1970 Chicago Bar. Veterans Talking Vietnam. The SILENT MAJORITY

This scene, partially filmed in a bar in Detroit in 1970, was looking at how “ordinary Americans” felt about the Vietnam War and other economic issues. It was a working class bar. The film looked at what was called the “silent majority”. I was one of the cameramen and not the maker of this movie. The term “silent majority“ gained prominence during the presidency of Richard Nixon. It was used to describe a group of Americans who were seen as less vocal and visible in the public discourse, but who were believed to represent a significant portion of the population. The phrase “silent majority“ is often attributed to President Richard Nixon, although he didn’t actually coin the term. It was used in political discourse before Nixon’s presidency. However, he popularized and employed it effectively during his time in office. The “silent majority“ were described as being more conservative in their values, political beliefs, and attitudes, particularly in contrast to the more vocal and visible anti-war activists and civil rights protesters of the era. While the term itself did not define specific beliefs or characteristics, it generally referred to people who: Supported the Vietnam War or, at the very least, were against the anti-war protests and demonstrations. Embraced traditional American values, including patriotism, law and order, and “family values”. Were concerned about the perceived breakdown of societal norms and order during the 1960s, which included protests, social unrest, and changing cultural norms. Were often associated with more conservative and Republican-leaning ideologies. President Richard Nixon strategically employed the term “silent majority“ to rally support for his policies, particularly regarding the Vietnam War. He believed that there was a significant portion of the American population who were not actively participating in anti-war protests and who supported his approach to ending the war. Nixon’s usage of the phrase was particularly notable in his November 3, 1969 speech, known as the “Silent Majority Speech.“ In this address, he argued that the silent majority’s views were not adequately represented in the media or by anti-war activists. He called for support for his policy of “Vietnamization,“ which aimed to gradually transfer responsibility for the war to South Vietnam while withdrawing U.S. troops. By framing his policies as aligned with the silent majority’s beliefs and values, he sought to build public support for his administration’s actions. Nixon used the concept of the silent majority to create a sense of solidarity among Americans who shared his more conservative values and his approach to the Vietnam War. He positioned himself as a defender of these values against what he characterized as the radical and vocal elements of society. Watching this clip you can see that the “silent majority“ in that bar felt differently than Pres. Nixon said they did. If this interested you please support my efforts to present more videos by clicking the thanks button below the video screen. Thank you David Hoffman filmmaker