Nixon on LBJ and Vietnam: Where Did It All Go Wrong?

[@ksw501]

Very insightful man, thanks for posting

[@NixonFoundation]

You bet!

[@dinojay8410]

I quite liked Nixon, but we cannot overlook the role that Nixon played in getting the North Vietnamese to prolong the Paris Peace Talks leading up to the 1968 Election so that Nixon could be seen as bringing home the peace. That was a major factor in that North Vietnamese officials looked at trying to get a better deal with Nixon. And in some ways, they did. Furthermore, Nixon, thinking he had the North Vietnamese in "his pocket" thought he could end it in 1969 or perhaps 1970 at latest. Unfortunately, Nixon's calculus was wrong and they did not force the North Vietnamese to the table to sign the peace accords until 1975, well into his second term, and after Nixon resigned because of the Watergate scandal.

[@danielhutchinson6604]

@@dinojay8410 Tricky Dick did not want to be pictured as a loser any more than LBJ. The Nixon Administration poured as much ordnance on Southeast Asia as the Johnson Administration. The policy appeared to work for Truman in Korea, so why not? The fact that Vietnem was the first major Colony to declare independence from the US Empire, was something that began a trend. Iran as a major producer of resources was the next big Colony to say they were not going to serve the interests of an Investor Class in the G-7 group. The Ray Gun Administration blamed that failure of Colonization on Carter. No President wants to accept the fact that without a flow of resources into the USA, the ability to keep the Wealthy Investors happy, is lost.

[@danielhutchinson6604]

@@dinojay8410 The fact that the flow of resources had been insufficient to overcome the cost of fighting in Vietnam, is seldom discussed. When the War on Poverty was unable to get increased Appropriations to make Johnson appear to be the successful manipulator of Congress that he was, they were unable to overcome opposition to the conflict. The money was gone by 1967, the Nixon Administration prolonged the illusion with Fiat Currency. But the American Empire was on the downhill side of Colonial Exploitation by the time LBJ handed Nixon the economic mess. Watch the Biden Folks hand Trump a large economic issue today...... Like blaming everything on Hoover, this will be a lasting effect.

[@rondpert5167]

@@dinojay8410 How did Nixon "play' North Vietnam? North Vietnam argued for a year about the shape of the discussion table.

[@lloydevans9236]

Acording to a lot of F-105 pilots, the greatest villian was Robert McNamara.

[@ambulet]

Example: McNamara's Morons, as illustrated in the film "Full Metal Jacket"

[@cornonthecob1268]

​@@ambuletthat was such a travesty of mankind.

[@JohnSmith-ct5jd]

I still remember his plan to increase the number of troops-called "Project 100,000" where he would draft men into combat who did not meet the military's physical or mental abilities. A lot of them of course ended up getting killed. Disgraceful.

[@lancewalker6067]

Never use your super powers for evil, like McNamara.

[@vladimirpootis3200]

​@@ambuletDon't forget Forest Gump.

[@markstrickland8736]

North Vietnam could not have been successful without occupying Laos. Johnson never allowed US and South Vietnamese troops to block those supply lines. Also, he didn't listen to the Marines, who advised the US to treat the war as an insurgency instead of a set piece war. US troops should never have gone into the jungles to fight small scale attrition battles. Westmoreland asked repeatedly for permission to root the NVA out of Laos, and was always denied.

[@acebrandon3522]

A True commander listens to his commanders and then makes a decision based on facts not falseys of facts.

[@markstrickland8736]

@@acebrandon3522 Westmoreland was constrained by politicians in Washington. Not to mention the ignorance of McNamara.

[@cyclone8974]

Excellent comment brilliant and concise.

[@CarlGerhardt1]

in 1965, LBJ's deputy Secretary of State, George Ball, told him "Mr. President, if we keep pursuing the same strategy and tactics we've being using, we're going to end with 3/4's of a million troops in the jungles of Vietnam and we'll never find them again". LBJ said, "George, you're crazier than hell."

[@acebrandon3522]

@@markstrickland8736 Yes, as a child during that conflict, my dad and 3 uncles would complain about this issue of their military commanders wanting to fight and take the war to the enemy and those ment'tards in DC would not let them, fight the way we did in WW2.

[@rollee223]

Great video. I will always remember a few years after Nixon left office, he gave a "talk" at some gathering, in what looked like an auditorium. He walked out onstage, and just started talking, without any notes. I seem to recall that his speech was about China and what it meant for him to "open" up relations with them, which is one thing he was noted for doing. I mean, anyone who watched that would see that Nixon was probably one of the smartest Presidents we had, regarding foreign policy and just in how various countries interacted, and why they interacted the way they did. It was truly mesmerizing, and I think it lasted about an hour. Sure, Nixon will always be remembered for "watergate", but that is really a shame and does not do him justice, because the guy was really great and a very smart man.

[@hubertwalters4300]

I agree.

[@tommyboy1653]

China has passed up USA ,NIXON gets full credit.

[@PeacefulRallyCar-pw3cs]

In the 1930s, the Japanese saw that if China industrialized, they would overwhelm Japan with numbers. (As AH saw with RU). This is why Japan invaded China. Nixon saw China as an ally against RU. However, he could not imagine China would ever overtake USA economically. Only now is it sinking in.

[@frederickanderson1860]

The problem will always be same find those who suck up to you. It's not about what you know but who you know.

[@chuckbuckbobuck]

And now we have a giggler as probably the next President who is dumb as a rock. Nixon is probably turning in his grave on that possibility. God save our country.

[@mcsegeek1]

There's a wrought iron fence surrounding LBJ's grave at a distance of about 20 feet. Rumor has it that's because nobody can piss that far.

[@steven7936]

I can ;)

[@needsaride15126]

@@mcsegeek1 Hopefully they can reach Nixons.

[@mantis10_surf85]

Never forget that the Democrats got the US involved in the Vietnam War. Nixon (Republican) got us out

[@TimothyStclair-v4p]

hold my beer.

[@patricksullivan7140]

😂😂

[@jackelijah9257]

Wow we get to see this side of Prez Nixon and make our own judgements.. Wise Man

[@ericsonhazeltine5064]

Yeah - finis to that phony Carl Berstein

[@jackelijah9257]

@@ericsonhazeltine5064 straight

[@eddiemarlin1129]

Is there any chance we can get Nixon’s thoughts on Gerald Ford? He’s about the only big figure I haven’t heard Nixon’s thoughts on

[@NixonFoundation]

Great idea. We'll work on that.

[@alpha-omega2362]

isn't there a tape wherein Nixon jokingly says to an associate, "Can you imagine Jerry Ford in this chair"? and isn't he the one who said Ford played football without a helmet one time to many or something to that effect..?

[@LoyalOpposition]

@@alpha-omega2362 LBJ supposedly said that about Ford.

[@stevenslater2669]

Nixon was really a bright man and an excellent politician, but pick one little lock… Seriously, it was the Watergate cover-up that ended Nixon’s career. My biggest bitch about the Nixon presidency is the Nixon-Kissinger opening of the West to China. I’re read the strategy was to open the huge Chinese market to American manufacturers. Sweeteners were giving favored nation status, access to the U.S. Patent Office, looking the other way as China performed industrial espionage on a grand scale, etc. Today, the U.S. is practically a commercial satellite of China. They buy scrap and raw materials from us, then sell finished products back to us. I’d like to see in-depth discussions on this phase of the Nixon administration m.

[@iamthem.a.n.middleagednerd1053]

Nixon and Ford weren't "best" friends, but they knew each other for many years; having both been in Washington. Also, they were WW2 vets; so they had that in common. Ford was the House minority leader when he was tapped to be Vice President after the Agnew resignation. He had been among Nixon's strongest supporters. I've read books written by both of these presidents; so I know I'm not talking out of my ass. Ford never "promised" to pardon Nixon. They had a meeting where Nixon told Ford he was thinking of resigning and Ford actually protested. Ford told Nixon he thought the whole Watergate kerfuffle would blow over and to stick it out. Nixon was actually more concerned that the business if the countrh couldn't be conducted effectively with the press and the Democratic Congress focusing every day on Watergate. A pardon was never talked about because there were no criminal charges brought against Nixon. It was only a month or so after Ford became President that he realized that the press was just going to hound HIM every day about Nixon and Watergate and HE couldn't conduct any business, that he said, "Screw it. I'm going to pardon Nixon". Gerald Ford was very well liked on both sides of the aisle, and by the American people in general. All of Ford's advisors said pardoning Nixon would doom his reelection chances, but he wanted to try to do something with his Presidency other than talk about Watergate every day. He STILL almost won in '76.

[@frankieecanales8827]

President Nixon was extremely astute in his political reasoning.

[@scootergeorge7089]

In many cases he was but how do you explain Watergate and the coverup? If he were truly politically astute, he never would have approved the breakin, knowing there was little to gan and everything to lose if his people were caught.

[@alliwishis_2]

That's a funny part of risk taking everybody gets misled in the opportunity

[@denniswinkler3241]

​@@scootergeorge7089I believe the CIA disliked him then, so they may wanted him to be caught, but we may never know the truth.

[@scootergeorge7089]

@@BLaw707 - Until I see more, much more, I do not believe this.

[@westonbrewster8344]

Johnson was also involved in the Kennedy hit, he told the Generals just get me elected and I’ll give you your damn war

[@texas_germanic7073]

Nixon is like a fine wine that has gotten better with time and out of the aim of the media ...he definitely can communicate in detail in regard to policies and history. His qualities are missed today .....

[@bobg6638]

Nixon was very very bright

[@brians9508]

if by sneaky and devious you mean bright, well, yes.

[@TheCdecisneros]

But his paranoia was his downfall.

[@wwbuirkle]

@@brians9508 I still consider him a good President

[@williamnelson9332]

Great man great insight into the world and the American citizens ❤always loved him

[@Nicksonian]

Apparently you weren’t alive at the time. Nixon was widely despised. Unlike Trump, Nixon was a very smart man. Unfortunately, he had Trump’s underhanded inclinations. While still running for president in 1968, Nixon unethically and possibly illegally managed to torpedo Vietnam peace talks.

[@brians9508]

did they? sounds like you were not alive then. much more than half the country wanted him thrown out at the end. he had absolutely no support - not even from his own party.

[@jjhpor]

@@brians9508 I truly hated Nixon when he was president although he was the first president that I voted for. I voted for him because he promised to end the war. Instead, almost as many Americans and vastly more innocent Vietnamese died because he, too, attempted to win an unwinnable war. He clearly was an intelligent person, but like so many political figures over the years his failing was not intelligence but character. He was a rotten person and the country suffered for it.

[@Hanover-ek4jy]

Robert McNamara Defense secretary was the one early in the war and throughout told Johnson we can win this war!

[@levin448]

@@Hanover-ek4jy McNamara peaked when he bestowed on us the Ford Falcon.

[@johnshelton1141]

McNamara was about as qualifed to be the Secretary of defense as I would be to perform cardiac surgery.

[@tomodonovan5931]

@@levin448 My dad bought one in 66. Station Wagon. Big engine. Brady Bunch car. Big family. He had 7 kids while serving in 2 wars. He had his pension, and job checks to raise a family. One more kid after he retired. You could not do that today. Raise 8 kids on a job and pension check. House payment, car payment, school clothes every year, food costs, insurance, gas, forget about it. He bought a house that he could afford. He paid twenty thousand for it. Today a brand- new build would be a couple hundred thousand dollars. Who can do that with a family of ten. But you could get most of them in that Ford Falcon. That had a lot of room. Eight- cylinder 302 big motor. It took us to a lot of states because he was transferred to different bases around the country. Lost friends, and made new friends during my youth. The funny thing about that car is the fact that my mom never went over fifty MPH in it. She drove like that little old lady that went to church on Sundays. They are both gone, along with that Falcon. I can't even remember what they did with it. It made it to the eighties and vanished.

[@tomodonovan5931]

@@johnshelton1141 Who advised Kennedy to choose him? I have seen a few documentaries about him. They made him out to be some frothing at the mouth war monger. But many were afraid of that Domino theory taking place.

[@paulg444]

I have always agreed with Nixon on countless topics and his assessments of his peers, but I think calling LBJ a patriot is a grotesque falsehood. No, he was not a patriot, in fact it is Nixon that described LBJ as ruthless. That is the most accurate statement about LBJ ever.

[@BlackPill-pu4vi]

I think Nixon was trying to moderate his views because he was on TV. I have no doubt that, in private, he didn't think very highly of LBJ at all.

[@peggyelchert8340]

@@BlackPill-pu4vi I agree w both if you. I think Nixon was mindful of being “televised” and so careful with his words…..

[@selfdo]

@@BlackPill-pu4vi Since LBJ had been dead for several years when this interview was filmed, Nixon wasn't going to put him down when he couldn't retort. That's the sort of integrity our 37th POTUS had.

[@NixonFoundation]

[@andrewthacker114]

Good interview

[@jonathanacross]

I'd like to think Nixon is just being diplomatic in his assessment of Johnson. Johnson was a man without honor or character. Once in the White House, he couldn't stand up to anybody because he was compromised by his own insecurities and need for self-affirmation.

[@rsgabrys----]

--------------------------- right .....as with 99.999% of dictatorships ....thx

[@V8_screw_electric_cars]

Yes I agree and the desegregation was just cynical move to get votes he couldn't care less, he was a southern democrat.

[@Nicksonian]

You are more accurately describing Nixon. Nixon himself disagrees with your absurd statement. While Johnson was certainly a bully and yielded his power clumsily at times, it was Nixon who was “a crook.” It was Nixon, after all, who had to be pardoned by Gerald Ford. Neither Nixon or Johnson had any inclination to be a dictator. The only president this nation has seen who truly wants to be a dictator is Donald Trump.

[@jjhpor]

@@rsgabrys---- and Nixon

[@johnzeszut3170]

No mystery. Most of us were in the Nam for 12 months unless we extended our tour. The guy we were fighting - well if he did not win his son would take up the cause -if he he lost his son would take to the field. We are Americans who demand immediate gratification and success.

[@WayneLynch69]

Thanks for the service...my cousin died there (I'm grateful I missed it). But Maxwell Taylor & McNamara & LBJ all said years later that once JKF had Diem assassinated there was no avenue to victory. Diem advanced the Strategic Hamlet Initiative which made all of S. Vietnam a free-fire zone at night. The renown "we own the night" of the Viet Cong was threatened sufficiently that they induced the callow, too smart for school JFK to believe that Buddhist monks were immolating themselves in opposition to "Diem's war". They did it because Diem was Catholic...not the war and they stopped lighting up after Diem's death. Diem said, 'the US needs to stop the north in the north...I'll handle the fighting in S. Vietnam'.

[@HomeByTheSeas]

Nixon could not only read a situation and figure out each possible outcome. He could read a person, he could figure out anyone’s strengths and weaknesses. It’s no wonder that he was also one helluva poker player. Name of the game… 5 card stud!!

[@brians9508]

too bad he couldn't read his own weaknesses - and do something about them. Especially his paranoia. it definitely got him into a lot of trouble.

[@HomeByTheSeas]

@@brians9508 Nobody is perfect, he would have to have eyes on himself or someone around to help him read himself.

[@Applecompuser]

Nixon won a of poker hands GIs going into combat the next day. In his book, Tip O’Neal noted Nixon was not that good of a poker player when playing against regular card players.

[@HomeByTheSeas]

@@Applecompuser Always has to be one contrarian.

[@thomaswalsh5034]

To better understand the mistakes made during Vietnam, read H.R. McMaster's book "Dereliction of Duty".

[@johnhallam4714]

I think he was just being nice about Johnson

[@NixonFoundation]

[@cantrell0817]

For unknown reasons, Nixon consistently cast LBJ in a more favorable light than he deserved. LBJ was a ruthless, unprincipled prick.

[@erichaynes7502]

These Presidents, they care so much about their legacy they'll do anything they can to tout how great they were while in office. The last thing they'll do is speak negatively about another President no matter how bad of a job they did.

[@zemabar]

Perhaps because they were both ruthless, unprincipled pricks...

[@denniswinkler3241]

​@@erichaynes7502 Interesting 🤔

[@danielevans9379]

That is a completely subjective opinion. I have a degree in 20th century American history and I can assure you some of the most respected presidential historians of the last 50 years have LBJ rated in the top 10. He was a very complex man who certainly had his flaws, but Compared to our leaders today a narcissistic and corrupt low life like Donald Trump isn’t even fit to shine the shoes of a man like Lyndon Johnson.

[@brianlogan4243]

I find easy to sit here and criticize decisions they had to make. These really are just people trying to do the best they can, if its in the oval office, often there is no good decision. Its simply which is less bad and how reaching and sweeping will this decision be. Unlike today, the presidents all had a shared respect for the office they held and only they understand its pressures and demands.

[@xpat73]

Look how far we have fallen. Nixon talks about how great LBJ was even though they were on different sides of the aisle.

[@HomeByTheSeas]

One thing that stands out about Nixon was how easily he could identify a character strength in anyone, as well as their weaknesses. You see him do this with anyone he speaks about and he is always very accurate about it. This is something i’ve noticed aside from his obvious strength in foresight. It’s obvious the man nearly had a crystal ball when it comes to how he could anticipate the outcomes based on the present situations in those times. So in a nutshell he read a situation extremely well and he also could read people just as easily, what a gift this man had!

[@eddarby469]

Do you think any Democrat since Nixon could say anything as complimentary about a Republican president since Nixon?

[@xpat73]

@@eddarby469 yeah. That's easy. Tip O'Neil and Reagan did good business and compromise and liked each other. Next question,

[@eddarby469]

@@xpat73 I don't recall ever hearing a Democrat say anything nice about Reagan except "You just couldn't help but like him." This was seen, but not said, such as when Reagan said he wasn't going to make his opponent's youth and inexperience an issue in the campaign", and his opponent,Walter Mondale, laughed about it on stage, showing he got the joke and enjoyed it.

[@eddarby469]

@@WichitaLinemann Keep drinking the Kool-Aid my friend. I know who Bill Clinton is very well. Do you know who Monica Lewinsky is? If you believe Bill Clinton BELIEVED there was no room for Liberals in government, then he was once again redefining what words mean. Do you remember "That all depends on what you mean by the word "is" ."

[@WhatsupDoc-01]

1:08 He wanted peace but didn't want to pay the price (Johnson) that's the problem with America today

[@67Stu]

Quite a few comments on Robert McNamara here. I highly recommend everyone read his book In Retrospect. He was a clueless self-serving child and was clearly unqualified to be Secretary of Defense.

[@CarlGerhardt1]

He just wasn't 'getting the right data'!

[@B25gunship]

Yes...and more.

[@mariohommersom2519]

Always a Gentleman ..

[@jjhpor]

Listen to the tapes.

[@richarddetriquet9642]

Very insightful. Johnson introduced US combat troops to Vietnam which were not necessary and ultimately were very destabilizing to Vietnam. In fairness, the overthrow of Diem was a shameful chapter in US history that he inherited.

[@treetop5752]

Eisenhower sent marines tank units in during the 1950s

[@dsdgdsfegfeg]

🔸For those that don't know ... Beijing invaded South Vietnam with 500,000 soldiers, sadly with war crimes galore.

[@dsdgdsfegfeg]

To the OG comment .. Stop spreading disinformation propaganda for Beijing & .oscow. U guys invaded South Vietnam, not the US. South Vietnam Requested western help to save it.

[@dsdgdsfegfeg]

🔸USA has never once invaded Vietnam. South Vietnam requested Western Leaders help. US were within south Vietnam, they never fought within North Vietnam. Facts matter.

[@dsdgdsfegfeg]

🔸4 years after the Vietnam war finished .. Beijing again invaded Vietnam in 1979 with 600,000 soldiers. Vietnam is allied with the West for good reason.

[@Tadicuslegion78]

What went wrong was the US tried to wage a conventional war against an unconventional foe with an unreliable ally. Which then must acknowledge the US backing the wrong horse when they agreed to let France back into Indochina in the first place.

[@socialminds9894]

Should of focused on backing the indigenous Montagnards instead of the South Veitnamese. The South Veitnamese were horribly corrupt and were the rallying cry for the Veit Cong and Khmer Rouge. Once the South Veitnamese were out, America would have much stronger political will to protect the indigenous people, and a much more effective ally. The Khmer Rouge also would have been pacified by retaking the Mekong Delta and the Veit Cong would have taken a hard hit reputationally by trying to reconquer a indigenous people while also trying to portray themselves and nationalists and anti-colonial.

[@jameswirth3117]

I agree with you 1000%!

[@Agtsmirnoff]

It’s not the USA’s fault that Vietnamese nationalist opted to sign on to communism. Have they merely been a nationalist anti-imperial movement, not aligned with communism, the whole war could’ve been prevented.

[@cmichaelanthonyimages2197]

Good points, but had Eisenhower addressed indo china when the vietmin were still a small force, and supported it as we did South Korea, the wrong people would not have taken power in the south and the north would not have been able to build the force it had, which we then fought ten years later, knowing the Chinese and Russians were supporting them. He became a politician and forgot how to think as a warrior at a time when it was needed. He destabilized the region for 30 yrs. Whats happening now in Vietnam could have happened 60 yrs ago.

[@socialminds9894]

@cmichaelanthonyimages2197 the US didn't want to get involved because the French were an American ally

[@nickcurran3105]

Wow, can you imagine a contemporary politician crediting a political adversary with devotion to country? I miss the real America.

[@brians9508]

well, it was kind of a back handed compliment. he had just finished excoriating Johnson - essentially calling him indecisive and ineffective - a moment before he decided he better soften the blow by calling him patriotic. As Nixon well knew from personal experience, you can make horrible decisions, and still be called patriotic.

[@richardjohnson1261]

Amen, brother. Totally agree. Cheers

[@chuckbuckbobuck]

Same here!

[@wwbuirkle]

@@brians9508 True but nothing compared to the nonsense today

[@chickenlover657]

@@brians9508 What you call "backhanded" is just him being realistic. There is nothing wrong in being realistic, and reality is never clear cut or black or white, it's always a mixed bag, the world has forgotten this , YOU have forgotten it.

[@billwhite1603]

All the metric got worse for African Americans after 1964. Almost every metric was trending better since the 1930s according to Thomas Sowell. Black teen pregnancies, for example, had been steadily going down for decades. Since 1964 they started rising. The number of single families greatly increased as well.

[@alliwishis_2]

Mainly because a lot of women started seeing that money was coming in and they didn't need a man to have that money

[@richardellison9833]

​@@alliwishis_2Democrat incentives.

[@ram76921]

The great society programs have contributed to the destruction of the family

[@PeteJones81]

Was that what the fuck the topic of the video was tho?

[@DavidWalls-sr1pg]

Jobs started going overseas. Layoffs became the standard in the 70s until they finally just moved.

[@kc4cvh]

The Republic of Vietnam was a boat with a hole in it, it could stay afloat only as long as Uncle Sam was willing to keep bailing. So, it "all went wrong" with the Tonkin Gulf Resolution.

[@edwardcricchio6106]

Yes, and those who think Kennedy would have somehow plugged the whole in that boat, are wrong.

[@IrishCarney]

North Vietnam was the same way - only possible as long as the Soviets and Chicoms propped THEM up. Unfortunately, our own media stabbed us in the back and undermined Americans' morale; whereas of course the people in the USSR and PRC had no influence on their regimes and no ability to speak out.

[@Boppinabe]

LBJ was a patriot so he gave his country Vietnam and the Great Society. With patriots like that...

[@satyricon65]

He was an egotist and that is why his policies were garbage in the long-run.

[@badbob1946]

Johnson referred to Vietnam as having a tiger by the tail, and he couldn't hold on and he couldn't let go. The truth was is that he simply wouldn't let go.

[@selfdo]

Had LBJ "let go" and let his GENERALS fight the war the way it had to be prosecuted, if at all, South Vietnam might yet be a free, INDEPENDENT, and PROSPEROUS country, akin to South Korea of today. His and that idiot McNamara micromanaged the war and made it impossible for us to actually win the thing.

[@levin448]

Johnson immediately reversed JFK's withdrawal after he was killed. Vietnam has been Communist for 50 years. What would be the difference if it had been 60 years?

[@fasthracing]

Very wise words.

[@craigkleber9316]

Am in awe of Richard Nixon. What a brilliant and real world thinker.

[@samcotten2416]

Johnson was devoted to himself, Dick. And nothing else.

[@jkrasney1]

I would agree with your assessment about Johnson. LBJ was jealous of Kennedy, believing and maintaining that he, LBJ, should be sitting in the Oval, not Kennedy. As to Vietnam and "The Great Society," Nixon is right, Johnson wanted both. However, he sacrificed the Great Society for Vietnam. I question Nixon's conclusions regarding the guidance Kennedy's men offered LBJ. After all, LBJ chose to significantly increase the weight and risk of the war, as a result of incident at the Gulf of Tonkin. That decision was Johnson's, no one else.

[@chadparsons50]

​@@jkrasney1Agreed. I did a paper on this back in University, LBJ would dance to no other tune but his own.

[@kaljic1]

While I reviled him at the time, like so many others, he always had great insight and mind.

[@kylebittner5100]

Class

[@smilanesi98]

LBJ underestimated the support of North Vietnam by Red China and the Soviets. Without them he could have turned North Vietnam into a vast wasteland. The problems in the South accelerated when the coup to remove Diem occurred.

[@thomasrobinson182]

It went wrong when we followed the dictates of the CIA and the military-industrial complex. It also went wrong when we went from having advisors to having troops. I've always wondered if we couldn't have brokered a unification by offering aid to both sides.

[@tvs3497]

President Johnson didn't know how to deal with the N Vietnamese except to follow the advice of the military industrial complex. Johnson was implicated in the assassination of Kennedy but nobody talked about that, just like 9/11. People that brought it up had a way of disappearing. In the end, S Vietnam fell to the North and Kissinger didn't seem to mind at all. Most of the time, our Presidents and Congressional leaders fail miserably in their duties and for various reasons. One could argue that they weren't qualified for the job to begin with.

[@edwardtosh3291]

Johnson was devoted to whatever was good for Johnson. He was a monster.

[@jerrylagesse9046]

The US should have told the UN to pac sand . Also , since LBJs wifes family became incredibly wealthy , gulf of Tonkin incident .

[@BobLay-t9i]

If not for Watergate, Nixon would’ve been one of the greatest.

[@dougc190]

Watergate was an inside job. He had nothing to do with it. In this interview with this gentleman they talk about Watergate and it's very insightful

[@rjlp128]

To me, the problem was thinking since the French couldn’t get it done in Vietnam, we’d show ‘em how it’s done. We need to stay out of foreign entanglements and wasting our precious hard earned tax $$ on BS wars

[@lance8080]

Ukraine for one example

[@B25gunship]

Have the French ever "got it done" anywhere?

[@drrepair]

Nixon can’t be the villain that has been presented to us.

[@steven7936]

Trump is way more corrupt and has done way worse.

[@brians9508]

you are right - he was worse than the one presented to us

[@richardjohnson1261]

Don't count the man short. As most people said in these posts, Nixon was an intelligent and capable politician. In the pits, he had the blood lust just like everyone else. And remember, he won way more battles than he lost.

[@needsaride15126]

@@drrepair no, he was worse

[@TheSeanMichael]

Maybe flying to the opposite side of the world and invading another country to dictate the way they live isn’t such a good idea after all.

[@jeanhowell9353]

Wish we had a Nixon now. Smart man.

[@NixonFoundation]

[@richardk6291]

What Nixon did that resulted in his resignation is standard practice today in politics.

[@hwoods01]

"What Nixon did" -- Nixon didnt do anything. He was set up.

[@KeithRowley418]

One of the great presidents.

[@sd906238]

I always wondered why they never named an aircraft carrier after him. The nickname for the USS Rigard E. Nixon would be "The Big Dick".

[@odysseusrex5908]

Well, no. He could have been a very good one, but he screwed things up royally. Honestly, what would you say his top three achievements were?

[@liedersanger1]

​@@odysseusrex5908Are we talking about Nixon or johnson? Both had enormous accomplishments, and both were tragic failures.

[@odysseusrex5908]

@@liedersanger1 I was certainly talking about Nixon. What would you say some of his enormous accomplishments were as president?

[@lalannej]

We're not taking into account the economic presure of the defense contractors who always want a good, long war. They seemed to be anticipating Vietnam since the end of WW2. Nixon, after escalating with no success, had the guts and brains to call the war off, which is probably why they took him out.

[@demongo2007]

A shame he doesn't come right out and name McNamara as the villain.

[@stumon257]

He seems so honest and intelligent.

[@saxon6]

It's funny that decades later we know exactly who Nixon is referring to about Johnson inheriting: McNamara and JCS Maxwell Taylor

[@reneauvray3440]

Or Clark Clifford?

[@CarlGerhardt1]

Appointing Gen. Westmoreland as theatre commander for Vietnam was a terrible decision...if we were re-fighting WWII he would have been OK...but he had no concept of how to fight and win a guerilla war.

[@B25gunship]

McNamara was the worst. All he cared about was numbers. As reflected by the enemy body counts being number one priority. Probably from his days as a bean counter in the auto industry. His late life admissions to his mistakes in Vietnam and asking for forgiveness were sickening. He knew what he was doing all along and just kept on doing it. He should have his image engraved on the Vietnam Wall. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetary. That is the biggest travesty of all.

[@redivider6430]

The more I listen to Nixon, the more I am impressed by him. He was one of the best foreign policy presidents of our time. I would disagree with him in this clip, however. Johnson was not about peace and his Great Society policy was--and still is--a mess. Johnson escalated Vietnam to satiate the defense contractors and his War on Poverty did nothing but subjugate Blacks and make them reliant on the government. I, to this day, will never understand why Blacks keep voting in a party who has historically repressed them.

[@williamweigt7632]

Remember: “(The Republicans) are gonna put y’all back in chains!” 😂

[@DTD110865]

Johnson "escalated" the war because the communists escalated the war. He simply reacted to what the reds were doing.

[@selfdo]

Think of WHO backed LBJ and installed him in the White House by bumping JFK off. Later on, LBJ stood back and let the same group MURDERED 34 of our sailors and officers aboard the USS Liberty.

[@lukedaniell]

What stood out to me in this clip is not just President Nixon's insightfulness. It's how, throughout the clip, he wouldn't criticize LBJ without combining that criticism with statements about LBJ's positive qualities, and acknowledging that he was a patriot. And this part here -- 1:25 -- particularly stood out. Nixon identified by name someone from the Kennedy Administration (which LBJ inherited) who he felt was capable. But as to those he felt were not capable, he deliberately chose not to single them out. This shows an extraordinary amount of grace from someone who, more than most, has cause to be bitter against political adversaries and his opposing political party.

[@marcdavis2745]

AN ELECTRIFYING BRILLIANT STATESMAN

[@richardjohnson1261]

Richard Nixon, here, laid out a very elegant explanation of Lyndon Johnson's dilemmas; improving the domestic lot for Americans and ending the Viet Nam war with honor. Nixon described Johnson as a patriot and man of peace. And history knows that Johnson was no fan of Nixon. Yet, Nixon spoke well of Johnson. Contrast this presentation of Lyndon Johnson by his rival with the absolute lies, trash and character assassinations we have to deal with when listening to today's politicians. All of today's candidates running for public office should be made to watch this as a prerequisite. Some of them still holding office should be made to watch. They can all take a lesson on how we might treat each other. God knows, we can do better and the American people deserve better. Cheers

[@keithss67]

Ron burgundy interviewed Nixon?

[@TheCdecisneros]

At the end of WWII, the OSS said stay out of veitnam.

[@ShiddyFinkelstein]

I thank Richard M. Nixon on keeping me from becoming cannon fodder for Johnson's and McNamara's war of attrition. This clip demonstrates how magnanimous Nixon was. More than I will ever be as I despise LBJ and his disastrous policies which were at the root of many of today's problems.

[@nmbr1son64]

Nixon inherited and escalated the Vietnam War. He was working on pulling out U.S. troops, but he inherited a BIGGER problem with Watergate!

[@MurineMischief]

More like Kissinger and McNamara had the bloodiest hands in The Vietnam Conflict.

[@lance8080]

McNamara got Americans killed , Kissinger got Vietnamese killed.

[@EJDERMALO-qk7kh]

Nixon probably the most influential president after woodrow wilson in 20th century. I wish he is on election

[@hubertwalters4300]

Well I wish he was on the ballot too,but he left us some time ago and can't come back.

[@alamodefender9860]

As a Vietnam Veteran 1965-1968, 3 years of war, LBJ tried to Micro Manage the war. Many times we had to get permission to shoot back at the NVA. The Tet Offensive at the battle of Hue was a good example of what he did in micro managing that battle from Washington, DC.

[@frankcherry3810]

Hind-site is always 20/20

[@robroy6158]

Look at US troop strength when LBJ took office and then 2 years later. That is where it ‘all went wrong’.

[@notsoancientpelican]

My people perish for lack of knowledge

[@peterbedford2610]

Compared to today's politicians, Nixon seems like a choir boy

[@rb368370]

We're making the same mistakes with Ukraine.

[@davidwagner9644]

Difference is Russia has 400 years of natural gas NATO wants. Russian Natural Gas is what the war in Ukraine is about, not freedom and democracy. Vietnam had nothing.

[@orelas167]

Very astute observation and I barely understand it as applied to Vietnam. I suppose indecisiveness is correct.

[@a1productionllc]

What has happened to the thumbs up and thumbs down? I cannot find them on my KZbin screen anymore.

[@LanceStoddard]

If you listen to the LBJ tapes, he knew the war was lost in '64, but went in anyway. LBJ fought an illegal war without a vote all through Indochina. Nixon was being way too nice here.

[@khabbad]

In 1964 he didn’t know it was lost he knew it was going badly and going to be much longer. By 66 is had become clear the only way to victory was an invasion or north Vietnam and LBJ had no intention of doing that. The Americans were defending the south and were successful, but it was a quagmire, for how long would the Americans have to stay to defend them?

[@DTD110865]

The communist bloc were the ones who started the war. Blaming Johnson, Nixon, or any other US president for the war is fraudulent.

[@LanceStoddard]

@@khabbad Listen to the tapes. He knew it was lost in '64.

[@BobDennison]

Mr. Nixon , you sir are the consumate politico .

[@NixonFoundation]

[@yampk1]

Also, Nixon sending the North Vietnamese signals they could hold out for better terms in 1968 should he win *might* have been a factor!!?

[@lawjef]

Yeah, while it pales into comparison to modern political shenanigans, that entire pre election “signal” was pretty abhorent

[@michaelplunkett8059]

How does that explain the 5 year agony of 1963 to 1968? Who he dies not mention as the leftover who doomed LBJ was Sec. Def, Bobby Mcnamara. Nixon didn't get in till January 1969.

[@paulhiggins8662]

Too late by then anyway

[@LanceStoddard]

LBJ knew the war was lost in '64. He is on tape saying so to Senator Richard Russel.

[@bobtis]

Nixon was a genius

[@AfiBoy-iu8mg]

Greetings to the soul of President Nixon and peace be upon the soul of the emperor of Iran AriaMehr Pahlavi and greetings to President Sadat from Egypt.

[@TheLastRockNRollerAlive]

One of my favorite presidents Richard Nixon, if not my favorite president after WW2.

[@thorogood473]

LBJ was the original hicklib.

[@ericramalingam1040]

It’s amazing to see a statesman that had respect for a predecessor from another political party. We need this again.

[@SimonWallwork]

Must say, after watching some of these clips, Nixon is revealed as being a lot smarter than I thought before I watched.

[@Kevon420]

In the words of the great filmmaker John Ford on the Vietnam War: “I haven’t the slightest idea what we’re doing there.”

[@TriRabbi]

LBJ is impaled on a rotisserie in hell.

[@stankolin7657]

Why didn't he speak the name: McNamara.

[@garygarrison4336]

Yeah LBJ like his piece when ever he could .get it.

[@lancewalker6067]

Ah, LBJ, when a wicked man tries to do a righteous thing it just turns to 💩.

[@guerre1859]

Johnson was devoted to...Johnson

[@billseka4141]

Nixon was intelligent, just hearing him speak is educational.

[@markbastin1628]

Articulate and wise.. Mistreated by history sadly..

[@MaxEPR]

The major problem, which still exists today is, VPs are often picked for political reasons not national security reasons. Instead of the thinking being, "What happens if I die or am assassinated?" It's more often what state or states or what demographic will this running mate help with. New England elitist Kennedy needed southern good-ol-boy, and Texan, Johnson. Eisenhower actually sent the first US Army Special Forces advisor troops to Viet Nam. JFK inherited them and, from his WW2 experience, recognized them as what they were, unconventual warfare trainers. Their military doctrine was, and is, to learn the language and culture of the indigenous population and train them to fight their own wars to free themselves. He went so far as to authorize their now famous head gear, the Green Berets, which they are now often called. Given what happened after his assassination, he likely did not brief LBJ on the plan. With a new, uninformed, President, the Generals felt free to send in the Big Army and ensure that they would get their photos in the newspapers, medals on their chests, and garner enough stories to write books about. Same thing happened in Afghanistan. US Army Special Forces infiltrated into Northern AFG, linked up with the Northern Aliance, hopped on horses and quickly installed a new, popular, government under Karzai. Shortly after that, not only did the Big Army show up, but so did the Marines and SEALs. Nothing in their doctrine called for them to be on the ground in this situation. Yet there they were. And that's why we have forever wars! Photo-ops, medals, and books. Oh, and well-paid civilian jobs after retirement.

[@midlifemotox]

Can you see Kamala in this position of power???

[@99priss]

😁😁

[@dzonthego]

LBJ was devoted to power and himself...end of discussion.

[@rickyodom1201]

i agree lbj was no angel his church there dallas bured to the ground after they killed kenndey

[@markreynolds6715]

Bottom line FDR was asked for help, diplomatic, and we didn't want to piss off the French. Eisenhower wanted no part of a war there. Said that the jungle terrain would swallow whole divisions. Then, I forget if it was JFK or LBJ fired, retired, whatever all Sergeants that had WW2 and also Korean war experience. But LBJ got us into a war that we never should have been in, then being in it, fought it like he wanted to lose and get as many Americans wounded and killed. That was the start of the left right division we have to this day. That is tearing us apart. I have only bad to say about LBJ. And he was a vicious liar. Probably the only reason Nixon was kind to LBJ was because he didn't have to run against him for president. He told evil lies about Goldwater. Don't know what Goldwater would have done, but I doubt it would have divided us as bad.

[@scottw5315]

I could be wrong but I don't think I am. Kennedy's Berlin speech where he pledged to go anywhere and fight any foe to stop communism got us into Vietnam. He likely didn't even write those words but he approved them and stated them with no room for doubt. The Kennedy doctrine got us there. Johnson then proceeded to bungle it so badly that Nixon made the wise choice to bring our troops home. I'll just state one example of what I mean. Our pilots would watch Russian ships unloading SAM missiles in Haiphong harbor. These missiles would then be fired at our planes a few days later. Nixon mined Haiphong harbor to stop the open transfer of Soviet weapons to the Vietnamese. Can't win a war like that...

[@sodacan1415]

???

[@harrylime8077]

It went wrong when the American 'genius' political class ignored Frances warning not to get involved (even after Korea) in a land war in Asia!

[@bradbradshaw-i4n]

it went wrong when we got involved in the first place.

[@kenkaplan3654]

Which most people here do not seem to grasp. Nixon was not a genius and his handling of the war was just as bad.

[@stevec7770]

Yep. Second land war in Asia in two decades. Bad idea, terrible results.

[@kenkaplan3654]

@@stevec7770 Nixon would have hopped on that train quicker than Johnson as both were part of the Cold War consensus.

[@stevec7770]

@@kenkaplan3654 agreed They were both douche bags

[@stevec7770]

@@kenkaplan3654 agreed they were both douche bags

[@russellking9762]

I could listen to this guy for hours on end...despite being reviled by many and looked up to by some i wish the Presidents of today could speak as articulate as this man and the politicians of that era. Even when he was being deceptive he was nice about it. What he was impeached for back then wouldn't even make the back page of a pornographic magazine.

[@fredloeper8579]

The so-called Great Society would have fallen of its own accord. It need not to have been tied to VietNam.

[@syedjunaidali1489]

OK VARY BEYUTIFULL Espic you are and vary haindsome and beyutifull you 2 all membars ❤🌟🌟🌷🌷⚘⚘🥰🥰

[@strangebrew1231]

They knew the war was basically un-winnable by 1965. And still they continued it and nearly 60,000 Americans died

[@barbaramattson817]

IT WENT WRONG IN 1948

[@stepanbandera5206]

Gulf of Tonkin?🤷

[@MCOult]

Lies, to get us into the war.

[@DTD110865]

That was real.

[@CaseyLouis]

LBJ cost many Americans soldiers lives. Should have shut down the conflict early in his administration.