Reagan Speech Analysis

June 12, 1987, standing upon a pillar gazing toward a West German crowd, President Reagan began to deliver a monumentally paramount speech. As he stood in the midst of alternating German and American flags, armed with a podium with a single microphone, President Reagan’s began to speak. While knowing every eye of the world was bearing down on him, the remarks he delivered at the Brandenburg Gate were a valiantly majestic attempt to burn down the evils of the Soviet Union, and from the ashes allow the rising of true freedom; for each and every person of the world. There was no doubt to the success of this persuasion, for within two years the barrier which separated freedom and totalitarianism was decimated not only with bull dozers, cranes and hammers, but with careful ethos, pathos, and logos.
Regan made his intentions and purpose for the visit to berlin clear. As president of the free world, it was his social duty and responsibility to visit the people of berlin promting and advocating justice and democracy just as the presidents before him have done. By reaffirming his stance, and summarizing his purpose his message was captured in the ears of the Germans almost immediately after taking all attentive ears. “Twenty-four years ago, President John F. Kennedy visited Berlin . . . since then, two other presidents have come, each in his turn, to Berlin.” He makes it clear a heavy yet important duty is to be performed, and will by the last period of the upcoming speech. All attention is now fixated on the words apprehension is mounting, as effective use of logos to sell his purpose was purchased.
Enterprise and democracy have always allowed the free world to thrive and prosper much more effectively that the tyrannical dictatorships that had dominated the political landscape of eastern Europe for so long. Knowing this authoritarian approach was ineffective through comparison to accomplished democratic parameters, a rational logos based on historical accuracy was presented: “Countries that are allowed to live free are better off.” Now had the president stopped there he would’ve left doubt among some who still remained skeptical, so he begins to recount the effectiveness of the Marshall Plan. He goes on to explain with the support and aid of the Marshall Plan, “Japan rose from ruin to become an economic giant. Italy, France, Belgium and virtually every nation in Western Europe saw political and economic rebirth . . .” This statement that free enterprise allows the prosperity of nations adheres to the logic of any person listening, and especially to citizens of countries that are in a depressive economic crisis. President Reagan did not force but cleverly guide the listeners of the speech be allowed to look outside their own countries to the realization of a simple truth: communist countries are doomed to failure because communism itself is an ideal that cannot be carried out while maintaining the purity of the doctrine itself. Only oppression exists.
Reagan knew reaching the core of the emotions of the people was a powerful way to lead them to this truth. By using carefully placed diction, the berlin wall becomes a lasting metaphor to of the oppression of the German people . High and wide, dangerous and impenetrable, the wall is seen as a permanent mockery of hope. Even the sun isn’t immune. The days are shorter; the sun must rise later, and set earlier to compensate for the false horizon lying every day it stands. Though this barrier of freedom stands, President Reagan declares: “As long as the gate is closed, as long as this scar of a wall is permitted to stand it is not the German question alone that remains open, but the question of freedom for all mankind. Yet I do not come here to lament. For I find in Berlin a message of hope, even in the shadow of this wall, a message of triumph.” Amidst the “Soviet aggression” the message of freedom is a missionary that is “transforming the globe.” This wall will come down and freedom will be allowed to bourgeon into every Berliner no matter what pressures they may face. Placing gasoline on a now lit flame the President declares: “. . . there is no better place to start than Berlin, in the meeting place of the East and West, to make a start.” The President was successful delegating portions of his power and motives to the now driven audience.
President Reagan was the most powerful man on the planet. He was a man that could speak and declare this truth, and he was a man that could encompass genuine humanness: Intimidating and stern to the enemy; relatable, and redeeming to his friends.
Although President Reagan is an American, he has the ability to relate to the German people almost by becoming one. His reasons for coming to Germany are not only to perform his job, but for other, more selfish and human reasons. The “feeling of history”, the “beauty of the Grunewald and the Tiergarten” are the other reasons for visiting Germany. Who is to doubt the authenticity of this statement? President Reagan almost wants to be known as just a lowly tourist or citizen. Presidents are chief diplomats. They travel throughout the world to promote their own countries ideals and policies. They aren’t tourists, but busy personnel with duty to fulfill. When they take on such common practices, Reagan’s audience saw a normal human being: They saw themselves and friends. The manner in which he speaks, as friends do, gives the German people a sense of fraternity. They allow him the ticket and password through such familiar inflected tone.
As an established comrade, he takes the helm. As their leader he changes tone toward the enemy. Protective to ears of friends, hostile to the soul of the enemy, President Reagan makes his boldest proclamation aimed toward the East. “General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization: Come here to this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” No speculation is needed for the audience. Spoken sternly, forcefully, dutifully, challengingly, Mr. Gorbachev can sense a standoff he cannot win. The determination of the West is pulling the trigger aimed at Mr. Gorbachev’s brow. He has no choice but to buckle and hope for mercy.
President Reagan’s speech was greatly successful. Establishing his purpose and duty, becoming the friend to the oppressed and free, wresting the emotions with sensible logic, powerful diction, a diversified lexicon with tactical inflected tone, intimidating the enemy to cower to the deepest corner of the wall, President Reagan could have even persuaded the apathetic and ignorant. There is little to be argued about President Reagan’s success in his speech to the world from Brandenburg gate. At 2:20pm, July 12, 1987, Reagan initiated a movement that was “transforming the globe.” Walls buckled like a scared bully encircled by outraged parents. Cheers erupted, celebrations were abundant, the tears of bottled-up oppression were a flash flood on a poorly designed levee