Patton And Roosevelt Persuasive Speech

Austin Morgan
Miss Sibbach
AP English III
12 December, 2014
To Rally To War
Some of the world’s greatest leaders were made so by the events occurring in their lifetime. A great leader must have great speaking qualities in order to motivate his or her men as well as a nation. Franklin Roosevelt and George Patton were two of the greatest speakers of their generation. The purpose and impact each of their speeches had, empowered and motivated the nation; and assisted in the triumph in one of the most trying times in American history. Each of these men gave a speech that empowered the ones they commanded in order to secure absolute victory during the Second World War.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt was elected President in 1932. He was elected in one

of the most difficult times our nation had ever seen, The Great Depression. The state of the nation greatly worsened December 7th 1941 when Japanese forces bombed the US Pacific Fleet stationed at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The United States was in complete and utter shock by this tragic event that took the lives of many Americans. The day after the attack President Roosevelt gave a speech to Congress and the nation in order to gain support for a war effort against the Japanese Empire. President Roosevelt set the tone of the speech “Yesterday, December 7th 1941- a date which will live in infamy“ (Dlugan). Roosevelt set an emotional and melancholy tone that would be felt throughout the entire speech. Roosevelt used the emotional turmoil to his advantage to gain the nations support for the war. “Suddenly and deliberately attacked, deliberately planned, deliberately sought to deceive, surprise offensive, unprovoked and dastardly, premeditated invasion, onslaught against us, and this form of treachery“(Dlugan), assisted him in grasping the attention of the nation and Congress and swinging them to his support. The use of such vivid and emotional words grasps the American people with a feeling of hate for the Japanese. Roosevelt’s speech continued on with many devices that reinforced the tone that the President set as well as giving it an emotional feel.
Franklin Roosevelt did not just use good speaking tactics to persuade Congress and the American people to feel a certain way; he made a call to action.

“ 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” (Dlugan). Roosevelt knew that to gain the American people’s support for the war, he would have to invoke a feeling of patriotism and belief in American superiority. “last night Japanese forces attacked…” (Dlugan), was repeated as a way of showing the American people all of the places that Japan had attacked in such a short amount of time. It showed that Japan had no regard for anything and were on a path of total war and destruction throughout the pacific. Roosevelt went on to name many American territories attacked by the Japanese using this repetition method. “ I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December 7, 1941, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese Empire” (Dlugan). His speech was so powerful and moving that it motivated and compelled America to enter the Second World War. Congress would sign a formal declaration of war just after President Roosevelt’s

speech.
The United States had a great leader to rally the nation to the cause, but needed one to rally its armed forces. General George S. Patton, commander of the Third Army, gave an address on the night of June 5th 1944. Patton’s speech to his troops grew to be an iconic statement given on the eve of the invasion of Normandy France. On the eve of battle General Patton’s Third Army consisted of “… civilian soldiers- most of them draftees- the majority of whom had never yet been in battle” (Kass). Patton’s troops needed motivating due to the fact that they were draftees and were most likely scared of what the coming day would bring. The objective of the Normandy invasion was to gain a foothold in France and begin liberating it, as well as the rest of Nazi occupied Europe. Patton would need to use multiple devices in his speech to appeal to his men and rally them for the coming battle.
General George S. Patton was well known for motivating the troops with just mere words. Patton was known as “Old Blood and Guts” (Kass) by his troop due to his foul language and brutish tone. Patton knew that he would have to use his profane language to get his point across and motivate his men. “Men, all this stuff you hear about America not wanting to fight… is a lot of bullshit” (Kass). Patton wanted to clearly address the fact that at the beginning of the war no one in America wanted to really fight in Europe. Patton wanted to build a sense of American superiority and a vision that Americans are at their heart, true warriors. “All real Americans love the sting and clash of battle” (Kass). General Patton wants to prove people wrong and his men are the ones to help him achieve that. The general’s profane language assists in showing his detestation for the statements of assumed meekness of America. The General was able to use different styles of his profanity to inspire. “He could, when necessary, open up with both barrels and let forth such blue-flamed phrases that they seemed almost eloquent in their delivery.” (Province). Patton knew how to use his profanity to inspire and get his point across. “When I want my men to remember something important, to really make it stick, I give it to them double dirty” (Province). Patton’s delivery of his language is what gives his speech such power. The language may not be suitable to the faint of heart, but Patton was address soldiers of his army to motivate them and prepare them for the coming battle.
General Patton and his men were about in take part in the most important battle in all of World War II. Patton knew what the next day would bring, but the vast majority of his men did not. A substantial amount of Patton’s forces had never seen battle and the sorrow it brings. “Every man is scared in his first action…but the real hero is the man who fights even though he’s scared” (Brighton). The General shows his understanding of the fear that his men will face in battle. “… The real man never lets his fear of death overpower his honor, his sense of duty to his country, and his innate manhood” (Brighton). Patton makes his men feel as if they do not fight they are not real men and are letting their country down. This is what drives most men in the Second World War, is a sense of honor and duty to their country.
Patton’s men needed to know what horrors awaited them on the beaches the next morning.

“War is a bloody business, a killing business… The Nazis are the enemy, spill their blood or they will spill yours” (Brighton). Patton uses the image of the Nazis to remind his men that it is war, that there is going to be killing, and that they are going to have to kill or be killed. “When you wipe dirt from your face and you realize it’s not dirt, it’s the blood and gut of what was once your best friend, you’ll know what to do” (Brighton). General Patton depicts a realistic image of what happens during war. Men die and sometimes they are the ones closest to you. General Patton uses many different language styles such as his profanity and harsh realism of what war is like and what his men need to be in order to reach their goal. His speech embraces these styles of language and motivates his Third Army and prepares them for the next day’s

battle.
The greatest leaders in our history have been able to motivate their followers with just mere words. President Franklin Roosevelt and Major General George Patton were able to lead both our nation and its troops and motivate them to absolute victory. Their Language styles, though very different, had very similar effects on both the United States and its troops. Their speeches were able to empower a nation and it’s military to secure victory in the Second World War.