Winston Churchill Quotes

639 Sourced Quotes

How fortunate it was for the world that when these great trials came upon it there was a generation that terror could not conquer and brutal violence could not enslave.

Winston Churchill
Whatever one may think about democratic government, it is just as well to have practical experience of its rough and slatternly foundations. No part of the education of a politician is more indispensable than the fighting of elections.

Winston Churchill
It would be a great reform in politics if wisdom could be made to spread as easily and as rapidly as folly.

Winston Churchill
I think a curse should rest on me — because I love this war. I know it's smashing and shattering the lives of thousands every moment — and yet — I can't help it — I enjoy every second of it.

Winston Churchill
For my part, I consider that it will be found much better by all Parties to leave the past to history, especially as I propose to write that history myself.

Winston Churchill
Few people practice what they preach, and no one less so than Mr Bernard Shaw... He is at once an acquisitive capitalist and a sincere Communist.

Winston Churchill
Civilisation will not last, freedom will not survive, peace will not be kept, unless a very large majority of mankind unite together to defend them and show themselves possessed of a constabulary power before which barbaric and atavistic forces will stand in awe.

Winston Churchill
When the next year the raiders returned and landed near Jarrow they were stoutly attacked while harassed by bad weather. Many were killed. Their "king" was captured and put to a cruel death, and the fugitives carried so grim a tale back to Denmark that for forty years the English coasts were unravaged.

Winston Churchill
There is no worse mistake in public leadership than to hold out false hope soon to be swept away.

Winston Churchill
A number of social problems arose. I had been told that neither smoking nor alcoholic beverages were allowed in the [Saudi] Royal Presence. As I was the host at luncheon I raised the matter at once, and said to the interpreter that if it was the religion of His Majesty [Ibn Saud] to deprive himself of smoking and alcohol I must point out that my rule of life prescribed as an absolutely sacred rite smoking cigars and also the drinking of alcohol before, after, and if need be during all meals and in the intervals between them. The King graciously accepted the position. His own cup-bearer from Mecca offered me a glass of water from its sacred well, the most delicious I had ever tasted.

Winston Churchill
Out of intense complexities intense simplicities emerge.

Winston Churchill
The loyalties which centre upon number one are enormous. If he trips he must be sustained. If he makes mistakes they must be covered. If he sleeps he must not be wantonly disturbed. If he is no good he must be pole-axed. But this last extreme process cannot be carried out every day; and certainly not in the days just after he has been chosen.

Winston Churchill
Danger gathers upon our path. We cannot afford - we have no right - to look back. We must look forward... The stronger the advocate of monarchical principle a man may be, the more zealously he must now endeavor to fortify the Throne and to give to His Majesty's successor that strength which can only come from the love of a united nation and Empire.

Winston Churchill
I have been brought up and trained to have the utmost contempt for people who get drunk.

Winston Churchill
Their horse cavalry, of which they had twelve brigades, charged valiantly against the swarming tanks and armoured cars but could not harm them with their swords and lances.

Winston Churchill
No one can understand history without continually relating the long periods which are constantly mentioned to the experiences of our own short lives. Five years is a lot. Twenty years is the horizon to most people. Fifty years is antiquity. To understand how the impact of destiny fell upon any generation of men one must first imagine their position and then apply the time-scale of our own lives.

Winston Churchill
I think 'No Comment' is a splendid expression. I am using it again and again.

Winston Churchill
I do think unpunctuality is a vile habit, and all my life I have tried to break myself of it.

Winston Churchill
We ought to have saints' days to commemorate the great discoveries which have been made for all mankind, and perhaps for all time-or for whatever time may be left to us. Nature... is a prodigal of pain. I should like to find a day when we can take a holiday, a day of jubilation when we can fête good Saint Anaesthesia and chaste and pure Saint Antiseptic.... I should be bound to celebrate, among others, Saint Penicillin...

Winston Churchill
As far as I can see you have used every cliché except 'God is Love' and 'Please adjust your dress before leaving.'
Churchill had returned a long-winded memorandum to Anthony Eden with this note

Winston Churchill
I should have liked to be asked to say what I knew. They always tried to ask what I did not know. When I would have willingly displayed my knowledge, they sought to expose my ignorance. This sort of treatment had only one result: I did not do well in examinations

Winston Churchill
I felt as if I were walking with destiny, and that all my past life had been but a preparation for this hour and for this trial.

Winston Churchill
The salvation of the common people of every race and of every land from war or servitude must be established on solid foundations and must be guarded by the readiness of all men and women to die rather than submit to tyranny.

Winston Churchill
Most wars in history have been avoided simply by postponing them.

Winston Churchill
For each and for all, as for the Royal Navy, the watchword should be, "Carry on, and dread nought."

Winston Churchill
The first step in the re-creation of the European family must be a partnership between France and Germany. In this way only can France recover the moral leadership of Europe. There can be no revival of Europe without a spiritually great France and a spiritually great Germany.

Winston Churchill
Comment: One never hears of Baldwin nowadays — he might as well be dead.
Churchill: No, not dead. But the candle in that great turnip has gone out.

Winston Churchill
The Chinese said of themselves several thousand years ago: China is a sea that salts all the waters that flow into it. There's another Chinese saying about their country which is much more modern—it dates only from the fourth century. This is the saying: The tail of China is large and will not be wagged. I like that one. The British democracy approves the principles of movable party heads and unwaggable national tails. It is due to the working of these important forces that I have the honour to be addressing you at this moment.

Winston Churchill
Apparently, as in so many ancient battles, the beaten side were the victims of misunderstanding and the fate of the day was decided against them before the bulk of the forces realised that a serious engagement had begun. Reserves descended from the hills too late to achieve victory, but in good time to be massacred in the rout.

Winston Churchill
In the twinkling of an eye I found myself without an office, without a seat, without a party, and without an appendix.
Of the General Election of 1922

Winston Churchill