Of lyndon and lady bird johnson, andhonorable hubert held, miss lucy baines johnson, daughter of lyndon and lady bird johnson, and the retired Major General of the United States army, the silver star, bronze star, and purple heart recipient. [applause] the archive of this library contains thousands of letters to president. Many of which concern the vietnam war. These reflect the dramatically contrasting views of the war held by americans, including our troops. Dear mr. President , here is a picture of a little via menus a little girl and myself. They live in a village about eight miles southeast of denying. Their mother was killed by vc. It is our duty to keep her smile, which betrays so much on her face. There are many more who do not have the freedom to smile, which she has. Its our duty as americans to bring happiness to those who may otherwise never be as free of care as she. To be able to pose with her and have her still look so happy gives the idea of the good we are doing here. This is worth fighting for. This is worth dying for. I know the weight you must carry on your shoulders, serve, and i pray that god will help you. I hope this letter and picture will bring you a blessing. She says the marines are number one. ,incerely yours, first corporal u. S. Marine corps. Dear sir, i hope this letter finds the president in the best of health. Before i begin, allow me to introduce myself. I am pst nichols, United States marine in vietnam, this is the topic of my letter. Like most of the servicemen fighting here, i dont fully understand this war. Training, long talks, and finally a weapon and told we have a war to fight , so that the people of vietnam can have a noncommunist government. We are fighting this war for the vietnamese people. Why should my friends die for what they dont believe in . Been here seven months, and will be here until my 13 is completed, if all goes well, but never will be able to understand why are these americans, and maybe myself, must i for people who really dont seem to give a damn. Most of us are hoping to see our love ones, and this seems most important to most of us. If you were to ask a question, what are we fighting for, honest men would tell you to get through these 13 months to get back home. I hope you can understand our feelings and answer questions in this letter. Thank you, sir, for your time. The time youve taken to read this letter. Yours truly, pfc. Charles the goals, United States marine corps. Lettersoing to read two from my husband, who also was a marine in vietnam. We got married in december in washington, and he left in march. On our daughters sixmonth birthday. This is may 31, 1968. My darling, linda, today i was a very lucky man. About 11 00 this morning, i was back at the bunker, battalion cp, and walking towards the command bunker when i heard the familiar sound of incoming mortars. Even before the first round hit, i yelled incoming. And dived for the nearest whole. Sheltered the first round, landed about 20 meters away. Within 10 seconds, the marines died into the very same hole on top of me, which was only big enough for two people to begin with. Rounds continue to land all around us the next minute or so. Then there was a pause of about 30 seconds, and one last round landed right on the opposite edge of the foxhole. Fortunately, all the shrapnel went forward in the same direction the round was headed, and none of it came back into the foxhole. Round, which one completely destroyed the two Company Office structures next to my office and killed a small dog, which was not smart enough to get into a whole when the incoming started. My Office Structure was only slightly damaged, and the only marine captured from that last round were the two mild concussion suffered by the two men who piled on top of me. And the round landed just six inches shorter, all of us would have been killed. Needless to say, we all felt very lucky, even though there were a few others in the general area who did not fare so well. Often, trex Company Provided ofurity for the road sweeps the convoys to the outpost near the cambodian border. This is august 5, 1968. I usually outpost the road all the way out and then pick up the troops on tanks and then tracks on the way back. Otherwise, the round trip take over a day each way. We were a little past the half point, when one of the trucks was blown up by what we later discovered was a command line,ted 35 pound box command detonated means it was set off by a person hiding some distance away with the fuse box instead of a regular pressure relief mechanism. It was immediately engulfed in ignited athe mine least six of the 12 gas tanks. On thene entire platoon vehicle at the time, in addition to a threeman Forward Air Control team and a fourman amtrak crew. The net result was 30 casualties. Many from shrapnel, but all from burns. Just yesterday, i received a fairly large number of replacement unassigned over half of them to this platoon to make up for previous losses. Now theyre back down to almost nothing again. For tomorrows convoy, ive already made arrangements to borrow a platoon from another company. Someone is watching over me personally. Because i was on the track right behind the one the enemy decided to blow up three and would have been just as good a target. Fortunately, the enemy did not launch a group attack a ground attack to go with it. I was very proud of the company again. When the chips are down, they are tremendous. This is a letter written to president johnson by a captain of the republic of vietnam army, written from a u. S. Training , on americasa 100 90th birthday, july 4, 1966. Fourth of july, 1966. The honorable lyndon b. Johnson, president of United States. The white house. I am nowpresident , under training at the u. S. Army Chemical School and center at fort mcclellan, alabama. Youindebted and grateful to for your recent thoughtful made me readch over and over again u. S. History, and its declaration of independence. Again, i found your speech is the spirit of liberty which made america strong and free. Im confident with the generous aid and anguish of your road nation, we shall finally emerge the torillas in the struggle for freedom and independence. I have tried to write in english for the first time. Im am taking the liberty to bring to your attention as a token of my appreciation. I sincerely hope that it may express to you are burning desire to fight for freedom, that it may serve as a self explanation of a humble but grateful people who truthfully show this weakness to a true friend, in order to be helped more effectively. Inh my very best wishes respect to you, the leader of the free world, and to your honorable family. May i congratulate you, mr. President , on the occasion of your independence day. Thank you. When Patrick Nugent and i met , the summer of 1965, he was graduating from college, and already, and member of the air national guard. We married a year later, with a dream reception in the white house. Our first child was nine months old in april of 1968, when patrick volunteered for vietnam. Patrick did not have to go to war. He went because he wanted to serve his country. Like many wives of servicemen, i frequently went home to my parents. Lying in my bed in the white house, i often heard the lbj, how say hey, hey, many boys did you kill today . I lived in the terror of knowing my husband and brothers in law might be one of those boys. For my father, it was also very personal. Three of our troops in vietnam were family, all felt like it. It was daddys constant struggle to bring them home safely, and our country to the peace table. 1969, patrick wrote his fatherinlaw and commanderinchief a letter. My father shared it with me, because he was so proud of patrick. And grateful to him. His children and i remain so. Forever. 12 january. My dear mr. President , chuck and i had a very peaceful and eventful christmas eve, and christmas day. The highlight of our yuletide season was a telephone call from you, mrs. Johnson, lucy, and linda. Lynn made a strong effort to converse with his daddy, but the conversation was onesided, all on his side. Someday, i look for him to be president. Of at t, that is. Christmas day, chuck and i made three stops to distribute the articles he had gathered. Was a smallop village, some 30 miles southwest of denying, where he passed out food and toys to the villagers. We then went to the catholic allanage and handed out sorts of toys to children. Our final stop of the day was the naval hospital, where we visited with the patients in the orthopedic ward. We also handed out writing materials and fruitcake. 1968 will always be a memorable one for two reasons. Number one, it was my first christmas away from my family, and i hope, the last. And to, i was able to help other people appreciate the meaning of christmas. The war activity has increased somewhat since the beginning of the new year. Everyone is half expecting some sort of offensive. The hot areas are still located northwest of saigon, along the cambodian border. Days ago, my aircraft came under mortar fire, as we were coming to halt on the runway. Realize thatidnt we were being fired upon. My primary concern was to offload the 56 gis i had on board. God, no one was hit. And the aircraft never received scratch. The number of days i have remaining in vietnam is diminishing quite rapidly. It,s the gis referred to im getting short. I have 88 writing, days remaining. I received my orders last week, which in effect state i have to report to Bergstrom Air force base for separation from active duty upon return stateside. This letter will be my last addressed to you as my commander in chief. I consider it both an honor and a privilege to have served under your command and direction. I didnt want to see you vacate the presidency, since you are the best we have. But at the same time, i respect your decision, and i am extremely proud of you. Vietnam know that you have done everything in your power to bring about a peaceful solution to the war. Unfortunately, we cannot negotiate with ourselves. Nor is it our desire to abandon the hope of a free and democratic South Vietnam. Johnson are in my prayers and thoughts today. And every day. Love, pat. Ps, i enjoyed talking to everyone last night. Thank you. Tonight, it is a tremendous honor for me to speak to, as we come together to honor our vietnam veterans, it particularly those brave men and women who sacrificed their lives by fighting for freedom and democracy in vietnam. Year around this time, on april 30, the vietnamese American Communities commemorate an honor the fallen soldiers. We also remember and mourn the loss of millions of lives in vietnam, who died seeking freedom. Today, on behalf of the vietnamese american community, have to express my deepest gratitude for the sacrifices made by america during the vietnam war. 58,000 brave american soldiers and their families made the ultimate sacrifice. We should allow vietnamese American Communities to survive and migrate to this great country. Vietnam was, south a fortress of freedom and democracy, safeguarding against the expansion of communism in indochina. In making their stand against communism, 58,000 americans together with 250,000 South Vietnamese lost their lives. The rallying cause was to prevent Foreign Occupation and of independent integrity. More than 450,000 vietnam soldiers died in the fight for the cause. Today, what can we say was achieved with these great losses . Why the communist states around the world have already fought, vietnam still remains a communist state. North vietnams primary resisting Foreign Occupation has turned vietnam into a chinese vassal state. Vietnam today has neither freedom or democracy. What has transpired in the 41 thosesince the war ended not change the gratitude we have for the brave men and women of the vietnam war, as we honor them today. Because wehese facts proudly honor those heroes, we must examine whether sacrifice means to us today, and how much the cause for which they died still remains to be achieved. One day, when vietnam is no longer under commonest control, and is a land of freedom and democracy, the vietnam war will no longer be a reminder of division, instead, it will be a reminder of the high price that freedom requires in all great countries. On that day, i believe that we will have, finally, truly honored these fallen soldiers, and the souls of those brave men and women, we will be proud of their sacrifice. While i hear today why am i here today . Im here today because the young man saved my life, and changed my life. In four years of combat, there were many soldiers who did this for many of us. The name is larry morford. He was 24 years old when he was killed. 15 days before coming home. This man was in a battalion i commanded in 1969 to 1970. In that area, if you can remember, it was the height of the antivietnam war. Larry was a fervent christian. Few he was one of the very who volunteered in a battalion i had over 90 were draftees. He was one of the very few volunteers. Larry why, ifed you are such a christian, are you here . I know you dont believe in combat as a way to resolve conflict. And i know that you dont believe we should be in vietnam. Why are you here . His answer was simple. Sir, i could not stay home when others were fighting this war. Sir, also, the job that you and i are doing is the job of the beast. In the least beastly of us should be doing it. That was the sergeants message. He lived his sermon. Hes the man that has inspired me to create an award every year at west point, the sergeant morford award, that sends west point connects to china also to teach preventive message Preventive Medicine in chinese high school. He, along with a corporal who was killed at age 24, are two soldiers that are remembered in china. Who were trying to make soldiers be role models of what a good citizen should be. Mentioned, spellman religious leader the United States, he said it this way. , ii had not been a priest most certainly would have been a soldier. Because they are both called to do the same thing. Protect the innocent and write the injustice. T the injustice. I listened to market, our host. He has given me a very strict rule. And i must tell you that i left the army and went to medical school and became a missionary in africa. In africa, the rule is very simple. Speak as long as you have one leg up. When you can no longer keep that leg up, you must give up the podium where the audience can spear you. [laughter] so let me ended by saying its only fitting that my remembrance of Sergeant Larry morford should be followed by Sergeant Henry kissinger. Because many of you probably dont know that before dr. Kissinger became famous, he was a sergeant in the u. S. Army. Open. Ur parachutes [applause] ladies and gentlemen, please welcome, mr. Larry temple, chairman of the Lyndon Baines johnson foundation. [applause] mr. Temple good evening. As chairman of the lbj foundation, it is my privilege to welcome you to this Keynote Presentation of the vietnam war summit. Lyndon johnson would have been very proud of this summit, and wouldve wanted it to take place. He would particularly have been proud of the valor and commitment of the men and women who serve this country in vietnam is being recognized and honored here. While few people see disagreement in dispute, Lyndon Johnson never shied away from controversy. Library was dedicated, lbj famously proclaimed its all here. The story of our time, with the bark off. There is no record of mistake or an unpleasantness or criticism that is not included in the files here. And papers in this library certainly testify to the remarkable of compliments of lbjs legacy. His monumental successes in civil rights were chronicled in the summit programs held in this library just two years ago. But this library does not ignore lbjs english, the tragedy of the vietnam war. His greatest disappointment was the failure to achieve peace in the war in vietnam that he inherited and pursued. President johnson always wanted this stage to be the form for the great issues of the day. That includes reflections and revisiting of events of an earlier time, and to learn lessons to apply to the current time. So that is why i can say with certainty that president johnson would welcome the discussions of this summit, including criticisms of decisions and actions that were taken 50 years ago. Tomorrow president johnsons own words, the aspirations of this summit is to revisit the entire , with the barkm off. There should be no record of a mistake or an unpleasantness or criticism that is not included in this forum. My pleasure to introduce lbj Foundation Chairman emeritus, tom johnson, who will present the program tonight. [applause] mr. Johnson thank you, larry. It is my honor and my privilege now to introduce my friend, dr. Henry kissinger. And i have known each other since 1967. When he was a relatively young professor at harvard university. And i was a very old Ranking Member of president Johnsons White house staff. In july, 1967, dr. Kissinger was a top secret channel for president johnson, through french intermediaries, with north vietnamese Prime Minister and the aging ho chi minh. Through dr. Kissinger, president johnson offered a bombing halt, a faces station of bombing would discussionsuctive between the United States and hanoi. President johnson even proposed a direct meeting between dr. Kissinger and hanois representatives. Measure,goodfaith president johnson unilaterally sought to end the bombing in the. Icinity the north vietnamese response was entirely negative. And i quote. We can either receive mr. Kissinger, nor comment on the american views as transmitted through this channel. In a very highly classified meeting in the cabinet room on october 18, 1967, president johnson, secretary of state and rest, secretary defense Robert Kissinger tod dr. Make one more attempt. Response,vietnamese and i quote, theres no reason for us to talk again. We soon learned that hanoi was planning a massive allout assault on vietnam, a sledgehammer b