Last Speeches and Lessons Learned

There’s some romanticism around lasts. Think about it. You cherish lasts. Your last kiss with a forlorn lover. Your last day as a college student. Your last milkshake with grandpa before he passed away. Your last words to your daughter before she became someone else’s world. Lasts are powerful. They can haunt your days and infiltrate your nights. They can lift you up one minute. And knock you down to the ground the next. Even Aristotle acknowledged the beauty and dominance of a last. According to his theory of finality, every person dedicates their lives to a goal that is not only exclusively theirs, but that is also inherently for the benefit of the greater community.

Last Speeches and Lessons Learned

After analyzing several last speeches delivered by various influential individuals, I discovered the absolute elegance, apprehension, and weight they had, and continue to have, on audiences. Below is an exploration into some of history’s most reveled folks and the last speeches they gave. What do we have to learn from all of this? Find out.

Winston Churchill, “Never Despair”

In March of 1955, Winston Churchill made his final speech, titled “Never Despair,” to the British House of Commons. On this day, Churchill expressed his support of a motion to pass a statement on defense in the midst of the Communist era and rise of nuclear weaponry. The breadth of his speech, however, was a description of his observations of the environment and climate of society at the time. Throughout the speech, Churchill champions themes of protection, independence, and strength. And he expounded on his concerns about the future of Britain’s nuclear warfare and general defense system in truly magnificent and authentic ways. What do I mean? He utilized 3 effective strategies.

  1. Analogy

In the following excerpts, Churchill begin his speech with details to illustrate his perspective of society. Through the use of analogy, he took what could have been a flimsy statement into a substantial thought worthy of additional processing by his audience.

“We have antagonisms now as deep as those of the Reformation and its reactions which led to the Thirty Years’ War.”

“We have, to some extent, the geographical division of the Mongol invasion in the thirteenth century, only more ruthless and more thorough.”

  1. Discretion

This man was author of 20 books. Victorious leader of the British troops during WWII. Prime minister of Parliament. The list goes on and on. But in his final address to the House of Commons, he admitted his lack of knowledge.

“I do not pretend to be an expert or to have technical knowledge of this prodigious sphere of science. But in my long friendship with Lord Cherwell I have tried to follow and even predict the evolution of events.”

Churchill exited the public arena with these poignant and prescriptive words: “Never finch, never weary, never despair.”

Martin Luther King, Jr. “I’ve been to the mountaintop”

The setting was the Mason Temple in Memphis, Tennessee. The year was 1968. The day was April 3. The day before Martin Luther King, Jr.’s assassination. He delivered a speech to attendees about the continuing work and efforts that needed to be done to achieve equality. In the beginning, King switches to the third person and imagines a conversation with God. In this scene, God asks King “which age would you like to live in?” The words that follow expose 2 effective public speaking techniques the masterful presenter, King, employed to create a valid argument.

  1. Repetition

King was the King of Repetition. Intricately weaving a phrase throughout his narrative like a woman threads a needle. Consider the excerpt below:

“I would move on by Greece and take my mind to Mount Olympus. And I would see Plato, Aristotle, Socrates, Euripides and Aristophanes assembled around the Parthenon. And I would watch them around the Parthenon as they discussed the great and eternal issues of reality. But I wouldn’t stop there.

I would go on, even to the great heyday of the Roman Empire. And I would see developments around there, through various emperors and leaders. But I wouldn’t stop there.”

This continues for another few paragraphs as he concludes with this: “Strangely enough, I would turn to the Almighty, and say, “If you allow me to live just a few years in the second half of the 20th century, I will be happy.”

By utilizing repetition, King cultivated a tone of surprise and an element of unexpectedness. Where would he stop? His last speech highlighted his adroitness in spoken and written word; his ability to deliver an argument in an almost musical format.

  1. Transitions

Within his speech, King provided actionable steps and pointed call to actions for his audience in a clear, concise, and structured manner. For example, with words like secondly, now, and, after, and but, he twirled from point to point methodically. Also, his points were easily recognizable and outlined as such:

  • He first asked the audience to stay together.
  • Then, he asked them to localize the issues at hand.
  • And he expressed the importance of marching, and marching endlessly.

Although his last speech, King imparted a group of listeners with the motivation and wisdom to fight the fight and to do so honorably.

Adolf Hitler, Last Radio Speech

In early 1945, Adolf Hitler addressed the German populace over the airwaves for the last time. Despite his terrible crimes, Hitler was a compelling orator. And his final radio speech displayed his skills.

  1. Third person language

One of the most effective ways to connect with presentation audiences involves changing the tone of your language from first or second person to third person. Using words like we, us, and our creates a sense of community and collaboration. See how Hitler integrates the third person into his last radio speech – placing himself on the same level as listeners.

We were granted only six years of peace after Jan. 30, 1933. During these six years tremendous feats were achieved, and even greater ones were planned, so many and such huge ones that they caused envy among our democratic, impotent neighbors.”

  1. Past vs. Present

Throughout his speech, Hitler incorporates temporal phrases to provide context and set the scene for his message. For example, at the beginning he says “Twelve years ago, when, as the leader of the strongest party…” He goes on to juxtapose the situation Germany was in during that time period to the present-day. Hitler utilizes this technique, ultimately, to hail the benefits of socialism.

Conclusion

No matter the circumstances surrounding the performance of a last speech – whether planned or unplanned – it is undeniable the durability of their message. For the presenters of today, I suggest treating every presentation you give as a gift. As a promise of tomorrow. As a chance to make a lasting impact. To study how other individuals have crafted their last speeches, navigate to the articles below:

The Golden Speech

3 Common Arguments that Kill Your Presentation Message

Abraham Lincoln’s Last Public Address

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