DIALECTICAL JOURNAL: FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT’S DECLARATION OF WAR. 1941

PASSAGES:

1. "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."
   
2. "I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December 7th, 1941, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese empire."
   
3. "Yesterday, the Japanese government also launched an attack against Malaya.
   

   Last night, Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong.
   

   Last night, Japanese forces attacked Guam.
   

   Last night, Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands.
   

   Last night, the Japanese attacked Wake Island.
   

   And this morning, the Japanese attacked Midway Island."
   

COMMENTS

 

1. FDR's confidence sticks out in this passage. He is reassuring not only Congress, but also the people of the U.S., that victory is certain. There is determination in his voice. He is certain of the upcoming victory. It almost seems as though he were speaking directly to American troops, giving them a morale-boosting speech to pump them up right before battle.
   
2. This passage reminds me of the United States' system of checks and balances. This system takes away power from the president by giving Congress the power to declare war. This highlights the fact that the speech is persuasive. Roosevelt is trying to convince Congress to declare war on Japan.
   
3. This passage shows Roosevelt's rhetorical skills. By describing Japan's attacks on the pacific in six separate sentences, he is making it more dramatic. Each sentence makes each attack that much worse, making Japan look bad to his audience. He wants his audience to hate the Japanese. He wants to convince them that they are an enemy. He wants people to be afraid of them. His slow, dramatic presentation of Japan's attacks on the Pacific accomplish these feats.