In this course we will listen to speeches by major figures in the Second World War, and together think about what makes for good rhetoric, the role (or lack thereof) of rhetoric in statesmanship, the difference between statesmanship and demagoguery, and the various types of rhetorical styles in different situations. In addition to these broad themes, we will examine together, and get a sense of, some of the major personalities in the Second World War, including Winston Churchill, Franklin Roosevelt, Charles de Gaulle, Adolf Hitler, General George Patton, General Montgomery, General Eisenhower, and Harry Truman.