Below is a YouTube video of a recording of the speech given by King George VI Of England just before the outbreak of World War 2. The audio of King George’s World War 2 speech was recorded on 78 rpm records and sold in England and abroad, with all of the proceeds going to charity.

Last night my wife and I saw the movie “The King’s Speech”, which features Colin Firth as Albert Frederick Arthur George, the king of England known as George VI. . The movie portrays the relationship between the duke and would – be king, and his speech therapist Lionel Logue, played by Geoffrey Rush. The movie was based on a book co authored by the grandson of Lionel Logue and Peter Conradi.  The king was born with a severe speech impediment just as the radio age was dawning and monarchs such as him were expected to address their subjects on the air.  A reluctant king, he was crowned after his brother was forced to abdicate the throne due to increasing pressure over his affair with an American divorcee.  He would end up giving what is considered by many historians to be the single most important speech ever given by a monarch, a speech to rally the English people and subjects on the eve of war against Hitler’s  Germany.

This movie isn’t for those who don’t care about history, nor is it for anyone who needs to see incessant action such as car chases in a movie. The most action that you’ll see in this movie is the king arguing with his speech therapist Lionel. The story of these two men, and the unusual friendship they form, is what carries this move. The very freedom that we cherish could have been lost if Hitler’s forces had taken over the world. The king’s speech that day literally helped change the course of history by helping to forge the British will to resist months of Nazi bombings and repel the Nazi invaders on their doorstep.

Below is is the actual audio recording of King George’s World War 2 speech.