35 Great Speeches

The Art of Manliness » The 35 Greatest Speeches in History » Printhttp://artofmanliness.com/2008/08/01/the-35-greatest-speeches-in-history/... - The Art of Manliness - http://artofmanliness.com - The 35 Greatest Speeches in History Posted By Brett & Kate McKay On August 1, 2008 @ 12:00 am In A Man's Life,Manly Knowledge | 150 Comments If a man wishes to become a great orator [1], he must first become a student of the great orators who have come before him. He must immerse himself in their texts, listening for the turns of phrases and textual symmetries, the pauses and crescendos, the metaphors and melodies that have enabled the greatest speeches to stand the test of time. There was not currently a resource on the web to my liking that offered the man who wished to study the greatest orations of all time-from ancient to modern-not only a list of the speeches but a link to the text and a paragraph outlining the context in which the speech was given. So we decided to create one ourselves. The Art of Manliness thus proudly presents the “35 Greatest Speeches in World History,” the finest library of speeches available on the web. These speeches lifted hearts in dark times, gave hope in despair, refined the characters of men, inspired brave feats, gave courage to the weary, honored the dead, and changed the course of history. It is my desire that this library will become a lasting resource not only to those who wish to become great orators, but to all men who wisely seek out the great mentors of history as guides on the path to virtuous manhood. I know that readers of blogs are often more likely to skim than to read in-depth. But I challenge you, gentlemen, to attempt a program of study in which you read the entirety of one of these great speeches each and every day. I found the process of compiling and reading these speeches to be enormously inspiring and edifying, and I feel confident that you will find them equally so. How did we compile this list? Great oratory has three components: style, substance, and impact. Style: A great speech must be masterfully constructed. The best orators are masters of both the written and spoken word, and use words to create texts that are beautiful to both hear and read. Substance: A speech may be flowery and charismatically presented, and yet lack any true substance at all. Great oratory must center on a worthy theme; it must appeal to and inspire the audience’s finest values and ideals. 1 of 38 03-03-2013 17:26 The Art of Manliness » The 35 Greatest Speeches in History » Print http://artofmanliness.com/2008/08/01/the-35-greatest-speeches-in-history/... Impact: Great oratory always seeks to persuade the audience of some fact or idea. The very best speeches change hearts and minds and seem as revelatory several decades or centuries removed as when they were first given. And now for the speeches. Bookmark this on Delicious [2] Theodore Roosevelt, “Duties of American Citizenship” [3] January 26, 1883; Buffalo, New York [4] Given while serving as a New York assemblyman, TR’s address on the “Duties of American Citizenship” delved into both the theoretical reasons why every man should be involved in politics and the practical means of serving in that capacity. Roosevelt chided those who excused themselves from politics because they were too busy; it was every man’s duty to devote some time to maintaining good government. Worthy Excerpt: Of course, in one sense, the first essential for a man’s being a good citizen is his possession of the home virtues of which we think when we call a man by the emphatic adjective of manly. No man can be a good citizen who is not a good husband and a good father, who is not honest in his dealings with other men and women, faithful to his friends and fearless in the presence of his foes, who has not got a sound heart, a sound mind, and a sound body; exactly as no amount of attention to civil duties will save a nation if the domestic life is undermined, or there is lack of the rude military virtues which alone can assure a country’s position in the world. In a free republic the ideal citizen must be one willing and able to take arms for the defense of the flag, exactly as the ideal citizen must be the father of many healthy children. A race must be strong and vigorous; it must be a race of good fighters and good breeders, else its wisdom will come to naught and its virtue be ineffective; and no sweetness and delicacy, no love for and appreciation of beauty in art or literature, no capacity for building up material prosperity can possibly atone for the lack of the great virile virtues. But this is aside from my subject, for what I wish to talk of is the attitude of the American citizen in civic life. It ought to be axiomatic in this country that every man must devote a reasonable share of his time to doing his duty in the Political life of the community. No man has a right to shirk his political duties under whatever plea of pleasure or business; and while such shirking may be pardoned in those of small cleans it is entirely unpardonable in those among whom it is most common–in the people whose circumstances give them freedom in the struggle for life. In so far as the community grows to think rightly, it will likewise grow to regard the young man of means who shirks his duty to the State in time of peace as being only one degree worse than the man who thus shirks it in time of war. A great many of our men in business, or of our young men who are bent on enjoying life (as they have a perfect right to do if 2 of 38 03-03-2013 17:26 The Art of Manliness » The 35 Greatest Speeches in History » Print http://artofmanliness.com/2008/08/01/the-35-greatest-speeches-in-history/... only they do not sacrifice other things to enjoyment), rather plume themselves upon being good citizens if they even vote; yet voting is the very least of their duties, Nothing worth gaining is ever gained without effort. You can no more have freedom without striving and suffering for it than you can win success as a banker or a lawyer without labor and effort, without self-denial in youth and the display of a ready and alert intelligence in middle age. The people who say that they have not time to attend to politics are simply saying that they are unfit to live in a free community. Read full text of speech here [3]. Winston Churchill, “We Shall Fight on the Beaches” [5] June 4, 1940; House of Commons, London Winston Churchill, one of the greatest orators of the 20th century, was interestingly enough, like Demosthenes and other great orators before him, born with a speech impediment which he worked on until it no longer hindered him. One would never guess this from hearing Churchill’s strong and reassuring voice, a voice that would buoy up Britain during some of her darkest hours. During the Battle of France, Allied Forces became cut off from troops south of the German penetration and perilously trapped at the Dunkirk bridgehead. On May 26, a wholesale evacuation of these troops, dubbed “Operation Dynamo,” began. The evacuation was an amazing effort-the RAF kept the Luftwaffe at bay while thousands of ships, from military destroyers to small fishing boats, were used to ferry 338,000 French and British troops to safety, far more than anyone had thought possible. On June 4, Churchill spoke before the House of Commons, giving a report which celebrated the “miraculous deliverance” at Dunkirk, while also seeking to temper a too rosy of view of what was on the whole a “colossal military disaster.” Worthy Excerpt I have, myself, full confidence that if all do their duty, if nothing is neglected, and if the best arrangements are made, as they are being made, we shall prove ourselves once again able to defend our Island home, to ride out the storm of war, and to outlive the menace of tyranny, if necessary for years, if necessary alone. At any rate, that is what we are going to try to do. That is the resolve of His Majesty’s Government-every man of them. That is the will of Parliament and the nation. The British Empire and the French Republic, linked together in their cause and in their need, will defend to the death their native soil, aiding each other like good comrades to the utmost of their strength. Even though large tracts of Europe and many old and famous States have fallen or may fall into the grip of the Gestapo and all the odious apparatus of Nazi rule, we shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender, and even if, which I do not for a moment believe, this Island or a large part of it were subjugated and starving, then our Empire beyond the seas, armed and guarded by the British Fleet, would carry on the struggle, until, in God’s good time, the New World, with all its power and might, steps forth to the rescue 3 of 38 03-03-2013 17:26 Read full text of speech here [5]. that’s something. They retired Gehrig’s number. Yankee Stadium [6] It seemed as if the luminous career of Lou Gehrig would go on forever. for the past two weeks you have been reading about a bad break I got. it’s a 4 of 38 03-03-2013 17:26 . On July 4. When Gehrig finally addressed the crowd. Sadly. a team you would give your right arm to beat. and vice versa. When you have a wonderful mother-in-law who takes sides with you in squabbles against her own daughter. Yet today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth. he spoke of the things he was grateful for and what a lucky guy he was. I’m lucky. Lou Gehrig. I’m lucky. that’s something! When everybody down to the groundskeepers and those boys in white coats remember you with trophies. 1939. that smart student of psychology – the best manager in baseball today. Instead. sends you a gift. his record for suiting up for 2.com/2008/08/01/the-35-greatest-speeches-in-history/. When the New York Giants. The Speech Fans. and presented him with various gifts. he did not use the opportunity to wallow in pity. “Farewell to Baseball Address” July 4. Which of you wouldn’t consider it the highlight of his career to associate with them for even one day? Sure. Who wouldn’t consider it an honor to have known Jacob Ruppert – also the builder of baseball’s greatest empire. Gehrig was stricken with the crippling disease that now bears his name.130 consecutive games came to an end when at age 36. I have been in ballparks for seventeen years and have never received anything but kindness and encouragement from you fans. When you have a father and mother who work all their lives so that you can have an education and build your body. The Yankee’s first baseman and prodigious slugger was nicknamed the Iron Horse for his durability and commitment to the game. 1939. the Yankees held a ceremony to honor their teammate and friend. Ed Barrow – to have spent the next nine years with that wonderful little fellow Miller Huggins – then to have spent the next nine years with that outstanding leader.. Look at these grand men. that’s something. plaques. spoke of his greatness.The Art of Manliness » The 35 Greatest Speeches in History » Print http://artofmanliness.. and the liberation of the old. Joe McCarthy! Sure. and trophies. and thrusting Euphraeus aside! And a noble recompense the democracy of Eretria. and realize that there is no longer anything that can be done. to cherish hopes like these. So I close in saying that I might have had a tough break – but I have an awful lot to live for! Demosthenes. and to fancy that you dwell in so great a city that. in such a position! Yet in any case. loved his city-state of Athens. and surrendering to Cleitarchus! They are slaves. blessing! When you have a wife who has been a tower of strength and shown more courage than you dreamed existed. [7] Chief Joseph. “To arms! To arms!” Worthy Excerpt: It is this fate. that’s the finest I know. than to do anything out of servility towards Philip [or to sacrifice any of those who speak for your good].C. He cherished its way of life and abundant freedoms.. you will not suffer any harm. And he believed in standing strong against anyone who might attempt to infringe on these privileges. the assembly all cried out. A noble recompense did the people in Oreus receive. whatever happens. This passion. Demosthenes was sick of his brethren taking liberty and the Athenian way of life for granted and he boldly called upon them to rise up and take action. Read full text of speech here. Athens. After his rousing speech. and it is cowardice. the Athenians called an assembly to debate whether or not to finally heed the great orator’s advice. when the time comes that you make your reckoning. When Philip advanced on Thrace. the Athenian people seemed stuck in an apathetic stupor. Montana Territory 5 of 38 03-03-2013 17:26 . who elected Lasthenes to command the cavalry. that I dread for you. for driving away your envoys. Greece Demosthenes. scourged and butchered! A noble clemency did he show to the Olynthians.. men of Athens. to refuse to do anything that you should do. I solemnly assure you. was seldom shared by his fellow Athenians. unfortunately. 1877. to listen to the advocates of the enemy’s cause. While Philip the II of Macedon made bolder and bolder incursions into the Greek peninsula. “Surrender Speech” October 5. Demosthenes employed his powerful oratorical skills in attempts to awaken his fellow citizens from sleep to the realization of the imminent danger Philip posed. “The Third Philippic” [7] 342 B. May you never find yourselves.. For years.The Art of Manliness » The 35 Greatest Speeches in History » Print http://artofmanliness.com/2008/08/01/the-35-greatest-speeches-in-history/. it were better to die ten thousand deaths. and banished Apollonides! It is folly. for entrusting themselves to Philip’s friends. to give way to evil counsels. master statesman and orator. The Art of Manliness » The 35 Greatest Speeches in History » Print http://artofmanliness..C. 1961. The Speech Tell General Howard I know his heart. But fellow tribesmen dissented and killed four white men. and have no blankets. my heart is sick and sad. Kennedy. 6 of 38 03-03-2013 17:26 . and after a five day battle. Looking Glass is dead. some of them. No one knows where they are – perhaps freezing to death. Our Chiefs are killed. Ta Hool Hool Shute is dead. “Inauguration Address” [8] January 20. my Chiefs! I am tired. The tribe traveled 1700 miles. Chief Joseph surrendered to General Nelson A. He who led on the young men is dead. What he told me before. The Chief knew he was the last of a dying breed. a mere 40 miles from the Canadian border. the military announced that the Chief Joseph and his tribe of Nez Perce had to move onto a reservation in Idaho or face retribution. I have it in my heart. My people. I want to have time to look for my children. hoping to find amnesty there. Chief Joseph advocated peace and cooperation. Washington. Maybe I shall find them among the dead. 1877 in the Bear Paw Mountains of Montana Territory. Knowing a swift backlash was coming. The old men are all dead. the little children are freezing to death. Hear me. Desiring to avoid violence. and the moment of surrender was heartbreaking. and see how many of them I can find. Joseph and his people began to make their way to Canada. I am tired of fighting. Miles on Oct. In dire conditions. and we have no blankets. John F.com/2008/08/01/the-35-greatest-speeches-in-history/. fighting the pursuing US army along the way. It is the young men who say yes or no. In 1877.. have run away to the hills. It is cold. From where the sun now stands I will fight no more forever. D. 5. no food. . Read full text of speech here [8]. D. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you.com/2008/08/01/the-35-greatest-speeches-in-history/. Washington. the nation felt that a new era and a “new frontier” were being ushered in. the faith. The energy. Kennedy embodied the fresh optimism that had marked the post-war decade. I do not believe that any of us would exchange places with any other people or any other generation. Worthy Excerpt: Can we forge against these enemies a grand and global alliance. handsome. Young. but what together we can do for the freedom of man. 7 of 38 03-03-2013 17:26 . with a glamorous family in tow.C.The Art of Manliness » The 35 Greatest Speeches in History » Print http://artofmanliness. North and South. “Address to the Nation on the Challenger” [10] January 28. he was the first man born in the 20th century to hold that office. that can assure a more fruitful life for all mankind? Will you join in that historic effort? In the long history of the world. And so. 1961. John F. The youngest president in United States history. my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country. the devotion which we bring to this endeavor will light our country and all who serve it — and the glow from that fire can truly light the world. Listening to his inaugural address. Listen to the speech. East and West.. On January 20. 1986. [9] Ronald Reagan. I do not shrink from this responsibility — I welcome it. only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. Kennedy took the oath of office as the 35th President of the United States. It’s all part of the process of exploration and discovery. They. nor the last time we saw them. These were the first deaths of American astronauts while in flight.. this morning. It’s hard to dazzle us. and we’ll continue to follow them…… The crew of the space shuttle Challenger honoured us by the manner in which they lived their lives. And I want to say something to the school children of America who were watching the live coverage of the shuttle’s takeoff. Listen to the speech.The Art of Manliness » The 35 Greatest Speeches in History » Print http://artofmanliness. But for 25 years the United States space program has been doing just that. and the nation was shocked and heartbroken by the tragedy. honoring these “pioneers” and offering comfort and assurance to a rattled people. including Christa McAuliffe. It’s all part of taking a chance and expanding man’s horizons. tuned in to see 7 Americans. and perhaps we forget that we’ve only just begun. many of them schoolchildren watching from their classroom desks. The Challenger crew was pulling us into the future. President Ronald Reagan took to the radio and airwaves.” lift off in the space shuttle Challenger. Worthy Excerpt: We’ve grown used to wonders in this century. I know it is hard to understand. the shuttle was consumed in a fireball. 1986.C. as they prepared for the journey and waved goodbye and ‘slipped the surly bonds of earth’ to ‘touch the face of God. Just a few hours after the disaster. On January 28. We’ve grown used to the idea of space. the members of the Challenger crew. Hydaspes River. All seven aboard perished. but sometimes painful things like this happen. [11] “Speech of Alexander the Great” 326 B. We’re still pioneers.com/2008/08/01/the-35-greatest-speeches-in-history/. The future doesn’t belong to the fainthearted.. it belongs to the brave.’ Read full text of speech here [10].. were pioneers. We will never forget them. a 37 year old schoolteacher and the first ever “civilian astronaut. India 8 of 38 03-03-2013 17:26 . millions of Americans. Just 73 seconds later. You and I. I will make those who stay the envy of those who return.com/2008/08/01/the-35-greatest-speeches-in-history/. William Wilberforce. But it is not so. Worthy Excerpt: I could not have blamed you for being the first to lose heart if I. But after ten years of fighting and being away from home. and when all Asia is overrun.. and whoever wishes to return home will be allowed to go. 1789. and what had been the massive Persian Empire. then indeed I will go further than the mere satisfaction of our ambitions: the utmost hopes of riches or power which each one of you cherishes will be far surpassed. Alexander controlled an empire that included Greece.. After ten years of undefeated battles. had not shared in your exhausting marches and your perilous campaigns. from your ranks the governors of it are chosen. London 9 of 38 03-03-2013 17:26 .. especially against an opponent like King Porus and his army. his men lacked the will to take part in another battle.The Art of Manliness » The 35 Greatest Speeches in History » Print http://artofmanliness. Egypt. He decided to continue his conquest into India. Alexander the Great began his campaign to recapture former Greek cities and to expand his empire. have shared the labour and shared the danger.C. Alexander used the talent for oration he had developed while studying under Aristotle to infuse his men with the motivation they needed to continue on. “Abolition Speech” [12] May 12. it would have been natural enough if you had done all the work merely for others to reap the reward. and the rewards are for us all. your commander. either with me or without me. to fight and to win. That wasn’t enough for Xander. already the greater part of its treasure passes into your hands. The conquered territory belongs to you. In 335 B. House of Commons. gentlemen. Wilberforce became convinced that God was calling him to be an abolitionist. he began to earnestly seek to reform the evils he found within himself and the world around him. Worthy Excerpt: When I consider the magnitude of the subject which I am to bring before the House-a subject. and of posterity. a result he would become quite familiar with in the ensuing years. in proportion as I have advanced in my labours. in which the interests. and after reading up on the subject and meeting with anti-slavery activists..-when I turn myself to these thoughts. 1906. I take courage-I determine to forget all my other fears. Washington. on the encouragement which I have had. He passionately made his case for why the trade was reprehensible and needed to cease. Theodore Roosevelt. On May 12. Yet Wilberforce never gave up. and I march forward with a firmer step in the full assurance that my cause will bear me out.. the avowed end of which is. not of this country. [13] When William Wilberforce. and that I shall be able to justify upon the clearest principles. and how much candour I have experienced.-when I reflect. it is impossible for me not to feel both terrified and concerned at my own inadequacy to such a task. and the Slave Trade Act was finally passed in 1807. a member of the British Parliament. One of the glaring moral issues of the day was slavery. are involved: and when I think. on the weakness of the advocate who has undertaken this great cause-when these reflections press upon my mind. nor of Europe alone. Wilberforce made his first speech on the abolition of the slave trade before the House of Commons. “The Man with the Muck-rake” [14] April 14.The Art of Manliness » The 35 Greatest Speeches in History » Print http://artofmanliness. 1789. Read full text of speech here [12]. D. and how conviction has increased within my own mind. but of the whole world. But when I reflect. reasoning that the abolition of one would logically lead to the demise of the other. however. through the whole course of a long and laborious examination of this question. reintroducing the bill year after year.com/2008/08/01/the-35-greatest-speeches-in-history/. every resolution in my hand. especially. 10 of 38 03-03-2013 17:26 . Wilberforce introduced a bill to abolish the trade. the total abolition of the slave trade. converted to Christianity. but it failed. that however averse any gentleman may now be.C. at the same time. Wilberforce decided to concentrate on ending the slave trade rather than slavery itself. yet we shall all be of one opinion in the end. 11 of 38 03-03-2013 17:26 . 1933. and society. Either attitude is fraught with untold damage to the country as a whole. The “Man with a Muck-rake” in Pilgrim’s Progress never looked heavenward but instead constantly raked the filth at his feet. a time of great enthusiasm for reform in government. scoffing spirit which treats the allegation of dishonesty in a public man as a cause for laughter. Theodore Roosevelt was president during the Progressive Era. for it denotes not merely the vacant mind. Worthy Excerpt: To assail the great and admitted evils of our political and industrial life with such crude and sweeping generalizations as to include decent men in the general condemnation means the searing of the public conscience. He worried that the sensationalism with which these exposes were often presented would make citizens overly cynical and too prone to throw out the baby with the bathwater. Read full text of speech here [14]. Such laughter is worse than the crackling of thorns under a pot.. than the hard. TR thus dubbed the journalists and activists of the day who were intent on exposing the corruption in society as “muckrakers. “First Inaugural Address” [15] March 4. The fool who has not sense to discriminate between what is good and what is bad is well-nigh as dangerous as the man who does discriminate and yet chooses the bad. not extremism. D. to every good American.. There results a general attitude either of cynical belief in and indifference to public corruption or else of a distrustful inability to discriminate between the good and the bad. but he also called for moderation. There is nothing more distressing to every good patriot. Franklin Delano Roosevelt. TR himself held many progressive ideals.com/2008/08/01/the-35-greatest-speeches-in-history/.” He felt that they did a tremendous amount of good. Washington. but needed to mitigate their constant pessimism and alarmist tone. but the heart in which high emotions have been choked before they could grow to fruition.The Art of Manliness » The 35 Greatest Speeches in History » Print http://artofmanliness.C. the economy. London 12 of 38 03-03-2013 17:26 . the whole truth. and the public felt that Hoover did not fully sympathize with their plight and was not doing enough to alleviate it. first of all. “change” was enough of an idea to power a campaign. frankly and boldly. let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself-nameless. [17] Charles de Gaulle. Listen to the speech.. This great Nation will endure as it has endured. Read the full text here [15]. unreasoning.com/2008/08/01/the-35-greatest-speeches-in-history/. In every dark hour of our national life a leadership of frankness and vigor has met with that understanding and support of the people themselves which is essential to victory. will revive and will prosper. but as in today’s election season. I am convinced that you will again give that support to leadership in these critical days.The Art of Manliness » The 35 Greatest Speeches in History » Print http://artofmanliness. “The Appeal of 18 June” [18] June 18. 1940.. The country was deep into the Great Depression. Roosevelt sought to buoy up the injured psyche of the American people and present his case for why he would need broad executive powers to tackle the Depression. So. unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance. Nor need we shrink from honestly facing conditions in our country today. No one was quite clear on what FDR’s plan was. [16] Franklin Delano Roosevelt handily beat incumbent Herbert Hoover in the 1932 presidential election. Worthy Excerpt: I am certain that my fellow Americans expect that on my induction into the Presidency I will address them with a candor and a decision which the present situation of our Nation impels. In his First Inaugural Address. This is preeminently the time to speak the truth. De Gaulle exhorted the French to not give up hope and to continue the fight against the German occupation and the Vichy Regime. leader of the Free French Forces. The same means that overcame us can bring us victory one day. Prime Minister Paul Reynaud was forced to resign. There are four pages to this post. Athens 13 of 38 03-03-2013 17:26 . Disgusted with this decision. She can align with the British Empire that holds the sea and continues the fight. in the future we will be able to overcome by a superior mechanical force.. Vanquished today by mechanical force. all the means necessary to crush our enemies one day. escaped to England on June 15. all the suffering. This war is a worldwide war. He was succeeded by Marshal Philippe Petain who made clear his intention to seek an accommodation with Germany. She can. Refusing to sign an armistice. This war is not limited to the unfortunate territory of our country.. All the mistakes. use without limit the immense industry of the United States. and who tell you that nothing is lost for France. This war is not over as a result of the Battle of France. De Gaulle asked for. “Apology” 399 B.The Art of Manliness » The 35 Greatest Speeches in History » Print http://artofmanliness. Read full text of speech here [18].. it was clear that France was losing their country to the German invasion. in the world. like England.com/2008/08/01/the-35-greatest-speeches-in-history/. Keep on going! Socrates.C. do not alter the fact that there are. I who am speaking to you with full knowledge of the facts. General Charles de Gaulle. all the delays. In June of 1940. The fate of the world depends on it. For France is not alone! She is not alone! She is not alone! She has a vast Empire behind her. and obtained permission from Winston Churchill to make a speech on BBC radio. Worthy Excerpt: But has the last word been said? Must hope disappear? Is defeat final? No! Believe me. He wandered around Athens engaging in dialogues with his fellow citizens that focused on discovering the truth of all things. Annapolis. He taught his pupils that the “unexamined life is not worth living. Socrates accepted this fate willingly and without grudge against his condemners. Instead of crying and pleading for mercy. Socrates was arrested and put on trial for corrupting the youth. Socrates lost and was sentenced to death by hemlock. even Athenian authority. 1784. but cannot you hold your tongue.The Art of Manliness » The 35 Greatest Speeches in History » Print http://artofmanliness. thus dying as a martyr for free thinking. is the greatest good of man. and that the unexamined life is not worth living. you will not believe that I am serious. especially to the Athenian youth. and then you may go into a foreign city. Socrates is perhaps the greatest teacher in the history of the Western world. not believing the gods. In the end. Socrates accepts his charges and attempts to persuade the jury with reason. Eventually. Worthy Excerpt: Some one will say: Yes.. He argued that it was his calling from the gods to seek knowledge and that it was through his questions he uncovered truth. He taught these impressionable minds to question everything. and no one will interfere with you? Now I have great difficulty in making you understand my answer to this. Socrates. and therefore that I cannot hold my tongue.” The Athenians saw Socrates as a threat. and if I say again that daily to discourse about virtue. The “Apology” is Socrates’ defense to these charges. For if I tell you that to do as you say would be a disobedience to the God.com/2008/08/01/the-35-greatest-speeches-in-history/. and creating new deities. To not fulfill his calling would be blasphemy.. Maryland 14 of 38 03-03-2013 17:26 . and of those other things about which you hear me examining myself and others. you are still less likely to believe me. “Resignation Speech” [19] December 23. Socrates acquired quite a following among the young men of Athens. George Washington. to recommend in particular those.The Art of Manliness » The 35 Greatest Speeches in History » Print http://artofmanliness. the great statesman trembled so much that he had to hold the parchment with two hands to keep it steady. India 15 of 38 03-03-2013 17:26 . His voice faltered and sunk. Having now finished the work assigned me. It was impossible the choice of confidential Officers to compose my family should have been more fortunate. Washington rejected the temptations of power and resigned his position as Commander-in-Chief. then Major General and Commander-in-Chief. and those who have the superintendence of them. Mahatma Gandhi. and bidding an Affectionate farewell to this August body under whose orders I have so long acted.. and as Washington read his speech in front of the Continental Congress. 1942. I consider it an indispensable duty to close this last solemn act of my Official life. I here offer my Commission.com/2008/08/01/the-35-greatest-speeches-in-history/. by commending the Interests of our dearest Country to the protection of Almighty God. and the whole house felt his agitations. and galloped away into the sunset. “Quit India” [20] August 8. As the Revolutionary War drew to a close. I retire from the great theater of Action. “The spectators all wept. I should do injustice to my own feelings not to acknowledge in this place the peculiar Services and distinguished merits of the Gentlemen who have been attached to my person during the War. and there was hardly a member of Congress who did not drop tears. there was much speculation that George Washington. and take my leave of all the employments of public life.” When finished. hoping he would become the king of a new nation. Choosing the right is almost never easy. Read the full text here [19]. Some even wished he would do so.. Washington bolted from the door of the Annapolis State House. Permit me Sir. as worthy of the favorable notice and patronage of Congress. mounted his horse. Looking to the Roman general Cincinnatus an exemplar. who have continued in Service to the present moment. Worthy Excerpt: While I repeat my obligations to the Army in general. to his holy keeping. Yet Washington knew that such a move would wither the fragile beginnings of the new republic. would follow in the footsteps of former world leaders by making a grab for supreme power. In the democracy which I have envisaged. Everybody will be his own master. and think of yourselves as Indians only. engaged in the common struggle for independence. It is to join a struggle for such democracy that I invite you today. Winston Churchill. But it is my conviction that inasmuch as these struggles were fought with the weapon of violence they failed to realize the democratic ideal. called for their use on August 8.. there has not been a more genuinely democratic struggle for freedom than ours. House of Commons. Worthy Excerpt: I believe that in the history of the world. I read Carlyle’s French Resolution while I was in prison.. While the battle for freedom and democracy raged across the world. a democracy established by non-violence. Read full text of speech here [20]. 1942 with the passing of the Quit India Resolution demanding complete independence from British rule.com/2008/08/01/the-35-greatest-speeches-in-history/.” Gandhi. “Their Finest Hour” [21] June 18. Once you realize this you will forget the differences between the Hindus and Muslims. Mahatma Gandhi and the National Indian Congress pushed for a completely non-violent movement aimed at forcing Britain to “Quit India. there will be equal freedom for all. 1940. India had been under the direct rule of the British crown. London 16 of 38 03-03-2013 17:26 . the people of India were engaged in their own fight for liberty.The Art of Manliness » The 35 Greatest Speeches in History » Print http://artofmanliness. and many Indians had had enough. and Pandit Jawaharlal has told me something about the Russian revolution. pioneer of the tactics of non-violent civil disobedience. For almost a century. Worthy Excerpt: What General Weygand called the Battle of France is over. France would surrender and England would stand as Europe’s lone bulwark against the twin evils of Fascism and Nazism. men will still say. including all that we have known and cared for. In a matter of days. On May 10. Sweden 17 of 38 03-03-2013 17:26 . Hitler knows that he will have to break us in this Island or lose the war. 1950. ‘This was their finest hour. Stockholm. 1940. including the United States. sunlit uplands. Churchill gave his third and final speech during the Battle of France.. and perhaps more protracted. Upon it depends our own British life. all Europe may be free and the life of the world may move forward into broad. once again imparting words meant to bring hope in this dark hour.The Art of Manliness » The 35 Greatest Speeches in History » Print http://artofmanliness. Listen to the speech. On June 14 Paris fell. “Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech” December 10. But if we fail. and the long continuity of our institutions and our Empire. by the lights of perverted science. will sink into the abyss of a new Dark Age made more sinister. the Germans began their invasion of France. and so bear ourselves that if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years. [22] William Faulkner. I expect that the Battle of Britain is about to begin. If we can stand up to him. Upon this battle depends the survival of Christian civilization.com/2008/08/01/the-35-greatest-speeches-in-history/.’ Read full text of speech here [21]. Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties. then the whole world. The whole fury and might of the enemy must very soon be turned on us.. At this critical moment. and all mankind to think beyond the questions of “When will I be blown up?” and instead continue to “create out of the materials of the human spirit something which did not exist before. Faulkner challenged poets. not because he alone among creatures has an inexhaustible voice.” The year was 1950. I refuse to accept this. D. So there was some interest as to what he would say when accepting the Nobel Peace Prize for his “powerful and artistically unique contribution to the modern American novel. “Farewell Address” [24] January 17. Dwight D. Eisenhower.The Art of Manliness » The 35 Greatest Speeches in History » Print http://artofmanliness. 1961. authors. still talking. I believe that man will not merely endure: he will prevail.” Worthy Excerpt: I decline to accept the end of man.. The poet’s. it can be one of the props. duty is to write about these things. 18 of 38 03-03-2013 17:26 . It is his privilege to help man endure by lifting his heart.com/2008/08/01/the-35-greatest-speeches-in-history/. [23] A true master of the written word. and the atmosphere in the the United States crackled with the fear of them using it. by reminding him of the courage and honor and hope and pride and compassion and pity and sacrifice which have been the glory of his past. It is easy enough to say that man is immortal because he will endure: that when the last ding-dong of doom has clanged and faded from the last worthless rock hanging tideless in the last red and dying evening. the writer’s. the pillars to help him endure and prevail. William Faulkner did not often make public his gift for the spoken variety. Washington. Read full text of speech here.. He is immortal. that even then there will still be one more sound: that of his puny inexhaustible voice. the Soviet Union had tapped the potential of the atomic bomb. a spirit capable of compassion and sacrifice and endurance. The poet’s voice need not merely be the record of man.C. but because he has a soul. former General of the Army. was certainly not opposed to the use of military power to keep the peace. whether sought or unsought. as the United States sought to fight communism abroad and prevent it at home. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist. more than half of the federal budget was allocated for defense purposes.” referring to the relationship between the armed forces. [25] The 1950′s were a time of ever increasing military spending. Worthy Excerpt: In the councils of government.. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals. Still. by the military-industrial complex [26]. Eisenhower left office. and understood the political and corporate corruption that could result if the public was not vigilant in checking it. [27] Marcus Tullius Cicero.The Art of Manliness » The 35 Greatest Speeches in History » Print http://artofmanliness. and the suppliers of war materials. Eisenhower was wary of the large role defense spending played in the economy.com/2008/08/01/the-35-greatest-speeches-in-history/. We should take nothing for granted. As President Dwight D. Read full text of speech here [24]. “The First Oration Against Catiline” [28] 63 BC. the government. so that security and liberty may prosper together.. Listen to the speech. Rome 19 of 38 03-03-2013 17:26 . we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence. Eisenhower. We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. he saw fit to use his “Farewell Address” to warn the nation of the dangers posed by the “military-industrial complex. This plan was ferreted out by the ever vigilant Cicero.. O conscript fathers. the election was postponed. I will put you to death. create insurrection throughout Italy. and the need to whack he and his cronies. “Remarks at the Brandenburg Gate” [29] June 12. the number of the enemy increases every day. But Cicero was again one step ahead and discovered the plan. I wish not to appear negligent amid such danger to the state. many eyes and ears shall still observe and watch you. he became determined to win the next election by any devious method necessary. He called the Senate together for a meeting at the Temple of Jupiter in the Capitol. so that you shall not be able to stir one finger against the republic. and even in the senate-planning every day some internal injury to the republic. a series of speeches covering how he saved Rome from rebellion. to be put to death. as not to allow that it has been rightly done. the murderer-cum-candidate was surprisingly trounced at the polls. 1987. but I do now accuse myself of remissness and culpable inactivity. and slice and dice as many Senators as they could get their coo-ky hands on. O Catiline. when there shall be not one person possible to be found so wicked. have to fear lest all good men should say that I had acted tardily. Berlin 20 of 38 03-03-2013 17:26 . Now it was time for Catiline’s Plan C: raise an army of co-conspirators. I have good reason for not doing as yet. you shall live. at the entrance of Etruria. I should now order you to be arrested. If. Having once run against Cicero for the position of consul and lost. who seriously didn’t know when he was not welcome.. and the Senate established marital law. so like yourself. and when that didn’t work. surrounded by my many and trusty guards. tho you shall not perceive them. the guilt of Catiline. as they have hitherto done. Ronald Reagan. in hostility to the republic. Cicero began his Catiline Orations. Worthy Excerpt: I wish. but you shall live as you do now.com/2008/08/01/the-35-greatest-speeches-in-history/. overthrow the government. rather than that any one should affirm that I acted cruelly. and yet the general of that camp. so abandoned. Catiline. we see within the walls-aye. to be merciful. I should. the leader of those enemies. decided to crash the party. Plan A was to bribe people to vote for him. As long as one person exists who can dare to defend you. Read full text of speech here [28]. then. A camp is pitched in Italy.The Art of Manliness » The 35 Greatest Speeches in History » Print http://artofmanliness. he decided to go for bust and simply knock Cicero off on election day. I suppose. But yet this. With his archenemy in attendance. which ought to have been done long since. an orifice only used in times of great crisis. When the election finally was held. Lucius Sergius Catilina (Catiline to his friends) was a very jealous man. Brandenburg Gate. that the advance of human liberty can only strengthen the cause of world peace. if you seek peace. tear down this wall! Read full text of speech here [29]. it beyond dispute that he exerted some influence in bringing the Cold War to an end. come here to this gate.” and challenged Gorbachev to “tear down this wall!” Worthy Excerpt: We welcome change and openness.. Mr. the most visible symbol of the “Iron Curtain. Germany had been a divided country. Gorbachev. [30] Since the end of World War II. General Secretary Gorbachev. open this gate. for we believe that freedom and security go together. but to bringing down the entire “Evil Empire. the West free and democratic.The Art of Manliness » The 35 Greatest Speeches in History » Print http://artofmanliness. Athens 21 of 38 03-03-2013 17:26 . There is no more memorable and symbolic moment of this influence then when Reagan stood at the Berlin wall. Mr. if you seek liberalization. he was committed not only to uniting that country. Listen to speech. There is one sign the Soviets can make that would be unmistakable. the East under authoritarian communist control.com/2008/08/01/the-35-greatest-speeches-in-history/. that would advance dramatically the cause of freedom and peace. “Funeral Oration” [32] 431 BC. When President Reagan took office.” While the importance of Reagan’s role in successfully doing so is endlessly debated. [31] Pericles.. if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and eastern Europe. Gorbachev. Washington. and feed your eyes upon her from day to day. Like Pericles. 22 of 38 03-03-2013 17:26 .The Art of Manliness » The 35 Greatest Speeches in History » Print http://artofmanliness. Pericles’ gift of oration was put to the test during the epic battles of the Peloponnesian War.com/2008/08/01/the-35-greatest-speeches-in-history/.. Pericles’ funeral oration inspired Abraham Lincoln’s “Gettysburg Address. His study with the Sophists made Pericles a highly persuasive orator. sense of duty. You. and a keen feeling of honor in action that men were enabled to win all this. must determine to have as unfaltering a resolution in the field. you must reflect that it was by courage. Through his speeches. And not contented with ideas derived only from words of the advantages which are bound up with the defense of your country. he galvanized Athenians to undertake an enormous public works project that created hundreds of temples. Rather than focus his speech on enumerating the conquests of Athens’ fallen heroes. master statesman. though these would furnish a valuable text to a speaker even before an audience so alive to them as the present. Worthy Excerpt: So died these men as became Athenians. you must yourselves realize the power of Athens. Athens had their annual public funeral to honor all those who died in war. their survivors. orator. Over 2. was truly. His speeches inspired Athenians to fight to become the number one power in Greece. “Farewell Address to Congress” [33] April 19. Pericles was asked to give the traditional funeral oration. Pericles. though you may pray that it may have a happier issue. Read the full text here [32]..” Like Pericles.000 years later. Pericles instead used his funeral oration to laud the glory of Athens itself and inspire the living to make sure the soldiers had not died in vain. Lincoln was a leader during a time of civil war.C. but they laid it at her feet as the most glorious contribution that they could offer. including the Pantheon. till love of her fills your hearts. when all her greatness shall break upon you. General Douglas MacArthur. as Thuciydies dubbed him.” Pericles was a product of the Sophists and had been personally tutored by the great philosopher Anaxagoras. In February of 431 B.C. and that no personal failure in an enterprise could make them consent to deprive their country of their valor. a civil war between Athens and Sparta. and general. D. “the first citizen of Athens. Lincoln focused on exhorting the living to live their lives in a way that would make the sacrifice of fallen warriors worthwhile. and then.. 1951. it was the fulfillment of all of my boyish hopes and dreams. MacArthur continued to press his case. During the Korean War. Truman refused the General’s requests. an old soldier who tried to do his duty as God gave him the light to see that duty.. General MacArthur and President Truman clashed over the threat posed by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army and their incursion into Korea. the General’s military career was over. accusing the General of insubordination. Good Bye. “Strength and Decency” [35] 23 of 38 03-03-2013 17:26 .The Art of Manliness » The 35 Greatest Speeches in History » Print http://artofmanliness. arguing that directly drawing China into the war would arouse the Soviet Union to action. MacArthur returned to the United States and gave this farewell address to Congress.. Listen to the speech.” And like the old soldier of that ballad. and the hopes and dreams have long since vanished. When I joined the Army. even before the turn of the century. believing the war needed to be extended in area and scope. [34] Theodore Roosevelt. Worthy Excerpt: I am closing my 52 years of military service. MacArthur continually pressed Truman for permission to bomb bases in Manchuria. I now close my military career and just fade away. they just fade away. Read full text of speech here [33].com/2008/08/01/the-35-greatest-speeches-in-history/. but I still remember the refrain of one of the most popular barrack ballads of that day which proclaimed most proudly that “old soldiers never die. made the decision to relieve MacArthur of his command. and Truman. After serving for 52 years and in three wars. The world has turned over many times since I took the oath on the plain at West Point. Oh. that a man who is to lead a clean and honorable life must inevitably suffer if his speech likewise is not clean and honorable. all the fitter to fight in time of war. and thoroughly manly lives.. At times any man will slip. from his membership in it become all the fitter to do the rough work of the world. I should hope to see each man who is a member of this society. Our whole effort should be toward securing a combination of the strong qualities with those qualities which we term virtues. Every man here knows the temptations that beset all of us in this world. and grow up to live rugged. I expect you to be strong. war should come. but I do expect genuine and sincere effort toward being decent and cleanly in thought.C. how often you see some young fellow who boasts that he is going to “see life. I desire to see in this country the decent men strong and the strong men decent. But he also strongly believed that being ruggedly manly and being refined in mind and spirit were not incompatible and should in fact go hand and hand. On the contrary. and in deed. 24 of 38 03-03-2013 17:26 . which may Heaven forfend. Abraham Lincoln. I want to see it a moving spirit among men of strength. to think it shows that they are men. In this speech.” meaning by that that he is going to see that part of life which it is a thousandfold better should remain unseen! Read full text of speech here [35]. I do not want to see Christianity professed only by weaklings. I ask you to remember that you cannot retain your self-respect if you are loose and foul of tongue. I would not respect you if you were not.The Art of Manliness » The 35 Greatest Speeches in History » Print http://artofmanliness. amen. Amen. in word. I do not expect perfection. As I said at the outset. Washington. 1865. He was always concerned that young men not be coddled or cowardly. brother. and if. I hail the work of this society as typifying one of those forces which tend to the betterment and uplifting of our social system. There is always a tendency among very young men and among boys who are not quite young men as yet to think that to be wicked is rather smart. D. he exhorts young men to pursue virtuous manliness. I do not expect you to lose one particle of your strength or courage by being decent. Roosevelt was an advocate of having many children and making sure the next generation would continue to uphold the great virtues of civilization. strenuous. all the fitter to work in time of peace.. and until we get that combination in pretty good shape we are not going to be by any means as successful as we should be.com/2008/08/01/the-35-greatest-speeches-in-history/. Worthy Excerpt: It is peculiarly incumbent upon you who have strength to set a right example to others. “2nd Inaugural Address” [36] March 4. Like the Gettysburg Address. slavery was a great national sin. with charity for all.The Art of Manliness » The 35 Greatest Speeches in History » Print http://artofmanliness. Lincoln keeps this speech only as long as needful.com/2008/08/01/the-35-greatest-speeches-in-history/. Reconstruction would not mean vengeance. as was said three thousand years ago. To him. so still it must be said “the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan.” With malice toward none. Lincoln certainly believed so. with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right. While there are those who still debate whether the Civil War was truly fought over slavery or not. 1775. but the return home of a terribly errant son. and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash shall be paid by another drawn with the sword. When the war was over and the Confederacy forced to return to the Union. and the blood shed during the war was the atoning sacrifice for that evil. Worthy Excerpt: Fondly do we hope. he appeals to his countrymen to remember that the war was truly fought between brothers. to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations. Patrick Henry. to bind up the nation’s wounds. Yet.. and thus the South had never truly left the Union.. He does not relish the prospect of coming victory. Lincoln was prepared to treat the South with relative leniency. instead. [37] The Union’s victory was but a month away as Abraham Lincoln began his second term as president of a bitterly ruptured United States. VA 25 of 38 03-03-2013 17:26 . He did not believe secession was truly possible. that this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away. Read full text of speech here [36]. fervently do we pray. Richmond. if God wills that it continue until all the wealth piled by the bondsman’s two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk. “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death!” [38] March 23. let us strive on to finish the work we are in. Gentlemen may cry.com/2008/08/01/the-35-greatest-speeches-in-history/. “Give me liberty of give me death!” Worthy Excerpt: The battle. France 26 of 38 03-03-2013 17:26 . “Peace! Peace!” — but there is no peace. to extenuate the matter. If we were base enough to desire it. sir. is not to the strong alone. climaxing is that now famous line. John’s Church in Richmond. or give me death! Read full text of speech here [38]. Seeking to persuade his fellow delegates of the urgency of his message. For a decade. it is to the vigilant. as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it. or peace so sweet. Ronald Reagan. give me liberty. Massachusetts patriots began making preparations for war. Henry believed that Virginia should follow suit. revolutionary sentiments had been brewing in Virginia and Patrick Henry had always been in the thick of it. which prompted him to give his so-called “treason speech. let it come! It is in vain. the brave. “40th Anniversary of D-Day” [39] June 6. Besides. and in 1775. he gave a rousing and memorable speech.” spurring the Burgesses to pass the Virginia Resolves banning the act.The Art of Manliness » The 35 Greatest Speeches in History » Print http://artofmanliness. but as for me. the active. it is now too late to retire from the contest. sir. Henry presented resolutions to make ready Virginia’s defenses.. sir. stirring the pot. we have no election. At a meeting held in St. Pointe du Hoc. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear. Henry became particularly enflamed by the Stamp Act of 1764. sir.. There is no retreat but in submission and slavery! Our chains are forged! Their clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston! The war is inevitable — and let it come! I repeat it. Almighty God! I know not what course others may take. Tensions between the colonies and the Crown continued to build. 1984. You were young the day you took these cliffs. with the deepest joys of life before you. the Rangers scaled the cliff using ropes and ladders. Read full text of speech here [39]. On the 40th anniversary of D-Day. and so you and those others did not doubt your cause. Pointe du Hoc was a sheer 100 foot cliff located in-between Omaha and Utah beaches. Without reinforcements for two days. Yet you risked everything here. it was loyalty and love. “The Decision to Go to the Moon” [41] May 25. You were here to liberate. Listen to the speech. and taking out the men on the beaches. some of you were hardly more than boys. [40] John F. TX 27 of 38 03-03-2013 17:26 . 1961. It was faith. The men of Normandy had faith that what they were doing was right. Houston.The Art of Manliness » The 35 Greatest Speeches in History » Print http://artofmanliness. I look at you and I think of the words of Stephen Spender’s poem. the Rangers alone held their position and fended off German counterattacks. not to conquer. found the guns (which had been moved from the casemates) and destroyed them. Kennedy. President Reagan gave a moving tribute to these men..com/2008/08/01/the-35-greatest-speeches-in-history/. You are men who in your ‘lives fought for life…and left the vivid air signed with your honor’… Forty summers have passed since the battle that you fought here. faith that a just God would grant them mercy on this beachhead or on the next. only 90 of the original 225 Ranger landing force survived. Worthy Excerpt: These are the boys of Pointe du Hoc. As the Germans fired upon them. Why? Why did you do it? What impelled you to put aside the instinct for self-preservation and risk your lives to take these cliffs? What inspired all the men of the armies that met here? We look at you. These are the men who took the cliffs. many of whom were present at the occasion. faith that they fought for all humanity. And you were right not to doubt.. Gentlemen. These skirmishes proved deadly. These are the heroes who helped end a war. It was the deep knowledge — and pray God we have not lost it — that there is a profound moral difference between the use of force for liberation and the use of force for conquest. armed. Perched atop the cliff sat six casemates capable of being manned. and belief. These are the champions who helped free a continent. and somehow we know the answer. What the Army Rangers did on D-Day at Pointe Du Hoc is a tale every man worth his salt should be familiar with. but because they are hard.. 35 years ago. because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills. Kennedy decided it was time for America to boldly go where no man had gone before by putting a man on the moon. But why. Rochester. fly the Atlantic? Why does Rice play Texas? We choose to go to the moon. Its hazards are hostile to us all. On April 12.. When was the last time a president had the cajones to publicly issue a straightforward. and the others. And this mission would be accomplished by the end of the 1960′s. ambitious goal and set a timeline for its success? Worthy Excerpt: There is no strife.com/2008/08/01/the-35-greatest-speeches-in-history/. 1852. Its conquest deserves the best of all mankind. “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” [43] July 5. and one which we intend to win. some say. too. but also allow man to more fully explore the mysteries of space. no prejudice. one we are unwilling to postpone. the Soviets launched the first man into space.” After consulting with political and NASA officials. 1961. NY 28 of 38 03-03-2013 17:26 . the United States feared it was falling behind the Soviet Union and losing the “space race. not because they are easy. because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept. no national conflict in outer space as yet. Embarrassed. We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things. the moon? Why choose this as our goal? And they may well ask why climb the highest mountain? Why. The feat would not only catapult the nation over the Soviet Union.The Art of Manliness » The 35 Greatest Speeches in History » Print http://artofmanliness. Listen to speech. and its opportunity for peaceful cooperation many never come again. [42] Frederick Douglass. Read full text of speech here [41]. Khrushchev used this triumph as prime evidence of communism’s superiority over decadent capitalism. not mine.. If the citizens of Rochester. the crowed let loose in “universal applause” when Douglass finished. This Fourth of July is yours. Douglass took the opportunity to defiantly point out the ripe hypocrisy of a nation celebrating their ideals of freedom and equality while simultaneously mired in the evil of slavery. Frederick Douglass. The rich inheritance of justice. to mock me. giving hundreds of speeches. were inhuman mockery and sacrilegious irony. 1962. Yet the money he earned from lecturing was not enough to become financially comfortable. The blessings in which you this day rejoice are not enjoyed in common. they were soon disavowed of that idea. You may rejoice. General Douglas MacArthur. The sunlight that brought life and healing to you has brought stripes and death to me. Worthy Excerpt: I am not included within the pale of this glorious anniversary! Your high independence only reveals the immeasurable distance between us. “Duty.com/2008/08/01/the-35-greatest-speeches-in-history/. by asking me to speak today? Read full text of speech here [43]. Country” [44] May 12. Honor. While the speech surely made even the most liberal audience members squirm. and call upon him to join you in joyous anthems. and he and his family struggled. New York 29 of 38 03-03-2013 17:26 .The Art of Manliness » The 35 Greatest Speeches in History » Print http://artofmanliness. Do you mean. was a popular speaker on the anti-slavery circuit. prosperity. and independence bequeathed by your fathers is shared by you. former slave. not by me. and engineer on the underground railroad. I must mourn. To drag a man in fetters into the grand illuminated temple of liberty. and his abolitionist leanings grew more strident and bold.. nonetheless. abolitionist. New York had expected to be flattered by Douglass when they asked him to speak on the Fourth. liberty. West Point. citizens. Douglass was disillusioned by the repercussions of the Fugitive Slave Act. He traveled thousands of miles each year. for he must suffer and bear the deepest wounds and scars of war..The Art of Manliness » The 35 Greatest Speeches in History » Print http://artofmanliness. In my dreams I hear again the crash of guns. “Citizenship in a Republic” [46] April 23. Country. Were you to do so.. A must read for all men. the soldier. Worthy Excerpt: You are the leaven which binds together the entire fabric of our national system of defense.” In 1962. prays for peace. knew something of “Duty. But in the evening of my memory. in blue and gray. in brown khaki. as so many of the passages are inspiring. Honor. Honor. for the witching melody of faint bugles blowing reveille. Picking an excerpt was quite difficult. His address reflects upon and celebrates the brave and courageous men who came before. Honor.” The shadows are lengthening for me. Paris. Country. a million ghosts in olive drab. and coaxed and caressed by the smiles of yesterday. From your ranks come the great captains who hold the nation’s destiny in their hands the moment the war tocsin sounds. General of the Army and a man who fought in three wars. Always there echoes and re-echoes: Duty. tone and tint. General Douglas MacArthur. mournful mutter of the battlefield. MacArthur was in the twilight of his life and came to West Point to accept the Sylvanus Thayer Award and participate in his final cadet roll call. On the contrary. But always in our ears ring the ominous words of Plato. This does not mean that you are war mongers. They have gone glimmering through the dreams of things that were.com/2008/08/01/the-35-greatest-speeches-in-history/. the rattle of musketry. [45] Theodore Roosevelt. but I hope you will pause to read the entirety of this one. would rise from their white crosses thundering those magic words: Duty. men he personally led. 1910. I listen vainly. Their memory is one of wondrous beauty. Read full text of speech here [44]. but with thirsty ears. of far drums beating the long roll. men who embodied “Duty. Country. Listen to the speech. Country. The twilight is here. that wisest of all philosophers: “Only the dead have seen the end of war. Honor. above all other people. watered by tears.” There are many great speeches in this list. France 30 of 38 03-03-2013 17:26 . always I come back to West Point. the strange. The Long Gray Line has never failed us. My days of old have vanished. and who at the worst. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena. whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood. The rôle is easy. of superiority but of weakness. at least fails while daring greatly. Roosevelt used the opportunity to deliver a powerful address on the requirements of citizenship. or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. They mark the men unfit to bear their part painfully in the stern strife of living. There is no more unhealthy being. an attitude of sneering disbelief toward all that is great and lofty. he traveled throughout Europe. but the entire speech is an absolute must read. hoping to allow his successor. no man less worthy of respect. a readiness to criticise work which the critic himself never tries to perform. to hide from others and from themselves in their own weakness. comes to second achievement. there is none easier. There are many men who feel a kind of twister pride in cynicism. he set out to tour Africa and Europe. because there is no effort without error and shortcoming. save only the rôle of the man who sneers alike at both criticism and performance. who errs. It is not the critic who counts. he was invited to speak at the historic University of Paris. The poorest way to face life is to face it with a sneer. who knows great enthusiasms.. who strives valiantly. the characteristics which would keep democracies like France and the United States robust and strong. Read full text of speech here [46]. beware of that queer and cheap temptation to pose to himself and to others as a cynic. 31 of 38 03-03-2013 17:26 . A cynical habit of thought and speech. who comes short again and again.. in the affection of contempt for the achievements of others. At the end of Theodore Roosevelt’s second term in office. whether in achievement or in that noble effort which. than he who either really holds. or feigns to hold. This speech is famous for the “man in the arena” quote. there are many who confine themselves to criticism of the way others do what they themselves dare not even attempt. the great devotions. even if it fails. the man of lettered leisure.com/2008/08/01/the-35-greatest-speeches-in-history/. After a safari in Africa. who spends himself in a worthy cause. an intellectual aloofness which will not accept contact with life’s realities – all these are marks. not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles. President Taft. who seek. if he fails. Worthy Excerpt: Let the man of learning. While in France. but who does actually strive to do the deeds.The Art of Manliness » The 35 Greatest Speeches in History » Print http://artofmanliness. not as the possessor would fain to think. as the man who has outgrown emotions and beliefs. the man to whom good and evil are as one. who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement. to step into the enormous shoes TR had left and become his own man. so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat. I have nothing to offer but blood. That is our policy. 1941. and Tears” [47] May 13. the first of three powerful oratories he gave during the Battle of France. Sweat. “Pearl Harbor Address to the Nation” [49] December 8.com/2008/08/01/the-35-greatest-speeches-in-history/. [48] Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Listen to the speech. “Blood.. Worthy Excerpt I say to the House as I said to ministers who have joined this government. London Winston Churchill’s first speech to the House of Commons as Britain’s new Prime Minister got off to an auspicious start. D. We have before us many.C. Winston Churchill. what is our aim? I can answer in one word. would prove that England was in more than capable hands. You ask. But Churchill’s first speech. Victory at all costs – Victory in spite of all terrors – Victory. many months of struggle and suffering.” it was Churchill’s use of these words that would leave an inedible and inspiring impression upon the world’s mind. A seemingly unstoppable Hitler was advancing rapidly across Europe. and Churchill wasted no time in calling his people to arms. 32 of 38 03-03-2013 17:26 . while outgoing PM Neville Chamberlain was enthusiastically applauded (the world did not yet know just how disastrous his appeasement policies would prove and did not trust Churchill). We have before us an ordeal of the most grievous kind.. While TR had actually been the first to utter the phrase. It is victory. however long and hard the road may be. “blood. and air. 1940. sweat and tears. tears. and to wage war against a monstrous tyranny never surpassed in the dark and lamentable catalogue of human crime. sea. what is our policy? I say it is to wage war by land. War with all our might and with all the strength God has given us. Washington. You ask. toil. Read full text of speech here [47]. for without victory there is no survival. and sweat. His welcome to that assembly was quite tepid. House of Commons.The Art of Manliness » The 35 Greatest Speeches in History » Print http://artofmanliness. FDR addressed the nation in a brief. shocked the United States to its core. Hostilities exist. Vice President. Be sure to listen to the audio of the speech.. Imagine every American family.. the country united in desire to enter the war. The emotion is so very real and palatable. With confidence in our armed forces-with the unbounding determination of our people-we will gain the inevitable triumph-so help us God.com/2008/08/01/the-35-greatest-speeches-in-history/. The day after the attacks. Jerusalem 33 of 38 03-03-2013 17:26 .D. rattled and worried. Speaker.. outraging a nation that had hoped to stay out of the mounting turmoil in Asia and Europe. Worthy Excerpt: Mr. the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory. Listen to the speech. The attack on Pearl Harbor. No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion. but electrifying speech. I believe that I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost but will make it very certain that this form of treachery shall never again endanger us. But always will our whole nation remember the character of the onslaught against us. Listen to the reaction of Congress as they applaud and cheer FDR’s words. Mr. declaring war on Japan and giving assurance that the United States would attain victory. They knew their whole world was about to change forever. 1941-a date which will live in infamy-the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan…. our territory and our interests are in grave danger. Overnight. it truly transports you back to that critical moment in time. December 7.The Art of Manliness » The 35 Greatest Speeches in History » Print http://artofmanliness. There is no blinking at the fact that our people. Read the full text here [49]. December 7. 1941.. listening around the radio to what their president would say. “The Sermon on the Mount” 33 A. members of the Senate and the House of Representatives: yesterday. [50] Jesus Christ. D. No speech has been more pondered. While much of the sermon has roots in Jewish law. 1963. the advice given in the Beatitudes represented a dramatic and radical departure from the eye for an eye system of justice known in the ancient world. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. it is impossible to deny the impact of perhaps the world’s most famous speech: The Sermon on the Mount.The Art of Manliness » The 35 Greatest Speeches in History » Print http://artofmanliness. churches. See Matthew Chapter 5-7 for full text.com/2008/08/01/the-35-greatest-speeches-in-history/. Worthy Excerpt: Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.. Whether one believes that Jesus of Nazareth was the Son of God or simply a wise teacher. “I Have a Dream” [51] August 28. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.. if not not always attainable. Martin Luther King Jr. and bedsides around the globe.C. goal. or more quoted. 34 of 38 03-03-2013 17:26 .. The standards of behavior outlined in the sermon have given believers and non-believers alike plenty to contemplate and discuss in the two thousand years since it was given. It introduced a prayer now familiar the world over and uttered in trenches. Washington. It introduced a code of conduct billions of believers have adopted as their lofty. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. more influential. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. In this midst of this egregious track record. Listen to the speech here [52].’s “I Have a Dream Speech” is hands down one of the greatest. to go to jail together. 1863. I challenge you to do just that. King’s charisma. of thee I sing. Martin Luther King Jr. This will be the day. black children were being hosed down in the streets. but a surprisingly number of adults my age I have never sat down and watched the speech in its entirety.com/2008/08/01/the-35-greatest-speeches-in-history/. Abraham Lincoln. Land where my father’s died. spat upon. and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together. with its vicious racists. place him in a league of his own. let freedom ring!” Read full text of speech here [51]. and the crooked places will be made straight. knowing that we will be free one day.. and every hill and mountain shall be made low.The Art of Manliness » The 35 Greatest Speeches in History » Print http://artofmanliness. I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted. this will be the day when all of God’s children will be able to sing with new meaning “My country ’tis of thee. and denied treatment as full human beings. Worthy Excerpt: I have a dream that one day down in Alabama. This is our hope. turned away from restaurants. Dr. to pray together.. pieces of oratory in American history. and that a new day was coming. A century after slavery ended. a century after African-Americans were promised full equality. from every mountainside. to struggle together. Pennsylvania 35 of 38 03-03-2013 17:26 . With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. bused to separate schools. “The Gettysburg Address” November 19. land of the Pilgrim’s pride. I have a dream today. skills in rhetoric. if not the greatest. It is just as electrifying and moving today as it was in 1963. Many people have seen excerpts of the speech. Gettysburg. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. This is the faith that I go back to the South with. compelling message of hope. to stand up for freedom together. a dream that things would not always be as they were. King voiced a clear. the rough places will be made plain. with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification – one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers. and passion. sweet land of liberty. With this faith we will be able to work together. He was to add a few remarks to Everett’s. and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Edward Everett. And the Constitution would be reborn. 3 minutes long. and it was decided that the new cemetery should be dedicated. we have come to fully appreciate the genius and beauty of the words spoken that day. Lincoln got up. states rights nor secession. Money was raised for a proper reburial. in two hours. Not everyone immediately realized the magnificence of Lincoln’s address. lying in the graves at Gettysburg had made an atoning sacrifice for this great evil. Legends has it that Lincoln’s remarks were the product of pure inspiration. of both North and South. 36 of 38 03-03-2013 17:26 .. saying. Lincoln meant the speech to be something far larger. The bodies were too numerous to bury properly and many were at first placed in shallow graves. There was a long pause before anyone applauded. The Speech Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent.com/2008/08/01/the-35-greatest-speeches-in-history/. Everett kept the crowd enthralled for a full two hours. a function much like the man with the ceremonial scissors who cuts the ribbon. Dr. was asked to give a solemn and grand speech as a memorial to the fallen men. to sweeten the air of Gettysburg. gave his speech. in time. The Battle of Gettysburg left 8. Fears argues that Lincoln’s address did more than memorialize the fallen soldiers at Gettysburg. Rather. J Rufus Fears (one of the great modern orators) argues that the Gettysburg Address. in this case. Everett praised the President for his eloquent and concise speech. this time living up to its promises of freedom and equality for all. a great orator. of the South nor the Union. The men. Lincoln was asked 2 months later. 272 words. There were no details of the battle mentioned in the speech. heads and arms were sticking up through the ground and the smell of rotting flesh was sickening. and sat down even before the photographer had finished setting up for a picture. Weeks after the battle. it accomplished nothing short of transforming the entire meaning of the Civil War. no mentioning of soldier’s names. But some did. the Constitution experienced a transformation. Dr. conceived in liberty. a new nation. In a letter to Lincoln.” And of course. of Gettysburg itself. The first birth has been tainted by slavery. As was traditional. And I have to agree. penned on the back of an envelope on the train chugging its way to the soon-to-be hallowed grounds of Gettysburg.000 men dead. the Gettysburg Address is unarguably one of the greatest pieces of rhetoric in American history.. At Gettysburg. On the day of the dedication. and then the applause was scattered and polite. as you did in two minutes.The Art of Manliness » The 35 Greatest Speeches in History » Print http://artofmanliness. a discourse on the experiment testing whether government can maintain the proposition of equality. almost as a causal afterthought. along with the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. “I should be glad if I could flatter myself that I came as near to the central idea of the occasion. Yet. form the three founding documents of American freedom. to solemnize this place of death. what we say here.net/Demosthenes/Third_Philippic/ [8] “Inauguration Address”: http://artofmanliness. under God.com/speeches /williamfaulknernobelprizeaddress.com/2008/08/01/the-35-greatest-speeches-in-history/ URLs in this post: [1] If a man wishes to become a great orator: http://artofmanliness. rather. We are met on a great battlefield of that war.mp3 [12] “Abolition Speech”: http://artofmanliness. It is for us the living. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field.mp3 [18] “The Appeal of 18 June”: http://artofmanliness.com/mp3clips/politicalspeeches /jfkinauguralhhy.: http://www.fiftiesweb.: http://americanrhetoric. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us – that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion – that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain – that this nation.com/mp3clips/politicalspeeches /fdrfirstinaugural444443858352845.: http://americanrhetoric.com/we-shall-fight-on-the-beachesby-winston-churchill/ [6] Image: http://yankeestribute.com/2008/07 /17/resurrecting-the-lost-art-of-oratory/ [2] Bookmark this on Delicious: http://delicious. to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.com/2008/08/01/the-35-greatest-speeches-in-history/. shall not perish from the earth. nor long remember. living and dead. have consecrated it. The world will little note.4literature.. But in a larger sense. we cannot dedicate – we cannot consecrate – we cannot hallow – this ground. by the people.mp3 [23] Image: http://www..gif [5] “We Shall Fight on the Beaches”: http://artofmanliness.mp3 [10] “Address to the Nation on the Challenger”: http://artofmanliness. who struggled here. The brave men.com/their-finest-hour-by-winston-churchill/ [22] Listen to the speech. as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live.jpg [7] “The Third Philippic”: http://www.com/duties-of-american-citizenshipby-theodore-roosevelt/ [4] Image: http://www.com/quit-india-speech-by-ghandi/ [21] “Their Finest Hour”: http://artofmanliness.cowboybooks.eb.com/speeches/speechgfx/fdr-first-inaug. for the people. can long endure.geocities. far above our poor power to add or detract.com/post [3] “Duties of American Citizenship”: http://artofmanliness.com URL to article: http://artofmanliness.com/appeal-of-june-18-by-charlesde-gaulle/ [19] “Resignation Speech”: http://artofmanliness.com/images/gehrig_goodbye500.com/abolition-speech-by-william-wilberforce/ [13] Image: http://www.The Art of Manliness » The 35 Greatest Speeches in History » Print http://artofmanliness.au/pictures/WilliamWilberforce. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.com/eb/image?id=84516&rendTypeId=4 37 of 38 03-03-2013 17:26 .com/mp3clips/politicalspeeches /ronaldreaganchallengeraddress12.com/resignation-speech-of-georgewashington/ [20] “Quit India”: http://artofmanliness.com/beberius/bio/TR/assemblyman.: http://americanrhetoric. but it can never forget what they did here.com/address-to-nationon-the-challenger-by-ronald-regan/ [11] Listen to the speech.com.com/the-man-with-the-muck-rakeby-theodore-roosevelt/ [15] “First Inaugural Address”: http://artofmanliness. testing whether that nation. Article printed from The Art of Manliness: http://artofmanliness.htm [24] “Farewell Address”: http://artofmanliness. shall have a new birth of freedom – and that government of the people.jpg [17] Listen to the speech. Now we are engaged in a great civil war.com/dwight-eisenhowers-farewell-speech/ [25] Image: http://cache. or any nation so conceived and so dedicated.historyplace.com/inaugrual-address-of-john-f-kennedy/ [9] Listen to the speech.americanrhetoric.com/usa/churchill-finest-hour.jpg [14] “The Man with the Muck-rake”: http://artofmanliness.com/first-inaugural-address-of-franklind-roosevelt/ [16] Image: http://www. : http://www.org/wiki/Military-industrial_complex [27] Listen to the speech.com/mp3clips/politicalspeeches /dwighteisenhowerfarewell44444444444444443333333333.americanrhetoric. 38 of 38 03-03-2013 17:26 . Country”: http://artofmanliness.com/mp3clips/politicalspeeches /mlkingihaveadream123456.mp3 [49] “Pearl Harbor Address to the Nation”: http://artofmanliness.wikipedia.americanrhetoric.com/mp3clips/politicalspeeches /winstonchurchillbloodtoilsweattears.jpg [38] “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death!”: http://artofmanliness. Sweat.mp3 [32] “Funeral Oration”: http://artofmanliness.: http://www.mp3 [46] “Citizenship in a Republic”: http://artofmanliness.com/strength-and-decency-by-theodoreroosevelt/ [36] “2nd Inaugural Address”: http://artofmanliness.com/funeral-oration-by-pericles/ [33] “Farewell Address to Congress”: http://artofmanliness.: http://www.jfklibrary..jpg [31] Listen to speech.mp3 [35] “Strength and Decency”: http://artofmanliness.com/general-douglas-macarthursfarewell-address-to-congress/ [34] Listen to the speech. and Tears”: http://artofmanliness.com/i-have-a-dream-by-dr-martin-luther-king/ [52] here: http://americanrhetoric.: http://americanrhetoric.: http://www.americanrhetoric.: http://americanrhetoric.com/second-inaugural-addressof-abraham-lincoln/ [37] Image: http://en. Honor.The Art of Manliness » The 35 Greatest Speeches in History » Print http://artofmanliness.com/pearl-harbor-addressto-the-nation-by-franklin-d-roosevelt/ [50] Listen to the speech.com/the-meaning-of-julyfourth-for-the-negro-by-frederick-douglas/ [44] “Duty.com/pix/Reagan%20at%20Brandenburg.com/mp3clips/politicalspeeches /reaganbrandenburg4346.mp3 Copyright 2010 The Art of Manliness.htm?guid={573E950E-8353-499C-9321-4E2223C3A185}& type=Audio [43] “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?”: http://artofmanliness.com/mp3clips/politicalspeeches /ronaldrreagandday4534592.com/the-first-oration-againstcatiline-by-cicero/ [29] “Remarks at the Brandenburg Gate”: http://artofmanliness.com/duty-honor-country-by-generaldouglas-macarthur/ [45] Listen to the speech.americanrhetoric.: http://americanrhetoric.com/remarks-at-thebrandenburg-gate-by-ronald-regan/ [30] Image: http://granitegrok.com/40th-anniversary-of-d-dayby-ronald-regan/ [40] Listen to the speech.com/2008/08/01/the-35-greatest-speeches-in-history/. [26] military-industrial complex: http://en.com/the-decision-to-go-to-themoon-by-john-f-kennedy/ [42] Listen to speech.com/mp3clips/politicalspeeches /douglasmacarthurthayeraward.wikipedia.org/Asset+Tree/Asset+Viewers /Audio+Video+Asset+Viewer.: http://www.com/blood-sweat-and-tears-by-winstonchurchill/ [48] Listen to the speech.mp3 [28] “The First Oration Against Catiline”: http://artofmanliness.com/mp3clips/politicalspeeches /fdrwarmessage344.com/mp3clips/politicalspeeches /douglasmacarthurfarewell343.org/wiki/Image:Lincoln_second. All rights reserved.mp3 [51] “I Have a Dream”: http://artofmanliness..com/citizenship-in-a-republicby-theodore-roosevelt/ [47] “Blood.mp3 [41] The Decision to Go to the Moon”: http://artofmanliness.com/give-me-liberty-or-giveme-death-by-patrick-henry/ [39] “40th Anniversary of D-Day”: http://artofmanliness.