There is a famous quote from 1960, in which johnson says to the journalist, saying this is not Lyndon Johnsons war, is americas war. If id drop that tomorrow, this war will still be here. He was right in a way, he was out of office, the work continued. The manner in which the war was fought and led vietnam is widely considered Lyndon Johnsons, failure, depending on the position of the left right political spectrum. There are two books out named Lyndon Johnsons war, talking about the series of decisions made between 1964 and 68, that led to the official justification the incidents of august 1964, the first landing of u. S. Combat troops to protect the base in 1965, the drastically escalation of American Forces in the country for next few years, after the total was half 1 million men. The change of strategy a basic unity, to enclave strategy, which is finally unfortunately accurately called search and destroy. The shocking humiliation of the 1968 offensive, and johnsons decision to turn down a request from the general for 200,000 more troops, and johnsons whose decision to withdraw from the 1968 president ial race. Certainly there is ample justification for referring to vietnam, as Lyndon Johnsons war. Johnson escalated more steeply than any other president , most of the 58,000 americans who died in vietnam, died while johnson was in office. But theyre also important census that the war was not johnsons. He did not make the commitment to preserve vietnam from communism, or at least part of china johnson did not create the nation of south vietnam, as an independent enemy allied with the United States. That happened with eisenhower. Vietnam was not johnsons war, in the sense that he really did not want to fight it. There is a whole slew of biographer is an historians that made clear, lasting johnson wanted to be, was a war president. He had a sorting domestic agenda, what he called the Great Society. Lyndon johnson, was by far the most liberal president , we have ever had. If we are defining the term liberal, that has come to be defined in the last hundred years or so. At, bottom line in bad johnson believed in the federal government to affect positive change in the public arena. Johnson had experience grinding property in east texas, during the depression, he had seen the capability of the federal government, to alleviate at least partially, the suffering of millions of americans. This was his passion. This is what he hoped would be his president ial legacy, a legacy of reform, in domestic politics. And he felt totally ignorant, totally illiquid in the field of foreign affairs, unlike is immediate predecessors, john f. Kennedy and dwight eisenhower. And his successor richard nixon, all of who excelled, or thought they did at Foreign Policy. And fan Domestic Affairs a chore and tedious. Johnson will grew up idolizing Franklin Roosevelt wanted fiercely to carry through what he viewed, as the unfulfilled promise of the new deal. We believe that world war ii, had nick social form in the but. He wanted to carry it through croatian. Vietnam has johnson recognized with thrust into office, was a lethal obstacle on the path to creating a Great Society. The war was consuming a great deal of money, even in 1963. Johnson at a domestic agenda, he knew would require massive funding. The war was a potential siphon. But it was also a commitment, and prize against dont made by a recently assassinated american president. As johnson put it in one of his most off quoted remarks, i think it points up the distinctly gendered way, in which he considered to conceptualize problem, if i left a woman i really loved, the Great Society in to get into a war, i lose all my programs, all my hopes to be done hungry and show the hungry. If i let that at home, and let the communists take over vietnam, id be seen as a coward. And then we couldnt accomplish anything for anyone anywhere. Thats what he in america were obliged to do. But, as the journalist stated, Lyndon Johnson had always dreamed of being the greatest domestic president of this century. He had become without being able to stop it, a war president. And not a very good one at that, how did this happen . What happened to Lyndon Johnson and his great liberal james . A great place to start looking for the answer that question, is to examine the dynamics playing into the president ial election of 1964. Even though this election was a total blowout. He was also wanted the most significant electoral contests in history. Its one of those views that diverge so wildly, that its one of the few elections, you can really see the electorate making a choice, but which way it wants the country to move. At least in the next four years. An election does not have to be close to be fascinating. Look at roosevelt, first hoover are reagan versus carter as i stated, johnson inherited the commitment from kennedy, when kennedy was assassinated, that was 16,000 u. S. Advisers in south vietnam. And the situation was crumbling. Theres a good military man, not an administrator. He was succeeded by nolan khan, who was slightly more competent, but incredibly corrupt, and prone to passing on misleading reports to his american benefactors. Thats one thing that he inherited when he suddenly becomes president. Significantly, he inherited the kennedy team. As they come the best and brightest. As im sure you know, its customary for new president to choose his own cabinet, but johnson believed, with some justification, you can see why he felt this way, he felt that his transition into office would be eased. We believe the National Trauma after the kennedy cessation might be less acute, if he kept kennedys cabinet at their post. Dana russ, remain secretary, plenty was National Security adviser, and Robert Mcclain america remained secretary of defense. As we know of the testimony of many people have the time, johnson was in awe, of these men. He felt terribly insecure and foreign affairs, as much as a masters he was in Domestic Affairs, he was in the fight, attend their foot when it came to Foreign Policy. He felt he needed the services of these brilliant, and worldly advisers. And notice, kennedy is killed in november of 1963. It means johnson became president a year before the next president ial election. Which means he had to start running for office immediately. The area in which he knew, he was weakest, and his admirers knew he was weakest, a republican appointment would be able to score the most points against him, was in Foreign Policy. His utter lack of experience in Foreign Policy. One of them, that everyone keeps forgetting, which is terribly important, the communist chinese explosion, of a nuclear bomb in 1964. As you might imagine, this increase the perceived threat of china to the west. It land an ominous cast to chinas support of north vietnam, and there is a racist dimension to this as well. In the minds of most american policy makers, the soviets unquestionably evil, were sophisticated have that you can negotiate with them, they would appreciate the horrible effects of a nuclear war, they would accept the rational proposition that no gains would be possibly worth a nuclear confrontation. American policies at mid century had a very different view of asians. Iran into the document, in the National Archives in which eisenhower quoted are you can tell about these fanatical easton ares. Theyre willing to sacrifice millions of lives to obtain their objectives. Life comes cheap in the east i guess. The standard theme of american oriental is a. Theres a few year of the theres a fear in the United States, especially with the communist chinese, have war. Johnson had a political dilemma, obviously he had to appear tough on communism. No one could be elected president if he was perceived as an appeaser. He also ought to soothe americans, to assure them we would not take any rash measures that might lead to a nuclear holocaust. Its a balancing act. On the latter score, the republicans made matters easy for johnson, im nominating very cold water. Who is free market, small government philosophy could not have been more at odds with Lyndon JohnsonsGreat Society agenda. If he was the most liberal president we wouldve had, goldwater was the most conservative candidate since the 1920s. Many political historians consider goldwater, the pioneer of the reagan revolution. Goldwater made a famous remark, during the 1964 campaign, a quote, we are told that many people lack skills, and cannot find jobs, because they did not have an education. Thats like saying the people have big feet, because they have big shoes. The fact is, people who have no scales, and no education, for the same reason. Low intelligence, or low ambition. It was in the area, Foreign Policy management, that eisenhower differ the most. Galore made a number of remarks in 1964, that caused some pundits to columns a mad bomber. He remarked on one occasion, just for fun, id like to lob a nuclear bomb into the mens room and the kremlin. He said that. What had to be the mens room, im not sure. It made a lot of people very nervous. There was goldwaters famous address, when he accepted the nomination as republican candidate, he stated extremism in the defensive liberty, is no vice. Moderation, in the pursuit of justice, is no virtue. And quote. When you think about it, is a very sixties thing to say. Welcome back sort of agreed with that. Its not often that you lump them both together. Malcolm x is definition of liberty was different, but the principle is the same. Johnson made great political capital, out of gold waters mad bomber image. His slogan in 1964, was in your heart, you know he is right. Johnson lampoon that with you know he might, or in his guides hes not. Johnsons exploitation of gold waters mad bomber image reached its height in the most famous Political Television commercial in american history. Some of you may have seen this, is been reshown hundreds of times. Even documentaries related to Lyndon Johnson or the sixties. Let me show to know i, seven, six, six eight, nine, nine, seven, nine, sakes, five, four, three, two, one. Cyril. These are the stakes. To make a world in which all of gods children can live. Or to go into the dark, we must either love each other, or we must die. Vote for president johnson, on november 3rd. The stakes are too high for you to stay home. Not exactly subtle, but it was an effective ad. Goldwater did point score some points on Foreign Policy, on his timidity of in the face of communist provocation. Most notably, cold water time to johnson for not responding forcefully, to v8 coming and north vietnamese brutality. Why arent you doing more to defend our south vietnamese ally . And the fact that he killed goal water and political history. It seems ludicrous that he doubted that he would win that election. Released two pressing issues, that caused him to feel and spread of everything, he might lose. That he might be elected president there was a colossal scandal involving the chief aide Walter Jenkins in the in october 1964. He was caught in the mens room of a ymca with another man in a sexual encounter. This was long before gay liberation. There is no glee or broke back mountain. The American Psychiatric association didnt remove the diagnosis of homosexuality from its manuals list of mental until 1973. That is obscene but it is true. If you look at the press, not only do commentators revile him for his perversion, but they go on and on about how he is a Security Risk and susceptible to blackmail. Every story on this affair asked to what extent has American Security been compromised . What are the risks does johnson have . What other risks does johnson have . All the way with lbj got a new connotation. Goldwater said lbj for moral decay. This is a month before the election. The other one is difficult to sum up. Goldwaters crowds when he came to speak, were hysterically adoring. He was treated like a rockstar. They might have been only a small minority but they were as interpreted by a lot of pundits and quite a few members of johnsons own staff is representative of a larger groundswell for very goldwater. The fact is he was handsome and commanding. He was a skilled speaker with a feel for the wellchosen phrase, moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue. Lyndon johnson had to come to terms that he was just about, the least charismatic man ever to run for president. I might have to amend that. I know it is maddening to try to boil it down to personality but this was an issue with johnson and it has been for historians. If frequently affects scholarly judgment. Johnson once said to a former secretary of state in 1967, i have done more for negroes since negroes since lincoln. I have done more for poverty. Why dont people like me . He said because you are not a likable man. It is true. He just wasnt. Some of us just arent. Some of the most touching quotes you run across have to do with his enormous insecurity. His need to be liked. If you listen to the white house tapes, he has lengthy conversations with george reedy in which he talks about how poorly he comes across and describes himself as a hick and freckle belly and wood surrounded by glittering Ivy League Kennedy people. And he wasnt wrong. He rubbed a lot of people the wrong way. He was an overbearing sweaty person. The theorist observes in a recent book, Lyndon Johnson tried his hardest by means of looking summer to the point of intestinal discomfort to convey integrity but made you think of a large quickly dishonest warner bros. Character foghorn leghorn. Johnson taped all of his conversations while he was president. I would like to play you one from mr. Hagar from august 1964. This comes from a documentary about johnson and the makers of this had actors standing in for the people on the tape. The actors standing in for johnson doesnt look anything like him, but it is his actual voice around august 1964. I am the thing he was drunk. Im saying i hope he was drunk. Go ahead, sir. Hello. You made me some real lightweight slacks. I need about six pairs for summer wear. I want them a half inch larger in the waist than they were before except i want to or three inches of stuff left back in so i can take them out, 10 or 15 pounds a month. When you sit in the chair, the knife and your money comes out. I need another inch in the pockets. Another thing, the crotch is always a little too tight. Give me an inch to run out, because it cuts me. It is like riding a wire fence. Riding a wire fence. See if you cant leave me about an inch from where the zipper ends round under the back of my bumhole so i can let it out if i need to. I would sure be grateful. Leader of the free world, he cuts off that conversation like im writing a wire fence. I dont know Michael Begnaud said to his editor, im a pulitzer writer, the word bomb hole is not appearing in my book. This insecure guy, who does not feel with Foreign Companies who does not feel right with Foreign Policy he needs some gesture in the realm of Foreign Policy, to prove number one, that he is not soft on communisms. That is not a mad bomber, and number three, he can act in a mature president ial fashion, when dealing with a Foreign Policy crisis. Also, this is very important. He wants a gesture that does not appear as it will siphon a lot of money from the Great Society programs, which is in the process of instructing. He got his opportunity, which came to be known as the tonkin golf incident, of 1964. Let me give you a background here. In november of 1963, four then president john f. Kennedy, had approved a plan, its a relatively color this name, operation 30 for a. This entailed south vietnamese commandoes, conducting raids along the coastline of north vietnam. These commandoes would blow up defensive positions, supply dumps, they would attack coastal radar transmitters. They usually traveled in u. S. Navy patrol boats. After reading their targets, they would return to their base. It must be stretched, while the United States was supplying the south vietnamese, who carried out these assaults, and while the United States was riding advice, no american soldiers were directly involved. But, that u. S. Navy was simultaneously carrying out top secret spy missions, along the coast of north vietnam. These were code named, this social missions, these operations were conducted by large destroyers were recorded radio and radar signals. The u. S. Navy vessels would obtain information, about coastal facilities in north vietnam, that would help the commandoes of the 34 a raids. Anyway, as early as may 1964, william bundy, johnsons assistant of state, he came up with an early draft of a congressional resolution, whereby the congress would delegates powers to the president in emergency situation he wanted that power they would remove the worry issue, and give my huge Foreign Policy victory, where congress out of sheer patriotism would rally around the president. All that was needed, was an inciting incidents. That was provided an august 2nd 1964. What happened was this. Undulates 22nd, 1964, a destroyer mattocks was ordered to the golf, on a mission. On july 30th, south the enemies commandoes, conducted heavy rates pains to islands. The next day, dramatics arrived there, and on august 1st, it cruised within gun range, of one of the two offshore islands, that have been under attack from the south vietname