The rhetorical opposition to controversial wars: Rhetorical timing as a generic consideration

In this essay, the claim is advanced that loosely structured, complex rhetorical situations often possess a strong internal structure with regard to their development or maturation over the course of time. It is argued that this position has important implications for the generic criticism of rhetorical discourse. These implications are developed via an analysis of the discourse delivered in response to two complex rhetorical situations in American history: the American Revolution and the Vietnam War.