On December 8th, 1941, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt spoke to a joint session of the United States Congress, asking for a declaration of war against the Empire of Japan. The major cause of his speech was to condemn an unexpected attack from the Japanese on U.S. territory and let the world know that the United States had the necessary military to battle any nation. On December 7th, 1941, the Japanese military launched a surprise attack on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, resulted in 2,403 casualties and 539 wounded US citizens. It also destroyed 19 U.S. Navy Ships. The United States was a divided nation before the attack because many opposed entering the war after they suffered the consequences of the First World War. However, news of the Pearl Harbor attack brought shock, shame and anger to the people of the United States. Americans were eager to reclaim victory, sparking patriotism in the pacifist. Roosevelt's emotional and persuasive speech on December 8th, aimed to touch the hearts of the nation and seek retaliation against the Japanese; his use of rhetoric and direct language united the country, and unanimously supported his plea to enter the Second World War.
During the 1930’s Germany, Italy and Japan began invading other nations and establishing new empires. When Hitler attacked Poland, President Roosevelt decided to help the democratic countries of France and Britain. Despite his opinions, the nation opposed an armed conflict. Most Americans believed that the country shouldn’t enter world war two, because they still remembered the ravages of the First World War. According to PBS the President didn’t have any support to battle “Roosevelt condemned international agg...
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...lly. He was the leader since the great depression, and for the same reason, was reelected President for the third time consecutively. At a time of shock, shame and anger, the leader brought Americans together as a united nation.
Works Cited
"PBS General Article: Foreign Affairs." Http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience. PBS, n.d. Web. 20 May 2014. .
Roosevelt, Franklin D. "Franklin D. Roosevelt: Address to Congress Requesting a Declaration of War with Japan." Franklin D. Roosevelt: Address to Congress Requesting a Declaration of War with Japan. N.p., 8 Dec. 1941. Web. 14 May 2014.
Schamel, Wynell B., and Jean West. "'A Date Which Will Live in Infamy'" National Archives and Records Administration. National Archives and Records Administration, Nov.-Dec. 1991. Web. 15 May 2014
On December 7, 1941 the U.S. naval base was subject to an attack that was one of the greatest military surprises in the history of warfare. On December 8, 1941, the day after the attack was made on Pearl Harbor by Japan, FDR delivered his speech to the Congress of the United States. He explained how the United States was suddenly attacked by the Empire of Japan. He explained how the attacks had to have been planned weeks in advance, but during that time Japan acted as if they were making peace with the United States. Roosevelt reported the damages and losses that the nation suffered due to the attacks. He explained what actions would be taken to defend the country, and what they would do to ensure this would never happen again. The purpose of his speech was to request Congress to declare war against Japan while displaying the confidence to assure the nation that event...
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President Franklin D. Roosevelt addressed the United States Congress following the unexpected attack by Japan on Pearl Harbor the previous day. As a result, Roosevelt asked the Congress to declare war on Japan. In his speech to Congress, President Roosevelt stated that the previous day, which was December 7th, 1941, was a date that they will live in notoriety. President Roosevelt said that the United States of America was abruptly and intentionally attacked by naval and air forces of the Japanese emperor.
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The author of this essay is Franklin Delano Roosevelt. He was the president of the United States at the time of the Pearl Harbor attack. The purpose of this speech was to inform the entire United States about what had happened the day before at Pearl Harbor. The nation was to be warned that the United States was going to declare war against Japan. The intended audience is everyone in the United States. President Roosevelt ef...