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On December 7, 1941, the naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan attacked the United States Naval Pacific Fleet early that Sunday Morning. The Fleet was lying at bay docked along the shallow channels of Pearl Harbor, when they were surprised by air attacks from Japanese air fighters and naval forces. The Fleet was completely vulnerable, ignoring several signs of warnings. There were over 2500 casualties. On the night preceding the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, President Franklin D. Roosevelt addressed the nation. He appealed to the sense of Patriotism and duty felt by every American at the time by painting a portrait of villainy over Japan, thus convincing Congress to declare a state of war with the Empire. “Yesterday, December 7, 1941 – a date which will live in infamy – the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan” (p.1). President Roosevelt used this line for his opening statement to appeal to the patriotism and duty of Congress at the time. He successfully did this with his use of word choice. He used the words infamy, suddenly, deliberately and attacked. His primary goal was to feed fuel to the fire that every congressman had following the attack. He realized that anger and a sense of vulnerability was the emotions felt by many at that time and he concentrated on appealing to those emotions with his unique word choice. His use of word choice in this phrase also helps to portray the Japanese side by side with treachery. Using the words suddenly and deliberately he gets the point across that the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor with every intent to destroy and kill. This allowed members of Congress to focus on the wickedness of the Japanese for doing such a thing. By appealing to the anger and vulnerability felt by Congress with his word choice President Roosevelt proved to be more effective rather than ineffective because he was able to appeal to the sense of patriotism and duty felt by every American at the time, sub-consciously thinking to themselves, we have to stop this treachery known as the Japanese Empire. President Roosevelt continued to paint a portrait of villainy over the Japanese Empire with this following statement concerning the formal reply to an American message sent to the Japanese Ambassador, “While the reply stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing negations, it contained no threat or hint of war or armed attack”(p.1).
Approximate Word count = 1600
Approximate Pages = 6.4
(250 words per page double spaced)
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