Tow #14 – FDR’s Pearl Harbor Address

Tow #14 – FDR’s Pearl Harbor Address

                On December 7, 1941, the naval base in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii was attacked by Japanese fighter planes. Over 2,000 soldiers died, 20 naval vessels were destroyed, 300 airplanes were destroyed, and another 1,00 soldiers were injured. The very next day, President Franklin Roosevelt asked congress to declare war on Japan in his Pearl Harbor Address, bringing America into World War II.

                FDR had to appeal to congress in order to declare war. To do so, he carefully controlled his diction. At the start of the address, he speaks about America’s previous peace with Japan. He utilizes the past tense to reinforce the idea of broken peace and betrayal. He often says “was” to refer to their relations with Japan and later changes to words such as “useless” and “deliberately planned”. This changes his tone from hopeless to angry. At first, he represents the hopeless and sorrowful feelings of the American people by representing the pain and betrayal they have felt, reinforcing this feeling by referencing how America and Japan were united together in their efforts to keep peace in the pacific. By later transitioning to an angry tone, he represents the internalized feelings of the American people. The people who have lost family, friends, colleagues, and co-workers are angered by the deliberately planned deaths of their friends. Following the stages of grief, FDR presents his proposal. As can be assumed, congress is also moved by this and thus, has experienced these stages of grief. This not only arouses the feelings in each member of congress but validates them as well.

                Simply by utilizing the English language, President Franklin Roosevelt declared war on the Empire of Japan. A few days later, Japan’s allies declared war on the United States and officially brought them into World War II. FDR’s address on Pearl Harbor indirectly brought America into World War II.