VISIT TO THE U. S. 1968
TEXAS
PRESS CCNFERNM HELD AT LBJ RANCH
N 30 MAY 1968
THE PRESIDENT
Prime Minister and Mrs. Gorton, General Westmoreland, Ladies and
Gentlemen: We are delighted to have you here with us today. I have an
announcement or two to make.
First, I should like to announce the promotion of Lieutenant-
General Bruce Palmer, to the full rank of General. General Palmer
will be retiring from his current position as Deputy Commanding General,
U. S. Army, Vietnam, to become Chief of Staff of the United States Army
with Headquarters in Washington. He will serve as the Vice Chief of
Staff to General Westmoreland, who will be Chief of Staff. General Palmer
has a distinguished . military career spannirg thirty-one years of service.
He has been in Vietnam since March 1967, serving as the Commanding
General of the Second Field Forces and as the Deputy Commanding General.
In addition, I am announcing the re-assignment of General
Ralph E. Haines, Jr., as Commander in Chief of the U. S. Army in the
Pacific. He will replace General Dwight E. Beach, who is retiring. General
Haines presently serves as Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army.
I am alsc announcing numerous other promotions which will
be supplied to you by the Press Secretary.
We are delighted to have with us today the distinguished Prime
Minister, Mr. Gortcn, and Mrs. Gorton, from I! iustralia. Although Mr.
Gorton and I had met before in Canberra, this was cur first meeting since
he became Prime Minister. Vie took the occasio~ n to spend a gccd deal of
time together since his arrival last Monday.
As all of you know, the ties between Australia and the United
States grow stronger each year. As part of this shared vision, and to
honour our common interests and commitments, our nr-n are now fighting
side by side under General Westmoreland's leadership in Vietnam. So we
have reviewed together, with Ambassador Vance, who returned from the
Paris talks, the progress of the Paris talks. This morning, with General
W~ estmoreland, we reviewed the course of the battle on the ground. As a
result of our talks, I am confident that we have strengthened the bonds
between our two countries as we face together the hard but the productive
tasks which lie before us in the months ahead.
It now gives me very special pride to award a Presidential
Unit Citation to the D Company of the 6th Battalion cf the Royal Australian
Regiment for extraordinary heroism while serving in Vietnam. I have long
had reason to know personally what we have learned as a nation over the
past half century since the world war. That is, that in a fight, there is no
better man to have by your side than an Australian. Only yesterday morning
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I received a typical report of Australians in combat. A very small unit
of the Third Royal Australian Regiment was blocking an infiltration route
towards Saigon twenty-six miles north-east of the capitol. About 1, 030
of the enemy, some fresh from North Vietnam, threw themselves against
this Australian base. Heavy fighting took place over two hours. The
enemy withdrew, laving 44 dead and 32 weapons on the battlefield. Seven
prisoners were: captured. General Westmoreland sent a message of
congratulations to Major-General MacDcnald who commands the Australian
forces in Vietnam. That is the kind of steady courage that we have come tc
expect from the Australians. I think this is a very good moment to remind
all of the American people of this fact. The war is not being fought in
Vietnam simply by Americans; it is being fought by the South Vietnamese,
the Australians, the New Zealanders, the Koreans, the Thais and the
Philippinos. Together, we shall bring a just and honourable peace to
South East Asia, for that is cur objective--and I want to repeat, that is
cur only objective. From last summer to the end of March of this year, we
have made a very special effort to move this war to the conference table
and to peace talks. On 31 March, in a speech to the nation, I said that
we would undertake a major unilateral act of de-escalation. We would
lift the bcrpbing from most of the territory and population of North Vietnam,
including Hanoi and Haiphong, and we would free cur hands so we could
concentrate every resource at our command in the search for peace. At
that time I announced I would not seek or accept the Presidential nomination.
I felt that these two steps might--just might--bring Hand to the conference
table. A month went by, but that has now happened, and these talks are
being conducted in Paris. I cannot report to the American people any
substantive progress, nor can I even report that Hanoi has matched our
restraint with theirs. But if Hanoi will take responsive action, we are
ready to go far and fast with them, and with others, to reduce the violence
and to build a stable peace in South East Asia. We have done everything
that we know how to do to bring us to this point. We shall continue to do
everything that we know how to do to bring peace to the world.
Now it gives me great pleasure to present the Presidential
Citatcn to the distinguished Prime Minister. We would be glad to have a
word from him if he cares to.
PRIME MINISTER GORTON
Mr. President, Mrs. Johnson, General Westmoreland, Ladies and Gentlemen:-
I accept with a feeling of very great pride in my countrymen
this Presidential Citation which has been awarded for their heroism in action.
So I shall take it and hand it to the Chief of Staff of the Australian Army.
He and all Australians will feel the same pride that I do, that this has been
presented for what they on that day did.
I would like to thank you, too, Sir, during this brief visit
tc the United States, for I shall leave tomorrow, for all the time that you
have put aside for discussions with me, and for all the time which your
senior officials and secretaries of relevant departments have put aside
for discussions with me.
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I feel that this has been of great advantage to me, and I
believe that we know each other's minds as to the problems of the South
East Asian area generally, and as to the future we both wish to see in the
South East Asian area generally--a future where prosperity is able to be
based upon peace and peace is able to be based on an absence from fear.
I thank you, Sir.
THE PRESIDENT General Westmoreland arrived here earlier this morning
and briefed me and Prime Minister Gorton; and together we heard a somewhat
detailed report from the Prime Minister of Australia of developments in
South Vietnam. I should like to ask him to summarize for the American
people and for those of you who have come here today that report he has
given to us.
GENERAL WESTMCRELAND
Mr. President, Mr. Prime Minister, Ladies and Gentlemen:-
I am happy to summarize my discussion on the situation in
Vietnam. First, what are the current objectives of the enemy? In my
opinion, his primary objective is to destroy the Government of South Vietnam.
This has been his objective since 1958, but Hanoi is now emphasizing this
objective more than ever before. Secondly, he wants to develop an image
of strength in the eyes cf the people of the United States and the world in
the hope that this will bring about an attitude of futility toward the success
of our objective of a free and independent South Vietnam.
How is he attempting to accomplish these objectives? First,
by resorting to terrorizing the people, creating refugees, and attempting to
coerce the people to demonstrate against the Government. Second, by wagng
a massive world-wide propaganda campaign based on distorted informaticn,.
Third, by defeating Vietnamese troops and isolating them from the Amtxican
and free world forces. Fourth, by defeating the United States units for
propaganda purposes. Finally, by seizing territory and thereby strengthening
his posture in the South.
The enemy is having to deploy ever-larger numbers of men
from the North, and the war is destined to become increasingly more and
more cf a North Vietnamese invasion of the South. The North Vietnamese
are strangers to the people in the South and are unfamiliar with the area.
In fact, now over 72 per cent of the organized combat forces, excluding
guerillas, are North Vietnamese. It is estimated that there are approximately
000 North Vietnamese soldiers in the South, with more arriving every day.
The facade that the enemy has carefully created, that this is a war of the
people, has been destroyed with the influx cf hordes of North Vietnamese.
But in spite of this total effort, his only victories of the last few years have
been in the propaganda field. In this connection, I am confident that the
enemy is receiving false reports from his field commanders. This partially
explains his alleged and exaggerated battlefield successes, which are distorted
by a factor of from three to twelve, and in some cases even more. / 4
In summary, the enemy seems to be approaching a point
of desparation; his forces are deteriorating in strength and quality. I
forecast that these trends will continue. Cn the other hand, the South
Vietnamese armed forces are becoming progressively stronger and more
effective. Our troops and those of our free world allies continue to perform
in magnificent fashion. However, we must be prepared for continued heavy
fighting ahead, especially in the northern area, the highlands, and around
Saigon. But time is on cur side. Endurance on the battlefield and patience
at home are required.
THE PRESIDENT Thank you very much, General Westmcreland. It is very
difficult to give, in a few minutes, the full report that you have made today.
I have asked the General to take the statement that he dictated
and reviewed with the Prime Minister and I and to make it available to you.
You will have an opportunity to review the details of it much more at length
than he has been able to go over with you now,
0 We are very happy General Westmcreland is returning to
Washington to take the place formerly occupied by General Blackjack
Fershing, George Marshall and Dwight Eisenhower as Head of the Chief of
Staff of the United States Army and the leader of the United States Army
in this country. His performance has been exceptional and brilliant. I
look forward to working very closely with him in the days ahead.
If there are any questions that you care to ask, I will be
glad to receive thenm.
SQuestion: Mr. President, in view of the step-up of the war on the enemy
side, the unprecedented infiltration of men and supplies, do you have any
plan to reconsider your partial bombing pause?
PF resident: We have under consideration appropriate actions every day.
They are constantly being considered. What is the proper course to bring
peace in the world? What is the proper course to bring an end to the war
in South Vietnam?
Q. Mr. President, this week the House took action that would
indicate the sense of the Congress is to tie a six billion dollar cut inFederal
spending to any tax increase. Would you be prepared to sign a Tax Bill that
has that big a Federal cut in it?
A. Yes. For nearly two years I have urged the Congress to pass
a Tax Bill. That tax amounts to about one cent on the dollar. With it,
though, I think America could follow a sound fiscal course, and I have
repeated those recommendations week after week and month after month.
Without it, the gates of economic chaos, I think, could open, and I think
the country would face several serious problems. First, an inflation tax
of at least four cents on every dollar. Second, interest rates could go up
as high as ten per cent. Third, a severe housing depression would be in
the offing. Fourth, the disappearance of cur world trade surplus. Fifth,
the end of cur unprecedented 87 months of prosperity in this country. Now
the nation and the Congress are faced with a Tax Bill. But it has coupled
with it a six billion requirement in a reduction of expenditures. I deeply
regret that we are faced with such a choice, as I have said on several
occasions. The Budget that I submitted in January blended fiscal
responsibility with what we considered urgent national purpose. That
tight Budget was my best judgment in January, and that is my best judgment
today. Nevertheless, the President does not make laws alone. He only
approves measures that the Congress has passed. I have indicated that I
would approve a tax increase with a four billion cutback in 1969 expenditures.
Yesterday, however, the House of Representatives defeated a motion to
limit the expenditure cutback to four billion. So the only choice remaining
now is whether the need for a tax increase is so urgent that we must accept
the six billion reduction. I believe that the need for a tax increase is that
urgent. I believe that the national interest requires the tax increase as
soon as possible, Therefore, if the Congress will vote for the conference
report containing the tax increase and the six billion expenditure cut, I
shall approve it. I urge the Congress to adopt the eonference report at as
early a date as possible, and give me the opportunity to sign the measure.
Q. Mr. ' President, do you share the belief of Cyrus Vance that
because North Vietnam is at the conference table in Paris, it eventually wants
peace and that, therefore, these talks are going to, as Mmi Vance put it,
move to the end and go into full-scale peace negotiations?
A. We feel that as a result of our statement back in March, as
I repeated earlier, that we had two steps to take. One was to try to get
Hanoi to the conference table. That has been done. How far are we going
to get in those conferences is pure speculation. We don't know. We hope
that we can have a satisf ' actory. conference that will produce results. I
don't care to speculate. I do not feel it has produced any substantive results
to this date. I think we must all continue to try to expore every possible
avenue; get down to substantive discussions as soon as possible. But as
to what the outcome might be, I think I would rather let developments take
care of that.
Q. Mr. President, could you tell us wlie re, if you get this Bill
now through Congress, you feel you would be forced to make most of these
cuts in human terms, what the country is likely to lose from that kind of
a spending cut? We will have to make announcements on that. I wouldn't
want to make an announcement on a measure that I have not seen, and
expenditure cuts that have not been made. After the measure gets to me,
if it is in the amount that the conference report contains, I will sign it.
Then we will ask the Budget Director to review with all the departments
the cuts. We generally feel that they will be divided in non-Vietnam defence
expenditures and other Budget expenditures. But I do not have the time or
the information that would permit me to outline in specific detail how they
would add up.
Q. Mr. L-President, today, in light of what has been happening in
France, there is quite a run on the French franc. I wonder if you could give
us your judgment on whether that will increase or decrease the pressures on
the U. S. dollar.
A. We are very hopeful that the leadership of France and the
people of France will find ways and means to bring stability in that country.
we realize that the developments there not only have a serious effect on
France but on the entire world. The leadership of France is taking certain
steps and putting in motion certain actions. I don't care to speculate on how
successful those actions will be or what their outcome will be. I do know
that it is very important to the American people and the rest of the world
that we have stability in France. We deeply regret the problems that face
the French people. / 6
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Q. Mr. President, is the Administration determined to accept
aanti-Crime Bill even if amendments remain which would authorize
wiretapping and attempt to limit Supreme Court decisions?
A. The Administration strongly favours an anti-Crime Bill
and has for several years, and has urged the Congress to take action on
the Crime Bill. Both Houses have now acted. That measure is in conference.
When the conferees reconcile their views, we hope the measure will come
to the President. Then I will review'fthe details of it and take the action
that I believe is in the best interest of the American people, I hope the
conferees can worlk out the differences between the two bodies and reconcile
their different viewpoints. I would, of course, express the hope that the
measure that comes to me is as near the measure that I recommended
as possible, although I know that that is too much to expect. Mr. Kilpatrick?
Q. Did General Westmoreland report that his position on the
ground has been weakened by the partial halt in bombing, Mr. President?
No.
Q. Mr. President, last night you advocated that the right to
vote be granted to eighteen year olds across the country. Since the States
set this voting age, is there anything you can do or intend to do in the time
you have left in the Presidency to bring this about?
A. Over the weekend, Mr. Davis, we will be working on a
very special message to Congress. A constitutional amendment will be
required. The President will send that message to Congress I hope next
week, making his recommendation.
Q. Mr. President, in view of the reports of increased casualties,
and General Wiestmoreland's teport to you on battlefield conditions, does
the Administration foresee any needs for a stepup or an increase in our
troop strength in Vietnam beyond what you have already announced?
A. General Wiestmoreland has made no such recommendation.
Thank you, Mr. 1President.