When Richard Nixon took office as president of the United States of America in 1969, he was forced into a role where a small decision made would affect the lives of hundreds of thousands of men fighting in a country halfway around the globe, and the fate of a divided country. Following anti-war protests on October 14, 1969, and immediately after taking office, the new president Nixon reaffirms his stance as president of the United States, the leader of the people, through his speech titled “The Great Silent Majority”, one month later on November 3, 1969. The historical background of Nixon’s speech combined with his repeated use of the rhetorical elements, and combined with a more approachable tone, make his speech a powerful one that will resonate
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He gives Americans a genuine sense of his cause and uses delicate words. Richard Nixon respects himself and America, so he calls on their pride and confidence, because “this defeat in our Nation’s history would result in a collapse of confidence in American leadership” (Nixon 2). Furthermore, Nixon’s highlights Americans’ traits by mentioning that “we Americans are a do-it-yourself people. We are an impatient people. Instead of teaching someone else to do a job, we like to do it ourselves. And this trait has been carried over into our foreign policy” (Nixon 4). He genuinely respects Americans’ ambition and pleads to everyone to use those traits in order to continue fighting in …show more content…
He contends to the fact that even he, an excellent debater, is not able to convince the communists to back down and relays the cold threats directed by them to America. Other immediate consequences would be that “allies would lose confidence in America”, and that “we would lose confidence in ourselves” (Nixon 4). As a great nation, such a retreat would be severely detrimental to its reputation, and would lead to further complications, considering America was still in the midst of the Cold War with the Soviet Union, and would allow the Soviet Union to gain some footage in the competition. America is the most powerful nation on earth, and not carrying through with this war would harm America more in the long term than in the short term with some number of deaths. Through his powerful combination of rhetorical elements, Richard Nixon is able to make his point about the Vietnam War, and uses logic and reasoning, along with other factors, to show the Americans his dedication to the war, because he truly believes that it is America’s duty to prevent communism and protect allies not only for diplomacy, but to establish itself as a world power. He therefore stresses, with respect, that the “silent majority” must rise, so that America can continue to carry on and to continue with its
He gives Americans a genuine sense of his cause and uses delicate words. Richard Nixon respects himself and America, so he calls on their pride and confidence, because “this defeat in our Nation’s history would result in a collapse of confidence in American leadership” (Nixon 2). Furthermore, Nixon’s highlights Americans’ traits by mentioning that “we Americans are a do-it-yourself people. We are an impatient people. Instead of teaching someone else to do a job, we like to do it ourselves. And this trait has been carried over into our foreign policy” (Nixon 4). He genuinely respects Americans’ ambition and pleads to everyone to use those traits in order to continue fighting in …show more content…
He contends to the fact that even he, an excellent debater, is not able to convince the communists to back down and relays the cold threats directed by them to America. Other immediate consequences would be that “allies would lose confidence in America”, and that “we would lose confidence in ourselves” (Nixon 4). As a great nation, such a retreat would be severely detrimental to its reputation, and would lead to further complications, considering America was still in the midst of the Cold War with the Soviet Union, and would allow the Soviet Union to gain some footage in the competition. America is the most powerful nation on earth, and not carrying through with this war would harm America more in the long term than in the short term with some number of deaths. Through his powerful combination of rhetorical elements, Richard Nixon is able to make his point about the Vietnam War, and uses logic and reasoning, along with other factors, to show the Americans his dedication to the war, because he truly believes that it is America’s duty to prevent communism and protect allies not only for diplomacy, but to establish itself as a world power. He therefore stresses, with respect, that the “silent majority” must rise, so that America can continue to carry on and to continue with its