Document Type

Honors Project

First Advisor

Dr. Brandon Marsh

Degree Award Date

Spring 2024

Keywords

Churchill, World War II, Speeches, Spin, Narvik, Dunkirk, Coventry, Finest Hour, Blitz, Pearl Harbor

Disciplines

Diplomatic History | European History | Oral History | Public History

Abstract

Winston Churchill led Great Britain through some of the worst events of its existence throughout World War II. Specifically in 1940 and 1941, events such as the Narvik invasion, Dunkirk evacuation, Fall of France, and Blitz on London continuously decimated the British. Faced with unending adversity, Winston Churchill used his words to spin numerous negative events into a slight positive by finding silver linings in each event. Churchill remained confident and spoke with authority during these tough times, always inspiring the British to continue fighting. This project examines the speeches and other methods used by Churchill to respond to negative events in 1940 and 1941 to keep the British motivated in extremely tough times.

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