Analysis Of Fdr 's ' The Pearl Harbor '

The famous speech, Pearl Harbor address to the nation by Franklin D. Roosevelt (president at the time) shows us a vast amount of rhetorical appeals: Pathos, Ethos, and Logos to the nation. This speech announced to us that the intended audience and the persuasion used in order to change the peoples’ minds to defend our nation. The Pearl Harbor Address to the Nation speech was given to tell the U.S. that Japan has initiated war by attacking Oahu, Hawaii; while also attacking islands on the Pacific coast. Roosevelt addressed to the nation the stance we must take in order to protect ourselves from Japan and from attacks in the future. It was also revealed that Japan deliberately planned and attacked Hawaii do to the distance between each other. The Japanese ambush caused severe damage to American naval and military forces. It was then that America made a move to attack the Japanese Empire on December 8, 1941.

Hours after Pearl Harbor was bombed by Japan, gaining worldwide headlines, giving millions unanswered questions, the speech, Pearl Harbor Address to the Nation was given one day after the event. On December 8th 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt gave a speech to be remembered today, by using rhetorical devices and figurative language to strongly picture his message to the public, making great use of parallel structure, personification, parallelism, and climax ordering to enforce his key point of wanting Americans to stand up against the Japanese forces for the deliberate actions done towards there peaceful country, with no threat or hint of war or of an armed attack. With hopes of gathering support for the decision to declare war on Japan.

I interpret the phrase, “Times of terror are times of eloquence,” as meaning that traumatic or undesirable situations produce memorable speeches which guide people into action or change attitudes. Emerson’s saying suggests the best speaking and writing rises from troubling events. The quote relates to the notion in Bitzer’s essay that true rhetorical discourse occurs when a speaker addresses an audience in response to a situation in order to induce change.

“A date which will live in infamy (Roosevelt).” There were three part to this attack, what lead to the attack, the actual attack and the aftermath. The world was at war and the United States didn’t want to get too involved until the attack happened. During the attack on Pearl Harbor the United States made the decision to join the War. The United States joining the war brought the most crucial years to follow along with the dropping of the atomic bomb. The attack on Pearl Harbor was the beginning of the a very long war that cost the lives of many people but brought a nation together.

December 7, 1941: Attacks on Pearl Harbor: Around November 25, the US intercepted a message of an imminent attack on US soil. In addition, Japan started to move its navy towards Hawaii. Washington’s response to this was a warning to Hawaii, indicating the anticipated attack. However, on December 7, 1941, a fleet on Japanese bombers approached Pearl Harbor with the intent to bomb the navy port. US navy ships were left defenseless as the Japanese torpedoes starting to sink them. Within two hours, US lost eight battleships, two cruisers, and more than a hundred planes. About two thousand soldiers died and one thousand were injured. As a result of this attack, President Roosevelt addressed the Congress, asking for the declaration of war. On

December 7, 1941, was one of the worst attacks on the United States in U.S. history. Of that day 2,403 soldiers were killed in action, 1,178 were wounded in action. Numerous U.S. armed forces personnel were misjudged, which allowed the Japanese to carry out this terrible attack. Not only did the Japanese hit the U.S. where they knew it would hurt the most, but it crippled the United States’ entire Pacific Fleet.

“Yesterday, December 7th, 1941’” began President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the day following Japan’s fateful attack on Pearl Harbor, resulting in the in the tragic loss of nearly two and a half thousand American lives. A date so famously proclaimed to ‘forever live in infamy,’ and so it has. This inspiring speech to Congress and the American people employed appeals and other techniques in it’s mission to touch America’s heart, both with sympathy and indignation. President Roosevelt’s use of rhetoric is extremely effective in rallying the American people to the cause of entering a war so many were reluctant to support.

“December 7th 1941- A date that will live in infamy.” This opening statement is the first powerful line said by President Roosevelt to the American people after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. This greatness of this opening line will be forever be ingrained in the minds of every American citizen, especially the people who lived during the most significant war of the 20th century. The bombing of Pearl Harbor is an event that can never be forgotten, and President Roosevelt’s speech in response to this appalling attack is just as significant. The objective of this speech was to urge Congress to declare war on Japan. Roosevelt’s speech after Pearl Harbor is one of the more recognizable and important speeches in all of American history. His speech incorporates bountiful instances of rhetorical devices, such as logos, pathos, and ethos. By analyzing these rhetorical devices, one is able to see Roosevelt’s vigorous use of emotion, his strength in addressing his character and reputation rather than focusing too heavily upon appeals to logic and reason, ultimately to get the result he wants from his audience. The profound power of this speech resonates with all who read and hear it.

“Yesterday, December 7th, 1941- a date which will live in infamy- the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan” (1). These are the words Franklin Delano Roosevelt chose to begin his Pearl Harbor Address to the Nation the day after Pearl Harbor was attacked by Japan. FDR’s speech was a call to arms, and in his speech he expressed outrage towards Japan and confidence in inevitable triumph. The speech was a request to declare war against Japan and to bring the United States into World War II. FDR’s speech was successful in bringing the United States into World War II because FDR presented facts explaining why war needed to be declared and used righteous indignation

Then, a huge tragedy happened that shocked our nation. “…President Franklin D. Roosevelt, calling December 7, 1941, a date which will live in infamy,” asked Congress to declare

American President, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, gave the Pearl Harbor Address to the Nation at a time of great pain and sorrow. The nation had just experienced “a day that would live in infamy” (Roosevelt). Pearl Harbor was attacked by Japanese Air Forces which resulted in the lives lost of many Americans. In his address, he informs the nation of the event that had taken place and why they must go to war against the Japanese empire. President Roosevelt expresses the state of emergency with these statements:

The morning of December 7th, 1941, was a day that “will live in infamy,” as described by former-president Franklin D. Roosevelt about the tragedy that took place at Pearl Harbor. Peaceful sleep quickly turned to chaotic horror as the Japanese flew over the American naval base and released their bombs, taking the lives of thousands of American soldiers and citizens, and significantly weakening American military strength in the Pacific. While the rest of the world was occupied fighting in the second World War, the United States remained uninvolved. Japan was struggling economically and demographically, and in order to solve these issues, their military was invading nearby countries.

On December 7, 1941, the Japanese Empire bombarded the US military base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii in a surprise attack. This ambush reminded the U.S. that they could no longer be spectators of the war and engaged them into direct conflict during World War II. On the day after the attack, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt spoke before a joint session of the Congress, requesting for a declaration of war against Japan. Throughout his infamous speech, he utilised diction, literary devices, and his simple organization of text to urge the Congress to formally declare war on Japan and rally the American population to support the war effort, thus establishing a sense of urgency and strengthening the nation in the face of grave danger.

December 7, 1941, an attack on Pearl Harbor that was conducted by the Japanese Empire. It was a surprise, and brutal attack on the United States naval base. This day would be remembered as “a date which will live in infamy” (Barbara C. Bigelow, Roosevelt, Franklin D). This devastating attack caused many American casualties, and many Americans with mixed emotions. For example many had anger towards Japan for the attack, wanted to fight back, others had fear because the thought of war. The attack on Pearl Harbor was an attack that the United States should have been ready for! The reason the United States was not prepared for the attack was because of admiral Husband Kimmel, Lieutenant General Walter Short, and partially the United States Military.

“Pearl Harbor December 7, 1941, a date which will live in infamy.... No matter how long it make take us to overcome, this premeditated invasion the American people, in their righteous might, will win through absolute victory.”(President Franklin D.Roosevelt). This was not like any other attack. This attack will never be forgotten. It went down in history as the worst war ever because of the number of the deaths and the fact of how the U.S got their revenge.