第1页共10页编号：时间：2021年x月x日书山有路勤为径，学海无涯苦作舟页码：第1页共10页RichardM.Nixon:TheGreatSilentMajorityGoodevening,myfellowAmericans.TonightIwanttotalktoyouonasubjectofdeepconcerntoallAmericansandtomanypeopleinallpartsoftheworld,thewarinVietnam.IbelievethatoneofthereasonsforthedeepdivisionaboutVietnamisthatmanyAmericanshavelostconfidenceinwhattheirGovernmenthastoldthemaboutourpolicy.TheAmericanpeoplecannotandshouldnotbeaskedtosupportapolicywhichinvolvestheoverridingissuesofwarandpeaceunlesstheyknowthetruthaboutthatpolicy.Tonight,therefore,IwouldliketoanswersomeofthequestionsthatIknowareonthemindsofmanyofyoulisteningtome.HowandwhydidAmericagetinvolvedinVietnaminthefirstplace?HowhasthisadministrationchangedthepolicyofthepreviousAdministration?WhathasreallyhappenedinthenegotiationsinParisandonthebattlefrontinVietnam?Whatchoicesdowehaveifwearetoendthewar?Whataretheprospectsforpeace?NowletmebeginbydescribingthesituationIfoundwhenIwasinauguratedonJanuary20:Thewarhadbeengoingonforfouryears.Thirty-onethousandAmericanshadbeenkilledinaction.ThetrainingprogramfortheSouthVietnamesewasbeyond[behind]schedule.Fivehundredandforty-thousandAmericanswereinVietnamwithnoplanstoreducethenumber.NoprogresshadbeenmadeatthenegotiationsinParisandtheUnitedStateshadnotputforthacomprehensivepeaceproposal.Thewarwascausingdeepdivisionathomeandcriticismfrommanyofourfriends,aswellasourenemies,abroad.Inviewofthesecircumstances,thereweresomewhourgedthatIendthewaratoncebyorderingtheimmediatewithdrawalofallAmericanforces.Fromapoliticalstandpoint,thiswouldhavebeenapopularandeasycoursetofollow.Afterall,webecameinvolvedinthewarwhilemypredecessorwasinoffice.Icouldblamethedefeat,whichwouldbetheresultofmyaction,onhim--andcomeoutasthepeacemaker.Someputittomequitebluntly:ThiswastheonlywaytoavoidallowingJohnson'swartobecomeNixon'swar.第2页共10页第1页共10页编号：时间：2021年x月x日书山有路勤为径，学海无涯苦作舟页码：第2页共10页ButIhadagreaterobligationthantothinkonlyoftheyearsofmyAdministration,andofthenextelection.Ihadtothinkoftheeffectofmydecisiononthenextgeneration,andonthefutureofpeaceandfreedominAmerica,andintheworld.LetusallunderstandthatthequestionbeforeusisnotwhethersomeAmericansareforpeaceandsomeAmericansareagainstpeace.ThequestionatissueisnotwhetherJohnson'swarbecomesNixon'swar.Thegreatquestionis:HowcanwewinAmerica'speace?Well,letusturnnowtothefundamentalissue:WhyandhowdidtheUnitedStatesbecomeinvolvedinVietnaminthefirstplace?FifteenyearsagoNorthVietnam,withthelogisticalsupportofCommunistChinaandtheSovietUnion,launchedacampaigntoimposeaCommunistgovernmentonSouthVietnambyinstigatingandsupportingarevolution.InresponsetotherequestoftheGovernmentofSouthVietnam,PresidentEisenhowersenteconomicaidandmilitaryequipmenttoassistthepeopleofSouthVietnamintheireffortstopreventaCommunisttakeover.Sevenyearsago,PresidentKennedysent16,000militarypersonneltoVietnamascombatadvisers.Fouryearsago,PresidentJohnsonsentAmericancombatforcestoSouthVietnam.NowmanybelievethatPresidentJohnson'sdecisiontosendAmericancombatforcestoSouthVietnamwaswrong.Andmanyothers,Iamongthem,havebeenstronglycriticalofthewaythewarhasbeenconducted.Butthequestionfacingustodayis:Nowthatweareinthewar,whatisthebestwaytoendit?InJanuaryIcouldonlyconcludethattheprecipitatewithdrawalofallAmericanforcesfromVietnamwouldbeadisasternotonlyforSouthVietnam...
