Ronald Reagan Address At The Memorial In Normandy

In the early morning hours of June 6, 1944, the fate of the free world rested in the hands of our brave young men in uniform. According to White House Archives, at 5:30 in the morning more than 160,000 Allied troops landed at Normandy, France to fight the German forces and free France from their occupation. The Allied forces consisted of 73,000 Americans and 83,115 British and Canadian forces. In that one day, over 10,000 young men were slaughtered on that beach and in the following six weeks, another 216,000 Allied troops were either wounded or killed in the war to eradicate tyranny from Europe. On the 40th anniversary of D-day, President Ronald Reagan gives a heart-warming speech at the memorial in Normandy, France. Reagan uses both rhetorical

He uses phrases such as, “a lonely, windswept point” and “the roar of cannon”(Eidenmuller) to portray this said picture. Through his use of a somber tone he invites the audience to grieve and take in the depth of this dark day for our world. He continues with imagery like, “a terrible shadow”, “millions cried”, and “a giant undertaking”(Eidenmuller) to add to the tone of his speech, and give the world a sense of respect and sorrow for these fallen soldiers. This was important because he was showing respect and giving the audience a clear representation of the events of this horrific day. Memorials are an object or place that serve as a significant reminder of a memory or the past and tend to focus on an event. We have memorials to show our respect and remembrance of our dead. According to Ian Carter, D-day was so important to the world because it is the point of World War II that America entered and the Allies began taking back France from the Germans. Reagan’s speech is still significant because it showed the world that America understands the importance of these battles and won't let them be

He states that at the same time our troops were in battle, in America the citizens were mourning and in a state of anxiety. He was saying this with a soft and sad voice but adds a little patriotic tone to show his feelings about D-day as well as his pride in America. He informs the audience that while our soldiers were overseas fighting in World War II, they had no idea, “that in Georgia they were filling the churches at 4:00 am. In Kansas they were kneeling on their porches and praying, and in Philadelphia they were ringing the Liberty Bell”(Eidenmuller). By including this, Reagan is allowing the world to see the patriotism America has and its devotion to our soldiers fighting in a battle far away. This was important because though this is a sad memorial, the former president still shows his pride in his country as we were prepared for this invasion. This is still revealed today because it shows that even in our roughest, America is strong and can get back up from any