America's Arrogance Of Power

Was America’s power the downfall of the Vietnamese conflict? “On the Arrogance of Power, 1966” written by Senator Fulbright he argues that America’s “arrogance of power” was increasingly growing into its biggest weakness. (Fulbright, 2012) Fulbright backs his standpoint with a combination of an argumentative writing style, along with pathos “an appeal to pathos (emotion)” statements, that would help convince most readers to agree with his views. (Driver, p.61) A pathos appeal creates an emotional setting, used as another form of persuasion in his writing. Senator Fulbright’s argument begins immediately with his thesis. The Senator draws the reader in stating, “the discrepancy between its power and the power of others appears to be increasing....” (Fulbright, 2012) This becomes relative to the arrogance of America that he refers. Following this, Fulbright expresses his first argument to the reader. This argument states that the Senator supports his government’s intentions to liberate the South Vietnamese and is the right thing to do; however, he feels that American is going about it the …show more content…
Fulbright states that the country’s first service to the world is a “service of its own example.” (Fulbright, 2012) What he relays to the reader here is the fact that in order for the country to be an example for the world to follow, the country first must understand its level of power. In essence, lead and live by example for others to learn. In addition, Fulbright explains to the reader a concern for the citizens of America by stating that the “excessive involvement in the affairs of other countries” abuses the natural rights of the American citizen and deprives them of their freedoms. (Fulbright, 2012) Implying, once again that America’s arrogance of power is its biggest