Winston Churchill’s Speech of October 8th

Notes from Winston Churchill’s Speech of October 8th 1940 ​

To what extent has the full strength of the German Air Force been deployed? Short-range dive bombers have been kept carefully out of the air fight since their very severe mauling on Aug. I5th. It would seem, taking day and night together, nearly 400 of the German long-range heavy bombers have, on the average, visited our shores every 24 hours. We are doubtful whether this rate of sustained attack can be greatly exceeded. We believe that the German heavy bomber pilots are being worked at least as hard as, and it may be a great deal harder than, our own. The bulk of them do not seem capable of anything beyond blind bombing. On the whole, however, we may reach the provisional conclusion that the German average effort against this country absorbs a very considerable part of their forces and strength. We feel more confident now than we have ever been before. It would take 10 years at the present rate for half the houses of London to be demolished ... On every side is the cry “We can take it.”