A Rhetorical Analysis Of Ronald Reagan's Speech On D-Day

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The Battle of Normandy is one of the most notable battles of World War II. On D-Day, the first day of the battle, 156,000 Allied forces landed on and invaded the beaches of Normandy, France to assist in the liberation of Europe. On that grisly day, 946 Canadians, 2,700 British, and and 6,603 Americans were killed in combat against the Axis powers (D'Day Museum). Decades later, thousands of people commemorate those who heroically risked their lives on D-Day to fight for their liberty; the date June 6 will remain as a heartfelt reminder for all to express their appreciation for those heroes, lost and lived. Ronald Reagan, the 40th president of the United States and a World War II U.S. Air Force veteran, expressed gratitude for the vets by having a memorial speaking in France (DefenseMedia). Surrounded by D-Day veterans and other thankful citizens, Reagan used numerous appeals and rhetorical devices to make sure that the message of his speech was clearly understood by everyone listening. On June 6, 1984, the 40th anniversary of D-Day, Ronald Reagan delivered a speech in Pointe Du …show more content…

He was surrounded by D-Day veterans and supportive civilians who were proud to give them the honor and gratitude they deserve. The main purpose of his speech was to commemorate the brave actions those veteran made on that gruesome day to help liberate the country of Europe. He used a variety of rhetorical devices to get his message across to his audience, with a strong use of pathos, ethos, and logos successfully doing so. Ronald Reagan gave an excellent speech that day; he spoke clearly and at the right pace, used the right nature of vocabulary about his audience, and his speech was extremely well written. Ronald Reagan was known as “The Great Communicator”, and this speech is only one perfect example of how he earned that name (Bible