Speech
In the Commons says "I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears & sweat"
Role range: 1940-1945 – 1940-1945
Historical biography archive · Updated 2026-11-03
Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill Biography and Timeline — Page 19
Follow Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill through 1,398 dated historical records for Great Britain.
Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill, historical timeline
A chronological timeline drawn from matching World History Database records.
1,398Distinct records
19 of 35Page
1940–1940Years on this page
1940
Vote of Confidence
Wins a unanimous vote of confidence from the Commons for the new administration
Role range: 1940-1945 – 1940-1945
Battle of Narvik
Oversees the campaign as Allied troops capture Elvegardsmoen and advance toward Narvik.
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1940-1945
Blood Toil Tears and Sweat
Tells Parliament he can offer only blood toil tears and sweat.
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1940-1945
Home Guard
Eden announces the formation of the Home Guard
Role range: 1940-1945 – 1940-1945
Local Defence Volunteers (LDV)
Foundation of the Local Defence Volunteers, later Home Guard
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1940-1945
Beaverbrook Appointment
Appoints Beaverbrook to accelerate aircraft production.
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1940-1945
Battle of France
Confronts the crisis created by the German breakthrough at Sedan.
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1940-1945
Supreme War Council
Attends a crisis meeting after the German breakthrough at Sedan.
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1940-1945
Air Reinforcement Debate
Debates sending more RAF fighter squadrons to France.
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1940-1945
Supreme War Council
Flies to Paris to discuss the collapsing French front.
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1940-1945
Home Defence
Orders urgent preparations against possible invasion of Britain.
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1940-1945
Arrest of Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill
Makes it known he would like communists & fascists detained but nothing comes of this
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1940-1945
Enemy Aliens
Makes it known he would like communists & fascists detained but nothing comes of this
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1940-1945
Operation Dynamo
Orders the Admiralty to round up shipping in order to evacuate the BEF
Role range: 1940-1945 – 1940-1945
State of Emergency
Parliament grants Winston Churchill and his Government wide emergency powers
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1940-1945
Supreme War Council
Attends another crisis meeting as German forces reach the Channel.
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1940-1945
Emergency Powers
Secures emergency powers to mobilise national resources for war.
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1940-1945
Supreme War Council
Returns to Paris as German forces approach the Channel.
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1940-1945
Battle of Narvik
Authorises Operation Alphabet to evacuate Allied forces from northern Norway.
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1940-1945
Calais Decision
Orders Calais to hold out to aid the Dunkirk evacuation.
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1940-1945
Operation Alphabet Authorised
Authorises evacuation of Allied forces from northern Norway.
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1940-1945
Operation Alphabet
Churchill's government authorises the evacuation of Allied forces from Narvik.
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1940-1945
Operation Alphabet
Authorises evacuation of Allied forces from northern Norway as the battle in France worsens.
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1940-1945
Supreme War Council
Meets Reynaud as Dunkirk and possible Italian mediation are discussed.
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1940-1945
Operation Dynamo
Authorises evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk.
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1940-1945
War Cabinet Crisis
Rejects seeking peace terms through Italian mediation.
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1940-1945
Evacuation
The last of the 338,000 British, French and Belgian forces evacuated from Dunkirk. Evacuation from Dunkirk begins
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1940-1945
Battle of Narvik
Balances Narvik operations against the worsening Allied crisis in France.
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1940-1945
Evacuation
Announces in Cabinet, "of course, whatever happens at Dunkirk, we shall fight on"
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1940-1945
Battle of Narvik
Receives news of the Allied recapture of Narvik.
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1940-1945
Battle of Narvik
Receives news that Allied forces have recaptured Narvik from Dietl's troops.
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1940-1945
Dunkirk Evacuation
Monitors the evacuation as large numbers of troops are rescued.
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1940-1945
No Negotiated Peace
Persuades ministers to continue fighting rather than seek terms.
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1940-1945
Operation Alphabet
Receives news of Narvik's recapture while evacuation plans remain in force.
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1940-1945
Supreme War Council
Attends the council as Allied strategy shifts during the Dunkirk evacuation.
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1940-1945
Supreme War Council
Announces evacuation figures from Dunkirk during a Supreme War Council meeting.
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1940-1945
Supreme War Council
Meets the Allied Supreme War Council and declares Britain will fight on.
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1940-1945
Supreme War Council
Promises to fight on despite the worsening military position.
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1940-1945
Battle of Narvik
Discusses Narvik and Dunkirk with French leaders at the Supreme War Council.
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1940-1945
Records, sources and methodology
These dates and descriptions come from the historical_events database. Exact duplicate records have been collapsed. Names are grouped by the country, Name 2 and Name 1 fields; records with missing Name 2 cannot be reliably assigned to an individual biography. Check the underlying sources before formal citation.