Question

To ensure the peaceful development of nations, free from coercion, the United States has taken a leading part in establishing the United Nations. The United Nations is designed to make possible lasting freedom and independence for all its members. We shall not realize our objectives, however, unless we are willing to help free peoples to maintain their free institutions and their national integrity against aggressive movements that seek to impose upon them totalitarian regimes. This is no more than a frank recognition that totalitarian regimes imposed upon free peoples, by direct or indirect aggression, undermine the foundations of international peace, and hence the security of the United States.
The peoples of a number of countries of the world have recently had totalitarian regimes forced upon them against their will. The Government of the United States has made frequent protests against coercion and intimidation in violation of the Yalta agreement in Poland, Rumania, and Bulgaria. I must also state that in a number of other countries there have been similar developments.
At the present moment in world history nearly every nation must choose between alternative ways of life. The choice is too often not a free one. One way of life is based upon the will of the majority, and is distinguished by free institutions, representative government, free elections, guarantees of individual liberty, freedom of speech and religion, and freedom from political oppression. The second way of life is based upon the will of a minority forcibly imposed upon the majority. It relies upon terror and oppression, a controlled press and radio, fixed elections, and the suppression of personal freedoms.
I believe that it must be the policy of the United States to support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures.
I believe that we must assist free peoples to work out their own destinies in their own way.
I believe that our help should be primarily through economic and financial aid which is essential to economic stability and orderly political processes.


What is a central idea conveyed in this excerpt from “The Truman Doctrine”? How does Truman use word choice and rhetoric to develop the central idea? In your response, include specific details Truman uses to introduce, support, and shape the central idea. Your response should be at least three paragraphs.

i dont understand the story

Answer 1

I think that the central idea conveyed in the above excerpt is that the United States is willing to extend help to nations that are under communism. They are willing to extend help through financial aid and economic stability to ensure that the people under the beleaguered nations can also enjoy the freedom that citizens of the United States enjoy under a democratic government. However, the citizens of the United States must also be in agreement to the proposal of extending help to other nations.

Truman uses Logos and Pathos to persuade his audience to his way of thinking. 

Logos refers to logic. Pathos refers to an appeal to emotions.

He uses the words "I believe..." to infer how passionate he is about his proposals. He also gives logical scenarios that supports his beliefs.