I notice three things about this commencement address: It is boring, it is mercifully short, and there is a distinct lack of sabre rattling in it. These new ensigns are going out into a dangerous and uncertain world and their commander-in-chief wants them to be well rounded. How inspiring.
Uninspiring, perhaps, but he was proved correct by events. "Provincialism" within the Navy was a serious problem during the war; for example, rivalries between destroyer guys vs. battleship guys vs. carrier guys was apparently pretty intense. Roosevelt had probably been dealing with intra-Navy rivalries that very month or year.
In terms of sabre rattling ... you're right, there's none of it. But then, why should there have been? True, there were ominous signs in Europe, and Japan was troublesome in the Pacific ... but there was no actual conflict, and the mood of the nation was very much isolationist.
Roosevelt was never noted for being much of a forward-looker, either. He probably would not have been thinking yet in terms of serious preparation for war.
Uninspiring, perhaps, but he was proved correct by events. "Provincialism" within the Navy was a serious problem during the war; for example, rivalries between destroyer guys vs. battleship guys vs. carrier guys was apparently pretty intense. Roosevelt had probably been dealing with intra-Navy rivalries that very month or year.
In terms of sabre rattling ... you're right, there's none of it. But then, why should there have been? True, there were ominous signs in Europe, and Japan was troublesome in the Pacific ... but there was no actual conflict, and the mood of the nation was very much isolationist.
Roosevelt was never noted for being much of a forward-looker, either. He probably would not have been thinking yet in terms of serious preparation for war.