Winston Churchill had only been Prime Minister for three months when, on 20th August, 1940, he delivered ‘The Few’ - one of his most iconic speeches - in the House of Commons. 

Arion, Rebecca and Olly consider how and why Churchill’s paean to the courage of RAF pilots during the Battle of Britain has been so well-remembered - albeit mainly for a quote that appears in the middle of a lengthy address: “Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few”.

In this episode, The Retrospectors reveal why Churchill laboured for hours on his most famous speeches; consider how his pronouncements played a crucial role in boosting national morale; and explore how he himself transformed from a divisive figure to a unifying PM during this pivotal time in British history...

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Further Reading:

• ‘The Few’ (International Churchill Society): https://winstonchurchill.org/resources/speeches/1940-the-finest-hour/the-few/

• ‘8 Of Winston Churchill's Best Speeches – Chosen By His Grandson’ (HistoryExtra, 2021): https://www.historyextra.com/period/second-world-war/churchills-greatest-speeches/

• ‘How Winston Churchill's Speeches helped to win WW2’ (Imperial War Museums, 2021): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3I_-5njblk

This episode first aired in 2023

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The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.

Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie Peart

Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2025.

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