Introduction:
“Franklin Delano Roosevelt is considered one of the most eloquent and effective presidential orators in U.S. history” (PSU, CAS475, L.4.). In the Lucas & Medhurst book, Words of a Century: The Top 100 American Speeches, Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) the 32nd president of the United States of America has six speeches that made the top 100 list, two of which made the top 10. Ranked 4thon the top 100 greatest speeches list is Franklin D. Roosevelt’s War Message speech. The delivery of this historic speech was on December 8, 1941 in response to the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor by Japan the previous day. FDR’s goal was to inform the nation of the events and to convince congress to declare war on Japan. In a concise and impassioned
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Additionally an analysis of the stylistic qualities or rhetorical devices utilized will be explored.
Bio:
Franklin Delano Roosevelt was born on January 30, 1882 in Hyde Park, New York to a wealthy family. FDR attended a prestigious privet school, Groton School for boys though high school then to Harvard in 1900. “During his last year at Harvard, he became engaged to Eleanor Roosevelt, his fifth cousin. She was the niece of Franklin's idol, Theodore Roosevelt. They married on March 17, 1905” (A+E, 2016.). Roosevelt studied law at Columbia, but did not enjoy practicing law. “Following the example of his fifth cousin, President Theodore Roosevelt, whom he greatly admired, Franklin D. Roosevelt entered public service through politics, but as a Democrat. He won election to the New York Senate in 1910” (Freidel & Sidey, 2006). President Woodrow Wilson appointed FDR Assistant Secretary of the Navy in 1912; by 1920, he was on the Democratic ticket as Vice President, although lost to the Republican candidate. In 1921, Franklin contracted Polio and was permanently disabled. His legs were severely effected, as was his ability to walk. “Over the next several years, Roosevelt worked to improve his physical and political image. He