Renunciation Speech

RenunciationSpeechlyndonbainesjohnson:renunciationspeechgoodevening,myfellowamericans:tonightiwanttospeaktoyouofpeaceinvietnamandsoutheastasia.nootherquestionsopreoccupiesourpeople.nootherdreamsoabsorbsthe250millionhumanbeingswholiveinthatpartoftheworld.noothergoalmotivatesamericanpolicyinsoutheastasia.foryears,representativesofourgovernmentsandothershavetraveledtheworldseekingtofindabasisforpeacetalks.sincelastseptembertheyhavecarriedtheofferthatimadepublicatsanantonio.andthatofferwasthis:thattheunitedstateswouldstopitsbombardmentofnorthvietnamwhenthatwouldleadpromptlytoproductivediscussions--andthatwewouldassumethatnorthvietnamwouldnottakemilitaryadvantageofourrestraint.hanoidenouncedthisoffer,bothprivatelyandpublicly.evenwhilethesearchforpeacewasgoingon,northvietnamrushedtheirpreparationsforasavageassaultonthepeople,thegovernment,andthealliesofsouthvietnam.theirattack--duringthetetholidays--failedtoachieveitsprincipalobjectives.itdidnotcollapsetheelectedgovernmentofsouthvietnamorshatteritsarmy--asthecommunistshadhoped.itdidnotproduceageneraluprisingamongthepeopleofthecities,astheyhadpredicted.thecommunistswereunabletomaintaincontrolofanyofthemorethan30citiesthattheyattacked.andtheytookveryheavycasualties.buttheydidcompelthesouthvietnameseandtheiralliestomovecertainforcesfromthecountrysideintothecities.theycausedwidespreaddisruptionandsuffering.theirattacks,andthebattlesthatfollowed,maderefugeesofhalfamillionhumanbeings.thecommunistsmayrenewtheirattackanyday.theyare,itappears,tryingtomake1968theyearofdecisioninsouthvietnam--theyearthatbrings,ifnotfinalvictoryordefeat,atleastaturningpointinthestruggle.thismuchisclear:iftheydomountanotherroundofheavyattacks,theywillnotsucceedindestroyingthefightingpowerofsouthvietnamanditsallies.buttragically,thisisalsoclear:manymen--onbothsidesofthestruggle--willbelost.anationthathasalreadysuffered20yearsofwarfarewillsufferonceagain.armiesonbothsideswilltakenewcasualties.andthewarwillgoon.thereisnoneedforthistobeso.thereisnoneedtodelaythetalksthatcouldbringanendtothislongandthisbloodywar.tonight,irenewtheofferimadelastaugust:tostopthebombardmentofnorthvietnam.weaskthattalksbeginpromptly,thattheybeserioustalksonthesubstanceofpeace.weassumethatduringthosetalkshanoiwillnottakeadvantageofourrestraint.wearepreparedtomoveimmediatelytowardpeacethroughnegotiations.sotonight,inthehopethatthisactionwillleadtoearlytalks,iamtakingthefirststeptode-escalatetheconflict.wearereducing--substantiallyreducing--thepresentlevelofhostilities,andwearedoingsounilaterallyandatonce.tonight,ihaveorderedouraircraftandournavalvesselstomakenoattacksonnorthvietnam,exceptintheareanorthofthedemilitarizedzonewherethecontinuingenemybuildupdirectlythreatensalliedforwardpositionsandwherethemovementsoftheirtroopsandsuppliesareclearlyrelatedtothatthreat.theareainwhichwearestoppingourattacksincludesalmost90percentofnorthvietnam'spopulation,andmostofitsterritory.thus,therewillbenoattacksaroundtheprincipalpopulatedareas,orinthefood-producingareasofnorthvietnam.eventhisverylimitedbombingofthenorthcouldcometoanearlyend--ifourrestraintismatchedbyrestraintinhanoi.buticannotingoodconsciencestopallbombingsolongastodosowouldimmediatelyanddirectlyendangerthelivesofourmenandourallies.whetheracompletebombinghaltbecomespossibleinthefuturewillbedeterminedbyevents.ourpurposeinthisactionistobringaboutareductioninthelevelofviolencethatnowexists.itistosavethelivesofbravemen--andtosavethelivesofinnocentwomenandchildren.itistopermitthecontendingforcestomoveclosertoapoliticalsettlement.andtonighticallupontheunitedkingdomandicalluponthesovietunion--asco-chairmenofthegenevaconferences,andaspermanentmembersoftheunitednationssecuritycouncil--todoalltheycantomovefromtheunilateralactofde-escalationthatihavejustannouncedtowardgenuinepeaceinsoutheastasia.now,asinthepast,theunitedstatesisreadytosenditsrepresentativestoanyforum,atanytime,todiscussthemeansofbringingthisuglywartoanend.iamdesignatingoneofourmostdistinguishedamericans,ambassadoraverellharriman,asmypersonalrepresentativeforsuchtalks.inaddition,ihaveaskedambassadorllewellynthompson,whoreturnedfrommoscowforconsultation,tobeavailabletojoinambassadorharrimanatgenevaoranyothersuitableplace--justassoonashanoiagreestoaconference.icalluponpresidenthochiminhtorespondpositively,andfavorably,tothisnewsteptowardpeace.butifpeacedoesnotcomenowthroughnegotiations,itwillcomewhenhanoiunderstandsthatourcommonresolveisunshakable,andourcommonstrengthisinvincible.tonight,weandtheotheralliednationsarecontributing600,000fightingmentoassist700,000southvietnamesetroopsindefendingtheirlittlecountry.ourpresencetherehasalwaysrestedonthisbasicbelief:themainburdenofpreservingtheirfreedommustbecarriedoutbythem--bythesouthvietnamesethemselves.weandouralliescanonlyhelptoprovideashieldbehindwhichthepeopleofsouthvietnamcansurviveandcangrowanddevelop.ontheirefforts--ontheirdeterminationsandresourcefulness--theoutcomewillultimatelydepend.thatsmall,beleaguerednationhassufferedterriblepunishmentformorethan20years.ipayt