Who is speaking?
Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain
Why was/is the speech important to society?
It was the official announcement that the British empire was going to war against Germany in WWII. It was also ironic for Britain since it's Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain, had tried so hard to defend Germany and appease Hitler to avoid a war from ever happening, or at least spreading throughout Europe, let alone the world. So when he had to declare war on Germany, it was against what he had tried to avoid.
Why do you feel it is important or interesting?
Just the way he delivers the speech is impressive to me. The spacing and emphasis really makes me hang onto every word he's saying. Not to mention it was a big deal for the British to entire a world war.
What is the emotion, mood, tone, personality, feeling of the speech?
At first the Prime Minister sounds sad and disappointed, but I mean he's telling his country, and really the whole world, that he has to go to war - and who really wants to do that? Understandable. Then he goes totally officer in command and is stern and inspiring.
What is intonation, emphasis, what is loud, stressed, or soft? Where are there pauses?
He starts out fairly soft and regretful sounding. Then he proceeds to talk about why they are going to war; how Germany basically said "screw you" to any sort of peace treaty. This clearly made the Prime Minister angry and it shows in that his voice rises a little in volume. He is more forceful, trying to prove to his country why they must go to war. He then defends Poland, seeing as his country is going to war because Germany invaded Poland like they said they wouldn't. Neville Chamberlain uses that same forceful, yet calm voice as before, except now there is a tone of pride, like he's talking about a family member or his hero. He pauses between almost every sentence in the second half - probably to take deep breaths and keep his cool.
What do you FEEL should be loud or soft, long pause, etc.?
I feel like Neville did a pretty good job. He could have let his angry voice come out a little more... maybe a little earlier as well, like when he mentions that he's going to war. Make it sound like my country is about to go kick some ass perhaps? While he does a good job as a politician keep his cool, I feel the ending, while inspiring, lacked that "300" drama that really makes me passionate about fighting a war.
Is there a call to action? When listening to it what are key/emphasized words?
He calls to action the fact that his country is going to war.
The whole beginning 30 seconds where he explains that Germany screwed up and they are now at war is pretty emphasized. He pauses after every... two words... or so.
A few words while just listening to it that popped out were: peace, attack, now, not, no, stopped, intolerable, finish.
How does it make you feel?
Makes part of me dislike Germany... or more-so Hitler I guess. Makes me feel like Neville Chamberlain was a pretty cool dude too.
How do you imagine that the audience felt?
They were probably feeling pretty sunken and raged. I would imagine it would be a strange mix, like anytime you go to war, of feeling discouraged, but also prideful in your country that it's strong enough to stand up for something.
Could there be another interpretation of the speech?
Since Britain was one of the first countries to declare war against Germany, perhaps one could construe the tactic as a political advancement on behalf of Neville. One could also be very confused since Neville had spent so long trying to defend Nazi Germany and make peace with them, then all of a sudden he's declaring war. Fishy? Maybe.
Write/find a short bio, of the person giving the speech.
Arthur Neville Chamberlain was born on 18 March 1869 in Birmingham into a political family. His father, Joseph, was an influential politician of the late 19th century and Neville's older half-brother Austen held many Conservative cabinet positions in the early 20th century and won the Nobel Peace Prize.
Chamberlain was educated in Birmingham. After a successful career in business, in 1915 he was appointed lord mayor of Birmingham. In 1916, Lloyd George appointed him director-general of the department of national service, but disagreements between them led Chamberlain to resign. In 1918, Chamberlain was elected Conservative member of parliament for Ladywood in Birmingham and was rapidly promoted. He served as both chancellor of the exchequer (1923 - 1924) and minister of health (1923, 1924 -1929, 1931). In 1937, he succeeded Stanley Baldwin as prime minister.
Like many in Britain who had lived through World War One, Chamberlain was determined to avert another war. His policy of appeasement towards Adolf Hitler culminated in the Munich Agreement in which Britain and France accepted that the Czech region of the Sudetenland should be ceded to Germany. Chamberlain left Munich believing that by appeasing Hitler he had assured 'peace for our time'. However, in March 1939 Hitler annexed the rest of the Czech lands of Bohemia and Moravia, with Slovakia becoming a puppet state of Germany. Five months later in September 1939 Hitler's forces invaded Poland. Chamberlain responded with a British declaration of war on Germany.
In May 1940, after the disastrous Norwegian campaign, Chamberlain resigned and Winston Churchill became prime minister. Chamberlain served in Churchill's cabinet as lord president of the council. He died a few weeks after he left office, on 9 November 1940.
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