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Kennedy's Involvement During The Cold War

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In a time of war and uncertainty, society turns to powerful leaders and the words they speak for guidance. The American people rely on simple phrases of encouragement and hope to persuade them they are indeed safe. In President John F. Kennedy’s inauguration, “Ask Not What Your Country Can Do For You,” he uses current concerns of the American people to argue that the world must peacefully unite as one while inspiring nationalism throughout America. Using worries of the Cold War, Kennedy encourages international unitement. The Cold War, starting in the early 1950s, was still prominent during Kennedy’s inauguration in 1961, causing tension worldwide. Specifically, the world was divided into the East’s democracy and the West’s communism with …show more content…

Nuclear Warheads--easily destructive to an entire city, state, or nation-- were starting to be built and tested among both sides of the Cold War around 1950. These new weapons, capable of mass death, caused Americans to fear even further because “any major Soviet attack would be met with a massive nuclear response” (Kuran). Ultimately, Kennedy must convince not just America, but the world that a peaceful resolution is the best way to solve a problem rather than devastating warfare. When describing, “man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all forms of human poverty and all forms of human life” (Kennedy), Kennedy immediately instills fear in the American people through the emotional appeal, pathos. This residing fear of death will later help him in his speech when convincing the nation that rather than fighting a dangerous war, the world must unite through a “peaceful revolution of hope” (Kennedy). Kennedy then expresses, “remembering on both sides that civility is not a sign of weakness” (Kennedy). Because Kennedy implies that using atomic weaponry shows a “sign of weakness,” he attempts to persuade other countries that peaceful unity is more powerful. Conversely, he argues that physical warfare is not the best decision. Emphasizing the power of atomic weaponry, which creates fear through pathos, Kennedy argues for a peaceful end to the

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On January 20th, 1961, John F. Kennedy gave an assertive inaugural address to an audience of more than twenty thousand people about strengthening the American military, as well as providing a tough stance against the Soviet Union. Many rhetorical devices were used in his speech, but the main two devices that John used are repetition and metaphors to get the audience intrigued. One of the rhetorical devices John F. Kennedy used in his address was repetition. In paragraphs fifteen through eighteen, John constantly uses “Let both sides”. He uses this device to draw attention to a minor detail which is both nations coming together in peace.

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By using this device, he gives the audience a double look at both sides of the argument and a better understanding of what is in the United State’s interests. Eisenhower first explains that the United States is his country and it wants nothing more than to be “constructive and not destructive”(Eisenhower), by making the two words contradict it demonstrates the true wishes of the country. It provides higher levels of hope to the United Nations that the United States intention is global peace and not warfare. Esienhower continues to explain the outcomes of atomic warfare by defending that the United States has “retaliation capabilities… so great that such an aggressors land would be laid to waste” but juxtaposes himself by adding “ all this, while fact, is not the true expression of the purpose and hopes of the United States”(Eisenhower). The speaker is giving the audience the reality that warfare could happen and cause devastation through lands; however if they agree with the United States plan, the energy can be redirected.

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Several of Eisenhower’s rhetorical choices clarify that the address’s intended audience as the American people. References to the American citizenry sprinkled throughout the remarks, a detailed description of US retaliatory capabilities, and a pledge to submit a plan to Congress strongly suggest that the administration sought to sell the American public, not the international community, on its policy (Chernus, 2006). The campaign, which included a radio-television series entitled “The Age of Peril”, portrayed the extremely dark and dangerous side of the atom. In order to balance out the project’s dark messaging, the president and his advisors wished to emphasize a more hopeful and cooperative tone in Eisenhower’s speech to the United Nations (Osgood, 2000). The remarks further normalized peaceful nuclear technology by discussing plans for commercialization which rehabilitated a wartime technology for civil society (Johnston, 2012).

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For example, a bomb in the night cannot be seen, however, its effects will most certainly be felt. In addition to these metaphors, Kennedy uses specific language to target the audience and juxtapose them with their opposite. “[T]hen you also learn to confront not as fellow citizens but as enemies” or “We learn, at the last, to look at our brothers as aliens,” He uses these drastic comparisons to draw the audience to recognize for themselves the division, and therefore redirect them to bridge that division toward a common goal and purpose. He establishes that while there is so much disagreement and friction between the different groups based on social biases, everyone seeks the same things in life as human

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Let both sides, for the first time, formulate serious and precise proposals for the inspection and control of arms-- and bring the absolute power to destroy other nations under the absolute control of all nations.” Kennedy continues to use “ Let both sides” grab the attention of the audience and show how important this subject is. Another literary device Kennedy uses is symbolism. For example, “ The world is very different now. For man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all forms of human poverty and all forms of

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