Lyndon Johnson
The Public Record
Lyndon Baines Johnson was the 36th President of the United States, serving from 1963 to 1969. A member of the Democratic Party, he was born in Texas and began his political career as a U.S. Representative in 1937, later becoming a U.S. Senator in 1949. Johnson ascended to the presidency following the assassination of John F. Kennedy, and his administration is noted for significant domestic policies, including the Great Society programs aimed at eliminating poverty and racial injustice. His legislative achievements included the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the establishment of Medicare and Medicaid.
I came here today for one good reason: simply because I could not come to this part of the world and not come to see you.
And the shocking truth is that as of now, as we speak here today, we are losing the war on hunger.
You know what you are fighting against: a vicious and illegal aggression across this little nation's frontier.
General Westmoreland told me as we were reviewing the troops that no armed forces anywhere, at any time, commanded by any commander in chief, were up to the group that we have in Vietnam now.
I came here today with only one regret: that I would not be able to personally thank every man in Vietnam for what he is doing.
You know what you are fighting for: to give the Vietnamese people a chance to build the kind of nation that they want, free from terror, free from intimidation, free from fear.
You are pointing the way for all of Asia to follow and I hope they are looking.
The need for food transcends all the divisions man has created for himself.
You stand today in a long line of brave men--the kind of men that our Nation has produced when they were needed--the kind of men who fought at Valley Forge and Vicksburg--in the Argonne and at Iwo Jima--on the Pusan perimeter and at the…
The rest of us at this table have joined in the defense of that friend.
In the meantime, as we hope and as we pray, from our action here let all of those who would feed on their neighbors, let all of those who have an appetite for the territory of someone else, let the bullies of the world know that when they…
I want the people of Asia to have the blessings that have come to industrial nations, and I am going to devote myself to that end with the time allotted to me.
I have stated it from many stumps in my country and in many broadcasts in my country: We want peace.
The nations directly assisting the people of South Vietnam are resolute.
It is up to the Vietnamese and it is up to us to make these plans come to life.
I have come as an 'equal among equals' to share with friends and allies our problems, our plans, and our hopes.
If any man in this room has a formula for peace, I hope he will offer it to us.
In the last few days I have seen several lovers of peace, seekers of peace.
The message is that the vast majority of the American and Australian people are together--all the way--on the battlefield and in the search for peace.
They have made their feelings known with equal vigor in my country, and certainly in yours.





