Quotes from C. Vann Woodward

The twilight zone that lies between living memory and written history is one of the favorite breeding places of mythology.

The other was that all the major civil rights organizations, new as well as old, were committed to the philosophy of non-violence, the doctrine preached by the most conspicuous leader in the Negro movement, Martin Luther King. 'We will soon wear you down by our capacity to suffer,' he told the whites, 'and in winning our freedom we will so appeal to your heart and conscience that we will win you in the process.

A sensitive spirit wounded by those who should have nurtured, sees all things in a false color, is proud of its own isolation, magnifies its defects, is unfitted for the intercourse of the world and as far as the necessities will allow retires within itself and imagines that all others are more fortunate, more deserving and more happy.

Watson knew that the lien system merely provided the shackles of the farmer's economic slavery. It was only the machinery of exploitation. How was it that cotton had fallen from a dollar a pound at the close of the War to an average of twenty cents in the 'seventies, nine cents in the 'eighties, and seven cents in the 'nineties—a level below the cost of production—and had stayed there?

the railroad owners, who evaded taxes, bought legislatures, and overcharged him with discriminatory rates;

Perhaps it was because his hair was a shade too dark that his schoolmates did not call him "Red," and perhaps it was because of something else. At least four of his schoolmates, now living, agree that he possessed an unusually quick temper and a disposition to attack with waspish fury on small provocation

A sword may be surrendered with more grace and dignity than a point of view.

Despite its professed radicalism, the Republican party had obviously become the conservative party, spokesman of vested interests and big business, defender of an elaborate system of tariffs, subsidies, currency laws, privileged banks, railroads, and corporations, a system entrenched in the law by Republicans while the voters were diverted by oratory about Reconstruction, civil rights, and Southern atrocities.

a campaign of mendacity unprecedented since Napoleon proclaimed the destruction of Nelson's fleet at Trafalgar.

It is substantially a proposition," concluded the two Northern Democrats and three Republicans, who signed the Minority Report on the bill, "to build this road and the branches on Government credit without making them the property of the Government when built. If there be any profit, the corporations may take it; if there be loss, the Government must bear it.

The gap between living memory and written history a "twilight zone" which serves as one fo the favorite breeding grounds of mythology

While it would not be accurate to say that we were influenced by public opinion," testified Admiral Toyoda

The fires of frustration and discord are burning in every city, North and South,' he said. 'Where legal remedies are not at hand, redress is sought in the streets in demonstrations, parades and protests, which create tensions and threaten violence—and threaten lives.

Eight days later he sent to Congress the most sweeping bill for civil rights up to that time, and urged it 'not merely for reasons of economic efficiency, world diplomacy and domestic tranquility—but above all because it is right.

The Musashi was the third Japanese battleship definitely known to have been sunk by our Navy, the first in nearly two years, and the only one up to that time sunk entirely by air attack.

On a different plane there were the less idealistic, less publicized aims of Northern policy during the war and the period following. These aims centered in the protection of a sectional economy and numerous privileged interests, and were reflected in new statutes regarding taxes, money, tariffs, banks, land, railroads, subsidies, all placed upon the law books while the South was out of the Union.

There was something else at stake, and it was probably of more consequence in the long run than any of the previous considerations. This was the question of whether the country could regain the ability to settle Presidential elections without the resort to force.

Lamar related the Texas & Pacific bill to the national political crisis by presenting it as a means of "reconciliation" between the sections, "material reconstruction" of the South, and a way of restoring "mutual respect and affection" at a moment when those sentiments were desperately needed.

The success of Woodrow Wilson's campaign for the presidential nomination and the management and direction of his race for President were in very considerable degree the work of an able school of Southern progressive politicians. Likewise the striking success of the progressive reforms of Wilson's first administration owed much of their vigor to the work of Southern cabinet members

The Battle of Leyte Gulf was the greatest naval battle of the Second World War and the largest engagement ever fought on the high seas.

At Leyte Gulf we used eight carriers, eight light carriers, and sixteen escort carriers — thirty-two in all.

In our two fleets participating in the Philippines battle we had twelve battleships to the enemy's nine.

To curtail free expression strikes twice at intellectual freedom, for whoever deprives another of the right to state unpopular views necessarily deprives others of the right to listen to those views.