10 May 1940 A.D. Churchill becomes prime minister
10 May 1940 A.D. Churchill becomes prime minister
Editors. “Churchill
becomes prime minister.” This Day in
History. 2010. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/churchill-becomes-prime-minister. Accessed 6 May 2015.
Winston Churchill, First
Lord of the Admiralty, is called to replace Neville Chamberlain as British
prime minister following the latter’s resignation after losing a confidence
vote in the House of Commons.
In 1938, Prime Minister
Chamberlain signed the Munich Pact with Nazi leader Adolf Hitler, giving
Czechoslovakia over to German conquest but bringing, as Chamberlain promised,
“peace in our time.” In September 1939, that peace was shattered by Hitler’s
invasion of Poland. Chamberlain declared war against Germany but during the
next eight months showed himself to be ill-equipped for the daunting task of
saving Europe from Nazi conquest. After British forces failed to prevent the
German occupation of Norway in April 1940, Chamberlain lost the support of many
members of his Conservative Party. On May 10, Hitler invaded Holland, Belgium,
and the Netherlands. The same day, Chamberlain formally lost the confidence of
the House of Commons.
Churchill, who was known
for his military leadership ability, was appointed British prime minister in
his place. He formed an all-party coalition and quickly won the popular support
of Britons. On May 13, in his first speech before the House of Commons, Prime
Minister Churchill declared that “I have nothing to offer but blood, toil,
tears, and sweat” and offered an outline of his bold plans for British
resistance. In the first year of his administration, Britain stood alone
against Nazi Germany, but Churchill promised his country and the world that the
British people would “never surrender.” They never did.
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