January 1, 1970

Introduced by Richard M. Langworth

As Hitler’s Blitzkrieg smashed into France in Spring 1940, Churchill flew there five times to encourage his allies. ’His words came in torrents, French and English phrases tumbling over each other … No matter what happened, England would fight on and on and on, toujours, all the time, everywhere, partout, pas de grace, no mercy, puis la victoire. They must fight in Paris, behind Paris — retreat to North Africa if need be — but must never give in. By his fifth visit, the French government had retreated to Tours, where there was no official welcome. He disembarked and told a loiterer, in his appalling French, that his name was Churchill, that he was the Prime Minister of Great Britain, and that he would be grateful if they could provide him with “une voiture”’. His sixth visit was aborted when the French asked for an armistice. ‘Another bloody country gone west,’ Churchill growled, then rescued Free French leader Charles de Gaulle — who, as Churchill later wrote, carried with him, in this small aeroplane, the honour of France.

Read the full article here: ‘The Fall of France: “Another Bloody Country Gone West”’ by William Manchester, Finest Hour 109, Winter 2000-01, scroll to page 17.