We shall fight on the beaches — Common title given to a speech delivered by Winston Churchill
Churchill's address to Parliament on 4 June 1940 framed the Dunkirk evacuation as a prelude to continued resistance rather than defeat.
Key Facts
- Date delivered
- 4 June 1940
- Delivered to
- House of Commons, Parliament of the United Kingdom
- Speaker
- Winston Churchill, British Prime Minister
- Speech sequence
- Second of three major Churchill speeches during Battle of France
- First speech date
- 13 May 1940 — 'Blood, toil, tears and sweat'
- Third speech date
- 18 June 1940 — 'This was their finest hour'
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
The fall of France appeared imminent following the Dunkirk evacuation, and Nazi Germany posed a credible invasion threat to Britain. Churchill needed to address Parliament while sustaining national morale, maintaining pressure on France to remain in the war, and conveying an unwavering commitment to victory first declared in his 13 May speech.
On 4 June 1940, Prime Minister Winston Churchill delivered a speech to the House of Commons acknowledging a major military disaster, warning of a possible German invasion, and vowing continued resistance. The address carefully balanced candor about setbacks with resolve, reiterating that Britain's goal remained victory however long and difficult the path.
The speech became one of the most celebrated wartime orations in British history, reinforcing public resolve during a moment of acute strategic vulnerability. It also served diplomatic purposes, discouraging France from seeking a separate armistice by signaling Britain's intention to fight on regardless of continental developments.