Cicumstances

Winston Churchill delivered his speech “Blood, Toil, Tears, and Sweat” on 13th of May, 1940, in front of the House of Commons in the British Parliament, three days after he had been appointed Prime Minister by King George VI. It was Churchill's first speech as Prime Minister.

His speech was delivered during the first year of the Second World War, in which the British Empire was fighting against Nazi Germany. The British Empire entered the war in September, 1939, a few days after Germany invaded Poland.

At that time, the British Empire was a global superpower and was the main opponent of Nazi Germany (Russia and the US would join the war later on). As the speaker also mentions, in May 1940, the British Empire had troops deployed in Holland, Norway, and the Mediterranean: “We are in action at many other points - in Norway and in Holland - and we have to be prepared in the Mediterranean. The air battle is continuing…” (ll. 26-28)

The speech was given during ...