Rhetorical Analysis Of Eisenhower's Farewell Address

Fifty-three years, ten months and eighteen days ago, Eisenhower gave what is now known as one of the most memorable farewell addresses in presidential history, excluding George Washington and his departing speech, to the nation. In this amazing address, Eisenhower expresses fears and warns of deficit spending, the corrupting influence of the military, and the possible corruption of science. In quick overview, this speech seems like a simple farewell to the nation he had served for so many years, but if you dive a little deeper, the meaning is much more multifaceted.
After briefly thanking Congress, Ike then delves into the problems he foresees, identifying two main points and sub-points. He first speaks about concerns for the growth and budget of the military. Eisenhower states that “we can no longer risk emergency

He praises the nation, holding it to such a high standard and persuades people that it should continue to be elevated when he says, “Throughout America’s adventure in the free government, our basic purposes have been to keep the peace, foster the progress in human achievement, and to enhance liberty, dignity, and integrity among peoples and among nations. To strive for less would be unworthy of a free and religious people.” He also relates himself to the rest of the people when he says, “As a private citizen, I shall never cease to do what little I can to help the world advance…” Parallelism is used to accentuate his theme of balance, “But each proposal must be weighed in the light of a broader consideration: the need to maintain balance in and among national programs, balance between the private and the public economy, balance between the clearly necessary and the comfortably desirable, balance between our essential requirements as a nation and the duties imposed by the nation upon the individual, balance between actions of the moment and the national welfare of the