Critical reflections on the Cold War : linking rhetoric and history / edited by Martin J. Medhurst and H.W. Brands.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Medhurst, Martin J.

Brands, H. W.

Series:

Presidential rhetoric series ; no. 2.

Presidential rhetoric series ; no. 2

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Cold War.

Rhetoric--Political aspects--United States--History--20th century.

Rhetoric.

United States--Foreign relations--1945-1989.

United States.

United States--Foreign relations--Soviet Union.

Soviet Union--Foreign relations--United States.

Soviet Union.

Physical Description:

ix, 281 p.

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

College Station : Texas A&M University Press, c2000.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Rhetoric and history intersected dramatically during the Cold War, which was, above all else, a war of words. This volume, which combines the work of historians and communication scholars, examines the public discourse in Cold War America from a number of perspectives including how rhetoric shaped history and policies and how rhetorical images invited interpretations of history. The book opens with Norman Graebner's wideranging analysis of the rhetorical background of the Cold War. Frank Costigliola then parses Stalin's speech of February, 1946, an address that many in the West took as a declaration of war by the USSR. The development of NSC68 in 1950, often referred to as America's "blueprint" for fighting the Cold War, is the subject of Robert P. Newman's review. Shawn J. ParryGiles and J. Michael Hogan then focus on American propaganda responses to the perceived Soviet threat. H. W. Brands, Randall B. Woods, and Rachel L. Holloway examine the effects of liberal ideology and rhetoric on domestic and foreign policy decisions. Robert J. McMahon and Robert L. Ivie raise the issue of what it has meant to be the "leader of the Free World" and what the task of postCold War rhetoric will be in this regard. Scholars concerned with the role of words in public life and in the study of history will find challenging material in this interdisciplinary volume. Historians, speech communication scholars, and political scientists with an interest in the Cold War will similarly find grist for further milling.

Contents:

Intro

Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Myth and Reality

The Creation of Memory and Myth

NSC (National Insecurity) 68

Militarizing America's Propaganda Program, 1945-55

The Science of Cold War Strategy

Liberals All!

The Rhetoric of Dissent

The Strategic Defense Initiative and the Technological Sublime

By Helping Others, We Help Ourselves"

A New Democratic World Order?

Afterword

Contributors

Index.

Notes:

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780585377081

1-60344-705-9

0-585-37708-1

OCLC:

48140065