Pathos In Pearl Harbor Speech

The human species greatest skill is communication. Thus the reason why we as a species are superior to all others. This skill has allowed us to perform great feats such as present speeches to a large audience. Throughout the history of humanity, there have been a vast number of speeches given by tremendously talented people. At the core, these speeches have an intense meaning and focus from the speaker. Perhaps one of the greatest speeches ever given is the Pearl Harbor Address to the Nation given by Franklin D. Roosevelt.

The current president of the United States gave this speech one day after the infamous bombing of Pearl Harbor by Japanese forces during World War II. The bombing of Pearl Harbor is one of the most devastating and known piece

He appeals to the human emotions by giving a sense of danger from the Japanese forces. Roosevelt states: “Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory, and our interests are in grave danger.” By stating this, he makes the danger not only just a national danger, but also a personal danger to every American citizen. This is effective in the point of this speech: to ultimately declare war on Japan. Roosevelt doesn’t only appeal to pathos by stating the negatives of the situation, but he also reassures the American people by stating their strengths as a

While he is most popularly known as the president who successfully led America through the Great Depression, creating many beneficial programs known as the New Deal, all doing this while being terribly stricken with polio and spending part of his presidential term in a wheelchair until his eventual death because of the same disease. Out of many of his great acts, his most notable aspect was his ability to unite America, a country often divided of opinion, against a common ally to better the country. His speech, The Pearl Harbor Address to the Nation, was given during a very difficult time of American history. Despite the despicable tragedy that had just struck Hawaii exactly one day before the given speech, Roosevelt had the ability to remind the American people of their bravery and perseverance. His ultimate goal was to convince Congress to declare war on Japan, which they did exactly that literally minutes after Roosevelt gave his famous speech. While Roosevelt did meet this ultimate goal, he also rallied and morally strengthened the American people when they most needed it. Which is perhaps the greatest feat a president can ever