Gabriela Utra

English II

October 25, 2019

On December 7, 1941, Japanese forces attacked Pearl Harbor while at peace with the

United States. Many American lives were lost. Not only Pearl Harbor was a victim, but other

places such as Hong Kong and Guam were also targeted. With confidence in American armed

forces, President Roosevelt hoped that war would be declared against Japan. In Pearl Harbor

Address to the Nation, President Franklin D. Roosevelt provides examples of ethos, pathos, and

repetition in order to persuade Congress to declare war against Japan.

Roosevelt constructs his speech using ethos in order to show his credibility to the

American citizens. To prove how reliable he is, he explains details he knows about Japanese

negotiations. In his address, Roosevelt states, “The United States was at peace with that nation,

and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its government and its emperor

looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific”. President Roosevelt was one of the

most credible people to give this speech because he was involved in the foreign affairs between

the two countries.

President Roosevelt includes pathos in order to provoke emotions in Americans.

Roosevelt explain the fatalities of this attack and its urgency. He states, “I regret to tell you that

very many American lives have been lost”. Here, Roosevelt is attempting to persuade Congress

to declare war by invoking feelings of sympathy. This will push them to want to do whatever it

takes to prevent such tragedies from reoccurring.

 At some point in his speech, Roosevelt introduces repetition in order to elaborate on

Japan’s strength. In the text, he states, “Last night Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong. Last

night Japanese forces attacked Guam. Last night Japanese forces attacked the Philippine

Islands.” By using repetition, Roosevelt expresses the amount of power Japan has and how

suddenly these attacks happened. He hopes to move Congress to declare war.

In conclusion, in President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Pearl Harbor Address to the Nation,

different examples of rhetoric devices such as ethos, pathos, and logos are used throughout. This

will help Roosevelt achieve his goal of persuading Congress to declare war against Japan.