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1、RichardM.Nixon:TheGreatSilentMajorityGoodevening,myfellowAmericans.Tonight1wanttotalktoyouonasubjectofdeepconcerntoallAmericansandtomanypeopleinallpartsoftheworld,thewarinVietnam.1believethatoneofthereasonsforthedeepdivisionaboutVietnamisthatmanyAmericanshavelostconfidenceinwhattheirGovernmenthastol
2、dthemaboutourpolicy.TheAmericanpeoplecannotandshouldnotbeaskedtosupportapolicywhichinvolvestheoverridingissuesofwarandpeaceunlesstheyknowthetruthaboutthatpolicy.Tonight,therefore,IwouldliketoanswersomeofthequestionsthatIknowareonthemindsofmanyofyoulisteningtome.HowandwhydidAmericagetinvolvedinVietna
3、minthefirstplace?HowhasthisadministrationchangedthepolicyofthepreviousAdministration?WhathasreallyhappenedinthenegotiationsinParisandonthebattlefrontinVietnam?Whatchoicesdowehaveifwearetoendthewar?Whataretheprospectsforpeace?NowletmebeginbydescribingthesituationIfoundwhenIwasinauguratedonJanuary20:T
4、hewarhadbeengoingonforfouryears.Thirty-onethousandAmericanshadbeenkilledinaction.ThetrainingprogramfortheSouthVietnamesewasbeyondbehindschedule.Fivehundredandfbrty-thousandAmericanswereinVietnamwithnoplanstoreducethenumber.NoprogresshadbeenmadeatthenegotiationsinParisandtheUnitedStateshadnotputforth
5、acomprehensivepeaceproposal.Thewarwascausingdeepdivisionathomeandcriticismfrommanyofourfriends,aswellasourenemies,abroad.Inviewofthesecircumstances,thereweresomewhourgedthat1endthewaratoncebyorderingtheimmediatewithdrawalofallAmericanforces.Fromapoliticalstandpoint,thiswouldhavebeenapopularandeasyco
6、ursetofollow.Afterall,webecameinvolvedinthewarwhilemypredecessorwasinoffice.Icouldblamethedefeat,whichwouldbetheresultofmyaction,onhimandcomeoutasthepeacemaker.Someputittomequitebluntly:ThiswastheonlywaytoavoidallowingJohnson,swartobecomeNixonswar.ButIhadagreaterobligationthantothinkonlyoftheyearsof
7、myAdministration,andofthenextelection.Ihadtothinkoftheeffectofmydecisiononthenextgeneration,andonthefutureofpeaceandfreedominAmerica,andintheworld.1.etusallunderstandthatthequestionbeforeusisnotwhethersomeAmericansareforpeaceandsomeAmericansareagainstpeace.ThequestionatissueisnotwhetherJohnson,swarb
8、ecomesNixonswar.Thegreatquestionis:HowcanwewinAmericaspeace?Well,letUSturnnowtothefundamentalissue:WhyandhowdidtheUnitedStatesbecomeinvolvedinVietnaminthefirstplace?FifteenyearsagoNorthVietnam,withthelogisticalsupportofCommunistChinaandtheSovietUnion,launchedacampaigntoimposeaCommunistgovernmentonSo
9、uthVietnambyinstigatingandsupportingarevolution.InresponsetotherequestoftheGovernmentofSouthVietnam,PresidentEisenhowersenteconomicaidandmilitaryequipmenttoassistthepeopleofSouthVietnamintheireffortstopreventaCommunisttakeover.Sevenyearsago,PresidentKennedysent16,000militarypersonneltoVietnamascomba
10、tadvisers.Fouryearsago,PresidentJohnsonsentAmericancombatforcestoSouthVietnam.NowmanybelievethatPresidentJohnsonsdecisiontosendAmericancombatforcestoSouthVietnamwaswrong.Andmanyothers,1amongthem,havebeenstronglycriticalofthewaythewarhasbeenconducted.Butthequestionfacingustodayis:Nowthatweareinthewar
11、,whatisthebestwaytoendit?InJanuaryIcouldonlyconcludethattheprecipitatewithdrawalofallAmericanforcesfromVietnamwouldbeadisasternotonlyforSouthVietnambutfortheUnitedStatesandforthecauseofpeace.FortheSouthVietnamese,ourprecipitatewithdrawalwouldinevitablyallowtheCommuniststorepeatthemassacreswhichfollo
12、wedtheirtakeoverintheNorth15yearsbefore.Theythenmurderedmorethan50,000peopleandhundredsofthousandsmorediedinslavelaborcamps.WesawapreludeofwhatwouldhappeninSouthVietnamwhentheCommunistsenteredthecityofHuelastyear.Duringtheirbriefrulethere,therewasabloodyreignofterrorinwhich3,000civilianswereclubbed,
13、shottodeath,andburiedinmassgraves.Withthesuddencollapseofoursupport,theseatrocitiesatHuewouldbecomethenightmareoftheentirenationandparticularlyforthemillion-and-ahalfCatholicrefugeeswhofledtoSouthVietnamwhentheCommuniststookoverintheNorth.FortheUnitedStatesthisfirstdefeatinournationshistorywouldresu
14、ltinacollapseofconfidenceinAmericanleadershipnotonlyinAsiabutthroughouttheworld.ThreeAmericanPresidentshaverecognizedthegreatstakesinvolvedinVietnamandunderstoodwhathadtobedone.In1963PresidentKennedywithhischaracteristiceloquenceandclaritysaid,WewanttoseeastableGovernmentthere,carryingontheastruggle
15、tomaintainitsnationalindependence.Webelievestronglyinthat.Wearenotgoingtowithdrawfromthateffort.Inmyopinion,forUStowithdrawfromthateffortwouldmeanacollapsenotonlyofSouthVietnambutSoutheastAsia.Soweregoingtostaythere.?PresidentEisenhowerandPresidentJohnsonexpressedthesameconclusionduringtheirtermsofo
16、ffice.Forthefutureofpeace,precipitatewithdrawalwouldbeadisasterofimmensemagnitude.Anationcannotremaingreatifitbetraysitsalliesandletsdownitsfriends.OurdefeatandhumiliationinSouthVietnamwithoutquestionwouldpromoterecklessnessinthecouncilsofthosegreatpowerswhohavenotyetabandonedtheirgoalsofworldsconqu
17、est.ThiswouldsparkviolencewhereverourcommitmentshelpmaintainthepeaceintheMiddleEast,inBerlin,eventuallyevenintheWesternHemisphere.Ultimately,thiswouldcostmorelives.Itwouldnotbringpeace.Itwouldbringmorewar.ForthesereasonsIrqectedtherecommendationthat1shouldendthewarbyimmediatelywithdrawingallofourfor
18、ces.1choseinsteadtochangeAmericanpolicyonboththenegotiatingfrontandthebattlefrontinordertoendthewarfoughtonmanyfronts.Iinitiatedapursuitforpeaceonmanyfronts.InatelevisionspeechonMay14,inaspeechbeforetheUnitedNations,onanumberofotheroccasions,Isetforthourpeaceproposalsingreatdetail.Wehaveofferedtheco
19、mpletewithdrawalofalloutsideforceswithinoneyear.Wehaveproposedaceasefireunderinternationalsupervision.WehaveofferedfreeelectionsunderinternationalsupervisionwiththeCommunistsparticipatingintheorganizationandconductoftheelectionsasanorganizedpoliticalforce.AndtheSaigongovernmenthaspledgedtoacceptther
20、esultoftheelection.Wehavenotputforthourproposalsonatake-it-or-leave-itbasis.Wehaveindicatedthatwe,rewillingtodiscusstheproposalsthathavebeenputforthbytheotherside.Wehavedeclaredthatanythingisnegotiable,excepttherightofthepeopleofSouthVietnamtodeterminetheirownfuture.AttheParispeaceconferenceAmbassad
21、orLodgehasdemonstratedourflexibilityandgoodfaithin40publicmeetings.Hanoihasrefusedeventodiscussourproposals.TheydemandourunconditionalacceptanceoftheirtermswhicharethatwewithdrawallAmericanforcesimmediatelyandunconditionallyandthatWeoverthrowthegovernmentofSouthVietnamasweleave.Wehavenotlimitedourpe
22、aceinitiativestopublicforumsandpublicstatements.IrecognizedinJanuarythatalongandbitterwarlikethisusuallycannotbesettledinapublicforum.Thatiswhyinadditiontothepublicstatementsandnegotiations,Ihaveexploredeverypossibleprivateavenuethatmightleadtoasettlement.Tonight,Iamtakingtheunprecedentedstepofdiscl
23、osingtoyousomeofourotherinitiativesforpeace,initiativesweundertookprivatelyandsecretlybecausewethoughtwetherebymightopenadoorwhichpubliclywouldbeclosed.Ididnotwaitformyinaugurationtobeginmyquestforpeace.Soonaftermyelection,throughanindividualwhowasdirectlyincontactonapersonalbasiswiththeleadersofNor
24、thVietnam,1madetwoprivateoffersforarapid,comprehensivesettlement.Hanoisrepliescalledineffectforoursurrenderbeforenegotiations.SincetheSovietUnionfurnishesmostofthemilitaryequipmentforNorthVietnam,SecretaryofStateRogers,myassistantfornationalsecurityaffairs,Dr.Kissinger,AmbassadorLodgeandIpersonallyh
25、avemetonanumberofoccasionswithrepresentativesoftheSovietGovernmenttoenlisttheirassistanceingettingmeaningfulnegotiationsstarted.Inaddition,wehavehadextendeddiscussionsdirectedtowardthatsameendwithrepresentativesofothergovernmentswhichhavediplomaticrelationswithNorthVietnam.Noneoftheseinitiativeshave
26、todateproducedresults.Inmid-July1becameconvincedthatitwasnecessarytomakeamajormovetobreakthedeadlockintheParistalks.Ispokedirectlyinthisoffice,wherel?mnowsitting,withanindividualwhohadknownHoChiMinhonapersonalbasisfor25years.ThroughhimIsentalettertoHoChiMinh.1didthisoutsideoftheusualdiplomaticchanne
27、lswiththehopethatwiththenecessityofmakingstatementsforpropagandaremoved,theremightbeconstructiveprogresstowardbringingthewartoanend.1.etmereadfromthatlettertoyounow:DearMr.President:1realizethatitisdifficulttocommunicatemeaningfullyacrossthegulfoffouryearsofwar.ButpreciselybecauseofthisgulfIwantedto
28、takethisopportunitytoreaffirminallsolemnitymydesiretoworkforajustpeace.IdeeplybelievethatthewarinVietnamhasgoneontoolonganddelayinbringingittoanendcanbenefitnoone,leastofallthepeopleofVietnam.Thetimehascometomoveforwardattheconferencetabletowardanearlyresolutionofthistragicwar.Youwillfindusforthcomi
29、ngandopen-mindedinacommonefforttobringtheblessingsofpeacetothebravepeopleofVietnam.Lethistoryrecordthatatthiscriticaljuncturebothsidesturnedtheirfacetowardpeaceratherthantowardconflictandwar.1receivedHoChiMinhsreplyonAugust30,threedaysbeforehisdeath.ItsimplyreiteratedthepublicpositionNorthVietnamhad
30、takenatParisandflatlyrejectedmyinitiative.Thefulltextofbothlettersisbeingreleasedtothepress.InadditiontothepublicmeetingsthatIhavereferredto.AmbassadorLodgehasmetwithVietnam,schiefnegotiatorinParisin11privatesessions.Andwehavetakenothersignificantinitiativeswhichmustremainsecrettokeepopensomechannel
31、sofcommunicationswhichmaystillprovetobeproductive.Buttheeffectofallthepublic,private,andsecretnegotiationswhichhavebeenundertakensincethebombinghaltayearago,andsincethisAdministrationcameintoofficeonJanuary20th,canbesummedupinonesentence:Noprogresswhateverhasbeenmadeexceptagreementontheshapeofthebar
32、gainingtable.Well,now,who,satfault?ItsbecomeclearthattheobstacleinnegotiatinganendtothewarisnotthePresidentoftheUnitedStates.ItisnottheSouthVietnameseGovernment.Theobstacleistheothersidesabsoluterefusaltoshowtheleastwillingnesstojoinusinseekingajustpeace.Anditwillnotdosowhileitisconvincedthatallitha
33、stodoistowaitforournextconcession,andournextconcessionafterthatone,untilitgetseverythingitwants.TherecannowbenolongeranyquestionthatprogressinnegotiationdependsonlyonHanoisdecidingtonegotiate-tonegotiateseriously.IrealizethatthisreportonoureffortsonthediplomaticfrontisdiscouragingtotheAmericanpeople
34、,buttheAmericanpeopleareentitledtoknowthetruththebadnewsaswellasthegoodnewswherethelivesofouryoungmenareinvolved.Nowletmeturn,however,toamoreencouragingreportonanotherfront.Atthetimewelaunchedoursearchforpeace,1recognizedwemightnotsucceedinbringinganendtothewarthroughnegotiations.Ithereforeputintoef
35、fectanotherplantobringpeace-aplanwhichwillbringthewartoanendregardlessofwhathappensonthenegotiatingfront.ItisinlinewiththemajorshiftinU.S.foreignpolicywhichIdescribedinmypressconferenceatGuamonJuly25.LetmebrieflyexplainwhathasbeendescribedastheNixonDoctrineapolicywhichnotonlywillhelpendthewarinVietn
36、ambutwhichisanessentialelementofourprogramtopreventfutureVietnams.WeAmericansareado-it-yourselfpeople-wereanimpatientpeople.Insteadofteachingsomeoneelsetodoajob,weliketodoitourselves.Andthistraithasbeencarriedoverintoourforeignpolicy.InKorea,andagaininVietnam,theUnitedStatesfurnishedmostofthemoney,m
37、ostofthearms,andmostofthementohelpthepeopleofthosecountriesdefendtheirfreedomagainstCommunistaggression.BeforeanyAmericantroopswerecommittedtoVietnam,aleaderofanotherAsiancountryexpressedthisopiniontomewhenIwastravelinginAsiaasaprivatecitizen.Hesaid:?Whenyouaretryingtoassistanothernationdefenditsfre
38、edom,U.S.policyshouldbetohelpthemfightthewar,butnottofightthewarforthem.?Wellinaccordancewiththiswisecounsel,IlaiddowninGuamthreeprinciplesasguidelinesforfutureAmericanpolicytowardAsia.First,theUnitedStateswillkeepallofitstreatycommitments.Second,weshallprovideashieldifanuclearpowerthreatensthefreed
39、omofanationalliedwithus,orofanationwhosesurvivalweconsidervitaltooursecurity.Third,incasesinvolvingothertypesofaggressionweshallfurnishmilitaryandeconomicassistancewhenrequestedinaccordancewithourtreatycommitments.Butweshalllooktothenationdirectlythreatenedtoassumetheprimaryresponsibilityofproviding
40、themanpowerforitsdefense.AfterIannouncedthispolicy,IfoundthattheleadersofthePhilippines,Thailand,Vietnam,SouthKorea,othernationswhichmightbethreatenedbyCommunistaggression,welcomedthisnewdirectioninAmericanforeignpolicy.ThedefenseoffreedomiseverybodysbusinessnotjustAmericasbusiness.Anditisparticular
41、lytheresponsibilityofthepeoplewhosefreedomisthreatened.InthepreviousAdministration,weAmericanizedthewarinVietnam.InthisAdministration,WeareVietnamizingthesearchforpeace.ThepolicyofthepreviousAdministrationnotonlyresultedinourassumingtheprimaryresponsibilityforfightingthewar,butevenmoresignificantdid
42、notadequatelystressthegoalofstrengtheningtheSouthVietnamesesothattheycoulddefendthemselveswhenweleft.TheVietnamizationplanwaslaunchedfollowingSecretaryLaird,svisittoVietnaminMarch.Undertheplan,1orderedfirstasubstantialincreaseinthetrainingandequipmentofSouthVietnameseforces.InJuly,onmyvisittoVietnam
43、,IchangedGeneralAbramssorders,sothattheywereconsistentwiththeobjectivesofournewpolicies.Undertheneworders,theprimarymissionofourtroopsistoenabletheSouthVietnameseforcestoassumethefullresponsibilityforthesecurityofSouthVietnam.Ourairoperationshavebeenreducedbyover20percent.Andnowwehavebeguntoseethere
44、sultsofthislong-overduechangeinAmericanpolicyinVietnam.AfterfiveyearsofAmericansgoingintoVietnamwearefinallybringingAmericanmenhome.ByDecember15over60,000menwillhavebeenwithdrawnfromSouthVietnam,including20percentofallofourcombatforces.TheSouthVietnamesehavecontinuedtogaininstrength.Asaresult,theyve
45、beenabletotakeovercombatresponsibilitiesfromourAmericantroops.TwoothersignificantdevelopmentshaveoccurredsincethisAdministrationtookoffice.Enemyinfiltration,infiltrationwhichisessentialiftheyaretolaunchamajorattackoverthelastthreemonths,islessthan20percentofwhatitwasoverthesameperiodlastyear.Andmost
46、important,UnitedStatescasualtieshavedeclinedduringthelasttwomonthstothelowestpointinthreeyears.1.etmenowturntoourprogramforthefuture.WehaveadoptedaplanwhichwehaveworkedoutincooperationwiththeSouthVietnameseforthecompletewithdrawalofallU.S.combatgroundforcesandtheirreplacementbySouthVietnameseforceso
47、nanorderlyscheduledtimetable.Thiswithdrawalwillbemadefromstrengthandnotfromweakness.AsSouthVietnameseforcesbecomestronger,therateOfAmericanwithdrawalcanbecomegreater.1havenot,anddonot,intendtoannouncethetimetableforourprogram,andthereareobviousreasonsforthisdecisionwhichI?msureyouwillunderstand.AsI?
48、veindicatedonseveraloccasions,therateofwithdrawalwilldependondevelopmentsonthreefronts.Oneoftheseistheprogresswhichcanbe,ormightbe,madeintheParistalks.Anannouncementofafixedtimetableforourwithdrawalwouldcompletelyremoveanyincentivefortheenemytonegotiateanagreement.Theywouldsimplywaituntilourforcesha
49、dwithdrawnandthenmovein.TheothertwofactorsonwhichwewillbaseourwithdrawaldecisionsarethelevelofenemyactivityandtheprogressofthetrainingprogramsoftheSouthVietnameseforces.And1amgladtobeabletoreporttonightprogressonbothofthesefrontshasbeengreaterthanweanticipatedwhenwestartedtheprograminJuneforwithdrawal.Asaresult,ourtimetableforwithdrawalismoreoptimisticnowthanwhenwemadeourfirstestimatesinJune.Nowthisclearlydemonstrateswhyitisnotwisetobefrozeninonafi
