Who Is General Douglas Macarthur Duty Honor Country

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Analyzing the “Duty, Honor, Country” speech by General Douglas MacArthur, you can easily find the key ideas that are already judging by the title are the moral and ethical expectations toward the United States Military Academy cadets. These ideas are the pillars and leading of the principles ‘Duty, Honor, Country’, the invincibility and the honor of the American soldier, the timeless role of military service, and Emory’s personal ideas and experiences in the military career. MacArthur creates these main points in his speech using pathos, logos, and ethos as tools, as well as the various stories he shares with his audience to establish a cohesive, reinforced message on understanding one’s role and duties in the military service. The first significant …show more content…

The author similarly asserts that even in the fast and dynamic environment, the goal of the military never changes and that is “to win our wars” (MacArthur, Paragraph 16). He continues the definition of their operation, stressing soldiers as the only group that defends the nation as opposed to arguing about other issues in the country (Paragraph 17). This notion is supported by the belief that soldiers are the last line of defense in the preservation of the nation’s security and its core values, devotion to the cause, and the sole aim of achieving victory while abiding by the code of conduct. Last but not least, the final portion of MacArthur’s speech is marked by the personal notes, which are profoundly emotional and human: MacArthur shares the thoughts of a man who spent his life in military service. At the last moments of his life he remembers the noises of the war and the violence that accompanied it and at the same time affirms his life-long connection with West Point and the Corps (Paragraphs 18-19). These indications have a purpose of bringing a human face to his rhetoric that wrapped him in deep affection and loyalty to the military and its values. Collectively, these major ideas contribute to the formation of MacArthur’s overarching message regarding the latter’s belief in/with regard to ‘Duty, Honor, Country’. By asserting the ethical/moral values that the latter phrase encompasses, paying tribute to the character of the American soldier, stressing the timeless nature of the purpose behind military service work, as well as engaging with personal musings, MacArthur is able to construct a compelling message. In fact, he addresses himself to the cadets by appealing to their sense of duty as soldiers that lays within them professionalism and high standards of the military service, love for their country, and challenging the sacrifices they are willing to