Speech In General Douglas Macarthur's Duty, Honor Country

“Duty, Honor, Country. Those three hallowed words reverently dictate what you ought to be, what you can be, what you will be” (MacArthur). This is the premise for General Douglas MacArthur’s speech “Duty, Honor, Country.” MacArthur delivered his speech in 1962 when he received the Thayer Award at the United States Military Academy at West Point. His primary audience is the West Point Corps of Cadets, some four thousand future officers of the United States Military. In his speech, MacArthur explains the phrase “Duty, Honor, Country.” He accomplishes this not by defining what each of the words mean, but rather by illustrating what they do for the American soldier. MacArthur briefly lists three ways these qualities can aid soldiers in their …show more content…
MacArthur first says “Duty, Honor, Country” when he asserts that such a noble code of conduct will always remain with him. Immediately following, MacArthur gives a brief explanation as to why the phrase will always be with him; it explicitly dictates what the American soldier should strive for. It bonds soldiers to one another through courage, faith, and hope (MacArthur). Although it is his opinion, MacArthur’s first introduction of “Duty, Honor, Country” makes the audience begin to think of the phrase as a way of life rather than a generic mantra. Later, MacArthur states the phrase to emphasize the soldier’s purpose as a public servant, “the very obsession of your public service must be: Duty, Honor, Country.” Next, he illustrates the guiding nature of the phrase, “Your guidepost stands out like a ten-fold beacon in the night: Duty, Honor, Country.” By repeating the phrase after stating each point, MacArthur emphasizes his purpose after each repetition. MacArthur utilizes this method to successfully ensure that his audience understands how important “Duty, Honor, Country” is when defining the soldier’s purpose in serving their