Exactly thirty years ago, President Jimmy Carter gave his famous "Crisis of Confidence” speech, also know as the “Malaise” speech. At that time, the United States was also going through a major economic crisis which would also lead to Carter’s defeat for reelection to Ronald Reagan in 1980. Here in a short excerpt from that speech.
To read the entire speech, go to: http://www.usa-presidents.info/speeches/malaise.html
On this day in 1940, Sir Winston Churchill gave one of three memorable speeches to the House of Commons during the Battle of France. These three speeches were of great inspiration to the British people. Here is transcript of the speech as given by the Churchill on this day:
We are in the preliminary stage of one of the greatest battles in history. That we are in action at many points — in Norway and in Holland —, that we have to be prepared in the Mediterranean. That the air battle is continuous, and that many preparations have to be made here at home.
I would say to the House as I said to those who have joined this government: I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat. We have before us an ordeal of the most grievous kind. We have before us many, many long months of struggle and of suffering.
You ask, what is our aim? I can answer in one word: Victory. Victory at all costs — Victory in spite of all terror — Victory, however long and hard the road may be, for without victory there is no survival.
VOCABULARY
| toil – le labeur, le travail |
| tears – des larmes |
| sweat – la sueur |
| ordeal – une épreuve |
| grievous – sérieux, dangereux, grave |
| struggle – une lutte |
| aim – le but |
| in spite of - malgré |
Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation, so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate—we can not consecrate—we can not hallow—this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve 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.
score vingt to bring forth (literary) produire, introduire whether si resting place un lieu de repos altogether complètement fitting qui convient to hallow consacrer to struggle lutter to detract diminuer rather plutôt
thus far jusqu'à présent nobly noblement, grandement task la tâche to resolve décider to perish périr
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Animated history of the Battle of Gettysburg
The Brothers War: The Battle of Gettysburg
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The Battle of Gettysburg at Wikipedia
Gettysburg Address at Wikipedia
Gettysburg Address at Cornell University
