Day of Infamy Speech

“The United States was at peace with that Nation and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its Government and its Emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific.”

FDR further positions the US as a victim of Japan by depicting the US as peaceful and unsuspicious. While he risks appearing weak by understating the United States’ preparations for war and overstating the government’s trust in Japan’s good faith, FDR does so to diminish potential suspicions that he and his government goaded Japan into war.

“Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in the American Island of Oahu, the Japanese Ambassador to the United States and his colleague delivered to our Secretary of State a formal reply to a recent American message. And while this reply stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of war or of armed attack.”

FDR continues to position Japan as an underhanded and duplicitous aggressor by juxtaposing the actions of the Japanese Ambassador with those of the Japanese military. While the former appeared to be continuing diplomatic efforts, the latter was engaging in an act of war.

“It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes it obvious that the attack was deliberately planned many days or even weeks ago.”

Instead of simply stating that Japan planned the attacks ahead of time, FDR presents the evidence—the long distance between Japan and Hawaii—before appealing to his listeners’ common sense with the “obvious” conclusion that the attacks were pre-planned.

“The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian Islands has caused severe damage to American naval and military forces. I regret to tell you that very many American lives have been lost. In addition American ships have been reported torpedoed on the high seas between San Francisco and Honolulu.”

While FDR wants to make it clear that Japan is the aggressor and the US the victim of the attacks on Pearl Harbor, he was wary of demoralizing the nation. Therefore, he avoids giving direct body counts and instead focuses on the range of targets attacked.

“Yesterday the Japanese Government also launched an attack against Malaya.

Last night Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong.

Last night Japanese forces attacked Guam.

Last night Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands.

Last night the Japanese attacked Wake Island. And this morning the Japanese attacked Midway Island.”

FDR uses repetition to reinforce the range of Japan’s targets. In the recording of his speech, FDR pauses after each line break, giving each separate attack location time to sink in with his audience. His list echoes the cadence of a Christian liturgy, giving his speech the quality of a national church service and reinforcing the prevalent belief that the US was exceptional partly because of its Christian heritage.

“The facts of yesterday and today speak for themselves. The people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our Nation.”

FDR draws back and appears to suspend his own judgment in favor of the American people for whom he ostensibly speaks. His assertion that “the facts […] speak for themselves” is an example of logos, with the implication that no one could possibly disagree with his “objective” assessment. By appealing to US citizens as rational, thinking people, he tries to avoid charges that he is pushing the country to war against its will. He implies that his fellow citizens agree with him and also pressures anyone opposed to the war effort to rethink their resistance.

“As Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense.”

FDR appeals to his authority as leader of the armed forces. While he asserts that he has done everything he can, he acknowledges that he needs Congressional approval to do more. The purpose of the speech is twofold: to appeal to Congress for that necessary approval and, simultaneously, to appeal to the citizens’ sense of Patriotism and National Identity, thus making the public feel that the war is necessary and just.

“But always will our whole Nation remember the character of the onslaught against us.”

Again, FDR includes himself in the collective “we” that makes up the United States. He also reinforces the notion that Japan’s attacks were uniquely terrible by citing them as something that no one will ever forget, a reminder of the opening phrase, “a day that will live in infamy.” As he does throughout the speech, FDR speaks for the nation, asserting that the convictions he means to evoke already exist.

“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.”

FDR uses the word “righteous” to heighten the contrast between the US, which he argues is on the side of good and only uses its power when forced to do so, and the Japanese government and people, whom he has already established as scheming liars. His choice to describe the attacks as an “invasion” heightens the sense of Japan as a threat to the US and paints War as a Fight Between Good and Evil.

“I believe that I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost but will make it very certain that this form of treachery shall never again endanger us.”

FDR had been working to get the US into WWII for years at that point, but he knew that he could not do so without support from Congress and public opinion. Here, he shifts from enumerating the Japanese attacks and the threat they pose to the US to directly acknowledging that the public also has a role in declaring war on Japan. Implicitly citing the US’s democratic tradition of electing leaders to speak for the people, he positions himself as that speaker and asserts that he is acting in good faith based on what he has perceived from the public.

“Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory, and our interests are in grave danger.”

In keeping with his previous assertions that the US is a peaceful nation being pulled into war against its will, FDR begins to build his final pitch for a declaration of war. Seeking to absolve the US of blame in the coming conflict, he frames the declaration of war as a necessary response to Japan’s aggression.

“With confidence in our armed forces—with the unbounding determination of our people—we will gain the inevitable triumph—so help us God.”

FDR appeals to God as the savior and inspiration of the American people. While the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment prohibits the government from favoring any specific religion, the US has never had a non-Christian president and appeals to God are common in public life. They became especially important in the WWII era and beyond as a way to differentiate Americans from enemies who were implicitly portrayed as godless. Indeed, “In God We Trust” was added to US money in 1952 to differentiate the nation from its officially atheist Soviet enemies.