Conversation 839-006

Transcript (AI-Generated)

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There it is.

We will practice.

But we've got about ten minutes.

Okay.

It's very close, sir, about nine minutes time.

Okay.

Okay, Jim.

All right, is everything set?

Is that all right, sir?

Is that all right with me?

What's your hope again for this one?

Sir, in case of any difficulty, you will indicate this camera, but this camera's going to go.

It's fine.

And I will hear you from here.

Is that right?

You see me from here.

Which was it that went out today?

We see that it went out once.

CBS.

Oh, was that me?

One time, I can't remember if you remember, but I had to fix it before air, and...

I did it in my office in California.

I was supposed to be here, but I wasn't sure who it was.

But a fly got into the damn room.

And I was doing it because it was just off the cuff.

I had it right in my own mind.

And I had always had it.

I had the freedom.

I did it right.

I said, damn fly.

They couldn't catch it.

So right now, I said, leave the fly down.

We got a fly out.

I will not do this over.

It's interesting.

If you're reading, you're having problems.

But if you're trying to talk with a, you know, with a concentration right under your head, a thing like that can really distract you.

I love it.

Thank you, sir.

Thank you.

Yes, sir.

Oh, yeah.

No, no, no, no, no, no.

Now let's go with it.

Let's go with it.

All right, Barney, Barney, you want to wait on 30 outside, 30 to see him?

Want to wait 30 and 30, 30 outside?

Just tell me, Jack.

Four minutes, zero, zero.

And he understands that he will, when we go in there, we'll keep coming up to him.

Yeah.

Are you coming here?

Marty?

We did a countdown a little bit.

A countdown that we can handle, right?

Yeah, let's see.

Okay.

Marty?

Mark, let me ask you a question.

Three minutes.

We'll be having an air-to-air, and I will tell him he'll give ideas to you, and we'll, you know, discount him.

I think he's right.

Two minutes is going to see him.

Three minutes is going to be here.

All right.

Two and a half minutes here.

Okay.

All right.

One minute here.

It is all right.

It's okay.

I'll be back.

Barney, what are we at now, in the last minute?

About 50 seconds.

All right.

About 50 seconds.

Very good, sir.

All right.

Let me do your cue.

About 30 seconds.

Good evening.

I have asked for this radio and television time tonight for the purpose of announcing that we today have concluded an agreement to end the war and bring peace and honor in Vietnam and in Southeast Asia.

The following statement is being issued at this moment in Washington and in Ohio.

At 1230 Paris time today, January 23, 1973, the agreement on ending the war and restoring peace in Vietnam was enabled by Dr. Henry Kissinger on behalf of the United States and Special Advisor Lee Doctoe on behalf of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.

The agreement will be formally signed by the parties participating in the Paris Conference on Vietnam on January 27, 1973 at the International Conference Center in Paris.

The ceasefire

January 27, 1973.

The United States and the Democratic Republic of Vietnam expressed the hope that this agreement will ensure a stable peace in Vietnam and contribute to the preservation of lasting peace in Indochina and Southeast Asia.

That concludes the formal statement.

Throughout the years of negotiations, we have insisted on peace with honor.

In my addresses to the nation from this room, January 25 and May

I have set forth the goals that we consider essential for peace and honor.

In the settlement that has now been agreed, all the conditions that I laid down then have been met.

A ceasefire, international supervised, will begin at 7 p.m. this Saturday, January 27, Washington time.

Within 60 days from this Saturday, all Americans held prisoners of war through volume of China will be released.

there will be the fullest possible accounting for all of those who are missing in action.

During the same 60-day period, all American forces will be withdrawn from South Vietnam.

The people of South Vietnam have been guaranteed the right to determine their own future without outside interference.

My direct agreement, the full text of the agreement and the protocols to carry it out will be issued tomorrow.

Throughout these negotiations, we've been in the closest consultation with President Chiu and other representatives of the Republic of Vietnam.

This settlement meets the goals and has the full support of President Chiu and the government of the Republic of Vietnam, as well as that of our other allies who are affected.

The United States will continue to recognize the government of the Republic of Vietnam as the sole legitimate government of South Vietnam.

We shall continue to aid South Vietnam within the terms of the agreement, and we shall support efforts for the people of South Vietnam to settle their problems peacefully among themselves.

We must recognize that ending the war is only the first step toward building the peace.

All parties must now see to it that this is a peace that lasts, and also a peace that heals.

and a peace that not only ends the war in Southeast Asia, but contributes to the prospects of peace in the whole world.

This will mean that the terms of the agreement must be scrupulously adhered to.

We shall do everything the agreement requires of us, and we shall expect the other parties to do everything it requires of them.

We shall also expect other interested nations to help ensure that the agreement is carried out in peace and maintaining

As this long, very difficult war ends, I would like to address a few special words to each of those who have been parties in the conflict.

First, to the people and government of South Vietnam.

By your courage, by your sacrifice, you have won the precious right to determine your own future.

And you have developed the strength to defend that right.

We look forward to working with you in the future.

Friends in peace, as we have been allies in war.

To the leaders of North Vietnam, as we have ended the war through negotiations, let us now build a peace of reconciliation.

For our part, we are prepared to make a major effort to help achieve that goal.

But just as reciprocity was needed to end the war, so too will it be needed to build and strengthen peace.

To the other major powers that have been involved, even indirectly, now is the time for mutual restraint so that the peace we have achieved can last.

And finally, to all of you who are listening,

Your steadfastness in supporting our insistence on peace with honor has made peace with honor possible.

I know that you would not have wanted that peace jeopardized.

With our secret negotiations at the sensitive stage they were in during this recent period, for me to have discussed publicly our efforts to secure peace

would not only have violated our understanding of North Vietnam, it would have seriously harmed and possibly destroyed the chances for peace.

Therefore, I know that you now can understand why, during these past several weeks, I have not made any public statements about those efforts.

The important thing was not to talk about peace, but to get peace, and to get the right kind of

This we have done.

Now that we have achieved an honorable agreement, let us be proud that America did not settle for a peace that would have betrayed our allies, that would have abandoned our prisoners of war, or that would have ended the war for us but would have continued the war for the 50 million people of Italy.

Let us be proud of the two and a half million young Americans who served in Vietnam.

who served with honor and distinction in one of the most selfless enterprises in the history of the nations.

And let us be proud of those who sacrificed, who gave their lives, so that the people of South Vietnam might live in freedom, and so that the world might live in peace.

In particular, I would like to say a word to some of the greatest people I have ever met.

Nothing means more to me than this moment.

the fact that your long vigil is coming to an end.

Just yesterday, a great American, who once occupied this office, died.

In his life, President Johnson endured the vilification of those who sought to portray him as a man of war.

But there was nothing he cared about more deeply

and achieving a lasting peace in the world.

I remember the last time I talked to him.

It was just the day after New Year's.

He spoke then of his concern with bringing peace, with making it the right kind of peace.

I was grateful that he once again expressed his support for my efforts to gain such a peace.

No one would have welcomed this peace

And I know he would join me in asking, for those who died and for those who live, let us consecrate this moment by resolving together to make the peace we have achieved a peace that will last.

Okay, let's go and clear the scene.

Let's check the room.

That's the mission room.

We're all over here.

We're all over here?

Yeah, we're all over here.

Okay.

Hold on.

We'll clear the scene.

He's telling me to clear the scene.

I'm going to have to clear the scene.

Okay, let's get to it.

We'll be right back.

Thank you.

All right.