Fourteen Points

Wilson employs the rhetorical strategy of appealing to ethos or people’s sense of morality. He portrays himself as the champion of justice, rights, openness, honesty, and peace. By getting his audience to accept that view of himself, Wilson aims to persuade them to support his plans for the postwar era. This is the most consistent rhetorical strategy in his speech. He begins with a factual tone describing Russian peace negotiations but peppers it with words like “just.” Then, he makes the strong assertion that morality is the whole reason America is at war. His 14 points seek to apply these moral principles to practical proposals. The elevated moral tone builds in the final paragraphs to a single concluding sentence: “The moral climax of this, the culminating and final war for human liberty has come, and they [the people of the United States] are ready to put their own strength, their own highest purpose, their own integrity and devotion to the test” (691). Wilson manages to pack in several terms related to ethos: moral climax, liberty, highest purpose, integrity, and devotion.

Wilson aims for an optimistic tone throughout his speech. In the first half, however, he indulges in a few moments of pathos that appeal to the sympathy of his audience. To prepare his audience to accept his vision of peace based on idealistic principles, he emphasizes the horrors of war. He describes the bloodshed as appalling. He also uses pathos to evoke sympathy for the Russian people. They are falling to the armies of the Central Powers but still cling to their principles in their peace proposals. This appeal to pathos works both to deepen his audience’s desire for peace and also to inspire the listeners to fight to make sure a final peace helps victims of war like the Russians.