The Influence of Words During Times of War - Essay Example

?The Influence of Words During Times of War Introduction It has often been suggested that words are one of the most potent weapons during times of war (Oliver, 1987). Winston Churchill, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during the Second World War, was famous for his use of words. It has been suggested that his words were instrumental in keeping the national spirit alive during this difficult time (Jenkins, 2002), with his stirring “we shall never surrender” (Churchill, 2003) being one of the most famous wartime quotes of all time. Franklin D. Roosevelt was the President of the United States for the same period, and is also known for his stirring speeches that kept the passion of the country alive during the bombings from Japan and the American entry into the Second World War. Throughout history, words have been used to describe the opposition, with the Ancient Greeks and Romans grouping enemy forces under the name 'Barbarians' (Oliver, 1987), meaning those that babble or are nonsensical. This helps to instil a sense of 'us' versus 'them' into the forces, which is a powerful weapon that is continuously used throughout history to aid in winning a war. The purpose of this paper is to prove that words have throughout history been one of the most powerful tools that a leader can utilize to win a war. The Power of Words in Wartime The Power of Words in Wartime by Robin Lakoff (2005) is an article describing just how powerful words can be as a weapon. The article centres around the history of words used in war time, focusing on the description words that are typically used to describe 'the enemy'; barbarians, infidels, Japs, Yankees, Frogs. The article suggests that these words help to bring one side closer together by grouping the enemy as something negative, something outside of themselves. It gives a sense of supremacy to one side, often focusing on physical or cultural differences between the enemy and the home side. The entire thesis of the article is based around the fact that it is easier to kill an 'enemy' or a 'target' than it is to kill another human being. Killing another person is murder, but killing a 'target' or a 'Hun' in the event of war is something different, and just shows how powerful words can be in changing the normal morals of an individual. Churchill's Powerful Words As previously mentioned, Churchill and his powerful speeches have been considered one of the most important elements in the Allied win of the Second World War (Brekle, 1989). "Give us the tools and we will finish the job” (Churchill, 2003) are the famous words of Churchill to Franklin D. Roosevelt, allowing the nation to see the confidence of Churchill, bringing faith, courage and hope to the nation. It suggests that Churchill himself had a great amount of faith in the Allied forces, and it is sometimes this type of faith that is needed to give confidence to an army, confidence being something that is perhaps more important than technology in winning a war (Oliver, 1987). Churcill is also famous for saying "Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning” (Churchill, 2003). This again was a powerful quote at the time, stirring the forces and the nation into believing that there is some hope that the tragedies of war would begin to end. In this quote, Churchill acknowledges the past, present and future struggles of the war, but does so in such a confident manner. There are numerous more quotes that can be used to show Churchill's rhetoric and how instrumental it was in instilling hope, but these serve to give evidence of his skill and its power during wartime. The Rhetoric of Roosevelt Roosevelt was also known for his skill in rhetoric. Whilst Churchill seemed more focused on giving the forces confidence on the battlefield, Roosevelt is possibly more associated with letting the nation know that the cause they were fighting for was the right cause. This is an important tool in persuading soldiers to sign up to fight; no-one wants to fight for something they don't believe in. "We look forward to a world founded upon four essential human freedoms” (Jenkins & Neustadt, 2004), suggested Roosevelt, encouraging the nation to believe that the fight was a good fight, freeing people who needed to be saved. In the same message to congress, Roosevelt said that one of the most important things for any human is “freedom from fear” (Jenkins & Neustadt, 2004), again helping the nation to believe that entering the war because of the attack from Japan is right and good. Without these words, the United States may never have entered the war and the world would be in a different shape than it is today. Modern Words & Conclusion Although this paper has primarily focused on the use of words during the Second World War, it must not be forgotten that using words in war is something that has been done throughout history. What is perhaps more interesting is that this type of winning rhetoric is still being used today, with weapons manufacturers ignoring the fact that guns will be used against fellow humans and referring to them as 'targets'. The forces in Iraq refer to the people being killed as 'the enemy', anonymizing them perhaps to make them easier to kill (Brekle, 1989). Words are a very important tool in warfare and must not be underestimated, as evidenced by the stirring speeches of Roosevelt and Churchill amongst others. Indeed, these speeches are so famous and powerful that the words are often recycled in a modern context to help win modern conflicts. Words cannot win a war alone, but they play a powerful role that must not be underestimated. Works Cited Brekle, H.E. “War with words.” Language, power and ideology: studies in political discourse (1989): 81–92. Print. Churchill, S.W., and W.S. Churchill. Never give in!: the best of Winston Churchill’s speeches. Hyperion Books, 2003. Print. Jenkins, Roy. Churchill. Pan Macmillan, 2002. Print. Jenkins, Roy, and Richard E. Neustadt. Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Thorndike Press, 2004. Print. Lakoff, Robin Tolmach. “The Power of Words in Wartime.” Writing 27.5 (2005): 6-7. Print. Oliver, Robert Tarbell. Public speaking in the reshaping of... Google books, 1987. Read More