When I warned them that Britain would fight on alone whatever they did, their generals told their Prime Minister and his divided Cabinet, 'In three weeks England will have her neck wrung like a chicken... ' Some chicken; some neck.'- Refering to France in a speech to the Canadian Parliament 1941
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Churchill mocks French generals who predicted Britain's quick defeat, asserting Britain would stand alone if needed.
- In plain terms
- Others said we would fail quickly, but we proved them wrong.
- What can you take from it?
- Dismissing pessimistic predictions requires confidence and resolve.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How do you respond to pessimism?
- What defines national resilience?
Another view
The sarcasm relies on knowing the specific historical context of the French defeat.
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