I feel as if President Eisenhower was trying to convince the country that the work he was doing needed to be continued by the new President coming in.
The President used a lot of pathos in his speech to help his ideas. By using words like "my countrymen" he relates to everyone, and puts them on the same ground. Making them feel equal to the President, and that he does truly care about what is going on. Not to mention in his conclusion he says that, " need to be strong in our faith that all nations, under God, will reach the goal of peace with justice." by using religion and himself in his conclusion he makes one believe that he some how will still be apart in the government, even though his Presidency is up.
He also uses a lot of logos throughout his speech to show the people that what he saying is actually true, and needs to be heard. In one point he talked about the future of America and how it is forever growing smaller. He explained that the weakest of people needed to be as confident as the rest. Which to most people seems quite logical, everyone has been taught to work for what they want. So to bring this point up shows his logical standpoint into his speech.
I believe that ethos was a little harder to find in this document. By talking this much about how America needs to grow, and what needs to be done in the years to come makes me believe that he only cares about himself. That he wanted what he did out there in the open, and forever recorded. He also wanted to make it certain that the next President had huge expectations to live up to. And he used this speech as a perfect example.
I believe that what Eisenhower said is convincing. By using common words and relating government business with normal people he makes it easy for people to relate to him. Then in tale, having people believe what he was saying. I do not think he should have put such emphasis on what needed to be done, because he will no longer be President. And someone else needs to lead the way, maybe a little differently even.
I disagree with you when you say that Eisenhower used a lot of pathos in his speech. Pathos is used to evoke pity or sadness and this speech seems to have a hopeful, positive tone through most of it. Eisenhower talks about how he has improved his relationship with Congress, that the US is the most powerful nation in the world despite hardship, and that America is working on achieving peace. He doesn’t use examples that would gain listeners’ sympathies, but instead uses positive examples of the greatness of the nation. This speech is very serious, but looks toward the future instead of dwelling on past mistakes. Eisenhower even says we “must avoid the impulse to live only for today, plundering, for our own ease and convenience, the precious resources of tomorrow.” I do agree with you that Eisenhower didn’t seem ready to give up the presidency. He had ideas and plans for the future that he wanted to fulfill. This speech serves to pass those ideas onto his successor. He lists these things, the readiness of the military to fight and the preservation of democracy, as a last opinion of what he believes should be done by the president. In his mind, he is still making decisions of what would be best for the country, even if he will no longer be president.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Janelle that Eisenhower's speech was serious and looked to the future toward peace and human betterment. He spoke alot about balance in all areas of life - new technology can't totally replace conventional, we can't live for the moment, and ignore the future, arms can't replace intellect, and so on - as he stated, "Good judgement seeks balance and progress; lack of it eventually finds imbalance and frustration." In service to his country for half a century in the military and as president, Eisenhower saw the sacrifice and devastation of war, and wished that he could say "that a lasting peace [was] in sight," but he also expressed how vital it was that our arms be "mighty, ready for instant action" to assure that "security and liberty may prosper together." It is with this balance that he spoke of the realities the world faced at the end of his presidency, and in hope of what yet needed to be done to achieve to lasting world peace and justice. He definitly made mistakes, while humbly speaking to what was gained during his tenure. After so many years in public service, I think Eisenhower was ready to be a private citizen, while vowing to do what he could to help the world advance along the road of peace and prosperity.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that President Eisenhower wasn't just addressing the U.S people with his speech he was really addressing the next president coming after him also. He was urging the next president that was going to be in power after him whoever he was to continue what he started which was taking action to forward the progress of peace and brotherhood towards all nations and to look into the new technology that can be made but to not ignore what we already had meaning that we shouldn't ignore the past and just jump into the future and a mixture of both would be perfect. Another subject he really addressed was the issue of war. President Eisenhower was really against war but he also knew that as a nation we had to be strong in case someone decides to become an enemy and attack, just as he stated in his address "Be mighty ready for instant action to assure that security and liberty may prosper together.", President Eisenhower is really looking toward the future in his address and telling us what he thinks should be done to help the country even if he isn't the President anymore.
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