April 2015 Auction Ends Thursday, April 30th, 5pm Pacific
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/30/2015
Detailed handwritten note by Richard Nixon in August 1966 as a 1968 Presidential hopeful. In the midst of the Vietnam War, Nixon contrasts the U.S. advantages in the war effort with the ''Dangers'' it faces, and also analyzes why the war effort had heretofore been unsuccessful. Much of the problem he places on the Johnson administration; with an entire portion of the note under ''Johnson failures'' he lists ''1. Unite U.S. - 2. Unite Allies - 3. Level with people - inconsistent - up & down the hill...Failure to mobilize U.S. economy: guns + butter = not convincing'', referring to LBJ's repeated use of the phrase. A cryptic note regarding Johnson's failure is ''a long war - V soon be over'', crossing out what looks to be ''should''. Under the headline of ''The Dangers'', Nixon writes, ''The enemy's major weapon is opposition to war - Division in U.S. - the conviction that [American] people will quit...Those who oppose the war effort - the Peace at any Price crowd''. On the flip side of those who opposed war, Nixon also sees a danger in ''The over optimism: 'A quick victory' - 'The enemy is ready to quit' - We must be prepared to see the war through + let enemy [?]''. He concludes this part with ''S. V.Nam - inflation - instability - Long war increases danger of escalation...'' Many other interesting thoughts of the former President, including his reference to ''Free Asia'' and ''More politically stable there [in Vietnam] since 1960''. Document measures 8.5'' x 13.25'' on one single sheet of legal paper with two staple holes at top left. Toning, otherwise near fine.
Richard Nixon Handwritten on Vietnam -- ''...The enemy's major weapon is [the American public's] opposition to war...We have awesome military power...We can win, the question is, when?...''
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