ipl-logo

Woodrow Wilson Declaration Of War Speech Analysis

606 Words3 Pages

Woodrow Wilson was our great nation’s 28th President and he delivered an eye opening speech to congress on April 2, 1917. Woodrow Wilson’s Declaration of War speech was a plea to congress to recognize the already present war between Germany and the United States. Congress was seemingly ignoring the war until then. The speech was directed to all Americans and congress before him. The main point of the Declaration of War Speech was that German submarines were around and in American territory. This was considered war against all nations and to mankind because of the imposing nature of the act by the Germans. At the time, President Wilson’s reason for declaring war was to make the world a safer place for Americans and because of the need to make …show more content…

With President Wilson as the leader of America, he would have to make sure it was for the good of all mankind and not just America itself. Throughout his address to congress, Wilson appeals at different points to being human, mankind, and the freedom of people. This is also where the idea of the United Nations comes to light, at the time called League of Nations. The idea was that America would pursue the highest wishes of mankind for the best interest of the world. Even though the speech itself gives off the message that Americans should remain neutral in the war, Woodrow’s speech also gives the idea that this means the United States has to guide other nations in restoring justice and peace to the world against Germany’s selfish interest and power hungry war acts. No other president before Wilson made this a huge pitch to congress as President Wilson did. Many Americans, at the time, shared these same views because our independence was fairly new as a nation. Wilson uses the line, “for a universal dominion of right by such a concert of free peoples as shall bring peace and safety to all nations and make the world itself at last free.” to congress, in his speech to justify his want and need for war. He states to congress that it is needed so that all like-minded nations dedicated to peace, safety and justice can come together for the world’s

Show More
Related

  • Why Is The Zimmermann Telegram Important

    737 Words  | 3 Pages

    On April second President Wilson made his war proposal to congress, shortly after America was now involved in World War

    Read More

  • Rhetorical Analysis Of Franklin D Roosevelt Request A Declaration Of War Speech

    639 Words  | 3 Pages

    If America did not enter the war, hostilities would continue to exist and Roosevelt wanted American’s to know that “there was no blinking at the face that our people, our territory, and our interests are in grave danger.” The president had confidence that the armed forces could win the war and he got the American people to believe it as

    Read More

  • Woodrow Wilson's Neutrality In World War I

    1305 Words  | 6 Pages

    As an alternative, he considered methods of protecting American freight without actually arriving at the conclusion of a war. He addressed the situation with a positive attitude and was hopeful that the Germans would reassess the submarine campaign. Ships asked for the naval guard or at least protective weapons for firing at submarines on the surface. The senate never ended up acting on the issue and President Wilson armed the vessels without congressional authorization (Fordham, 301-302). These statements given to the American people add to the credibility of Wilson as a president considering he is still trying to stay neutral in World War I.

    Read More

  • Why Did Woodrow Wilson Enter World War 1

    859 Words  | 4 Pages

    It took months before the United States was able to deploy troops to Europe. It took all of Wilson’s efforts to get the United States into World War One. Without these reforms we may never have joined the Great War. One of his first and most important reforms was changing the war’s image through

    Read More

  • Woodrow Wilson's Decision To Enter World War I

    783 Words  | 4 Pages

    Along with that, the Zimmerman Note added suspense into entering the war. Again, this note was sent from the Germans to get Mexico to fight against the United States if they would choose to enter the war. Our president, Woodrow Wilson, was the one who declared the United States was to no longer be neutral but instead be a part of Britain, France, and Russia.

    Read More

  • Rhetorical Analysis Of George Washington's Inaugural Address

    1040 Words  | 5 Pages

    Intro Growing up, we have all heard the many stories of George Washington. While many recognize him as one of the most important figures in U.S history, others only recognize him by one of his multiple accomplishments; he was the 1st president of the United States. With presidency comes the variety of duties and responsibilities, the main being a president 's inaugural adress. In George Washington 's very 1st inaugural, he uses three rhetorical strategies: personification, amplification, and last but not least, repitition to convey what he truly wants for the States and why a successful Constitution should be in order.

    Read More

  • Pros And Cons Of Us Involvement In Ww2

    1664 Words  | 7 Pages

    Wilson asked congress for a declaration of war against Germany. Although not at once congress agree to the declaration of war and Pres. Wilson signed that declaration on April

    Read More

  • Woodrow Wilson Dbq

    582 Words  | 3 Pages

    Woodrow Wilson was a highly educated president and in his precedency era he accomplished social and economic reforms including the Federal Reserve Act, the Child Labor Reform Act and finally ratifying the 19th amendment, giving all women the right to vote but also making Wilson the last president of the United States of the Progressive Era. One of the most important decisions during his precedency was leading the United States into the First World War, which many arguments are that Wilson could have avoided leading the U.S. into the war during this time but many opticals drove the country itself to an unstoppable event and concerning the future of foreign policies. World War I was not a war that Wilson wanted to be a part of especially being that Europe and Germany were both part of the country’s main trade suppliers during the 19th century. Also, Wilson stood for piece in the eyes of the nation so making a decision to take the country to war would have

    Read More

  • Fdr's Infamy Speech

    1031 Words  | 5 Pages

    By saying these things, FDR convinced congress that the United States had an enemy that had planned destruction on United States property. And a planned deliberate attack upon unowned property is considered an act of war. The congress took this into consideration when FDR finally asked them to create this declaration of war at the ending lines of his speech. Using the language and descriptions FDR did is what made the declaration of war so easily made. If he had not delivered the information as clearly and brilliantly as he did, the declaration of war may have taken far longer to

    Read More

  • How Did World War 1 Changed American Society

    573 Words  | 3 Pages

    George Washington encouraged the United States to take a neutral approach, to avoid wars with nations in the future. Woodrow Wilson wanted to continue the policy of neutrality. He eventually asked Congress to declare war on Germany. The Government failed to sign the Treaty of Versailles and join the League of Nations. Many thought that joining the League of Nations would lead to war.

    Read More

  • Pearl Harbor Speech Rhetorical Analysis Essay

    947 Words  | 4 Pages

    Roosevelt effectively uses rhetorical techniques to ensure trust with his audience through the use of emotional diction, and repetition to appeal to his audience and help rally support for the war effort. Roosevelt’s speech inflamed the passions of the American people to the point that the day after Roosevelt’s Pearl Harbor speech Congress declared war on Japan with the support of the majority of the American people. His mastery of rhetorical devices and language helped to get the U.S. on board to enter World War II which eventually helped to turn the tide of the war in the favor of the Allied forces. With his speech, Roosevelt was able to provide comfort to the U.S. people and inspire them to enter the war which makes his declaration of war one of the most powerful in

    Read More

  • Eugene V. Debs Speech To The Jury Analysis

    771 Words  | 4 Pages

    On April 2, 1917, the 28th president of the United States of America, Woodrow Wilson, delivered a speech before the Congress in order to declare war against Germany. This period of history represents the first worldwide conflict and opposes the Allied forces of the United States, Great Britain, France, Russia, Italy, and Japan against the Central Powers of Germany, Bulgaria, the Austrian-Hungarian empire, and the Ottoman empire. Woodrow Wilson involved the United States, which was originally neutral at the beginning of World War I when the Germans attacked and sank the Lusitania, a ship transporting ammunition to the allies but also American citizens. More importantly, in his speech, Woodrow Wilson explicitly states his opinion and purpose that ' 'the world must be made safe for democracy ' ' (Voices of Freedom 107) and that the immediate contribution of his nation to World War I would bring "peace and justice" (Voices of Freedom 105) to the world, as well as the end of the threatening expansion of

    Read More

  • A Rhetorical Analysis Of Franklin D. Roosevelt's Speech

    688 Words  | 3 Pages

    So we thought. The speech did not show much grief. Toward the end of the short speech, the Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy declared war against Japan. Franklin D. Roosevelt started the speech by welcoming the other political powers. He quickly delivers the news of the attack on Pearl Harbor.

    Read More

  • A Rhetorical Analysis Of Theodore Roosevelt's Speech

    779 Words  | 4 Pages

    At just age 43, Theodore Roosevelt, better known as Teddy Roosevelt, became the president of the United States following a tragic incident in which William McKinley was assassinated, making him the youngest presidents. He brought a new spirit into the white house, one that believed that the president should work for his country to do whatever is necessary. As a president he expanded executive power, believed in a strong foreign policy as well as pushed many progressive reforms. On April 23, 1910, while in Paris, France, he delivered a speech to an audience filled with students of the prestigious school of Sorbonne University. Within his speech he touches on the idea of the advantages that these students have been given, however, in a polite

    Read More

  • The Pros And Cons Of The League Of Nations

    1726 Words  | 7 Pages

    President Woodrow Wilson established America’s goal for joining World War I as “making the world safe for democracy.” At the conclusion of the War, President Wilson declared fourteen principles for peace to be used during the Paris Peace Conference, called the Fourteen Points. The most important of these points was the final point: a general association of nations with the guarantees of political and territorial independence and security. As the Peace Conference progressed, more nations ratified the Treaty of Versailles and joined the League of Nations, the embodiment of President Wilson’s fourteenth point. However, Senate the United States, from President Wilson’s own country, did not ratify the treaty.

    Read More

More about Woodrow Wilson Declaration Of War Speech Analysis

Open Document