"The outstanding feature has been the landings of the airborne troops, which were on a scale far larger than anything that has been seen so far in the world. These landings took place with extremely little loss and with great accuracy. Particular anxiety attached to them, because the conditions of light prevailing in the very limited period of the dawn-just before the dawn-the conditions of visibility made all the difference. Indeed, there might have been something happening at the last minute which would have prevented airborne troops from playing their part. A very great degree of risk had to be taken in respect of the weather. But General Eisenhower's courage is equal to all the necessary decisions that have to be taken in these extremely difficult and uncontrollable matters. The airborne troops are well established, and the landings and the follow-ups are all proceeding with much less loss-very much less-than we expected. Fighting is in progress at various points. We captured various bridges which were of importance, and which were not blown up. There is even fighting proceeding in the town of Caen, inland. But all this, although a very valuable first step-a vital and essential first step-gives no indication of what may be the course of the battle in the next days and weeks, because the enemy will now probably endeavour to concentrate on this area, and in that event heavy fighting will soon begin and will continue without end, as we can push troops in and he can bring other troops up. It is, therefore, a most serious time that we enter upon. Thank God, we enter upon it with our great Allies all in good heart and all in good friendship."
Quote Details
Added by wikiquote-import-bot
Unverified quote
0 likes
Nobel laureates in LiteraturePeople from OxfordPrime Ministers of the United KingdomPoliticians from EnglandHistorians from England
Original Language: English
Available Languages (1)
Sources
Speech to the House of Commons on the Invasion of France] (6 June 1944)
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Winston_Churchill
Revision History
No revisions have been submitted for this quote.
Categories
Winston Churchill
1874 – 1965
britischer Politiker
689 quotes on TrueQuotesView all quotes by Winston Churchill →
Related Quotes
"...throughout the world, except in the abodes of the guilty, goes out to the British airmen who, undaunted by odds, u…"
"ChceÅ¡-li z pole bráti, musÃÅ¡ na nÄ› dáti."
"The soul of Poland is indestructible... she will rise again as a rock, which may for a spell be submerged by a tidal …"
"There are few virtues which the Poles do not possess and there are few errors they have ever avoided."
"History repeats itself."
"1919: but two years later Mr. Winston Churchill was entrusted by our harassed Cabinet with the settlement of the Midd…"
"It will take a great deal of patience to undo the harm that Churchill has done."
"You know the difference between a politician and a statesman? Here is the LeMay definition: a politician is a high-pr…"
"As I look at the Europe Hitler has devastated, I know very intimately that, as an Englishman of Jewish origin, I owe …"
"While vague about the hereafter, Churchill always held that "man is spirit," and believed in a kind of spiritual conn…"