--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Let historians not record that when…" description: "\"Let historians not record that when America was the most powerful nation in the world we passed on the other side of the road and allowed the last hope..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8c/richard-m-nixon-727_america_let-historians-not-record-that-when-amer_649117.jpg" --- # Let historians not record that when America was the most… ![“Let historians not record that when America was the most powerful nation in the world we passed on the other side of the road and allowed the last hopes for peace and freedom of millions of people to be suffocated by the forces of totalitarianism. And so tonightto you, the great silent majority of…” quote by Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8c/richard-m-nixon-727_america_let-historians-not-record-that-when-amer_649117.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8c/richard-m-nixon-727_america_let-historians-not-record-that-when-amer_649117.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8c/richard-m-nixon-727_america_let-historians-not-record-that-when-amer_649117.jpg) > “Let historians not record that when America was the most powerful nation in the world we passed on the other side of the road and allowed the last hopes for peace and freedom of millions of people to be suffocated by the forces of totalitarianism. And so tonightto you, the great silent majority of my fellow AmericansI ask for your support.” [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. It warns that despite America's power, we ignored peace, allowing totalitarian forces to suppress hope for millions. **In simple terms:** America ignored peace, letting oppression grow. Key Takeaway Advocate for active peacekeeping. Themes politics peace totalitarianism Mood urgent concerned Type political activist When to use this quote - foreign policy - activism - humanitarian aid Key Concepts international relations human rights Questions to Reflect On - How can powerful nations prevent oppression? - What responsibilities do citizens have in foreign policy? A Different Perspective The claim may oversimplify complex geopolitics. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Nations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nations/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Silent majority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silent-majority/) [Support](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/support/) [Totalitarianism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/totalitarianism/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Most Americans honestly believe America is the most powerful nation on earth, but actualy the most powerful nation is imagi-nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/most-americans-honestly-believe-america-is-the-most-powerful-nation/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [Let's give the historians something to write about](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/propertius/let-s-give-the-historians-something-to-write-about/) [Propertius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/propertius/) > [If, when the chips are down, the worlds most powerful nation, the United States of America, acts like a pitiful, helpless giant, the forces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/if-when-the-chips-are-down-the-worlds-most-powerful-nation-the-united/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [Let us understand: North Vietnam cannot defeat or humiliate the United States. Only Americans can do that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/let-us-understand-north-vietnam-cannot-defeat-or-humiliate-the-united/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [Those who hate you don't win unless you hate them back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/those-who-hate-you-don-t-win-unless-you-hate-them-back/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [The great silent majority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/the-great-silent-majority/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [Tonight - to you, the great silent majority of my fellow Americans - I ask for your support.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/tonight-to-you-the-great-silent-majority-of-my-fellow-americans-i-ask/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [If the union between England and America is a powerful factor in the cause of peace, a new Triple Alliance between the Teutonic race…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-the-union-between-england-and-america-is-a-powerful-factor-in-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Don't forget, America is a very powerful nuclear country and so is Russia. There's no up-side.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/don-t-forget-america-is-a-very-powerful-nuclear-country-and-so-is/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [Well, in 1947... in Europe and in Italy especially, we thought of America as all-powerful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giovanni-agnelli/well-in-1947-in-europe-and-in-italy-especially-we-thought-of-america/) [Giovanni Agnelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giovanni-agnelli/) > [It always trips me out that America, the most powerful and magnificent nation in the history of the world, whose might was built by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheech-marin/it-always-trips-me-out-that-america-the-most-powerful-and-magnificent/) [Cheech Marin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheech-marin/) > [America is a powerful country and it has earned the right that nobody from the outside can interfere with it or comment on it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/america-is-a-powerful-country-and-it-has-earned-the-right-that-nobody/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [America's still a very, very powerful symbol and a very important place of leadership for the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/america-s-still-a-very-very-powerful-symbol-and-a-very-important/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [I believe America is the most powerful country in the world and is a country that stands on principle. Its principles are enshrined in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdullah-of-saudi-arabia/i-believe-america-is-the-most-powerful-country-in-the-world-and-is-a/) [Abdullah of Saudi Arabia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdullah-of-saudi-arabia/) > [I'm aware that because America is so powerful - with its tentacles reaching out to the world - one doesn't escape it by leaving.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-robinson/i-m-aware-that-because-america-is-so-powerful-with-its-tentacles/) [Randall Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-robinson/) ## More by Richard M. Nixon > [I have never been a quitter. To leave office before my term is completed is opposed to every instinct in my body. But as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/i-have-never-been-a-quitter-to-leave-office-before-my-term-is/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [With those who are willing to join, let us cooperate to reduce the burden of arms, to strengthen the structure of peace, to lift…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/with-those-who-are-willing-to-join-let-us-cooperate-to-reduce-the/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [I have earned every cent. And in all of my years of public life I have never obstructed justice,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/i-have-earned-every-cent-and-in-all-of-my-years-of-public-life-i-have/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [Restoring nature to its natural state is a cause beyond party and beyond factions. It has become a common cause of all the people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/restoring-nature-to-its-natural-state-is-a-cause-beyond-party-and/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [What kind of nation we will be, what kind of world we will live in, whether we shape the future in the image of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/what-kind-of-nation-we-will-be-what-kind-of-world-we-will-live-in/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [Once you get into this great stream of history you can't get out. You can drown. Or you can be pulled ashore by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/once-you-get-into-this-great-stream-of-history-you-can-t-get-out-you/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [The ultimate test of a nation's character is not how it responds to adversity in war but how it meets the challenge of peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/the-ultimate-test-of-a-nation-s-character-is-not-how-it-responds-to/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [History is a pathetic junkyard of broken treaties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/history-is-a-pathetic-junkyard-of-broken-treaties/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [I refuse to make a decision that somebody else can make. The first rule of leadership is to save yourself for the big decision.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/i-refuse-to-make-a-decision-that-somebody-else-can-make-the-first/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [Those who hate you don't win unless you hate them, and then you destroy yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/those-who-hate-you-don-t-win-unless-you-hate-them-and-then-you/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [I made my mistakes, but in all of my years in public life, I have never profited, never profited from public serviceI have earned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/i-made-my-mistakes-but-in-all-of-my-years-in-public-life-i-have-never/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [I know you heard what you thought I said, but what I said isn't what I meant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/i-know-you-heard-what-you-thought-i-said-but-what-i-said-isn-t-what-i/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [I want to be sure...that nothing is done on these veterans. Is that understood?...Is the word out? That they are not to touch em,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/i-want-to-be-sure-that-nothing-is-done-on-these-veterans-is-that/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [“Nations not possessing great power can indulge in the luxury of criticism of others; those possessing it have the responsibility of decision. Faced with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/nations-not-possessing-great-power-can-indulge-in-the-luxury-of/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [The peace we seek in the world is not the flimsy peace which is merely an interlude between wars, but a peace which can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/the-peace-we-seek-in-the-world-is-not-the-flimsy-peace-which-is/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) [Explore all 388 Richard M. Nixon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. 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