US Presidency
1971

Instead, I would like to focus on three key points: ' How we are getting out of the war this Nation has been in for the past six years; ' How we have created a new and different foreign policy approach for the United States in a greatly changed world; and'How we are applying that approach in working with others to build a lasting peace. The most immediate and anguishing problem that faced this Administration two years ago was the war in Vietnam. We have come a long way since then. Two years ago, when this Administration took office, there were almost 550,000 Americans in Vietnam. Within 60 days we will have brought home 260,000 men, and this spring I will announce a new schedule of withdrawals. Two years ago, our casualties each month were five times as high as they are today. Two years ago, the additional demands of the Vietnam war cost us approximately $ 22 billion per year. That cost has been cut in half.