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Bournemouth is the town Sir Winston Churchill is said to have written his "blood, toil, tears, and sweat" speech. He delivered the speech on 13th May 1940 to the UK's House of Commons. He had recently taken over from Neville Chamberlain as the British Prime Minister. The speech was intended to be stirring and uplifting call to arms. Churchill was aware of the public hopes that he could change the direction of the war - much in the way that ailing sports clubs hope to change their fortunes by appointing a new manager - and he wanted to make best use of that tide of feeling. He was also well aware of the difficulties ahead and, not wanting to raise false hope, he entered notes of caution and warning.
He had used the I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat line to his Cabinet colleagues earlier the same day. Part of his speech was:
"I say to the House as I said to ministers who have joined this government, I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears, and sweat. We have before us an ordeal of the most grievous kind. We have before us many, many months of struggle and suffering.
We have before us an ordeal of the most grievous kind. We have before us many, many long months of struggle and of suffering. You ask, what is our policy? I can say: It is to wage war, by sea, land and air, with all our might and with all the strength that God can give us; to wage war against a monstrous tyranny, never surpassed in the dark, lamentable catalogue of human crime."
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I used to drink to drown my sorrows, but the damned things have learned how to swim- Frida Kahlo
Vice President Starkizzer Fan Club
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