JFK Ich Bin Ein Berliner Speech

What was the Cold War?

The Cold War was a period of tension beween the Soviet Union and the United States and their allies that lasted between 1947 and 1991. During the Cold War both countries stuggled for global influence and wanted to prove that they were the best which resulted in events such as the Nuclear Arms Race and the Space Race. While no conflict actually happended between the two countries they did support opposing sides in wars such as the Korean and the Vietnam War.

Who was the speech intended for?

The Ich bin ein Berliner speech was intended for the people of West Berlin as well as the Soviet Union and it allies.

John F. Kennedy Ich Bin Ein Berliner Speech

Berlin

Rheotic Device #3

The construction of the 155 km Berlin Wall by the Soviets in 1961 divided East and West Berlin, preventing people from escaping to the West through East Berlin.

To understand why JFK made his infamous speech in Berlin, we have to go back to the aftermath of World War 2.

After the defeat of Nazi Germany, the major Allied powers occupied and split up Germany, as well as the capital of Berlin.

What is Communism?

The third rhetorcic device that I found was a metaphor which was found when JFK said "You live in a defended island of freedom, but your life is part of the main"(JFK 6). This shwos that Berlin is like an island because it is completly surrounded by communism.

In response to the Soviet Union cutting off access to Berlin in 1948 in an attempt to drive the Western Allies out of Berlin, the Western Allies needed to use planes to get supplies to West Berlin,this lasted for a little over a year. This was known as the Berlin BLocade

Who was John F. Kennedy?

The speech was made to symbolize unity with the West and reassure the people of West Berlin to stay strong in the face of Soviet aggression.

Another purpose was John F. Kennedy's speech in Berlin was to show the United States' commitment to supporting West Berlin during the Cold War.

Communism is a type of government as well as an economic system. In a Communist system, individual people do not own land, factories, or machinery. Instead, the government or the whole community owns these things. Everyone is supposed to share the wealth that they create.Everone gets paid the same and works the same. Some countries that are still communist today are China, Cuba, Laos, Vietnam, and North Korea.

What was the purpose of the speech?

John F. Kennedy (commonly reffered to as JFK), was the youngest U.S. president that was elected to office, served from January 20, 1961, until his tragic assassination on November 22, 1963. He is known for the peacful resolvment of the Cuban Missile Crisis

What is the tone of the speech?

The tone of the poem is charged and passionate to show how much JFK supports the people of West Berlin and how he believes that communism is immoral

What was the subject of the speech?

Rhetorical Device #1

The subject was the fight against the Soviet Union and its allies as well as the communist regime

The first rhetorical device I found in the speech was Amplification. I found this where JFK says "There are many people in the world who really don't understand, or say they don't, what is the great issue between the free world and the Communist world. Let them come to Berlin. There are some who say that communism is the wave of the future. Let them come to Berlin. And there are some who say in Europe and elsewhere we can work with the Communists. Let them come to Berlin. And there are even a few who say that it is true that communism is an evil system, but it permits us to make economic progress. Lass' sie nach Berlin kommen. Let them come to Berlin"(JFK 3). The Amplififcation shows that JFK strongly believes that anyone who believes that communism works should come to Berlin to see its failures and downfalls.

Retoric Device #2

The Ich Bin Ein Beriner speech was made in West Berlin in Germany on June 26th, 1963 during the Cold War

When and where did the speech take place?

The second rhetoric device i found was parrelelism which I found when JFK said "I know of no town, no city, that has been besieged for 18 years that still lives with the vitality and the force, and the hope, and the determination of the city of West Berlin"(JFK 4). The continued saying of and the before listing the qualites of West Berlin show that there are tons of amazing qualites about the city West Berlin and the people that live there.