Before the attack on Pearl Harbor a majority of Americans wanted to stay out of World War Two. It is largely believed that Franklin Delano Roosevelt was in the minority wanting to enter the conflict, however, if he had just entered the war with no crowning incentice he would've lost a huge amount of his public support. Pearl Harbor gave FDR his chance. The very next day he delivered a famous address to the nation in front of a joint session of Congress. Using poweful lagnuage, he rallied tremendous support for entering World War Two, which he did. One day earlier and this speech would have been laughed at. This was the opportunity to go to the war because the citizenry was mad. Their home had just been attacked, and Americans don't stand for that. It would not have been possibly for FDR to rally his country to war if they didn't have Pearl Harbor fresh in their heads. They wanted to get even with the Axis Powers.
FDR's language also took advantage of the moment. By adding the word "yesterday" at the beginning of his speech he adds a tremendous sense of urgency. He uses the words "suddenly" and "deliberately" to help infuriate American citizens. If Japan acted suddenly and deliberately, shouldn't the U.S. respond in the same manner?
President Roosevelt took advantage of the opportune moment. He appealed to the right people at the right time, in the right place. Although a huge majority of American's believed in isolationism before the Japanese attack, Roosevelt succesfully engaged the moment to turn the tide of American opinion. Americans were also outraged that the Japanese had attacked their homeland; it wasn't some distant war that nobody cared about anymore. FDR harnessed the energy released by the attack and infused it into the American population. They were enraged and wanted to do something about it. The president brilliantly used Pearl Harbor as his backdoor into World War Two.
The Americans had been attacked, they had been attacked in their homeland, and Franklin Delano Roosevelt seized the opprtune moment.
President Roosevelt took advantage of the opportune moment. He appealed to the right people at the right time, in the right place. Although a huge majority of American's believed in isolationism before the Japanese attack, Roosevelt succesfully engaged the moment to turn the tide of American opinion. Americans were also outraged that the Japanese had attacked their homeland; it wasn't some distant war that nobody cared about anymore. FDR harnessed the energy released by the attack and infused it into the American population. They were enraged and wanted to do something about it. The president brilliantly used Pearl Harbor as his backdoor into World War Two.
The Americans had been attacked, they had been attacked in their homeland, and Franklin Delano Roosevelt seized the opprtune moment.
I think this is a very good example of kairos because it also involves feeling. Seizing the moment is much more effective when people's emotions are involved. Great analysis of this article! This is such a perfect article to use and you did a good job showing how kairos was used in this situation.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy the fact that you used an example that occurred decades ago. It goes to show that the use of kairos has been around for a long time and still was just as effective as it is used today.
ReplyDeleteGood example.
ReplyDeleteYou need to cite your 94% figure...who said that? Why should I trust them?
Also, what specific references in the speech use the moment to rally people before FDR's decision?