Rough Draft In 1918, the first world war comes to an end as Woodrow Wilson, the 28th president of the United States, announces his 14 points that will reform the government and the way it treats other countries. Wilson establishes that the United States will stay peaceful and help other countries to a high extent, which makes them a dependable ally. With his 14 points, Wilson is creating an even playing ground for the United States in order to stay neutral, with no potential conflicts.
Wilson’s points work to drastically adjust the relationships between the powers of the world from cold to warm and peaceful, as he depends upon peace with countries helping each other in times of despair. He hopes for the points to become concreted within the government, fully abided by as time goes on. In the end, only one of the points truly has stayed in the government, the most important one that established the League of Nations. Woodrow Wilson uses rhetorical appeals in order to sway the audience in his preferred direction, while building up his worth with strong diction and eloquent figurative language.
Woodrow Wilson stood as the president of the United States, one of the most important political leaders in our world, so he must prove his worth within his words. He carries a peaceful persona in his speech to remain neutral, along with an open mind of how the country will run. As Wilson progresses towards announcing his 14 points he addresses other countries as a whole. He declares that “we see very clearly that unless justice be done to others it will not be done to us” (Wilson, 3). Wilson affirms that he has a clear view of how the United States must give justice to other countries if they expect it back.
Wilson is ethically thinking, saying that the United States will help others before we expect the same back. He declares this statement to let the people know that he absolutely knows what he is doing, proving to be credible. Woodrow Wilson states that he made the decisions of the speech in “a free, open-minded” place (3). By claiming that these decisions have been made in an openminded place, he is free to judgement and makes it seem like he can doubtlessly do the best for the country. Wilson’s ethical sense of mind backs him up in front of a crowd of merciless, yet impotent people.
Appearing ethically in front of the masses listening to his speech, Wilson makes a wise decision to give himself credibility, because he is the leader of a huge world power. In order to prove his worth to his audience, Wilson clearly establishes that he has made his speech with the most clear and open mind, in order to help the world out. President Woodrow Wilson proves his points, by establishing that he is aware of the situation in many countries. He provides facts to show his insight upon different countries and harsh situations in them.
Using logic, he persuades the audience by backing up his points with facts to show them his knowledge After stating that French territory should be freed, Wilson addresses how France was treated poorly in the past. He reminds his audience of “the wrong done to France by Prussia in 1871” (Wilson 3). By bringing up the past to support his point of helping France, Wilson has used logic. He is being completely valid with his facts, and that shows the perspective he has on the world to easily bring up something that happened in the past. In his 14 points, Wilson declares that “Rumania, Serbia, and Montenegro should be evacuated”.
To be evacuated is a substantial issue, and knowing of the situation in these countries is significant. Wilson is aware of the problems within these countries, proving his leadership and the points he is making. In order to be president one must know many facts of the world and be able to prove himself in a statement that needs backing up. Maintaining an educated vocabulary, Wilson provides a strong base for his 14 points. Along with his skilled vocabulary, he also frequently uses repetition to emphasize his ideas. After announcing his points, Wilson brings together the aspect of everyone in the United States standing together.
He frequently uses “We… We… We” at the beginnings of seven sentences to bring the United States together as one (Wilson 4). By using we he is referring to all the people of the United States together, letting them know that if these points fail to work or if another conflict appears, we will still stand together as one. Before announcing his points, Wilson sets out the fact that all of the leaders in the government are certain about their statements. Wilson claims “there is no confusion… no uncertainty… no vagueness of detail” (Wilson 2).
With the word “no” he can say it louder than the other words and make a lasting impression on the people. By repeating “no” one clearly perceives that Wilson knows what he is doing, and that the other leaders clearly agree. Throughout his speech, Wilson carries a hopeful, determined tone by frequently using the words “peace” and “justice” (Wilson 1). By using these types of words, Wilson carries out a soft speech, one that has serious points in it, but can be recognized as neutral and peaceful. His glittering generalities of peace and justice, stick out among his speech, because people know them as peacekeeping words.
Along with a tranquil drifting of his words, Wilson uses strong words such as “integrity… aggrandizement… sovereignty… liberty” (Wilson 1-4). These strong words stick out among his peaceful connotations and reminds people that Wilson is the leader of a main power of the world, the United States, so he must use complex,governmental terms to show his stance. The use of strong terms, repetitive words and neutral undertone sets Wilson’s speech to be strong, but not overpowering and frightening President Woodrow Wilson uses imagery and personification to catch attention and put the certain situation into a visual and maginable scenario.
In order to display the solemnity of his words, Wilson asserts that “the issues of life and death hang on” (Wilson 2). Life and death hang on to these issues, if the are resolved there will be life, but if they are not taken care of there will be death. People value life and fear death, so they must listen to the issues and help resolve them. By using this personification, people learn the extent of these issues Wilson is discussing. Wilson declares that a leader cannot “continue this tragical and appalling outpouring of blood and treasure” as World War 1 comes to an end (Wilson 2).
Leaders should abide by what he is saying, in order to help themselves and be supported by the government. He is saying that if a leader refuses to follow his points then they are in pain, with blood and treasure disappearing from them. Wilson uses bloody images to strengthen his point that these men should choose his side and go by his directions. Since World War One is coming to an end, a new age of government begins. New leagues form and all governments take time to get their nations together. New treaties are made to strengthen bonds of countries and the old ideas are gone.
Wilson is aware of the new age beginning and declares that a man’s “thoughts do not still linger in an age that is dead and gone” (Wilson 2). He personifies thoughts by saying that a new beginning has taken place and the old ways are gone. Men must think of the future and not dwell in the past, and the best way to do that is to listen to Wilson’s points of how to reshape the government for the better. In Woodrow Wilson’s speech, one can see how he once stood as the President of the United States. He efficiently uses rhetorical appeals and imagery to convince his audience that these points stand strong and must be abided by.
Although he puts up a fight to urge these points into other leaders’ minds, only one point has stayed to the present day. His fourteenth point established the League of Nations, which resolves international disputes. The other points were lost as World War 2 commenced and the United States lost its peaceful atmosphere. Short term his points were taken into consideration, but long term only one of them still managed to stay. The majority of Wilson’s points dissipated, because the whirl of new presidents and changing views took them over.