Truman Doctrine

Truman uses the Aristotelian Triangle of pathos (emotional appeal), ethos (character-based appeal), and logos (logical appeal) to create a convincing argument for American intervention in his speech.

First, Truman uses pathos most notably at two central moments in his speech: the description of the Greek Civil War and his comparison between totalitarian and democratic systems. In describing the situation in Greece, Truman frequently uses emotive language and phrases: For example, Greece has “suffered invasion, four years of cruel occupation, and bitter internal strife” (5). The comparison of political systems hinges on the depiction of totalitarian regimes as reliant “upon terror and oppression […] and the suppression of personal freedoms” (33). In centering the human cost of civil war and regime change, Truman aims to provoke empathy and concern from the American people, convincing them of the need for immediate action.

Second, Truman uses ethos to present the American character as one that has opposed coercion and political oppression in the recent past and must continue to do so. He argues that the US concern with personal and political freedom was “a fundamental issue in the war with Germany and Japan,” a war which was “won over countries which sought to impose their will, and their way of life, upon other nations” (28). He argues that the situation they face is the same now as it was during the war, and thus the moral obligations are the same. By aligning US interest with the broader cause of justice, Truman strengthens the ethical foundation of his appeal to the American people.

Third, logos appears in Truman’s emphasis that American security is at stake. He links US security to the maintenance of the international order, which he presents as threatened by any growth in communism. Using this understanding Truman is able to directly connect the Greek Civil War and the Turkish Straits Crisis to American interests, supporting his view that Americans must be invested in Europe. Further, Truman bolsters his case by outlining the cost difference in the Second World War and his current program, both of which he argues protected the international order. As he states, economic aid for Greece and Turkey would cost 0.01% of the total expenditure on the war a manageable “safeguard of this investment [world peace]” (48).

Combining these methods of argument, Truman aims to build a comprehensive and compelling case for the Truman Doctrine that appeals to public sentiment, feelings of responsibility, and common-sense logic.