Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat

Clement Attlee, Churchill’s successor to the role of prime minister, described Churchill’s speeches during the war as “expressing the will not only of Parliament but of the whole nation.” Is this claim true of “Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat,” given the views of the British public at the time? Have viewpoints changed significantly in the present day, and if so, in what way?

Churchill describes war as an “ordeal of the most grievous kind” (Paragraph 6), addressing a nation that just endured the First World War. Nonetheless, Churchill still presents War as a Necessary Evil, claiming that “without victory, there can be no survival” (Paragraph 4). How does this view of war hold up in the modern world? Are there other instances in history where victory in war was seen as the only possible means of survival?

Throughout his lifetime, Churchill was preoccupied with defining his own legacy. He wrote several Nobel Prize–winning books on events of the 20th century and remains one of the most recognizable figures in British history. How is his enduring popularity shaped by his role as a history writer? Have other historical figures attempted to similarly enshrine themselves as national heroes, and how successful have they been in comparison? Why do you think that is?

In the closing sentence of “Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat,” Churchill says that “[a]t this time I feel entitled to claim the aid of all” (Paragraph 6). To what extent does a government have the right to demand aid from its citizenry? What obligations does a population have to contribute to a war in its country’s name? Are there any significant instances where a population or individual has refused to answer its government’s call for aid during wartime, and was this refusal justified?

Churchill was a staunch imperialist and a firm believer in the right of Britain to govern overseas territories within the British Empire. Does this viewpoint undermine Churchill’s self-proclaimed role as a defender of the free world, and if so, how? How should the negative impacts of colonialism on countries of the British Empire during his time as prime minister affect Churchill’s legacy?

Throughout the “Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat” speech, Churchill places emphasis on the Historical Significance of Current Events. Today, WWII is one of the most intensely studied topics in modern history. Explore this theme in the context of the present day: What recent events are likely to be of interest to future historians, and how are they presented by political and public speakers? Compare and contrast these events and the discussions around them with Churchill’s handling of events during WWII.

How do Churchill’s appeals on the Importance of National Unity and his dedication to the British Empire compare and contrast with similar calls for national unity in the propaganda speeches of contemporaneous fascist regimes, such as in Hitler’s 1935 Nuremburg Address? Discuss the difference between patriotism and nationalism in these contexts and whether the distinction holds up in the present-day political landscape.

In “Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat,” Churchill uses hypophora to attribute questions directly to the audience. In what way is this rhetorical device particularly suited to the arena of speechmaking and debate? How would changes to the format of delivery, such as via modern digital modes of communication, alter the effectiveness of this and other rhetorical devices in Churchill’s speeches?