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A Rhetorical Analysis Of Harry S. Truman's Speech

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In the Truman Doctrine speech, Harry S. Truman states, “Great responsibilities have been placed upon us by the swift movement of events. I am confident that the Congress will face these responsibilities squarely” (Truman 30). On March 12, 1947, Harry S. Truman delivered a speech, called the Truman Doctrine to a joint session of U.S. Congress. This was addressing a major concern for the countries of Greece and Turkey. Greece and Turkey were under pressure from the Soviet Union during the time of the Cold War. Truman was educating the U.S. Congress on the exertion the Soviet Union was implementing against Greece and Turkey. Although, Truman was also persuading the U.S. Congress to take action to help Greece and Turkey, so these extertions …show more content…

In the Truman Doctrine speech, Harry Truman utilizes appeal to pity tactics, cumulative sentences, and fear tactics to convince the U.S. Congress that they must take action to assist Greece and Turkey. Truman uses appeal to pity tactics to cause the U.S. Congress to feel sympathy for Greece and Turkey, which causes them to want to help these countries. In his speech, Harry Truman states, “Preliminary reports from the American Economic Mission now in Greece and reports from the American Ambassador in Greece corroborate the statement of the Greek Government that assistance is imperative if Greece is to survive as a free nation” (Truman 1). Truman undoubtedly shows the use of an appeal to pity tactic in this statement by stating that Greece is a exceptionally weak country at the time. Truman is causing the U.S. Congress to feel sorry for Greece as they need assistance to remain and survive as a free nation. Truman knows that if the U.S. Congress feels pity for Greece, then they are more …show more content…

Congress that they must take action to assist Greece and Turkey. Truman’s speech to the U.S. Congress in 1947 was vital to the United States and its future. The United States was battling Communism and Totalitarian governments to avoid their expansion. If Truman would not have given this speech, Greece and Turkey would not have received the assistance they needed, meaning that Greece and Turkey would have fully lost their freedom and would have been in a terrible state. If Greece and Turkey would have crumbled, then the expansion of Communism would have spread into their land and region, as well. This would have simply made the fight against Communism just that much harder for the United States of America. Therefor, Truman was able to save the U.S. much time and hard work in their fight against Communism. The Truman Doctrine was able to save several Greece and Turkey lives, as well as halt the spread of Communism into these

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Part of his success is attributed to the mass popularity he had gained with what was known as “The New Deal Coalition”, the label put on the group of his supporters who were responsible for Truman’s incumbent victory against Thomas Dewey. All of the aforementioned circumstances, not to exclude Truman’s approval ratings, surely predicted massive failure. This shows the “power of persuasion” that Truman had truly mastered. This power of persuasion became invaluable in 1946, when the Republican party gained control of Congress in the mid-term

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The Roosevelt Corollary was an addition of the Monroe Doctrine which was articulated by President Theodore Roosevelt in the State of Union address after the Venezuela crisis in 1904. President Roosevelt arbitrated in the Dominican Republic, and his intentions were just noble. He used to follow the American’s sentiments on time. The Roosevelt Corollary was Theodore’s Roosevelt’s amendment towards the Monroe Doctrine.

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As stated the response was not due to the U.S. just wanting to be superior and not wanting to lose to Russia, there could have been more options if more patience was given, and there were many more casualties in this time. This matters because no matter what the situation is there is always a way to go about the situation and come up with the best solution. I feel Truman was not seeing how one thing could harshly affect the world and resulted in deaths. This should matter because every individual should be aware enough to know how badly things may go and not just make a decision so fast. Some might argue that the War ended faster and lives were saved because of this decision that was made.

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In the 1950, President Harry S. Truman signed the NSC 68, which called for the increase in defense spending, causing it to nearly triple between 1950 and 1953. The NSC 68 outlined United States’ foreign policy after seeing the spreading influence of the Soviet Union after World War II. At the time, the Soviet Union was introducing communism to governments of other countries in hopes of gaining potential allies in the future. The United States, seeing this as an act against liberty and democracy, wanted to stop the spread communism, leading to a new US policy that lasts throughout the Cold War- Containment. Recently, in October 2001, President George Bush signed the US Patriot Act in response to the act of terrorism in September 11, 2001.

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Furthermore, by pulling the threat of communism into the speech he finds another way to associate this faraway war with emotions that everyday Americans can relate to because of the mass amount of anti-communist propaganda happening since the end of the first World War. While the war, too many, seems far away, leaving most Americans unaffected, especially compared to WWII, Truman is able to tap into fear by making it seem more eminent a threat and more relatable. This

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In August, 1945 the Japanese were forced to accept defeat in World War II due to the terrifying bombs known as “Little Boy” and “ Fat Boy.” Harry Truman stepping up to take over the presidential job and making the decision for these bombs to be dropped after the death of president Franklin D. Roosevelt will forever be known as one of the biggest decisions in American history. Over the years Americans have accumulated questions such as why President Truman made this decision, if there were any alternative options for peace, and if President Roosevelt would have made the same decision. Regardless of any decision that Truman made, most people would agree that he was making decisions that were in the best interest for our country.

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It should be noted that, from the point of view of some American researchers, it was not the case with Greece and Turkey that was fundamental for the formulation of the Truman Doctrine. Just this case for the first time required the allocation of a fairly large amount of money.

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I believe that we must assist free peoples to work out their own destinies in their own way. I believe that our help should be primarily through economic and financial aid which is essential to economic stability and orderly political processes…” By asking for this $4 million, Truman explained that this was only 1/10th of the money that it took to fight, and win, in World War II. President Truman was all about his people, his troops, and the people of the world. He then explained that it was a basic need that the amount that was spent was going to good cause because it was to help insure his main goal, world peace and world freedom.

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The historian continues by quoting Truman, stating that the US needed to protect nations from “‘outside pressures.’” These “pressures” are alluding to the USSR. By including this quote, the historian is showing that Truman was blaming the USSR on the situation in Greece despite the fact that the USSR was not in Greece. By

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The Soviet Union began demanding adjustments to its relations and control over Turkey, as well as Iran. Though Stalin backed down at the threat of U.S. Naval forces, his actions led to the containment policy. This policy is used to prevent the spread of communism. Later, in 1947, the United States took over the responsibility of providing economic aid to Turkey and Greece and announced that they would be helping the nations affected by Communism. The Marshall Plan was put into effect later that year and it offered reconstruction aid to much of Europe.

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Funny how history works, FDR and Truman were the right Presidents at the right time. FDR introduced the greatest amount of domestic liberal economic legislation as part of his New Deal domestic program. Measures like the Conservation Corps (CCC), Works Progress Administration (WPA) and Tennessee Valley Authority employing over 8.5 million people and the cost of $10 Billion (Burran 2008). Although Hamby’s Liberalism and Its Challengers clarifies that new Deal failed to establish a variety of socialistic ideas and resolve all the problems, the credit is given for at least smoothing out some difficult times (Hamby 1992, 50). This tame depiction of becoming the model of modern economic liberalization that remains today then is followed by President

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