Speech #920169393

The losses in life and property and well being have been enormous. I grant that the United States has made mistakes over the past 10 years. but I do not forget that after the French evacuated that area that North Vietnam. without mercy. executed an estimated 200.000 people in their clamor for vengeance. Nor do I forget that the United States at that time furnished shipping to transport an estimated 900.000 refugees out of the dangerous area in order to keep them from sharing the same fate. It was our voluntary responsibility for the safety and wellbeing of these refugees that brought us into a situation in South Vietnam which eventually developed into war. The people of the United States and the people of the world should know and they will know from President Nixons disclosure that peace with honor and a restored economy can be achieved in that area whenever North Vietnam sees fit to abandon barbaric practices against helpless victims and expresses a willingness to cooperate in making the area of Indochina a better and decent place to live. I do not know whether North Vietnam will agree to this cooperation or not but. if it does not. then I believe that the countries of the world and particularly the countries of Eastern Asia. large and small. should realize that this problem is their problem. too. and take such steps .as may be necessary to restore the wellbeing of the people there.