Woodrow Wilson War Speech Analysis

The speech “War Message” by former president Woodrow Wilson is one of the most memorable speeches of all time. He is able to capture the audience’s attention and really make them listen with the help of many rhetorical elements. Woodrow Wilson is by far one of the best presidents this nation has ever seen and also one of the best speakers of all time. The magnitude of this speech and what it is about gives it such an appeal without even trying. The rhetorical elements of this text such as ethos, pathos, and logos are what gives this speech its credibility, its powerfulness, and its persuasiveness.
Wilson is extremely knowledgeable and genuine when it comes to speaking about the German country in his speech. He is very ethical in his approach

and I believe that ethos is his strongest and most used rhetorical element in this speech. When he states that “ Our motive will not be revenge or the victorious assertion of the physical might of the nation, but only the vindication of right, of human right, of which we are only a single champion” he is showing control (Wilson). He wants to ensure that the motives of the other countries are not revenge but to do right in the eyes of others and to do what is naturally right. This statement alone shows how truly genuine he is because almost every other speaker would have said to attack them for what they have done, because they sunk ships and more importantly American ships. Wilson is very credible due to the fact he has advisors and also talks to the leaders of other nations so he knows exactly what is going on and tells it exactly how it is. If [the president] seeks political advice from his executive colleagues, he seeks it because he relies on their natural good sense and experienced judgment . . . not because they are supposed to have had any very intimate contact with politics or to have made a profession of public affairs”( Craig ). This statement shows that he is credible due to the fact that the people advising him on what is best specialize in that area and know exactly how to handle it.
Wilson repeatedly uses pathos in his speech to get congress, the Americans, and other countries behind him. In his speech he says that “Property can be paid for; the lives of peaceful and innocent people cannot be”(Wilson). This is provoked to get people furious at the German government because they are taking people’s lives which cannot be replaced. It wouldn’t be that bad if they just sunk a ship with no one in it but they are sinking ships with people including babies and if that doesn’t stir up any emotions in you then you simply aren’t human. Also he makes it clear that no one on these ships deserved it, they were in no way shape or form a threat to Germany but yet they still were killed. He also goes on to say how it is a war against all nations. This shows you the magnitude of the war that is about to begin and nothing scares people more than going into war. This makes people fear for their lives because they now realize that most of the world is going to be fighting in one big war which could lead to invasions of our own county and great harm to our citizens and soldiers.
The examples of logos in this speech are greatly abundant and extremely obvious. For example, “The new policy has swept every restriction aside. Vessels of every kind, whatever their flag, their character, their cargo, their destination, their errand, have been ruthlessly sent to the bottom without warning and without thought of help or mercy for those on board, the vessels of friendly neutrals along with those of belligerents”(Wilson). This statement appeals to logic because it I stating that no matter what nation the ship was from, if it wasn’t from Germany, it was going to be sunk. This makes everyone want to team up and defeat the Germans because they logically have a common enemy, and the enemy of an enemy is a friend. It makes the Germans look extremely bad because they’re sinking ships for no reason including ones with sick people on it which means they need to be dealt with. If this does not convince you to hate the Germans of 1917 then I don’t know what would. “While refusing to acknowledge to others, and probably to himself as well, that the end had come, he provided little reason for others to believe that America's intervention in the war might still somehow be avoided”(Tucker). He did not directly come out and say that we were going to go to war but with what he was saying everyone knew it was basically inevitable by using logical reasoning.
President Woodrow Wilson also used numerous other rhetorical elements in his speech and it sparked both interest and outrage.

His purpose of his speech alone is extremely powerful and it is on a sensitive subject. The purpose of his speech to portray the government of Germany as a threat and as an enemy which is achieved without a problem in his speech. He wants the congress and America to get behind him so that we can go to way united and take care of something that is causing harm to the entire world, no matter what country. Wilson has two main tones throughout the entire speech which are serious and sympathetic. Notice that he never once states anything about being mad or furious, he kept his cool which is hard to do in a situation like this. His serious tone is exhibited when he is speaking about why they need to go to war and what they intend on doing. His sympathetic side comes out when he speaks about all of the lost lives that the German Government is responsible including the ones of sick and elderly people. The main audience of this speech specifically is congress because he is speaking directly to them but he also is speaking to America and all of the other nations simultaneously. He wants to get the approval of congress and he wants other nations including his own to back him and support his efforts. Wilson repeatedly hits the nail on the head with his use of rhetorical elements.
In 1917, Woodrow Wilson delivered a speech, “War Speech”, that will go down as one of the best and most powerful of all time. He really emphasizes on the rhetorical elements so that he can get the people of our nation and other nations to back him and he ultimately achieves his goal as we did end up going to war with Germany and winning. The rhetorical elements of this text such as ethos, pathos, and logos are what gives this speech its credibility, its powerfulness, and its

persuasiveness.