If, when the chips are down, the world's most powerful nation, the United States of America, acts like a pitiful, read more

If, when the chips are down, the world's most powerful nation, the United States of America, acts like a pitiful, helpless giant, the forces of totalitarianism and anarchy will threaten free nations and free institutions throughout the world.

I believe that when you know something's going wrong, you make it right. That's what I learned in Vietnam. When read more

I believe that when you know something's going wrong, you make it right. That's what I learned in Vietnam. When I came back from that war I saw that it was wrong. Some people don't like the fact that I stood up to say no, but I did

It [the war in Vietnam] poisons everything. It has disrupted the economy, envenomed our politics, hurt the alliance, divided our read more

It [the war in Vietnam] poisons everything. It has disrupted the economy, envenomed our politics, hurt the alliance, divided our people, and now it is interfering with this critical question of the arms race.

I am afraid [if the present trend in Vietnam continues] that direct confrontation, first of all between Washington and Peking, read more

I am afraid [if the present trend in Vietnam continues] that direct confrontation, first of all between Washington and Peking, is inevitable.

This war in Vietnam is, I believe, a war for civilization. Certainly it is not a war of our seeking. read more

This war in Vietnam is, I believe, a war for civilization. Certainly it is not a war of our seeking. It is a war thrust upon us and we cannot yield to tyranny.

America is not fighting to win a war. We are fighting to give an application to an old Greek proverb, read more

America is not fighting to win a war. We are fighting to give an application to an old Greek proverb, which is that the purpose of war is not to annihilate an enemy but to get him to mend his ways. And we are confident we can get the enemy to mend his.

First thing I killed was no kind of thing at all. It was an enemy soldier. Which is a hell read more

First thing I killed was no kind of thing at all. It was an enemy soldier. Which is a hell of a lot easier to say, than the first thing I ever killed was a man.

I would rather be a one-term President and do what I believe is right than to be a two-term President read more

I would rather be a one-term President and do what I believe is right than to be a two-term President at the cost of seeing America become a second-rate power and to see this Nation accept the first defeat in its proud 190-year history.

We have forgotten that Vietnam, and Iraq
resent being invaded and know the ground better than we do.

We have forgotten that Vietnam, and Iraq
resent being invaded and know the ground better than we do.