Kissinger sat down with lbj president ial Library Director mark updegrove. On the first of a threeday conference in texas. Then took questions from the audience. Severalhear first from introductory speakers, including president johnsons two daughters. The conversation with kissinger starts in about 30 minutes. This program is two hours. Please welcome, the archivist of the United States, daughter of lyndon and lady bird johnson, the honorable hubert bola. Miss luci baines johnson, daughter of lyndon and lady bird johnson. And dr. Bernard let ski. 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 our 36th president. Many of which concern the vietnam war. There are two letters during the height of the president johnsons tenure in office which reflect the dramatically contrasting views of the war held by americans, including our troops. Dear mr. President , here is a vietnamesea little girl and myself. In a village about eight miles southeast of their mother was killed by the vc. Because of us, she is able to smile. It is our duty to keep her smile, which portrays so much in 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, sir, and i pray god will help you. I hope this letter and picture will bring you a blessing. She says the marines are number one. Sincerely yours, first corporal, lee Vernon Burnett 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. Pfcf c nichols i am nichols, United States marine in vietnam. Like most of the servicemen fighting here, i dont fully understand this war. We are given 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. I would like to know why. Why should my oddities and other people my friends and other peoples sons die for what they dont believe in . I have 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 must die for people who really dont seem to give a dam. 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 nichols. Im going to read two letters from my husband, who also was a marine in vietnam. We got married in december in washington, and he left in march. He came home 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. Just as the first round landed about 20 meters away. Within 10 seconds, the marines into the 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. As it was the one round, which completely destroyed the two Company Office structures next to my office and killed a small dog, which was not smart enough theet into a hole when firing 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. Had the round landed just six inches shorter, all of us wouldve 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. , chucks company is provided security for the road sweeps of the convoys to the outpost near the cambodian border. This is in august fifth, 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 would 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 detonated 35 pound box line, command detonated means it was set off by a person hiding some distance away with the fuse box instead of a regular pressure release mechanism. It was immediately engulfed in flames as the mine ignited at least six of the 12 gas tanks. I had one entire platoon on the vehicle at the time, in addition to a threeman Forward Air Control team and a fourman crew. The net result was 30 casualties. Many from shrapnel, but all from burns. Just yesterday, i received a fairly large number of replacements, and had assigned 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. And would have been just as good of 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 base in alabama on americas 190th birthday. Fourth of july, 1966. The honorable lyndon b. Johnson, president of United States. The white house. Dear mr. President , i am now under training at the u. S. Army Chemical School and center at fort mcclellan, alabama. Im indebted and grateful to you for your recent thoughtful speeches, which made me read 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 encouragement of your nation, we shall finally emerge victorious in the struggle for freedom and independence. Osed i am taking the liberty to bring to your attention as a token of my appreciation. I sincerely hope that it may express to you our burning desire to fight for freedom that it may serve as a self explanation of a humble, but grateful people, who truthfully show his weakness to a true friend and noted to be helped more effectively. With my very best wishes in 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 a 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 picketers say hey, hey, lbj, how 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 all so 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. In january of 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. Our first stop was a small village, some 30 miles southwest , where he passed out food and toys to the villagers. We then went to the catholic orphanage and handed out all 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. Christmas, 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 two, 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. Hot areas are still located northwest of saigon, along the cambodian border. 10 days ago, my aircraft came under mortar fire as we were coming to a halt on the runway. As usual, i did not realize that we were being fired upon. My primary concern was to offload the gis i had on board. 56 thank god, no one was hit. And the aircraft never received a scratch. The number of days i have i haven vietnam remaining in vietnam is diminishing quite rapidly. Or as the gis referred to it, im getting short. As of this writing, i have 88 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. Our men in 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. You and mrs. 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 you, as we come together to honor our vietnam veterans, in particularly those brave men and women who sacrificed their lives by fighting for freedom and democracy in vietnam. Each year around this time on the vietnamese american april 30, communities commemorate and 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 Community american community, i would like to express my deepest gratitudes 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. 50 years ago, South Vietnam was stood as 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. North vietnams rallying cause was to prevent Foreign Occupation and issue an independent integrity. 450,000 north vietnamese 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, fallen, vietnam still remains a communist state. North vietnams primary objective of resisting Foreign Occupation has turned vietnam into a chinese vassal state. Vietnam today has neither freedom nor democracy. What has transpired in the 41 years since the war ended those does not change the gratitude we have for the brave men and women of the vietnam war, as we honor them today. I mention these facts because we proudly honor those to properly honor those heroes, we must examine what their sacrifice means to us today and how much because for which they died still remains to be achieved. One day, when vietnam is no longer under communist control and is a land of freedom and democracy, the vietnam war will no longer be a reminder of division. Instead, it will be the it will be a reminder of the high price that freedom requires in all countries. On that day, i believe that we will have finally, truly honored these Fallen Soldiers and the souls of those brave men and proud of their sacrifice. Why am i here today . Im here today because the young a 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. Yet he was one of the very few who volunteered in a battalion i had over 90 were draftees. He was one of the very few volunteers. Why, ifi asked larry, you are such a christian, are you here . I know you dont believe in combat as the 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. And the least beastly of us should be doing it. Morford rgeants sergeant morfords 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 cadets to china to teach preventative 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. As Cardinal Spellman mentioned, a religious leader in the United States, he said it this way. If i had not been a priest, i most certainly would have been a soldier. Because they are both called to do the same thing. Protect the innocent and right the injustice. , our host. To mark he has given me a very strict rule. Left must tell you that i the army and went to medical school and became a missionary in africa. In africa, the rule is very simple. You can only 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 or the audience can spear you. So let me end it 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. May your parachutes open. [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 that 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 seek this agreement and dispute, Lyndon Johnson when this 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. The exhibits and papers in this library certainly testify to the remarkable accomplishments 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 anguish, 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 for him 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 story of vietnam, with the bark off. There should be no record of a mistake or an unpleasantness or criticism that is not included in this forum. Now, it is 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. Dr. 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 low Ranking Member of president Johnsons White house staff. In july, 1967, dr. Kissinger was a top secre