Chacity Wilbur
History 1700
Jonathan Herbertson
American Civilization
Midterm Analysis
Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt was an American statesman who served as the 32nd president
of the United States of America. He was a Democrat who served from March 1933 to his death
in April 1945. Roosevelt accomplished many great things in his life. He attended Groton School
for Boys, there, he didn’t fit in very well because at Groton, the boys were very athletic but he
was not. He took a very heavy liking to his headmaster, “Endicott Peabody, who urged students
to help the less fortunate through public service,” (Bio.) After he graduated from Groton, he went
to Harvard determined to make a name for himself. Then he studied at Columbia University Law
School where he passed the bar exam but did not receive a degree. He then practiced law for
three years. Roosevelt became a political figure when he became a part of the New York State
Senate. He struggled through many things throughout his lifetime but one of the hardest things
that I believe he had to deal with was his physical disabilities. He was stricken with polio though
he never regained the use of his legs; he still was a caring man. “He later established a
foundation at Warm Springs to help others, and instituted the March of Dimes program that
eventually funded an effective polio vaccine,” (Bio.)
One of FDR’s most influential act was definitely “The New Deal.” Most Americans
should be very familiar with this. “He formed a "Brain Trust" of economic advisors who
designed the alphabet agencies such as the AAA (Agricultural Adjustment Administration) to
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support farm prices, the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) to employ young men, and the NRA
(National Recovery Administration), which regulated wages and prices. Other agencies insured
bank deposits, regulated the stock market, subsidized mortgages, and provided relief to the
unemployed,” (Bio.). These things helped many Americans in their lives and helped them live
better by raising the economy.
There were many very admirable things about FDR, but I believe that he owes a great
deal of his popularity to his ability to speak in a way that made people feel comfortable. FDR has
expressed many great speeches throughout his political lifetime. My favorite of his many
speeches was a speech entitled, “A Day Which Will Live in Infamy,”
FDR explained in a very direct, simple, calm, language and a certain problem and what
the administration planned to do about it. On Sunday, December 7, 1942 at about 7:53 a.m. the
first assault wave of Japanese fighter planes attacked the U.S. Naval base at Pearl Harbor,
Hawaii, taking the Americans completely by surprise.” The attacking forces came in two waves.
The first one consisted of 183 aircraft which included 40 torpedo planes, 49 level bombers, 51
dive bombers and 43 fighters. The second wave included 170 planes, 54 of them level bombers,
80 dive bombers and 36 fighters. Over 350 Japanese planes were involved in the overall attack,
which surprised the United States. At the end of the day, over 2,000 men lost their lives. From
the Navy, 2008 killed, 710 wounded. Army, 218 killed, 364 wounded. Marines, 109 killed, 69
wounded. 68 civilians were killed along with 35 wounded” (U.S. Navy Museum Pearl Harbor
Fact Sheet). New about the attack was broadcasted to the American public through radio
bulletins interrupting many Sunday afternoon entertainment programs. “The news sent a
shockwave across the nation, resulting in a tremendous influx of young volunteers into the U.S.
Armed Forces. The attack also united the nation behind President Franklin D. Roosevelt and
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effectively ended the American isolationist movement,” (The History Place). The U.S.
Department of State defines the American Isolationist movement by saying, “During the 1930s,
the combination of the Great Depression and the memory of tragic losses in World War I
contributed to pushing American public opinion and policy toward isolationism. Isolationists
advocated non-involvement in European and Asian conflicts and non-entanglement in
international politics.”
The next day, Franklin Delano Roosevelt addressed the congress with his “A Day Which
Will Live in Infamy,” speech. The speech was brief, running a little over seven minutes.
“Secretary of State Cordell Hull had recommended that the president devote more time to a fuller
exposition of Japanese-American relations and the lengthy but unsuccessful effort to find a
peaceful solution. However, Roosevelt kept the speech short in the belief that it would have a
more dramatic effect,” (Manipulating the Ether). It may have been short, but it had everything
that Roosevelt needed. This speech needed to accomplish two goals for President Roosevelt; to
urge the congress to declare war on The Empire of Japan and to rally the people to support the
war effort. FDR was one of the best public speakers for many reasons, firstly, he was ethical
when speaking publically, secondly, he analyzed the audience, and lastly, he knew his topic and
purpose.
In a Pocket Guide to Public speaking, it says, “When we have an audience’s attention, we
are in a unique position to influence or persuade listeners and, at times, to move them to act- for
better or for worse. With this power to affect the minds and hearts of others comes responsibility.
Taking responsibility for your message lies at the heart of being an ethical speaker,” (pg. 23,
Third Edition). It continues to discuss how one can become and ethical speaker. To do this one
must earn your listeners trust. FDR did this by having the four key ingredients that it states in the
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book. Firstly, have a solid grasp on the subject, secondly, display sound reasoning, thirdly, being
honest and un-manipulative, and lastly, by being genuinely interested in the welfare of the
listeners.
He shows that he has a sound grasp on the subject by telling them what is going on and
what he thinks the solution is. He says, in the beginning of the speech, what happened by saying,
“Yesterday, December 7th, 1941 - a date which will live in infamy - the United States of
America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.”
This is how he addresses what happened. “I ask that the Congress declare that since the
unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December 7th, 1941, a state of war has
existed between the United States and the Japanese Empire,” and this is how he addresses how
he thinks that we should handle the situation. He displays reasoning skills in many different
places of the speech, “The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian Islands has caused severe damage to
American naval and military forces. I regret to tell you that very many American lives have been
lost. In addition, American ships have been reported torpedoed on the high seas between San
Francisco and Honolulu,” he uses this as reasoning to help encourage the war effort. He wants
them to know that his solution, to go to war, is needed because a lot of people have lost their
lives, and will continue to lose their lives, if they don’t get it under control. He uses the skill of
being honest and unmanipulative by stating that, “Japan has therefore undertaken a surprise
offensive extending throughout the Pacific area. The facts of yesterday and today speak for
themselves. The people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well
understand the implications to the very life and safety of our nation.” He doesn’t want to tell
them what to think, he wants them to support his solution to try and protect our nation. He shows
that he is genuinely interested in the welfare of their listeners when he says, “As Commander-in4
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Chief of the Army and Navy I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense, that
always will our whole nation remember the character of the onslaught against us. No matter how
long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people, in their
righteous might, will win through to absolute victory. I believe that I interpret the will of the
Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost
but will make it very certain that this form of treachery shall never again endanger us.” He shows
that all he wants is to protect the people. He wants us to be able to have the freedoms that we
have.
FDR was a great speaker, he knew what to say and how to say it, and he was an expert at
propaganda. He knew what America wanted to hear and he knew how to say it. He had a way to
sway his audience into believing the things that he wanted to do. FDR was very good at speaking
to his audience for many reasons, but I feel the best reasons were because he had a solid grasp on
the subject. He was very smart he knew that he needed to educate himself on the subject that he
would be talking on. Before he gave his speech to America he needed to know all of the
information about what was going on. He waited until he got all of the information about what
happened on the day and what happened on the night before as well. FDR was very good at
displaying his reasoning skills, he knew that he needed to declare war, and he knew that he
needed to show America that this was the only option. He knew that he could reason them with
telling them that innocent American people were losing their lives. FDR had built himself up
with the nation in his past speeches and dealings. His audience trusted and knew him. He made
sure that in his speech he was honest and helped them trust him by insisting that he had their best
interest in mind. In his speech, you could hear in his voice how troubled and shaken he was, but
he spoke with such authority that it helped the American people understand the urgency of the
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situation. FDR did many great things as our president and he served us many great purposes,
however, it was the way that he captured the audience that he made such an effective president.
He discussed matters of great importance in such a way that he earned the trust of many of the
American public and it helped the morale of our country such a great deal especially those times
which will always, “live in infamy,” (FDR).
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Works Cited:
https://history.state.gov/milestones/1937-1945/american-isolationism
Robert J. Brown, Manipulating the Ether: The Power of Broadcast Radio in Thirties America, pp. 117–120.
McFarland & Company, 1998. ISBN 0-7864-2066-9.
A Pocket Guide to Public Speaking
http://www.history.navy.mil/branches/teach/pearl/aftermath/facts.htm
http://www.biography.com/people/franklin-d-roosevelt-9463381#early-life
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