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Veterans Day Great leaders. Great words. An expert picks the top five speeches with the most impact on our times. ON VETERANS DAY, stir ring speeches are a tradi tional part of celebrations, recalling times when words inspired Americans to face remarkable challenges. Great speeches are not only motivational they also can change the course of history. As the holiday approaches on Monday, USA WEEKEND turned to Rep. Steve Israel, D-N.Y., to find out which five political speeches have had the greatest impact on our times. Israel is an expert on this topic, with his new book, Charge! History's Greatest Military Speeches (Naval Institute Press; $32.95), now in stores. Here’s his definitive list: Henry's words inspired revolution. 5 Patrick Henry's "Liberty or Death" speech (March 23,1775) Israel: “Just before the opening battles of the American Revolution, Patrick Henry rose to address the Virginia House of Bur gesses. Before the house was a resolu tion authorizing preparations for war with Britain, and its fate was uncertain. Henry’s fiery rhetoric ‘l know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death!’ helped win the debate. The resolu tion passed, albeit narrowly, setting the course for Virginia’s entry into the Ameri can Revolution.” 18 USA WEEKEND • Nov. 9-11,2007 4 Franklin D. Roosevelt's fireside speech after Pearl Harbor (Dec. 9,1941) Israel: “The day after his famous Pearl Har bor speech to Con gress, FDR chose a fireside address to brace America for the unfathomable chal lenges ahead. In the middle of the speech, he stopped himself and said, ‘I was about to add that ahead there lies sacrifice for all of us. But it is not correct to use that word. The United States does not consider it a sacrifice to do all one can, to give one’s best to our nation, when the nation is fighting for its existence.’ His honest assessment of the difficulties and forthright appeals to pa triotism helped inspire ‘The Greatest Generation’ to leap to volunteer to serve their country.” 3 Lincoln's Gettysburg Address (Nov. 19,1863) Israel: “The most important question in any war is, ‘Why are we fighting?’ And no figure in history has answered that query as potently as Abraham Lincoln did. Lincoln had hoped that the Battle of Gettysburg would effectively end the Civil War in July 1863. Four months later, as the war dragged on, he dedi cated the Gettysburg cemetery, appeal ing to his countrymen to continue their sacrifices to ensure ‘that these dead shall not have died in vain; that this nation under God shall have a new birth of freedom; and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.’ His speech helped bolster support for the war until it ended, nearly a year- and a half later.” y Ronald Reagan's call Wfc to "Tear Down This Wall!" (June 12,1987) Israel: “President Reagan went to the Berlin Wall to fortify oppressed populations across Eastern Europe who struggled for freedom. In his speech, Reagan acknowledged democratic reforms in the So viet Union, but he demanded even more: ‘General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace ... come here to this gate. Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate. Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!’ Two and a half years later, men and women took sledgehammers to the Berlin Wall on both sides. Com munism came to a crushing de feat, and the Cold War came to an end.” FDR's honesty stood out. m Brw ’■9 B IB a | •>, I 3a I * - - - -■■ I *1 mm 1 John F. Kennedy's call HP for America to go to the moon (Sept. 12,1962) Israel: “In 1962, President Ken-; nedy mobilized the American j people to pursue the ultimate conquest the great expanse of space itself. Five years before, i the Soviets leapt ahead of us in the space race by launching Sput-; nik. Kennedy inspired America \ to a national commitment to land i on the moon by the end of the I decade, helping to transform our i entire economy. But he did not | sugarcoat the difficulties ahead,: noting: ‘We choose to go to the j moon in this decade and do the j other things, not because they! are easy, but because they are j hard...’ ” ca Kennedy presented realistic challenges of a moon mission. HENRY: MARIE HANSEN, TIME Us E PICTURES/GETTY; FOR: TOPICAL PRESS AGENCY/GETTY. REAGAN GARY KIEFER AfP/GETIY. KENNEDY 808 GOMEL. TIME LIFE PCTUAES/GCITY Reagan s vision was validated within just two and a half years.