Churchill delivered the speech to the House of Commons on 4 June 1940, shortly after the evacuation of Allied forces from Dunkirk. He reviewed the military campaign in France and Belgium, described the dangers faced by British and French troops, and credited the Royal Navy, merchant shipping and Royal Air Force with helping to evacuate more than 335,000 servicemen. He nevertheless warned against treating the evacuation as a military victory, stressing the severe losses of equipment and the continuing threat of invasion.

Churchill then turned from the immediate events at Dunkirk to Britain’s wider war policy. He outlined preparations for national defence and declared that Britain would continue fighting across land, sea and air rather than surrender. The speech combined a report to Parliament with an attempt to define the government’s position after a serious military setback, presenting continued resistance as Britain’s course despite the uncertain situation in Europe.