The most famous short speeches in the world's history often come from times of strife and conflict. Times when the moment is so profound that making a long speech would somehow diminish the significance of the event. It goes to reason then that the most famous short speeches were also given by some of the world's most revered leaders. Here is a small listing of short speeches by famous American presidents that have left their mark in history.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt's Declaration of War Following the Pearl Harbor Bombing
Lasting just over seven and a half minutes long FDR's famous short speech known as the Pearl Harbor Address is perhaps one of the most well known speeches given by a sitting American president. Coming the day following the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, Franklin Delano Roosevelt delivered this speech to a joint session of Congress, forever immortalizing the words, "December 7th, 1941, a date which will live in infamy."
Ronald Reagan's Famous Short Speech Following The Challenger Disaster
On January 26, 1986 Ronald Regan made a televised speech following the explosion of the Challenger Space Shuttle. This short famous speech to the nation was just four minutes long yet brought home the dangerous yet noble job that NASA's astronauts face. The disaster was especially traumatic for NASA and the country in that it also caused the death of Christa McAuliffe, a classroom teacher who had been chosen to be the first non-astronaut classroom teacher to travel into space. It was not until twelve years later when Barbara Morgan (McAuliffe's backup for the first mission) flew into space aboard the space shuttle Endeavour.
Ich Ben Ein Berliner- Famous Short Speech By John F. Kennedy
Ever since the close of World War II Berlin was a hotbed of tension between the Soviet Union and the West. On June 26, 1963 President John F. Kennedy delivered one of his most famous short speeches in Berlin, denouncing the Communists and drawing attention to the plight of residents of East Berlin. It was not until thirty years later after the fall of the Soviet Union that the Wall was finally demolished, reuniting East and West Germany.
There are dozens more famous short speeches in the world's history. For more information and to listen to audio recordings of many of the most prominent ones an excellent resource is the American Rhetoric Web Site. This site and others like it provides a glimpse into the past and into the many events that have spurred the creation of some of the most famous short speeches in history.
 |
