Imagine the what it was like at this time 56 years ago. The world was possibly on the brink of the of another world war. The Cubans and Russians were building long range missiles that they could potentially use to attack the U.S. John F. Kennedy, The President of the U.S., went on tv and delivered a speech on October 22, 1962, which started a resolution that eventually led to a successful negotiating with the Russians to remove the missile bases in Cuba. This resolution also eased the tensions the U.S. had with the Russians. In this address, “Cuban Missile Crisis Address to the Nation”, President Kennedy effectively used three rhetorical techniques of pathos, ethos and logos as he gave his speech to the United States, Russia, Fidel Castro and the people of Cuba. President Kennedy begins his speech by appealing to pathos. He uses this technique to convince the American people of the potential threat the missiles presented. He starts his address by affirming that the spy planes the U.S. used, had discovered that “a series of offensive missile sites…” had been formed in Cuba.
He then outlined that Cuba had been equipped with long range missile bases when he stated, “…the purpose of these bases can be none other than to provide a nuclear strike capability against Western Hemisphere.” His writing clearly intends to make people aware and strike fear into everybody that is listening. This is shown as President Kennedy refers to his findings in Cuba as “an Explicit threat to peace and security of all Americas”. He then refers to other world wars to present an unsettling reminder of the potential crisis that could come of this. You can hear the distress in Kennedys voice when he states, “…the 1930s taught us a clear lesson: Aggressive conduct, if allowed to go unchecked…ultimately leads to war.” To go along with these reminders the president uses words and phrases like “destructive”, “Threat to peace”, and “maximum peril” to make the people unsettled. President Kennedy makes it clear that his concern is not only for the U.S. but the entire world when he says, “I want to say a few words to the captive people of Cuba…These new weapons are not your interest. They contribute nothing to your peace and well-being”.
Shortly after trying to convince Americans of the potential threat, Kennedy then moves to use ethos and logos. He appeals to the public through his confident plan to counter Russia’s aggressive moves. The President’s words show his knowledge of power he has over the American forces as he outlines his proposal that will increase the U.S. military presence in Cuba. He is justifying his rightful actions by stating that he is acting “in the defense of our own security and of the entire Western Hemisphere, and under the authority entrusted to me by the Constitution as endorsed by the Resolution of the Congress…” The President uses clear logical statements to explain his intentions when he states, “I have directed the continued and increased close surveillance of Cuba and its military buildup… should these offensive military preparations continue, thus increasing the threat to the hemisphere, further action will be justified.”
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This logical approach reassures the public of President Kennedys knowledge and his ability to handle the evolving situation in Cuba. President Kennedy then uses logos throughout his entire address by stating the facts from the situation. He outlines the danger that the missiles present and states that they have the capability of “striking most of the majors cities in the Western Hemisphere, ranging as far as Hudson Bay, Canada, and as far south as Lima, Peru.” Kennedy convinces the audience of the legitimacy of the threat by his extensive knowledge. He also asserts his plans to contain the crisis with authority and confidence. President Kennedy then assures the nation by stating, “I have directed the Armed Forces to prepare for any eventualities; and I trust that in the interest of both the Cuba people and the Soviet technicians at the sites, the hazards to all concerned of continuing this threat will be recognized.”
President Kennedy is very clear when describing his plans, and his authority and experience to give legitimacy to words. President Kennedy uses rhetorical techniques through out the speech to present the danger placed upon the world by Russia’s aggressive actions, but he also maintains a trusting relationship with his country. His qualifications as President of the United States and vivid words help convince listeners that Russia and Cuba’s actions place a threat to our national security. His language throughout his address adds to his credibility and logical appeal. The address given by President Kennedy helped sway the opinion that Fidel Castro had of Russia to stand up against Russia. This speech cemented Presidents Kennedys place in history as he averts a war.
