Cuban Missile Crisis Rhetorical Devices

On October 22nd, 1962, President John F. Kennedy delivered the famous "Cuban Missile Crisis Address to the Nation" speech in response to Nikita Khrushchev’s act of placing nuclear and flying missiles on the island directly south of the United States: Cuba. The purpose of the speech was to alert the nation of the situation and inform them on how it would be handled. This speech successfully won the attention and respect of the American and Russian people through the use of multiple rhetorical devices.
One rhetorical device used often in his speech is logos, which is the logic used to support a claim as well as the facts and statistics used to support an argument. This can be seen in the following line, “The characteristics of these new missile

sites indicate two distinct types of installations. Several of them include medium range ballistic missiles, capable of carrying a nuclear warhead for a distance of more than 1,000 nautical miles. Each of these missiles, in short, is capable of striking Washington, D. C., the Panama Canal, Cape Canaveral, Mexico City…” In this line, Kennedy mentions the discovery of the missile bases as well as what they are capable of. By using logos within his speech, it shows the American people the severity of the situation. He is able to gain their attention and trust since he is not withholding any information as well as being completely honest about what they are facing. It is evident that people would rather put trust and respect into an honest person rather than a dishonest person. Also, it shows the trust and respect Kennedy has for the American citizens since he is willing to share sensitive information that can be considered confidential with the entire nation. Another example of logos is in the following line, “appear to be designed for intermediate range ballistic missiles -- capable of traveling more than twice as far -- and thus capable of striking most of the major cities in the Western Hemisphere, ranging as far north as Hudson Bay, Canada, and as far south as Lima, Peru. ” This information also emphasizes the threat that these missiles possess since they can possibly reach other nations, cities, and etc, other than the United States. As Kennedy addresses the situation by revealing the sighting of the missile bases, he then discusses what will be done to fix the issue. He defends his actions by declaring "The 1930's taught us a clear lesson: aggressive conduct, if allowed to go unchecked and unchallenged, ultimately leads to war...” This is another rhetorical device known as pathos, which is the emotional or motivational appeals through vivid language, sensory details, and etc. By stating this, Kennedy is saying that if the problem is not resolved now it will only lead to bigger problems in the near future, and a possible nuclear war. Hence, he appeals to the fear in Americans about the possibility of nuclear war but also their pride in fighting for and protecting the country. So although Americans may have been scared by the statement, the fear slowly disappears as he continues his speech since he provides them with assurance, which shows his capability and understanding of ones emotions in the situation. Another example of pathos is in the following line, “…I have watched and the American people have watched with deep sorrow how your nationalist revolution was betrayed -- and how your fatherland fell under foreign domination.” In this line, Kennedy is understanding of the several unfavorable situations Cuba has been in and feels sorrow and pity for them. This statement is useful in quenching the anger one may feel towards the threat of the missiles in Cuba, and start think more logically and be more understanding of the situation like the way the president is. This statement also serves as a reminder to uphold America’s moral obligation which is to liberate the oppressed and uphold the “good guy” image that the nation has. In conclusion, by using just these two devices, Kennedy was able to draw in and capture his audience with harsh facts while invoking and appealing to their emotions.
President John F.

Kennedy also used other rhetorical devices such as anaphora, alliteration and metaphors. Kennedy used a technique called anaphora, also known as the repetition of the opening phrase of a sentence for added effect, when he said Cuba will be “free from foreign domination, free to choose their own leaders, free to select their own system, free to own their own land, free to speak and write and worship without fear or degradation.” By using anaphora, Kennedy emphasizes the fact that he truly wants peace, not only for his nation but for Cuba as well. He does not blame Cuba for the missiles but instead realizes the fact that they are under the control of “tyrants”. Therefore, through this line Kennedy gains the respect of many that are listening since he is being practical and sensible in the situation despite the severity of it. Another rhetorical device used by Kennedy is alliteration, which is the recurrence of initial consonant sounds, in the following statement, “large, long-range missiles.” The purpose of this statement is to emphasize the threat that the missiles possess by stressing their size and location through alliteration. This statement can stir the fear or curiosity of those listening which is effective in getting their attention and keeping it for the duration of the speech. Lastly, metaphors were also used to compare two things by stating one is the other. This can be seen when he stated that “the fruits of victory would be ashes in our mouths." Once again, this device is used to emphasize the severity and threat of the missiles. Furthermore, Kennedy emphasizes the devastating effects nuclear war can have that not even victory itself will be satisfying since so much destruction was caused. This metaphor will steer those listening, away from taking an offensive action and possibly starting a war to support his defensive plan which does not have a destructive war as a result. It is natural for us as human beings to go with a plan that

causes the least physical and mental damage to other people and as America we have a moral reputation to uphold as well. Thus, many would agree that taking a risk and possibly starting a war is not the best decision or path to take. In conclusion, the rhetorical devices used by President John F. Kennedy made his speech more interesting and persuasive since he was able to emphasize and convince the American people of the severity of the situation through these devices.
To conclude, Kennedy was successful in using rhetorical devices to show the American people there is no need to worry as well as showing other countries that he is not moved by their threats. In his speech, Kennedy states that any threat to the American people will be handled appropriately and through his use of rhetorical devices, one may feel as though they can put their trust into this man since he spoke logically while invoking their emotions and keeping their interest throughout the speech. Therefore, Kennedy was able to gain the trust and respect of those around him in order to move forward and secure the future of our nation.