this speech to see what made it so special. We’re also going to offer a few tips that may help you inspire people in the same way that Churchill did.

Tip #1 — Mix Articulation With Conciseness

Conciseness is the future of storyshowing.

That’s something that we can see with TED Talks. Each speaker gets 15 minutes to engage their audience and show their story. They need to pack everything into as short a time period as possible. After all, there’s so much demand for people’s attention today that waxing lyrical for hours on end won’t help you to get a point across.

Interestingly, Churchill understood the power of conciseness in the 1940s.

From start to finish, his entire “We Shall Fight Them on The Beaches” speech lasts for two minutes.

In those two minutes, he mixed eloquent articulation with a blunt message.

That’s important.

Delivering a rapid-fire sets of facts and figures isn’t going to get you anywhere. You don’t give people a reason to care about what you’re saying so they’ll disconnect, even if you keep it short.

Through his articulation of his points, Churchill gained his audience’s attention.

Consider this passage in his speech, which comes after he outlines his nation’s goals on the eve of its greatest battle.

“At any rate, that is what we are going to try to do. That is the resolve of His Majesty’s Government-every man of them. That is the will of Parliament and the nation.”

Note the shortness of the sentences here. Churchill had a rapid-fire speaking delivery that valued conciseness over waffle. Every sentence gets straight to the point without oversimplifying it. Even when delivering blunt statements like these, he remains articulate and composed.

Through this, Churchill maintained the attention of his audience. He established a rhythm for his speaking that propelled him along to the speech’s standout moment.

Tip #2 — Use Repetition for Emphasis

After an introduction that lasts little more than a minute, Churchill ramps up with the speech.

He launches into a statement of intent that defines his vision of Britain’s courage and ability to overcome all odds.

Churchill starts each statement with the phrase “we shall”:

“We shall fight on the beaches.

We shall fight on the landing grounds.

We shall fight in the fields and in the streets.

We shall fight in the hills.”

Note the use of short and concise statements again. This time, Churchill blends that speaking technique with his use of repetition. He delivers each statement with power, with “we shall” turning into a clarion call to his listeners.

It’s his trigger. It’s the one part of the speech that will stick in the minds of listeners.

Churchill’s message in this moment was an obvious one. He wanted to reinforce the notion that Britain would never surrender, no matter the odds that it faced.

However, the phrase “no surrender” isn’t enough to make a speech memorable. It’s a common enough sentiment and it’s easy to tell people. However, it’s such a simple concept that it’s not memorable. People may dismiss it as soon as it’s said, which means they aren’t inspired.

Churchill focused on the words “we shall” and delivered multiple statements that defined how and where Britain would fight. In doing so, he ensured his message penetrated the negative emotion that pervaded in Britain.

Only after using this repetition to emphasise Britain’s strength and will to fight did he deliver the message that he wanted to deliver:

“We shall never surrender.”

Tip #3 — Build to a Strong Conclusion

As you can see above, Churchill used his speaking to build up to a memorable conclusion.

He termed this technique the “accumulation of argument”.

When you take the “We Shall Fight Them on the Beaches” speech as a whole, you can see how he uses it.

First comes his most important point:

“I have, myself, full confidence that if all do their duty, if nothing is neglected, and if the best arrangements are made, as they are being made, we shall prove ourselves once again able to defend our Island home, to ride out the storm of war, and to outlive the menace of tyranny, if necessary for years, if necessary alone.”

Churchill establishes his full confidence in his nation’s ability to win the upcoming battle.

He tells his people that they will win.

After that, he gives them the evidence that backs up his point. That’s crucial to establish credibility for the point. Without evidence, people just here a lot of bluster with nothing concrete behind it.

That’s where Churchill’s repetition came into play. This was not a man who believed in delivering subtle messages. He said himself that you have no need for cleverness when you have an important point to make. Churchill established his key thread and hammered it home.

You hit the audience again and again.

“Use a pile driver,” he said when discussing his speaking technique. “Hit the point once. Then come back and hit it again. Then hit it a third time — a tremendous whack.”

Then came the conclusion. In his famous speech, Churchill’s “We shall never surrender” line wasn’t the end. It was the launching point for a conclusion that is essentially a threat to the Nazis:

“We shall never surrender, and even if, which I do not for a moment believe, this Island or a large part of it were subjugated and starving, then our Empire beyond the seas, armed and guarded by the British Fleet, would carry on the struggle, until, in God’s good time, the New World, with all its power and might, steps forth to the rescue and the liberation of the old.”

This is where Churchill widens his focus. With this section of the speech, he’s not just showing his people why they’re overcome. He’s delivering a stark warning to Britain’s opponents that the country has an entire empire on its side. He’s showing that even if Britain falls, the empire will continue the fight.

That threat also serves as a morale booster for his people. Churchill’s telling them that they are not alone and that support will come.

By the time he’s finished his speech, Churchill hasn’t just inspired his people to fight in the face of impossible odds. He’s shown them that there are those who will fight alongside them to even those odds.

It’s a technique that you can use in your own speaking. Show people why they must care by starting off with your most important point — your story.

Create your key thread and come back to it constantly during your speech. End with a conclusion that inspires your audience to action.

Tip #4 — Show Sincerity

Finally, it’s important to note that Churchill does not shy away from the gravity of Britain’s situation during his speech.

At all points he acknowledges the threat that Britain faces. In fact, he bases his entire speech around how Britain must overcome great odds.

Throughout the speech, Churchill reinforces his belief that Britain will overcome. But he never claims that it will be a simple task. He makes it clear that he’s not underestimating the scale of the situation. Instead, he delivers an honest speech that doesn’t shy away from the toll that the war will take.

That’s important as it establishes his authenticity. If Churchill tried to paint a picture of a nation in its ascendancy in that moment, his audience would have disengaged. Britain found itself engaged in a struggle and Churchill needed to identify and confront that problem.

You can even hear it in his voice. Churchill sounds almost weary, much like the entirety of Britain felt at this point.

Yet there are moments where his voice rises to show that there’s still a desire to fight coursing through his veins. He uses his tone almost as a metaphor for the condition that Britain found itself in.

Tired, battered, but not defeated.

Never defeated.

This stark sincerity created an instant connection with the audience. With that connection established, Churchill’s conviction that Britain would still prevail inspired them.

The Final Word

Oddly enough, many of Churchill’s contemporaries considered him to be a poor speaker.

Yet his “We Shall Fight Them on the Beaches” speech shows a man in complete command of his abilities. He showed his audience a story that progressed from the difficulties they faced now to what he saw as their inevitable victory.

He was sincere throughout. Churchill knew that Britain would have to fight hard to achieve that victory and he didn’t hide that fact from his audience.

Churchill kept his speech short while delivering all of his messages. He used repetition to reinforce his key thread that Britain would never surrender.

Through his speaking, Churchill helped to inspire a nation to victory against enormous odds.

That makes him an inspiration for any aspiring speaker.

Speakers Institute can help you to refine Churchill’s techniques so that you can inspire in the same way that he did. Do the following to begin your journey towards becoming a storyshower:

• Attend a free Speakers Institute event.
• Take a look at our Bootcamp Brochure.
• Get in touch with the team to discuss your goals.

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