Rhetorical Analysis Of Roosevelt's Speech

Roosevelt begins his speech by stating the series of events Japan took and how those events affect the United states. When Roosevelt states "Yesterday, the Japanese government also launched an attack against Malaya. Last night...Midway Island."(line 17-22) he shows the list of atrocities Japan has committed in one night. By listing the attacks which occurred in different parts of the world Roosevelt uses PATHOS to help strengthen his argument by provoking a feeling of discontent towards Japan. Through the use of PATHOS Roosevelt is able to get America feel the need to take action which is driven by the sense of fear, the fear of being attacked again by the Japanese. In addition to the sense of fear the feeling of the unity and patriotism.
In lines 32 and 33 Roosevelt states “Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory and our interest are in grave danger.” stating America as a whole is in danger and we need to join together and be able to take action and allow for a more accepting attitude when he later states Congress will declare war.