US Presidency
1971

But to end a war in a way that will not bring on another war is far from simple. In Southeast Asia today, aggression is failing, thanks to the determination of the South Vietnamese people and to the courage and sacrifice of America's fighting men. That brings us to a point that we have been at several times before in this century: aggression trained back, a war ending. We are at a critical moment in history: What America does, or fails to do, will determine whether peace and freedom can be won in the coming generation. That is why the way in which we end this conflict is so crucial to our efforts to build a lasting peace in coming decades. The right way out of Vietnam is crucial to our changing role in the world and to peace in the world. To understand the nature of the new American role we must consider the great historical changes that have taken place.