Read the excerpts from Roosevelt’s "Four Freedoms" speech and Lincoln’s "Gettysburg Address.”
Roosevelt:
This nation has placed its destiny in the hands and heads and hearts of its millions of free men and women; and its faith in freedom under the guidance of God. Freedom means the supremacy of human rights everywhere. Our support goes to those who struggle to gain those rights or keep them. Our strength is our unity of purpose. To that high concept there can be no end save victory.
Lincoln:
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.
In these excerpts, Roosevelt states "this nation has placed its destiny” and Lincoln states "shall not perish from earth.” With these phrases, both presidents are stressing the importance of
achieving victory no matter what the cost.
ending the war as quickly as possible.
preserving freedom far into the future.
making tough sacrifices for one’s nation.
