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The next day, Franklin D. Roosevelt addressed the United States Congress with his memorable “a date which will live in infamy” speech This speech had two purposes: 1 . To urge Congress to formally declare war on Japan (which they did just minutes later), and 2. To rally the American people to support the war effort. Yesterday, December 7, 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.
The most memorable phrase of this speech comes in its first line. The label “infamy” foreshadows the tone of the entire speech. Consider the very different tone resulting from the following alternatives: Yesterday, December 7, 1 941 ?? a tragic date ?? Yesterday, December 7, 1 941 a pivotal day for our country ?? Yesterday, December 7, 1941 ?? a date which we experienced sorrow… Yesterday, December 7, 1941, the united States of America was… That is, suppose no labeling phrase was used at all] None of these alternatives are consistent with Roosevelt goal. Roosevelt continues to use vivid, emotional words throughout the speech, including: suddenly and deliberately attacked” “deliberately planned” “deliberately sought to deceive” “surprise offensive” “unprovoked and dastardly/’ “premeditated invasion” “onslaught against us” “this form of treachery/’ These phrases continue the “infamy” theme, and characterize the Japanese actions as duplicitous and dishonorable.
Consider the following phrases: the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan And, later: Yesterday the Japanese Government also launched an attack against Malay. Last night Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong. Attacked Guam. Attacked the Philippine Islands. The Japanese attacked Wake Island. And this morning attacked Midway Island.
Japan has therefore undertaken a surprise offensive extending throughout the Pacific area. By using this exhaustive variety of word forms (“Empire of Japan”, “Japanese Government’, “Japanese forces”, “the Japanese”, “Japan”), Roosevelt makes it clear that the many components of Japan cannot be separated. That is, the attack was not made simply by the Japanese military, but by the Empire, the government, the armed forces, and Japan itself.
Imagine if the entire passage last night Japanese forces attacked quoted above had been abbreviated to the following sentence, which is identical in meaning: Yesterday, Japanese forces attacked Malay, Hong Kong, Guam, the Philippine Islands, Wake Island, and Midway Island. Would this have had the same rhetorical effect as the six individual sentences? No, not even close! Roosevelt use of repetition amplifies the message and draws more attention to the two key words: “Japanese” and “attacked”.
If one were asked to narrow the speech down to just two words, those two words would be “Japanese attacked”. Roosevelt immediate audience for this speech was the members of the United State Congress. In the final sentence of the speech, Roosevelt clearly asks Congress to make the formal declaration of war: ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December 7, 1941, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese Empire. The other audience for this speech was the United States public as a whole.
In the sentences which precede the final one above, Roosevelt makes his call-to- action clear to the American people: hat always will our whole nation remember the character of the onslaught against No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people, in their righteous might, will win through to absolute victory believe that I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost but will make it very certain that this form of treachery shall never again endanger us.
Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory and our interests are in grave danger. With confidence in our armed forces, with the unbinding determination of our people, we will gain the inevitable triumph , so help us God. Five Things You Should Know About Fad’s Pearl Harbor Speech The address that rallied American support for WI still resonates today DALLAS??December 3??How would December 7??Pearl Harbor Day??be remembered without President Franklin D. Roosevelt powerful address to Congress on December 8, 1 941?
Historians see that speech as a turning point in American history, uniting the county in a patriotic surge of support for the “good war. In fact, Fad’s address was chosen to be among the 134 works included in Milestone Documents in American History (Schaller Group, 2008), placing it among the Constitution, Declaration of Independence, and Bill of Rights in historic importance. “Fad’s address is a masterwork of leadership communication in crisis,” says Neil Schaller, founder and president of Schaller Group. “Sixty-six years later, it still conveys the emotion, immediacy, and impact of the Japanese attack.
No wonder the ‘Greatest Generation’ rose in such resolute response. ” While many can easily recall Fad’s catchphrase “a ay which will live in infamy,” the historians and editors behind Milestone Documents in American History want Americans to know more. No speechwriters, please. FDA dictated virtually every word of his For example . Address to his secretary, Grace Dully. The only exception was the next-to-last sentence, 2 the phrasing of which was suggested by his close adviser Harry Hopkins. . The facts speak for themselves.
With the exception of his dramatic reference to “infamy’ and one mention of ‘treachery,” FDA never offered a personal opinion on the Japanese attacks in his address. Instead, he solemnly detailed he facts of the event, relying on listeners to 3 draw their own conclusions.. A foreshadow of things to come. Fad’s call for “absolute victory’ presaged the later decision to wage war until the Japanese surrendered unconditionally. This grand call for total victory also helps to explain why the United 4 States later decided to drop the atomic bomb on Japan. . Short but powerful.
The address to Congress contains just 25 sentences, fewer than 500 words, and was delivered in about 7 minutes. In that brief address, FDA was so persuasive that within 33 minutes, a declaration of war passed unanimously n the Senate, and in the House of Representatives only one dissenting vote was cast (Jennet Rankin, a pacifist from 5 Montana, the first woman elected to Congress). . Defining a historic moment. “But always will our whole Nation remember the character of the onslaught against us,” said FDA, positioning the attack as a defining event in the country history.
Roosevelt use of the future tense??”always will”?? reflected a sense of moral certainty that reinforced his role as commander in chief. The Japanese Empire bombarded Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 it was a surprise attack to the United States. This event caused the loss of many ionic .NET people as well as material destruction to the country. Franklin D. Roosevelt w as the president during that time, his duty was to address both, the nation and the Congress to inform them about what had happened he did this through his s Beech “Pearl Harbor Address to the Nation”.
The speech was extremely important, n to only because of how delicate was the subject, but also because he had the challenge to inform two very different audiences about the occurred. His first audience was Congress which was important because in the end they WOUld determine whether or not to go to war. Also the nation would listen to this SP each, while Congress got to see and hear him during the speech Americans would o hear the speech through radio, which made this an even harder task to cacao mulish. However, Franklin D.
Roosevelt did a truly amazing job addressing both the n action and Congress because he did not focus on only one audience. He clearly addresses both audiences when he says, “l believe that interpret the will of t he Congress and of the people… ” He takes both opinions into consideration. By d Long his Roosevelt gives equal importance to the nation and to Congress, which h him get a positive response from both audiences. This shows that he successful informed the nation and Congress about the war and both audiences understand DOD.
He accomplished two things at once because by addressing both audiences in one speech he shows that he had them both in mind. He did not include the kind of language that the nation would not understand just because he was talking to congress. Also he did not deliver the speech on a manner that would not be appropriate for Congress he used just the right language that would be under stood by both audiences. Another important aspect of this speech that made it so successful is the way that he delivered the speech.
He knew that the nation would be listening to the SP each and he obviously knew that Congress would be present when he would be delivering the speech. Therefore he had to use a tone that would accomplish t purpose of the speech. This had two purposes first to inform his audience ABA out the occurred and second and most important to keep the nation calmed and sass them safety. He does this when he informs the audience that, ‘the United Stats s of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked… Although this was something Eng very shocking he managed to stay calmed and transmit that to others. He also assures safety, “l have directed that all measures be taken for our defense… ” Which gives the nation some kind of tranquility knowing that things are being taken care of. Roosevelt tone was very calm yet very powerful as it is shown in Fig. 1 , w hen he is presenting his speech to Congress and the nation. As a result of Rose let’s capability to address two audiences at once and to deliver the speech with an appropriate and effective tone the speech was very successful.
He successful informed the audience about what happened without causing confusing in en either of them. He used the appropriate language to address both the Congress and the nation. Roosevelt was also aware that his speech would be presented to the audience in two forms, via radio for the nation and in person to the Congress. This played a big role in how he delivered the speech but he managed it very well and used a tone that projected confidence in providing safety for the nation and w as powerful enough to ensure that things would be taken care of.