Nixon on the Vietnam War
While campaigning for reelection in 1972, President Richard M. Nixon promises to end the war in Vietnam in such a way as to ensure a "a full generation of peace."
Related Speeches & Audio (10)
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Nixon on the Vietnam War
Nixon on the Vietnam WarAudio Clip (1:08)
Audio Clip (1:08)
While campaigning for reelection in 1972, President Richard M. Nixon promises to end the war in Vietnam in such a way as to ensure a "a full generation of peace."
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Nixon Orders Invasion of Cambodia
Nixon Orders Invasion of CambodiaAudio Clip (1:02)
Audio Clip (1:02)
On April 30, 1970, President Richard Nixon asks the American people to support his decision to send troops into Cambodia in response to North Vietnam’s invasion of the country.
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Nixon Announces Vietnam Peace Agreement
Nixon Announces Vietnam Peace AgreementAudio Clip (3:39)
Audio Clip (3:39)
On January 23, 1973, President Richard Nixon announces that Henry Kissinger and North Vietnam's chief negotiator, Le Duc Tho, signed an agreement to end U.S. military involvement in Vietnam. The official cease-fire, along with the release of all American prisoners of war, is to go into effect on January 28, though troops would remain in Vietnam until the fall of Saigon in 1975.
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Nixon on Vietnam War
Nixon on Vietnam WarAudio Clip (3:34)
Audio Clip (3:34)
On March 26, 1971, President Richard Nixon holds a meeting in the Oval Office with his National Security Council to discuss the war in Vietnam. The meeting is secretly recorded. Among the many topics he raises, Nixon recounts a prior conversation with House majority leader Hale Boggs on setting a date for the final withdrawal of U.S. forces.
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Ford Offers Clemency to Draft Evaders
Ford Offers Clemency to Draft EvadersAudio Clip (1:20)
Audio Clip (1:20)
On September 16, 1974, President Gerald Ford signed a proclamation that would offer Vietnam War draft evaders the chance to earn clemency by performing alternative service for their country. In a speech to the American people, Ford defends his decision as one that's best for the nation.
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LBJ on Resumption of Air Strikes in North Vietnam
LBJ on Resumption of Air Strikes in North VietnamAudio Clip (1:20)
Audio Clip (1:20)
In a broadcast from the White House on January 31, 1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson informs the nation that U.S. airstrikes on Vietnam have resumed after a 37-day pause in bombing.
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Gerald Ford on Resignation of South Vietnam's President
Gerald Ford on Resignation of South Vietnam's PresidentAudio Clip (0:36)
Audio Clip (0:36)
In April 1975, when North Vietnamese forces reached Xuan Loc, Saigon's last line of defense, President Nguyen Van Thieu announced his resignation. In an interview, President Gerald Ford denies that the U.S. government influenced Thieu's decision.
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Kennedy on the Buildup of Arms in Cuba
Kennedy on the Buildup of Arms in CubaAudio Clip (7:35)
Audio Clip (7:35)
On October 22, 1962, in a national statement, President John F. Kennedy discloses that U.S. spy planes discovered the placement of Soviet offensive missiles in Cuba.
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Kennedy Speaks Before Meeting Khrushchev
Kennedy Speaks Before Meeting KhrushchevAudio Clip (1:08)
Audio Clip (1:08)
At a May 31, 1961, Paris press conference, President John F. Kennedy describes his principal aim for meeting with Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev at the Geneva summit, the first between the two superpowers since 1960.
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Johnson Orders Troops to Dominican Republic
Johnson Orders Troops to Dominican RepublicAudio Clip (1:22)
Audio Clip (1:22)
In a broadcast from the White House on April 28, 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson reads a statement to the nation on his decision to deploy U.S. troops to the Dominican Republic. U.S. Marines were ordered to safely evacuate Americans from the Caribbean country, where internal fighting could not be contained.
Related Videos (10)
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LBJ: Gulf of Tonkin Incident
LBJ: Gulf of Tonkin IncidentVideo Clip (3:49)
Video Clip (3:49)
The Gulf of Tonkin incident was the result of mounting tensions between the U.S. and North Vietnam.
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Barry Romo
Barry RomoVideo Clip (3:24)
Video Clip (3:24)
Fresh out of high school, Barry Romo enlisted in the U.S. Army to serve in Vietnam. Romo was awarded a bronze star for his efforts but grew disillusioned with the war and later joined a controversial group called Vietnam Veterans Against the War.
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Arthur Wiknik
Arthur WiknikVideo Clip (3:42)
Video Clip (3:42)
As an 18-year-old draftee, Arthur Wiknik was rushed through officer candidate's school. After one month in Vietnam he found himself in the middle of the battle of "Hamburger Hill"--one of the most notorious battles of the war.
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Bob Clewell
Bob ClewellVideo Clip (3:35)
Video Clip (3:35)
Bob Clewell dropped out of college to join the Army, and arrive in Vietnam just weeks after the Gulf of Tonkin incident in 1964. During his third tour, he was trained as a helicopter pilot, providing air support for ground troops during the Lam Son 719 offensive.
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Gery Benedetti
Gery BenedettiVideo Clip (3:18)
Video Clip (3:18)
Gery Benedetti was a member of the "Brown Water River Rats," whose missions were a crucial but dangerous component of the American combat operation in Vietnam.
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A Soldier's Story: Khe Sanh
A Soldier's Story: Khe SanhVideo Clip (3:06)
Video Clip (3:06)
Amid a siege that would last 77 days, medic Raymond Torres was dropped into central Vietnam.
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Preserving the Footage
Preserving the FootageVideo Clip (2:04)
Video Clip (2:04)
By recovering footage buried away for decades to develop the Vietnam in HD series, see how history is preserved transferring the delicate film to HD.
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Finding the Film
Finding the FilmVideo Clip (2:38)
Video Clip (2:38)
Discover how researchers combed archives to uncover rare film for the Vietnam in HD series and found some footage in unexpected places.
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Search and Destroy
Search and DestroyVideo Clip (3:01)
Video Clip (3:01)
Search and Destroy missions were a crucial part of the American war strategy in Vietnam.
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Charles Brown
Charles BrownVideo Clip (3:07)
Video Clip (3:07)
Raised in the segregated South, Charles Brown thought his best shot at a better life was to join the Army. He was stationed with the 101st Airborne Division and quickly appointed platoon sergeant, leading search and destroy missions through the jungles of Vietnam.
Related Photo Galleries (1)
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Vietnam War: Leaders
Vietnam War: Leaders(15 Photos)
15 Photos
View images of the Presidents, politicians, and military leaders who influenced American involvement in the Vietnam War.
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