Churchill vs. Hirohito vs. Goebbels

In the short time of a week, I have read three drastically different speeches, or so I thought. Although all the philosophers are addressing somewhat different topics and different audiences, they do have many rhetorical devices, claims and fallacies in common, in fact they even use them in close to the same ways. The most distinct similarity was the scare tactic and slipper slope used: if we don’t do something then we will die and eventually all of human civilization. Oh, and all the speakers were experts in making their country the victims.

In all cases they use slippery slope to say that they are doing the addressed action to make sure that the end of civilization does not happen, their actions are a benefit of the world.  Specifically, Emperor Hirohito was surrendering, and in some way said that this would benefit the rest of the world, “Should we continue to fight, it would not only result in an ultimate collapse and obliteration of the Japanese nation, but it would lead to the total extinction of human civilization.” But he also didn’t make it sound like a complete surrendering speech..he made it sound almost neutral, like there great loss was supposed to happen. In ways such as saying that the war was “not necessarily to Japan’s advantage…”, which was a complete litote. However Winston Churchill is talking to the British Empire to do the exact opposite, he needs everyone to stand up and take action, fight back! The beast has been awakened! Churchill says almost the exact same thing as Hirohito: “Let that be realized; no survival for the British Empire, no survival for all that the British Empire has stood for the urge and impulse of the ages, that mankind will move forward towards its goal.” And with that being said Joseph Goebbels also had the fact that he was rallying his people up in Berlin, Germany in common with Churchill, but also said the end of civilization was near if they did not do anything.

All parties also use the royal “we”, creating a sense of unity, making sure the society is united in whatever they do whether its surrendering or fighting back!