Winston Churchill's Speech 'The Finest Hour'

History recalls Winston Churchill as one of the most accomplished orators that the world has ever known. Among his immortalized speeches, “We Shall Fight on the Beaches,” stands out because of Churchill’s exceptional capacity to deploy the full extent of his rhetorical skills to impact profoundly on the perceptions of his audience. The remarkable speech was presented to the House of Commons on the 4th June 1940 at a time when Nazi Germany was on the offensive across Europe. Churchill sought to prepare his people for a possible invasion of Britain by the belligerent Nazi forces and state his earnest resolve to protect the motherland. Throughout his speech, he used pathos, logos, and ethos in a manner that accentuated the profundity of his message and awakened the British people to the need for absolute sacrifice and asked them to brace for a protracted struggle. The use of rhetorical techniques in this speech was crucial for rationalizing the need for resistance and whipping up the sensibilities of the audience towards the Prime Minister’s perspective of the impending war.

“There is only one duty, try to be right and do not fear to say or do what is right”. This is a quote from Winston Churchill according to Frasier. What powerful words they are. Not only do these words show that Churchill was brave as a visionary leader, but this also shows that he was just as ethical as a leader, and I will show that his actions, decisions and behaviors during his time were just as equally important to his leadership capabilities.

Franklin Roosevelt uses pathos, ethos and logos all throughout his speech. “December 7th 1941- A date that will live in infamy.” This quote will forever be in the minds of Americans. The bombing of the Pearl Harbor is an event no one can forget and neither is Franklin Roosevelt’s speech. It was this that brought American into World War Two and changed history. Roosevelt’s use of both pathetical and logical statements was extremely effective is driving America to declare war on the Japanese Empire.

All great speeches have a purpose, either to rally the population, promote some idea or to encourage others. Winston Churchill’s Speech entitled “Their Finest Hour” has gone down in history as one of the greatest and most powerful speech of the Second World War. It was given in response to the fall of the France in the war, and helped establish the tone for the people of the United Kingdom, that despite the great loss, they still had hope to overcome the enemy forces. Churchill’s speech inspired patriotism, determination and hope. This speech was directed at all the people in the United Kingdom, to unite and to promise a better hope, despite of Hitler’s attempts at world domination and the victory of the Nazis in almost every battle in Europe. This speech did that and established Winston Churchill as one of the greatest leaders in British history, within his first few months of taking office as Prime Minister of Great Brittan.

How does a country be an isolationist, while intervening within other countries? Simple, be the United States. In order to focus on foreign policy from 1920 to 1941 , one must put into consideration the World War I, the Roaring Twenties, the Great Depression, and World War II’s emergence. These each took their own toll, and put a massive amount of American’s mindset’s upon the United States best interests, and those interests only. Overall leaving the foreign policy of the United States, focusing upon disarmament, staying out of World War II at ALL costs, and eventually the breakdown of neutrality.

In his book, When Britain Saved the West: The Story of 1940, Robin Prior makes the argument that with the key events that transpired in 1940, including the ascension of Winston Churchill to the office of Prime Minister, and the Battle of Britain, Britain saved the West in 1940. Through important papers of the time such as combat reports and diaries, Prior digs deep to show how Britain was able to be so successful. Despite his defensive position of Britain during the war, Robin Prior was actually born in rural Australia. He attended the University of Adelaide, obtaining multiple degrees, all in art and history, culminating with a PhD in 1979. Focusing on topics such as World War I, World War II and the British and Australian armies, Prior has

Many rhetorical devices are used frequently to enhance speeches, the speeches “Never Give Up,” by Winston Churchill and Old Major’s speech use many of the same and different rhetorical devices. Winston Churchill’s speech, “Never Give Up” was given to his old school where he had nearly failed as a student, while Old Major's speech was directed to the animals of the farm to motivate them into overthrowing the humans. In the two speeches, one given by Old Major in Animal Farm by George Orwell and the other given by Winston Churchill, “Never Give Up,” many different techniques are used that are similar or the same. In these two speeches the rhetorical devices used also differ.

World War II was a devastating war. Nations were being taken over, the economy was going down, and people were choosing sides.

The speaker is Franklin Delano Roosevelt is trying to convince congress to go to war with japan for bombing pearl harbor(December 8, 1941); The speech is a persuasive speech but also a rally at the same time because he knows that they will probably go to war, he used words such as “disastrous” and “infamy” to describe the attack on the U.S, he uses small phrases such as “last night” and “so help us god” witch gave people a sense of nationality they haven 't felt before, and made them want to get revenge and fight the japanese (japs). He uses repetition and anadiplosis to repeat his message and drive what he is saying into his spectators/listeners heads, as well as pre-empting, which makes things sound way more serious and crucial and get back at them for what they 've done. Roosevelt 's purpose was to make the people of the U.S.A. to want to fight the Japanese empire in order to get them back for what they 've done to us. President Roosevelt is addressing Congress and people of the

December 7th, 1941 is a day changed the lives of all Americans. It is the day Japan deliberately attacked the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii killing many U.S. soldiers and destroying a lot of the U.S. naval fleet. This day which turned the tide of World War II, up until this point the U.S. had not chosen to intervene in the conflict overseas, but Japan’s attack had given the U.S. a reason to enter the fight. This speech given by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on December 8th, 1941 was his own passionate plea to the U.S. government and people to support the U.S. entering the war and fighting back against the tyranny occurring overseas. President Franklin D. Roosevelt effectively appeals to the emotions of the U.S. population by establishing trust with his audience through the use of emotional diction, and repetition which allow him to rally support for the war effort.

Theodore Roosevelt’s speech, Strength and Decency, included a variety of rhetorical strategies that allowed him to persuade educated, mature, and, strong men to become powerful and decent human beings. Roosevelt’s purpose of presenting this speech was to persuade the audience to behave like the strong men they are but with decency and manners because, in the 1900s, men behaved in a very manly fashion. However, men lacked manners and morality. Due to the very questionable propriety of men, Roosevelt was driven to address how men should act the way a real mature man would in order to further improve society. By using rhetorical strategies such as repetition, Christian appeal, and a serious tone, Roosevelt is able to show his audience how strength and decency go hand in hand.

World War II is a time of great struggle for humanity, especially for those within the midst of the battlegrounds. During the June of 1940 in an attempt to boost his citizen’s morale and confidence, Winston Churchill, then Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (UK), gave his speech “We shall fight on the beaches” at the British House of Commons. The rhetorical purpose of this speech is to convince the people of the UK that they have a fighting chance against the Axis forces, even if the worst comes to show. In order to gain people’s support, Churchill employed the rhetorical strategies of historical evidence and emotional appeal.

In order to prevent Nazi Germany and its allies from conquering the world, Winston Churchill strongly argues that United states should summon military forces with those of Britain. Churchill makes an effective argument by using sentimental terms to first get empathy or the support from the Americans, and then to highlight the significance of the issue. Furthermore, with the simultaneous use of logical reasoning, the author even more strengthens his argument.

Winston Churchill, in his informational speech, “Their Finest Hour” (June 18th, 1940) explained the military situation and rallied his people for what he probably knew was going to be a tremendous struggle against the Axis. Winston Churchill supports his thesis through, rhetorical questioning, pathos, ethos and logos. Churchill’s purpose was to inform and rally the people in order to strengthen their confidence in Britain 's military. Churchill was addressing the people of Britain as he uses a formal tone, in explaining the military situation.

On March 5th 1946, not even one year after the overwhelming victory of the Alliance over the Nazis in World War II, Winston Churchill, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom at the time (1940 – 1945), was invited to deliver a speech at Westminster College, in Fulton, Missouri. It is commonly known as “The iron curtain speech”, but Churchill refers to it as “The Sinews of Peace” at the end of the same. This speech reflected his own personal opinion, and was aimed at the people of the United States of America, his countrymen across the Atlantic ocean and other nations.