The "Silent Majority" Speech

The Silent Majority Speech treats Richard Nixonâs address of November 3 1969 as a lens through which to examine the latter years of the Vietnam War and their significance to U. S. global power and American domestic life. The book uses Nixonâs speech â which introduced the policy of Vietnamization and cited the so-called bloodbath theory as a justification for continued U. S. involvement in Southeast Asia â as a fascinating moment around which to build an analysis of the last years of the war. For Nixonâs strategy to be successful he requested the support of what he called the great silent majority a term that continues to resonate in American political culture. Scott Laderman moves beyond the warâs final years to address the administrationâs hypocritical exploitation of moral rhetoric and its stoking of social divisiveness to achieve policy aims. Laderman explores the antiwar and pro-war movements the shattering of the liberal consensus and the stirrings of the right-wing resurgence that would come to define American politics. Supplemental primary sources make this book an ideal tool for introducing students to historical research. The Silent Majority Speech is critical reading for those studying American political history and U. S. âAsian/Southeast Asian relations. . Language: English