OPVL of Hitler's Speech
Note: The excerpt of the speech that I will be analyzing is on the main page for this entry (labeled Speech Rhetorical Analysis)
The Speech at the Berlin Sportpalast was a public announcement from January 1940 performed by Adolf Hitler in the early stages of World War II in a public meeting hall in Berlin, Germany. The purpose of this speech was not only to assert that Germany has suffered under democracy, but also to analyze how democracy does not represent the best interests of the people. Hitler wanted to assure and convince everyone that his rule is in the best interests of the citizens of Germany and how democracy has plagued Germany socially and economically in the past and is now plaguing Germany’s rivals. With reference to the origin and purpose of this text, its value is that is an official speech from Adolf Hitler, the reigning chancellor and de facto ruler of Germany. A historian can gain insight on what exactly Hitler thought of other democracies and the democratic Germany of the past. A historian can also gain insight on exactly what principles and rationales Hitler used to justify his rule. Additionally, one can take note of the rhetorical devices Hitler uses in his speech in order to better convince and relate with his audience. With reference to its origin and purpose, one limitation of this speech was that Hitler did not represent the views of the entirety of Germany. Hitler was faced with massive opposition that only increased as the war effort lagged on. Another limitation is that though Hitler ridiculed democracy, he failed to defend why his idea of a totalitarian dictatorship is the just way to rule. In other words, he cites why one viewpoint is wrong but never backs up his own. Additionally, Hitler fails to eliminate other factors that may have caused the failure of the democratic Germany that served between the two World Wars. Hitler only managed to prove a correlation between Germany’s economic/social failure and the German democracy, not a causation.
Note: The excerpt of the speech that I will be analyzing is on the main page for this entry (labeled Speech Rhetorical Analysis)
The Speech at the Berlin Sportpalast was a public announcement from January 1940 performed by Adolf Hitler in the early stages of World War II in a public meeting hall in Berlin, Germany. The purpose of this speech was not only to assert that Germany has suffered under democracy, but also to analyze how democracy does not represent the best interests of the people. Hitler wanted to assure and convince everyone that his rule is in the best interests of the citizens of Germany and how democracy has plagued Germany socially and economically in the past and is now plaguing Germany’s rivals. With reference to the origin and purpose of this text, its value is that is an official speech from Adolf Hitler, the reigning chancellor and de facto ruler of Germany. A historian can gain insight on what exactly Hitler thought of other democracies and the democratic Germany of the past. A historian can also gain insight on exactly what principles and rationales Hitler used to justify his rule. Additionally, one can take note of the rhetorical devices Hitler uses in his speech in order to better convince and relate with his audience. With reference to its origin and purpose, one limitation of this speech was that Hitler did not represent the views of the entirety of Germany. Hitler was faced with massive opposition that only increased as the war effort lagged on. Another limitation is that though Hitler ridiculed democracy, he failed to defend why his idea of a totalitarian dictatorship is the just way to rule. In other words, he cites why one viewpoint is wrong but never backs up his own. Additionally, Hitler fails to eliminate other factors that may have caused the failure of the democratic Germany that served between the two World Wars. Hitler only managed to prove a correlation between Germany’s economic/social failure and the German democracy, not a causation.