Rhetorical Analysis Of Richard Nixon's The Greatest Silent Majority

Richard Nixon gives the speech “The Greatest Silent Majority” during the Vietnamese war to convince Americans to support South Vietnam in their war against the communist takeover from North Vietnam. To specify, the speech directs primarily to the Silent Majority, the people who oppose the Vietnamese war. Throughout the speech, Nixon uses rhetorical appeals to support the freedom of South Vietnam and the pride of the United States. In 1955, communist North Vietnam begins war with South Vietnam. North Vietnam wants to reunite the North and South and has the support of China along with the rebellious South Vietnam army. South Vietnam does not want to be taken over by communists, and won’t be, with the support of the United States. Dwight D. Eisenhower is the president when the war

He uses facts and predictions in order to appeal to the audience. “Hanoi has refused to even discuss our proposals” Nixon states to show that American efforts to end the war peacefully have failed. Nixon says “It has become clear that the obstacle in negotiating an end to the war is not the President of the United States”, characterizing the negotiation as an obstacle along with placing the blame on North Vietnam. The predicted the outcome if America continues to aid South Vietnam is positive. “By December 15 over 60,000 men will have been withdrawn from South Vietnam, including 20 percent of all our combat forces. The South Vietnamese have continued to gain in strength” Nixon states, giving audience members hope in peace in the near future. “I have not, and do not, intent to announce the timetable for our program... They would simply wait until our forces had withdrawn and them move in” Nixon reasonably argues. While many Americans wish to see a timeline of troop withdrawals, Nixon argues that it cannot be published because the North would invade after the American troops leave the South tactical military