PRESIDENT RICHARD M. NIXON - TYPED LETTER SIGNED 05/19/1972 - HFSID 44640

RICHARD M. NIXON
Richard M. Nixon sends a typed letter of thanks for the words about his plan to end the Vietnam War.
Typed Letter Signed: "RN" as 37th U.S. President, 1p, 6½x10. Washington, D.C., 1972 May 19. On White House stationery to Honorable Spruille Braden, New York, New York. In full: "Your kind message has crossed my desk, and I want to tell you how deeply I appreciate your support for the measures I announced on May 8 to bring the fighting in Vietnam to an end. As we all know, this has been the longest, most difficult conflict in our nation's history. All of us look forward to a lasting, honorable peace. That day is near - and can surely be brought even closer by two means. First, the enemy must return our prisoners of war and join in an internationally supervised ceasefire. Second, a demonstration of national unity will make unmistakably clear to the world our commitment to South Vietnam, our determination to protect American servicemen there, and our resolve to secure the release of our prisoners. Your message is an important part of this effort, and I am grateful for your willingness to speak out." RICHARD NIXON (1913-1994), the nation's 37th President (1969-1974), wrote this letter eleven days after announcing proposals that were eventually used as the basis for the Vietnam settlement of January 23, 1973. This letter is in response to SPRUILLE BRADEN (1894-1978), a retired diplomat who had served as U.S. Ambassador to Colombia (1939-1942), Cuba (1942-1945) and Argentina (1945) under Presidents Franklin Roosevelt and Harry Truman. Nixon's communication to Braden is, in part, a restatement of his stance on the requirements for the cease-fire agreement. His position, outlined in a speech on May 8 1972, included the following points: mining of all North Vietnamese port entrances; disruption of the delivery of supplies and communications; and, continued bombing of military targets in the North. The second component of the May 8 speech demanded the return of all American prisoners of war and an internationally supervised cease-fire throughout Indo-China. Once these conditions were met, Nixon would order complete withdrawal of American forces from Vietnam within four months. Congressional and media reaction to Nixon's speech was highly critical. The peace agreement of January 1973, however, which was the result of negotiations begun by Henry Kissinger in August 1969, incorporated Nixon's proposals. Lightly creased. Fine condition. Framed to an overall size of 29x19½.