Pearl Harbor

The Pearl Harbor address to the nation is probably one of the most famous speeches made throughout time. In this essay I will evaluate the rhetorical effectiveness of Franklin Delano Roosevelt's famous speech and show that his speech is a successful argument for the United States of America. I will focus on the speaker's credibility, all the different appeals made throughout the essay, as well as the purpose and the audience of the speech. Also, I will include whether or not there are any logical fallacies that may have weakened his speech.

President Roosevelt does a few specific things to be able to establish his credibility as an author. Since Roosevelt was the current president, the United States was inclined to listen to him and believe what he was saying. Being the president, the people knew that he was a credible source to receive information from. The president had also been appointed Assistant Secretary of the Navy in 1920. This shows that he had experience with the United States military services and knew how to handle the Pearl Harbor situation. Roosevelt's speech is short, but it still utilizes pathos, ethos, and logos and has just enough detail to let the world know what was going on.

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