Memory and American History

By: David Thelan

Book Overview

"Memory and American History contains some of the most interesting explorations and significant recent results of work by scholars using traditional primary and secondary sources as well as oral history interviews." -- Library Quarterly From true memory comes true history. Or does it? As this book demonstrates, the study of memory opens exciting opportunities for historians to ask fresh questions of conventional sources and to make new connections among subjects that have come to be regarded as specialized and distinct.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0253205700
• ISBN13: 9780253205704
• Release Date: January 1990
• Publisher: Indiana Univ Pr
• Length: 176 Pages
• Weight: 0.69 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.3" x 0.5" x 6.3"

Customer Reviews

Interesting aspect of Watergate history

Read this for graduate American history course. "Memory and American History" by David Thelan is a fascinating book because it is three different accounts of the monumental discovery on July 13th, 1973. This was the day in which Alexander P. Butterfield confessed to Watergate investigators that there was an extensive recording system in the Nixon White House. This discovery led to the battle for the White House tapes and the eventual resignation of President Nixon. This article is the work of three different authors, two of which were present in the room when Butterfield told investigators about the recording system. Donald Sanders was the deputy of the minority council, was present at the meeting, and was going to interview Butterfield. Scott Armstrong was a Democratic staffer and was working for the majority council. David Thelan interviewed Butterfield for the Journal of American History to present Butterfield's side of the story and his feelings on his confession. "Remembering the Discovery of the Watergate Tapes" offers three similar, but slightly different views on Butterfield's famous confession about the White House taping system. The Butterfield revelation became the most important discovery of the Watergate investigation and led to Nixon's embarrassing battle over subpoenaed tapes. Interestingly, Scott and Sanders both claim that it was themselves who coaxed the confession from Butterfield. Armstrong's majority council had received the Buzhardt account, which was extremely detailed of meetings in the White House and had extensive verbatim quotations. Scott showed the document to Butterfield and asked questions about the methods for transcribing meetings in the White House. However, this document did not make Butterfield revel the taping system and the subject was dropped until Sanders began to question him. Sanders was suspicious of a recording system because of the detailed transcriptions and it bothered him that Dean spoke with the president quietly in the comer of the room. During Butterfield's interview Sanders was debating whether or not to ask about the possibility of a taping system. Sanders wrote in his account, "I had resolved to going through with it only minutes before". Sanders then asked Butterfield, " .. .if he knew of any reason why the president would take John Dean to a comer of the room and speak to him in a quiet voice". Butterfield believed that he should not lie and began his confession with, "I was hoping you fellows wouldn't ask me that. I've wondered what I would say". However, Scott believes that the confession was, "as If he were now answering the long-pending question" which Armstrong asked about the Buzhardt account. Butterfield was entered as a witness for the minority party, but Armstrong believes it was he who persuaded the testimony. The most disappointing aspect to this book is the transcription of Thelan's interviews with Butterfield. Thelan discusses how he wanted to give Butterfield's account in