Duty, Honor, Country

Summary:

The basis of General MacArthur's speech was his acceptance of his Sylvanus Thayer Award. He goes on to explain how much being part of the military meant to him and how proud he is of all of the soldiers he fought along side. However, his speech is much more than just being a good soldier or a good American, it is essentially about how to be a good human being.

Move 1: Suspend Judgment

MacArthur did not simply state that the governemnt is to blame in a time of war and instead he said that no matter how the people felt it is important to support the government as to show a united front.

Move 2: Define Significant Parts and How They're Related

MacArthur relates the strong will and determination it takes to be a soldier with the American way of life. Both the American support and the troops' sacrifice on the battle field are both essential to lead a country to victory.

Move 3: Make the Explicit Implicit

The General explicitly described how truly unique it was to be an American soldier about how tough it was on body and mind. Also, implicitly he also meant how tough it was on the American people, in terms of it was a tremendous source of stress and they needed to be strong just as the soldiers were.

Move 4: Look for Patterns

Patterns of Repetition: Douglas MacArthur keep reiterating his point of "Duty, Honor, Country", which was also the title of his speech. He makes this the centerpoint of his speech to show that this is what he deems important and that the troops always keep these three words in the back of their minds to remind them waht they are fighting for.

Move 5: Keep Reformulating Questions and Explanations

What can a country do to show their thanks to their troops?

How can a nation stay strong during a type of war?