There was a lot changing for Great Britain in 1939-1940. The war they'd been trying to avoid for years had begun, which led to the resignation of their highest-level government official. Britain was staring down the barrel of a very serious conflict against a better-armed foe who'd overrun Europe and had its sights set on Britain.
Ever hear the expression "Don't change horses in the middle of the stream"? Democratic countries often avoid changing leadership during wartime, which is why FDR ran for a third term (source). Such a change can destabilize an already precarious situation. But the Brits changed their head of government at a most critical time. Faced with global war, they needed someone who'd recognized the threat of Germany all along.
Churchill was the right horse—we mean man—for the job.
Questions About Change
- How does war create change in a country when most of the fighting is happening elsewhere?
- What would you say was the most significant political change in Britain during World War II?
- Why would political change like what happened in Britain in May 1940 be potentially problematic for the representatives in government?
- Is the kind of change being discussed in the speech seen in a positive or a negative light by Churchill? How do you think his audience would perceive it?
Chew on This
When the fate of the world is at stake, maybe it's preferable to just leaving things as they are. We're sure this crossed the minds of Parliament in 1940.
Churchill was actually a force for consistency, since he'd held the same attitude about Germany all along, as opposed to some other PMs we might name.