## A Christmas Message from a Nation at War: Roosevelt and Churchill Address the American People, 1941
Editor’s Note: The following is a combined message delivered by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Prime Minister Winston Churchill to the American people just weeks after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Churchill had traveled to Washington D.C. to meet with Roosevelt and strategize for the upcoming war effort.
President Franklin Delano Roosevelt:
Fellow workers for freedom: This Christmas, many sincere and faithful Americans are grappling with profound questions. How can we celebrate, how can we maintain our spirit, in a world consumed by war, suffering, and death? How can we even pause, even for a single day, from our urgent task of arming ourselves against the evils that threaten our world? How can we set aside the anxieties of war and rejoice in the birth of Christ as we have in peaceful years past? These are natural, inevitable questions echoing across every corner of the globe resisting tyranny.
Yet, even as we ask these questions, we know the answer. Our nation requires a preparation that transcends the forging of weapons and war materials; it demands the preparation of our hearts. By readying our hearts for the labor, suffering, and ultimate victory that lie ahead, we can truly observe Christmas Day – with all its cherished memories and profound meanings – as we should.
Looking toward the future, I have designated a national day of prayer. In my proclamation, I stated: “The year 1941 has brought upon our Nation a war of aggression…Their selfish purpose is to destroy free institutions…The new year of 1942 calls for the courage and resolution…to preserve all we hold dear…But our strength…is of greater avail as God upholds us. Therefore, I…do hereby appoint the first day of the year 1942 as a day of prayer…”
We need God’s guidance to remain humble yet resolute in our conviction of what is right; steadfast in our willingness to endure sacrifice, and brave in our pursuit of a victory of liberty and peace. Our strongest weapon in this war is the belief in the dignity and brotherhood of man, a conviction that Christmas Day embodies more profoundly than any other day or symbol. Against enemies who preach and practice hate, we counter with our faith in human love and in God’s care for all mankind.
It is in this spirit, with profound gratitude for our sons and brothers serving in our armed forces, that we light our Christmas candles tonight, across this continent, from coast to coast. We stand alongside numerous nations and peoples engaged in this great cause, many of whom have defended goodness with their very lives for months, even years.
One of their great leaders stands here beside me. He and his people, in many parts of the world, are celebrating Christmas with their children, just as we are here. They have shown the way in courage and sacrifice, for the sake of children everywhere. And so, I invite my associate, my old and good friend, to address the American people tonight: Winston Churchill, Prime Minister of Great Britain.
Prime Minister Winston Churchill:
Fellow workers in the cause of freedom: I have the honour to add a sentiment to the Christmas goodwill that my illustrious friend, the President, has so beautifully extended to the homes and families of the United States. Though I spend this anniversary far from my country and family, I do not feel distant from home. Whether it’s the ties of my mother’s heritage, the friendships forged here over many years, or the powerful comradeship shared in this common cause among great peoples who share a language, faith, and ideals – or all these together – I feel no sense of estrangement. I feel a unity and brotherhood that, combined with your kind welcome, makes me feel privileged to share your Christmas joys.
This is a strange Christmas Eve. The world is locked in a deadly struggle, nations clashing with the most terrifying weapons science can devise. It would be ill for us if our cause were driven by greed, ambition, or a lust for material gain. Yet, even amidst this raging war, creeping closer to our hearts and homes, we find the peace of spirit in our homes and hearts. So let us, for this night, cast aside our worries and make this evening joyful for our children. Let each home in the English-speaking world be a beacon of happiness and peace. Let the laughter of children fill the night. Let us adults share in their unbridled joy before returning to the formidable year ahead, resolved that these children shall inherit a free and decent world.
And so, in God’s mercy, a very happy Christmas to you all. May you all have a happy holiday season, and here’s to a brighter New Year.