"We will fight on Beaches" Commentary

Aim: The aim of this task was to find a political speech that you would right a paper 1/commentary on the text. You also had the challenge of sitting down and writing it within an hour, similar to test conditions.

Text:

Meanwhile, the Royal Air Force, which had already been intervening in the battle, so far as its range would allow, from home bases, now used part of its main metropolitan fighter strength, and struck at the German bombers and at the fighters which in large numbers protected them. This struggle was protracted and fierce. Suddenly the scene has cleared, the crash and thunder has for the moment-but only for the moment-died away. A miracle of deliverance, achieved by valor, by perseverance, by perfect discipline, by faultless service, by resource, by skill, by unconquerable fidelity, is manifest to us all. The enemy was hurled back by the retreating British and French troops. He was so roughly handled that he did not hurry their departure seriously. The Royal Air Force engaged the main strength of the German Air Force, and inflicted upon them losses of at least four to one; and the Navy, using nearly 1,000 ships of all kinds, carried over 335,000 men, French and British, out of the jaws of death and shame, to their native land and to the tasks which lie immediately ahead. We must be very careful not to assign to this deliverance the attributes of a victory. Wars are not won by evacuations. But there was a victory inside this deliverance, which should be noted. It was gained by the Air Force. Many of our soldiers coming back have not seen the Air Force at work; they saw only the bombers which escaped its protective attack. They underrate its achievements. I have heard much talk of this; that is why I go out of my way to say this. I will tell you about it.

This was a great trial of strength between the British and German Air Forces. Can you conceive a greater objective for the Germans in the air than to make evacuation from these beaches impossible, and to sink all these ships which were displayed, almost to the extent of thousands? Could there have been an objective of greater military importance and significance for the whole purpose of the war than this? They tried hard, and they were beaten back; they were frustrated in their task. We got the Army away; and they have paid fourfold for any losses which they have inflicted. Very large formations of German aeroplanes-and we know that they are a very brave race-have turned on several occasions from the attack of one-quarter of their number of the Royal Air Force, and have dispersed in different directions. Twelve aeroplanes have been hunted by two. One aeroplane was driven into the water and cast away by the mere charge of a British aeroplane, which had no more ammunition. All of our types-the Hurricane, the Spitfire and the new Defiant-and all our pilots have been vindicated as superior to what they have at present to face.

When we consider how much greater would be our advantage in defending the air above this Island against an overseas attack, I must say that I find in these facts a sure basis upon which practical and reassuring thoughts may rest. I will pay my tribute to these young airmen. The great French Army was very largely, for the time being, cast back and disturbed by the onrush of a few thousands of armoured vehicles. May it not also be that the cause of civilization itself will be defended by the skill and devotion of a few thousand airmen? There never has been, I suppose, in all the world, in all the history of war, such an opportunity for youth. The Knights of the Round Table, the Crusaders, all fall back into the past-not only distant but prosaic; these young men, going forth every morn to guard their native land and all that we stand for, holding in their hands these instruments of colossal and shattering power, of whom it may be said that

Every morn brought forth a noble chance
And every chance brought forth a noble knight,

deserve our gratitude, as do all the brave men who, in so many ways and on so many occasions, are ready, and continue ready to give life and all for their native land.

Commentary:

The idea of boosting the morale of ones people is essential within a war speech, as the Politian hopes to gain the support of the public, which can easily be found throughout Churchill’s speeches. The whole of “We will fight on beaches” includes the struggles of the war, including their losses and casualties. However it has another purpose, to motivate his nation and lift their spirits. With the use of the Royal Airforce and their victory’s, he is able to reach his audience and gain their support through the use of his influential language and speech.

                                                     

As stated before his target audience is the people of Great Britain, proven by the fact that this was a speech presented to the nation. In order to grab their attention and provide relevancy to the people, the use of “we” can be seen throughout the text, which in turn has a positive effect on the people, as this word is used to unify the population of Britain. This is where we can see his true intentions, to gain the support from them, through the actions of the military and the use of unification. Which in turn would later on cause the downfall of the German attacks on the United Kingdom.

Since this excerpt had been taken from a World War II text, the themes that are prevalent are Good verse evil due to the historical context of this extract. Love and sacrifice, shown by “and continue ready to give their life and all for their native land. Human vs Human as this speech focuses on the battles between German and British. This all is used effectively due to the range in options and the different angles one may address what the speaker has to say, as this excerpt is made up of a small summary of the dog fights and finishing with the victory’s of the Royal Airforce. The text is set at a relatively serious mood in the beginning, however it changes and moves towards a more honourable and loyal mood as Churchill addresses the amazing feats of the air force.

Looking into the style and structure of the speech, notice its impact as he tells the story of the pilots struggles in battle, building suspense and finishing with them defeating the German forces. To put it simple he drew in his viewers, so that the final statement would be more impactful. Some of his tools he had used include anaphora, “They tried hard, and they were beaten back; they were frustrated in their task. We got the Army away; and they have paid fourfold for any losses which they have inflicted”, by doing this repetitive nature he is able to build up on a statement and concluding it more effectively.  His vocabulary is quite important as words such as valour, brave and victory are used to help strengthen the speech and help keep the attention of his audience.

To conclude, Churchill uses a wide range of tools in order to attain the support of his people, Style and structure, with the focus on their victory’s all allowed him to write on of the most important speeches of Word War 2. Which we now know was critical back then, because if he had failed they might not have defeated the Germans.