TOW #13 | Written - FDR’s “Pearl Harbor Address to the Nation”

Franklin D. Roosevelt delivered a powerful speech that expressed the shock, anger, and fear the nation had after the Japanese launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The nation, originally against involvement in World War II, took a different turn after the infamous “Attack on Pearl Harbor” incident. FDR utilizes anaphora and patriotic diction to address the issue at hand and declare war against the Japanese.

When describing the attacks that occurred the night earlier, Roosevelt uses a large amount of repetition to emphasize that it was not only our country that got attacked. He begins every sentence with “Last night, Japanese forces attacked,” followed by a location, such as Hong Kong or Wake Island. The anaphora is used to highlight the several attacks that the Japanese performed the night before. It seems as if he is listing the several different areas to emphasize how many other places were attacked along with Pearl Harbor. This allows for the audience to gain understanding that Japanese attacks are not a small issue: their attacks on other areas outside the United States are killing thousands of innocent civilians. Roosevelt takes this understanding from the civilians as a rationale to declare war against the Japanese and take involvement in World War II.

While many see the United States’ involvement in World War II a natural reaction to Pearl Harbor, there were certain measures to be taken and many factors to be considered before stepping into another world war that could potentially lead America down like the first one. Franklin D. Roosevelt appeals to both the frustrated audience that wishes revenge against the Japanese as well as the politicians that are fearful for America’s future if they choose to take entry in World War II through his speech, “Pearl Harbor Address to the Nation.”