The Darkest Hour

The Darkest Hour is a phrase coined by British prime minister Winston Churchill to describe the period of World War II between the fall of France in 1940 and the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941, when the British Commonwealth stood alone against Nazi Germany and the Axis Powers in Europe. The length of time between the fall of France in June 1940 and the German invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941 measured 363 days, or 11 months and 28 days. It is particularly used for the time when the United Kingdom was under direct threat of invasion; following the evacuation of the British Army from Dunkirk and prior to victory in the Battle of Britain. The darkest moment is usually considered to have been 10 May 1941, when over 1,500 civilians died in Luftwaffe bombing raids on London alone.

Although the British Commonwealth was fighting the Germans and Italians alone during the period, it was not the only major force fighting the Axis. China had been engaging the Japanese since 1937, after the Japanese launched an all-out invasion. Also, Greece was fighting the Axis powers from October of 1940 when it defeated the Italian troops until June of 1941 when Crete surrendered to the Germans. Winston Churchill and Charles de Gaulle both praised Greece's exceptional heroism at a point where many peoples were subjugated and the Axis seemed undefeated.

Appearances

 * "This was their finest hour" - Speech by Winston Churchill; June 18, 1940; House of Commons
 * "War of the Unknown Warriors" - Speech by Winston Churchill; July 14, 1940; BBC Broadcast, London