US Presidency
1971

Consider this combination of events that many people thought was impossible only two years ago: We have kept our commitments as we have taken out our troops. South Vietnam now has an excellent opportunity not only to survive but to build a strong, free society. Thanks to the disruption of so much of the enemy's supplies, Americans are leaving South Vietnam in safety; we would much prefer to leave South Vietnam in peace. Negotiation remains the best and quickest way to end the war in a way that will not only end in 1881. involvement and casualties but will mean an end to the fighting between North and South Vietnamese. On October 7, we made a proposal that could open the door to that kind of peace. We proposed: ' an immediate standstill cease-fire throughout Indochina to stop the fighting, ' an Indochina peace conference, ' the withdrawal of all outside forces, ' a political settlement fair to both sides, ' the immediate release of all prisoners of war. I reaffirm that proposal today.