The sentence from this excerpt that stresses that America should take an offensive stand to defend themselves is:
"It is common prudence in such circumstances, grim necessity indeed, to endeavor to destroy them before they have shown their own intention. They must be dealt with upon sight, if dealt with at all."
Even though the United States wanted to maintain an armed neutrality, President Woodrow Wilson argued to change to an offensive strategy because German submarines were attacking merchant ships, and they were unable to protect them once they had been attacked. This is why Woodrow Wilson calls to destroy the German submarines before they could cause any damage.
It can’t be a smilie because nothing is being compared using like or as. It can’t be onomatopoeia because the following words is not used in that quotation, POW, WOW BOOM etc. It can’t be metaphor because nothing is being compared without using like or as, and it can’t be rhyme because nothing in here is being rhymed so it has to be Assonance.
