Mark Van der Merwe

Writing 2010
2/4/16
Rhetorical Analysis
The year was 1941. The world was poised on the brink of one of the greatest challenges
it would ever face. A fascist leader in Germany was preaching a message of violence and
discrimination to a nation thirsting for rebirth and reinvention. In the United States, a nation still
recovering from the blow of a massive depression watched as the new German movement
slowly expanded outwards, enveloping those who failed to stand up against it. Franklin D.
Roosevelt (FDR), entering his third term as president, spoke with the people of the United States
in the form of speeches made over radio to the eager ears of the people, speeches that became
known as the fireside speeches. One of these in particular, delivered on September 11, 1941,
addressed the Nazi regimes aggressive, violent policy regarding the freedom of the seas. FDR
used the rhetorical devices of ethos, logos, and pathos to implant the message he held for the
american people regarding the Nazi movements actions and the American reaction he called
for: one of self-defensive aggression.
What made the fireside chats so memorable was the intense power they held over the
people. The people of the United States were, of course, apprehensive in the face of the
overwhelming dangers that they had endured and that the world was now promising to bring to
them. FDR strategically targeted these speeches to the people, with the hopes of keeping the
morale of the country high while also forwarding his administrations policies on matters, in this

case of appeasing fears of the United States being defeated by the Nazis while supporting the
action of the Navy and armed forces against the threats building against the nation. His speech
is epitomized by his declaration that it is time for all Americans, Americans of all the Americas
to stop being deluded by the romantic notion that the Americas can go on living happily and
peacefully in a Nazi-dominated world. The speech is a call to action for the American people.
In order to hold influence and ground with the people, President Roosevelt had to assure
that his words were given weight. The use of ethos in his fireside chats allowed the speeches to
hold ground and to give them hope. At this point in time, Roosevelt needed little introduction to
the people of the United States. He had been President for eight years at the time and had seen
the people out of the crisis of the Great Depression. He was a trusted individual who had been
able to bring the country up in its time of need, and thus he had to give little in terms of
credibility. He tells that, [his] obligation as President is historic; it is clear. It is inescapable,
referring to his decision to authorize attacks against German naval units in open waters. As the
trusted president, he is telling the people that his role as president gives him the authority and
above all the responsibility to carry out his policy. Of course, beyond his role as trusted
President, FDR refers to other presidents with similar views and policies in the past: The
second President of the United States, John Adams, ordered the United States Navy to clean
out European privateersinfesting the CaribbeanThe third President of the United States,
Thomas Jefferson, ordered the United States Navy to end the attacks being made upon
American and other ships. By referring to the actions and policies of famous Americans with
similar intentions to his own, he plants reliability and a trustworthiness in his own words. He

builds his own character into one that the people can undoubtedly trust and rely on to provide
accurate and wise advise upon the United States forward action. Roosevelt then goes one step
further and incorporates other governments. He provides several allusions to the British Navy, in
essence claiming British support for the policy. As a close ally to the United States, Britain would
be trusted as a source of confidence in the Presidents bold and potentially dangerous plan.
By using pathos rhetoric and language that associates the Nazi regime in a negative light
as opposed to the United Statess ideals, FDR steers the American people towards action. One
of FDRs largest tools is fear. As he calls the United States into united action against the Nazis,
he creates an image of what would happen if the United States does not act. The President
claims that Under Nazi control of the seas, no merchant ship of the United States or of any
other American Republic would be free to carry on any peaceful commerce, except by the
condescending grace of this foreign and tyrannical power. He paints this picture for the
American people, a picture where the country as well as neighboring countries and allies, would
be unable to trade freely, a policy that has been our policy, proved time and time again, in all
our history. To fail to take action means failing the entire country and all its history. FDR
associates a lack of mobility in action to the fear of failing the countries inner beliefs and values.
Roosevelt then continues on to create supply a plan which in turn leads to justice and freedom,
not to mention patriotism. He tells the people of the USA that there has now come a time when
you and I must see the cold, inexorable necessity of saying to the inhuman, unrestrained
seekers of world conquestYou seek to throw our children and our childrens children into your
form of terrorism and slavery. You have now attacked our own safety. You shall go no further.

He shows the people that taking action means being a parent, means standing for right and
justice, for saving a world for the future. He appeals to the human in us, to the bravery, to
standing to oppression and ending it. You can feel the power and distinction in the words You
shall go no further. You can feel the passion and patriotism that it stirred. President Roosevelt
used his vocabulary to further these two images, these two stark polarities. When describing the
Nazis, he uses words such as murder, terror, slavery, while with his plan and with America he
refers to defense, duty, freedom. He builds up a people that with Divine help and guidance[can] stand their ground against this latest assault upon their democracy, their sovereignty, and
their freedom. FDR cleverly portrays his plan as a plan of God, a plan that christians (the
majority) are then led to support. He creates the picture of a true american as one willing to take
action, to take the leap.
Roosevelts reaction to the Nazis is not unfounded and he provides logos reasoning to
silence his naysayers. From the very start, he begins listing examples of Nazi terror. Four of the
vessels sunk or attacked [by the Nazis] flew the American flag and were clearly identifiable, he
states. He lays out the details of the four attacks on United States ships and one on a Panama
ship, who was a sister republic to the US. He clearly defines each situation as one where the
Nazis were aware of their actions and were clearly acting with aggression. He clearly lays out
evidence on the attacks and then punctuates, defining the need to take action based on the
preceding evidence: What I am thinking and saying tonight does not relate to any isolated
episode. Instead, we Americans are taking a long-range point of view in regard to certain
fundamentals and to a series of events on land and on sea which must be considered as a

whole - as a part of a world pattern. He clearly defines that his actions are ones that are
justified through repeated atrocities completed by the defendant. He lays out the scene with
clear reports on facts regarding the world scene and extrapolates the need for action. Roosevelt
shows how these patterns point logically towards a Nazi take over of seas which in turn would
expose the United States to a debilitating embargo and crippling attacks that could only
conclude in a Nazi takeover. He tells the people that even now the Nazis are waiting to see
whether the United States will by silence give them the green light to go ahead on this path of
destruction. By taking action, by not remaining silent, FDR tells the American people they can
prevent destruction and instead spread the freedom that America represents.
Franklin D. Roosevelt takes advantage of rhetoric to move a nation into action. He builds
upon his reputation as president with support from world leaders to be a reliable source of
guidance. He appeals to the emotions of the people, begging action as a means of patriotism.
He logically lays out why action must be taken to maintain the safety and stability of the country.
Roosevelt puts together a speech that was able to inspire a nation to take the action necessary
to win a war against a looming threat. To inspire an entire nation to stand together under a
common banner, a united banner of freedom.