Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years - Ep.8 - What Price Churchill?

the settlement of the Czechoslovakian problem it has now been achieved is in my view only a prelude to a larger settlement in which all Europe may find peace in Munich this morning I had another talk with the German Chancellor here Hitler and here is the paper which bears his name upon it as well as mine some of you perhaps have already heard what it contains but I would just like to read it to you we the German Fuhrer and Chancellor and the British prime minister have had a further meeting today and are agreed in recognizing that the question of anglo-german relations is of the first importance for the two countries and for Europe we regard the agreement signed last night and the anglo-german naval agreement as symbolic of the desire of our two peoples never to go to war with one another again hello gentlemen this is peace with our time now I will begin by saying the most unpopular and unwelcome thing that we have suffered a total and unmitigated defeat the utmost at my right honourable friend the Prime Minister has been able to secure by all his immense exertions at Munich and elsewhere not most he's been able to gain for Czechoslovakia is that the German dictator instead of snatching his vittles from the table has been content to have them serve to him course by course or you will find in a matter of months that Czechoslovakia will be engulfed by the nausea regime a frontier fortresses are already in German hands something which France and Britain will bitterly regret when Hitler chooses to look westward silence mournful abandoned broken Czechoslovakia recedes into the darkness that is the most grievous results of what we have left undone for the last five years five years of looking for the line of least resistance five years of uninterrupted retreats five years of neglect of our hair defences the British people should know that we have suffered a defeat without a war that we have passed an awful milestone in our history well.all equilibrium of Western Europe as being deranged and that these terrible words have been pronounced against the Western democracies thou art weighed in the balance and found wanting well I don't suppose this is the end this is only the beginning of the reckoning this is only the first sip the first foretaste of a bitter Cup which will be profit to us year by unless unless by a supreme recovery of Marcille figure we arise again home take a stand for freedom it's good to get out of the house Horace I do so hate it however I really must complain things are going so well for us yes touchwood I think about ways of course one mustn't take anything for granted but I think we're moving forward at last the whole country can see that our policy of appeasement is beginning to work there's a mood of confidence in the air ever since Munich don't you agree certainly Prime Minister public responsibly in tremendous hmm so it should be you've saved us from disaster oh no one will ever forget that there is however of a small problem of the Ministry of supply bread Winston will continue to press for it well then we must continue to ignore him I'm great heavens how can we possibly establish a Ministry of supply its tent amount of declaring war if it undo everything I did at Munich I agree how could we expect Italy to believe that we mean peace if we start adopting wartime visions I simply raise them out of Prime Minister in case you wish we deal with with Winston you mean no Horace Arif Winston has no support in the house indeed the whole country is with us it's true our reputation has never been higher you know Hitler told the last tour that he definitely liked me how do you say the same about Winston would he honestly she's on the floor this up well yeah there's another one that song for for mr. Churchill I should have a special sup Post Office 40k must be no less popular than in England it simply cannot be true it but why should the Germans move arms through Czechoslovakia I don't know Prime Minister but they are don't understand it why are they doing this it's against the entire spirit of our agreement you don't think perhaps we should consider in establishing a Ministry of supply after all certainly not Hitler would regard that as a highly provocative acts he'd be vastly insulted I already had to reassure him there would never be a Churchill government in England Neville we really must not let ourselves be affected by Winston's constant sniping merely doing it to where is done nevertheless if Germany is moving arms without our knowledge no Edward please remember I am Prime Minister not Winston hmm I shall not put this country on a war footing I have no plans for establishing a Ministry of supply it's perfectly clear that Winston is demanding it on purely political grounds not a thought of the effect he's having overseas it's completely irresponsible many confirms his reputation as bogeyman number one flow Europe then and God knows the situation is delicate enough as it is without all he's scare a talk well there must be some way we can silence him yes I understand what you're saying but I I'm not altogether sure how you see that will prove mr. Churchill has always been a most popular member yes oh yes indeed it has always been my ambition to stand for Parliament one day a Scottish constituency you say yes well I always like to help the younger and brighter members of our party mr. Thornton calms limb goodbye I really must insist that you resign as member for anything I shall do no such thing so unless I am forced I have been out of office now for for 10 years or why largely because I have fought to convince the government that the German Jean King wall a fact which they still refuse to accept we appreciate the sincerity of your motives mr. Churchill but what will happen if if events should prove you wrong if I'm proved wrong sir then I will go willingly but I have not been wrong so far in the four months since Munich everything that I have predicted has come to pass the Republic of Czechoslovakia is about to be dismembered before our very eyes the Germans are upon her borders and there is nothing we can do about it we have delayed too long we have wasted vital months and now all we can do is sit back and wait for the tragedy to occur hello what Oh Godwin together the Germans were already advancing on Prague while Hitler was still negotiating Czechoslovak president I believe so yes are we the action of a well-intentioned protector you say he's already seized their aeroplanes and gold supplies we have been deceiving ourselves far too long and I do not excuse myself from that but we cannot deceive ourselves now the press will say that he has made us a laughingstock of Europe by invading Czechoslovakia now its tactics are perfectly straightforward he simply says one thing and does another it certainly doesn't seem to be in accord with the Munich Agreement I do think we should give some guarantee to Poland and Romania right away thank you both of you I shall consider the matter very carefully and would you consider bringing Winston back into the cabinet no I shall never bring Winston back in any capacity not what's good him was the way he behaves you'd think he had a shadow cabinet of his own hello we're now here you'll see the tide is turning let us waste no time I think your pardon ladies and gentlemen the situation worsens daily but the Prime Minister has evidently learned nothing from Czechoslovakia Germany continues to rearm at an alarming rate on mussolini clearly has designs on Albania but we are still persuaded that it is possible to sue away dictators with an umbrella this being the case it is necessary for us to do everything in our power to correct such an impressive I am sending the Prime Minister today a memorandum urging a more aggressive naval policy and massively increased rearmament let us hope that my piece of paper flowers better than his yeah and I would like to know how how many of you agree to the need for hours of Commons motion calling for an all-party government with all those in favor please raise that how dare he proposed such ambush I sometimes wonder which party he thinks he belongs to him it was simply continue to ignore him it's already well harnessed you don't have to sit day after day in the Commons trying to appear immune to these constant attacks must be very hard it is apart from which all waste so much time we could get everything done so much more quickly if it wasn't for parity have you thought any more about Poland Prime Minister well yes of course as we better do something think so yes regretfully what to give them some sort of guarantee you think I would advise it I must let it to no we don't mean to let him go on like this dares swears there's no alternative why don't these dictators realize we can accomplish so much more if only we work together people will want to make the world a better place white we have to fight over it you know I told him to go and talk to my Shalini next week about Albania frankly I dread it sometimes wonder if anyone is interested in reasoned argument anymore except for you and I come on flurry develop its desmond mode Malini has invaded Albania many big random can only get me reacting can we finish our lunch first you suppose mr. Mussolini waits for lunch he's probably halfway to Corfu by now come with me pinky is there anything I can do yeah they could get rid of us the way do you know the mouse the library definitely be under what about destroyer my aren't came with the flagellar your footage here no no no geek in Albania not the bloody event I move too sorry of course your live here what are they doing in Africa Wyatt Evans they must a in the Adriatic what I needed sorry anyone can see that so I'm here son she put it on the floor that what better cause I'm still here but don't you realize if you go for coffee next unless we do something immediately now that would you be good enough to tell me well our capital ships are toward more to get one of Gibraltar what Naples extraordinary thank you for your cooperation five great ships lolling around the Mediterranean none of them in the right place how could it have been allowed to happen we must have action at once we've not a second to lose mrs. P take a memo how old are you going back to London yes this afternoon and you can take it a memo to mr. Chamberlain they are Prime Minister I cannot put up with this sort of thing any longer the sheer arrogance of the man listen to it a Mediterranean feat it should of course be concentrated and let's see and have you read the newspapers everyone energy needed to listen that get Winston into the cabinet I don't they realize that that would be a miserable but warfare to Berlin it will happen on Good Friday completely asfalt a weekend I would value a few words of advice occasionally did wood I'm sorry then my advice is simple Prime Minister the method must be brought up in the house as soon as possible Winston's quite right we cannot ignore these repeated acts of aggression any longer we must do something to show we're a force to be reckoned with maybe Winston should get his ministry of supply hmm maybe in response to the Italian invasion of Albania this government is today issuing guarantees to all other countries liable to be threatened and furthermore I have decided to create a Ministry of supply at last gratulations wisdom for this post Mr Speaker I have selected my right honourable friend the Minister of Transport idiot ah fighter squadrons are still hopelessly requite and then there's the standard of our bombs you can see the topsail we were referred at the bubbles we tested last month actually failed to explode now what should you about your planes out of ax oh yes sir all our aircraft have to go for a major inspection after a hundred and twenty hours in the air though that's about every eight weeks well unfortunately things are so bad now the actual inspections are taking up to six weeks why can't they work double shifts how can we go to war with the Air Force's mistake it would be extremely and advisable to go to war at the moment you mainly lose understand a chance well when you consider the rate at which German Israel we must go improve something sharp attack finish the thing quickly if we delay matters the Lord knows how long it'll take will you let me represent all this severe mystery yes of course thank you but might I ask a personal question doctor's orders Anderson tell if it preserved me for the coming fight eat of Angie's fees in full will mrs. Churchill be returning soon well yes in a week or two are you coming down with me now I should slip out the back way sir if you don't mind I do appreciate all you've done Alison the risks you take Emma I'd like you to know mr. Churchill a word about the Nazis word is all I have time for two dimensional regions that I believe the bulgar of nadia brezin will sort if returned upon permanent but we shall be ready for but we must form an alliance with Russia we must regard the introduction of compulsory conscription as a matter of the utmost urgency and furthermore we must mobilize the Armed Forces we shall not be caught napping I hope that roof suffice up Thank You mr. Churchill are you gonna join the cabinet mr. iboga you should address that questions of the Prime Minister let me know what he says there's a cartoon here Winston camping outside number 10 it's a plot but look at the mail Express all of them every single one says Winston should be back in the cab do predict Richard newspaper down fact is of course it would create new confidence in the country if we were to ask Winston now ask him what I'm afraid Neville people are beginning to wonder if perhaps private feelings aren't beginning to outweigh the national interest I really can't be bothered with what people are beginning to wonder self it might also help to show Hitler we do intend to stand up to him after all anything we can do to prevent him entering Poland I'm sorry sir I remain convinced that Hitler is nowhere near such an unmitigated villainous certain people make out I still have great hopes of reaching a compromise with him then why does he persistently lie to you I will not encode it I repeat he does not want more any more than we do I know the man I know it to be true that's all there is to it hello Horace what can we do view of a memo from the Air Ministry Prime Minister regarding information they received from Winston where does he get these facts this is intolerable surely they can track down the man that leaks them to him I believe they have eNOS you already know who it is Prime Minister the Wing Commander Anderson then should be court-martialed he clearly has no sense of loyalty apart from the fact that he's breaking the law she want me to take it further no leave it Horace no doubt Winston Dragoon the man into it maybe you should get Winston in after all at least it'll keep the fella quiet but that would be against our previous thinking although I can see that he would be bound by loyalty to the cabinet whose cabinet Winston's cabinet no never I will never have that man in my cabinet that's exactly how it would turn out you know Horace a cabinet with Winston in charge would pay to any hopes we might have you're quite right Neville besides hair Hitler would never stand for it topic oh look at that well who put them up someone with the mop Horace ooh I really have no idea Prime Minister they're all over London see I suppose they imagine I should be put out by such childish pronouncements drive on they think I should panic I should not he what he's adjourned parliament till October the third but Hitler III arming like a madman how can you possibly send the country on holiday for two months I don't know but he's done it does he imagine that Hitler will be impressed with this so calm if he merely puts the harder or hacked his way towards us knowledge the time to fight to speak to attack afraid that's not nevels way then he would do well to recollect how we spent our summer 25 years ago when the Germans broke into Belgium and trampled our people on their way to pass he's more concerned about getting his fishing tackle in order he's up to Scotland tomorrow Europe is on the brink of war and our Prime Minister is content to do battle with well I am not so easily contented I shall go to France and examine the enemy while there's still a chance trouble over this you've got to tell you lot Fred they are rising today I thought just meet on the telephone and the Foreign Office if we don't rather disturbing development they believe that hair Ribbentrop has flown to Moscow oh no they must have got their facts wrong well you must have misheard them why on earth would River drop go to Moscow to form an alliance with Russia the Germany and Russia to test each other how would they possibly believe me Prime Minister I'm only repeating what I was told but they seem quite certain about it Germany and Russia are about to sign a nonaggression pact that means that Hitler can go for Poland with impunity victory the vultures it's Scott we must recall Parliament at once Germany is now determined upon an attack on Poland and the Soviet Union is equally determined to stand beside but this does not may not affect our determination to honor our obligations His Majesty's Government has today signed a formal treaty of alliance with the unilateral guarantee of marches thus turned into a binding and bilateral pact mr. speaker this house will be asked to approve an emergency powers bill by which preliminary steps at war mobilization will be taken as the house knows the fleet has already been ordered to with more stations little too late this issue and piece of wise undecided we may still hope we shall still work for peace I am always the government have always been aware of the deep desire the British people to avert the catastrophe which now threatens Europe for my part I have always believed but there is no question which cannot be solved by peaceful discussion God knows I've tried my best oh it is good to see you're relaxing this is a last picture idle painting piece for a very long time oh don't say that piece I'd say it my darling cattle design Oh to be true well I'm almost cleared the next my writings finish for the moment is it English speaking people are in he's cutting proofreading I shall be ready when required worked so hard for all this sometimes I feel quite guilty well what else should I do with my life for my pension and ponder the nature of mortality do not my Jennifer logic no go I was reaching wild strawberries searching white wine with defense generals in Paris there are much prefer English corpus from our own pants you they've done it Horace they've invaded Poland they're bombing Warsaw and cracker know what do I do we did telephone Hitler's straight away tell him to pull out his troops if yes you can go and talk to him artists this is what Winston wanted the ammunition is always dreamt of there'll be no stopping you now they'll destroy me in the comments that we must net him I must silence him there's only one way to do that he was suffering what he wants I know I've seen to the whole thing has come as a terrible shock to me Winston to us all Prime Minister yes but to think that all those meetings all those promises they obviously meant nothing to him I propose to form a small War Cabinet if I do form such a cabinet I would like you to be a member of it would you consider that now I should be honored Prime Minister I would be pleased to do anything to serve you and its country Thank You Winston your support will be agreed in what capacity would you want me to serve in this war cabinet I really can't say not at the moment there are still so many unknown factors I'll talk to you about it again later later on today will that be all right of course when are you planning to send your ultimatum to Hitler oh really Winston you mustn't press me on these matters it all happened so suddenly let me strike very carefully make sure we pursue every avenue I still have hopes of a vet in this dreadful war it's been 24 hours one whole day while oppose are being bombed and massacred and still he does nothing know what to miserable so further talk of a war cabinet allocates that I'm have it he promised to talk to me again yesterday Neville's promises he gave me his word well sure you know better by now never to trust anything never who tells you about Prime Minister it is now impossible to believe that Hitler will make any agreement that he will not betray at a moment's notice should it suit him I am here we must honor our guarantee to Poland all that is being achieved by this delays further loss of life further adverse public reaction here Herr gentlemen Hitler has declared he does not want a war he wants direct negotiations with Great Britain I have this from a very reliable source in Berlin but Prime Minister of course we must protest I've never said that we shouldn't we must do more than that we must deliver an ultimatum at once we must make it perfectly clear that war can only be averted if German troops are withdrawn completely from Polish territory I don't think if they will agree to that surely Prime Minister that cannot be our concern we must honor our guarantee come what may yes Edward as you keep saying then you do agree we have no choice very well I will draw up an ultimatum expiring by midnight tonight no that's too soon we mustn't put Hitler into an impossible position besides the French are asking for another 48 hours while Poland continues to be attacked we cannot wait that long Prime Minister you must give Germany time to make up a mind why forgive them that luxury good god they made up their minds quickly enough in the past when they wanted to and expected everyone else to do the same I have said we shall send an ultimatum but I will not agree to a time limit if there is the slightest possibility of saving the Peace of Europe I am determined to take it thank you gentlemen Neverland that will be old our ambassador in Berlin has delivered a warning message to the German Chancellor but up to the present no reply has been received it may be the delay is called by consideration of a new proposal put forward by the Italian government it has nothing to do with the Italians what about our treaty with the Poe that hostilities should cease while the five powers Great Britain France Poland Germany and Italy discuss a possible if Germany did agree to cease hostilities that we would be willing to regard the position as being the same as it was before their forces first the previous frontier the way would then be open to discussions between Germany and Poland discussions with which under certain circumstances the British government would be willing to be associated please I should be horrified if the house thought for one moment that the statement that I've made to them betrayed the slightest weekly I thought this government out of the French government the one who nurses it's not to do with the fence as he's been going on for two days till in my days in which the wretched poles have been on us till he has it but why didn't you say that in the house why did you remain silent throughout because I am almost a member of the government so I thought but he shows there's nothing to me does he want mail did he not even if he does you shouldn't serve under him you're his only hope of salvation Winston if you don't save him he's lost the Conservative Party forever and why should you help him are you suggesting that Isis the country or discipline in this instance you must you should go down to the house tomorrow break Chamberlain and take his place as prime minister impossible why impossible because I have no wish to be Prime Minister I am not fitting for the position I only wish to serve my country he means to Samuel this is very late say anything I can do for you well thank you Horace the Prime Minister is still extremely busy is when I'm sure you'll find time to hear what I have to say sure is something I can do I've come to talk with a Prime Minister not a civil servant hottest please get out of my day Sam what is it the world in private if you will well I've just come from a meeting at the house I wasn't aware that any meeting was taking place a large number of us are seriously concerned about your statement in the house tonight Prime Minister a lot of what you had to say differed fundamentally from what we thought we had agreed in cabinet everything's happening so quickly Sam the Italians hadn't made their proposal then there was no time to recall the cabinet the Italian proposals Prime Minister are irrelevant and in our opinion should never even have been brought up in the house how dare you we no longer have time for negotiations it would only result in another Munich we want an ultimatum delivered to Hitler now as we agreed this afternoon this is preposterous I will not be polluting this way who are these ministers you claim to represent there are enough of us to constitute a serious revolt I do advise you to listen to us Prime Minister are you delivering me an ultimatum now sir only stating facts if you do not listen you will not survive in the house don't you see unless something is done at once your speech will be exploited by the Germans as proof that we do not intend to honor our guarantee to the poles but what can I do I'm powerless until I hear from the French you know very well it would be a grave mistake to go to war without front bones will follow Great Britain soon enough anyway these are our terms you will deliver the following ultimatum now either Hitler agrees to withdraw from Poland or a state of war has begun and we must have a time limit we need to know by noon tomorrow whether we are at war or not tell your colleagues tell them I recognized the strength of their feelings and will agree to their demands thank you have we heard word from Germany nothing Prime Minister thank you hurt will you you tell the BBC I'm ready we have a clear conscience we have done all that any country could do to establish peace the situation in which no word given by Germany's ruler could be trusted and no people or country could feel themselves safe has become intolerable and now that we have resolved to finish it I know that you will all play your part with calmness and courage now may God bless you all may he defend the right for it is evil things that we shall be fighting against brute force bad faith injustice oppression and persecution and against them my I am certain that the right will prevail you just started come along my darling how characteristically prompt and efficient of them my little kitten come along me GT the dark is random you get me Winston my name okay thank you my dear hmm thank you logically picking the compiler from mr. Churchill UUP you're very could help and the very best of health to you I hope there is no ill will Winston Prime Minister between you and me you have always been close we heard have certain fundamental differences I know that is part of the strength of our parliamentary system Prime Minister when it is too rigid to permits opposing views within the same party that is when we must start to worry yes yes indeed but no one has one they must remember that there won't accept Hitler - all a tragic waste the end of everything I've worked for everything I hoped for I have been thinking hard about how you might help us Winston I would like to repeat my offer of a place in the War Cabinet I'm grateful to you for setting my mind at rest Prime Minister I had been wondering I would also like to offer you the Admiralty Lord Stanhope has agreed to stand aside as you know it will be most arduous but I can think of no one better I did not expect this thank you I shall do that I can to live up to the trust you have placed in me I'm sure we shall all work as hard as we can Winston I have no doubt of that but will it be enough we are up against a formidable frightening opponent right without scruple man will stop at nothing that is all true Prime Minister every word of it this country has never had to face such evil before never in all our history but I remain confident of one thing with it all we shall have him you

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Keywords: Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years

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Length: 51min 4sec (3064 seconds)

Published: Thu Aug 07 2014