Beschreibung:

Nixon, Richard (1913-1994). President of the United States (1969-1974). TLS, 2pp, 6.75 x 10.5 in., The White House Washington letterhead. March 10, 1971. Signed RN. Addressed to General Maxwell Taylor This was a cover letter to accompany Nixon's report on foreign policy for the previous year. In view of your strong and active interest in our country's efforts to further the cause of peace and international understanding, I wanted you to have a copy of the report. (Report not included with this lot.) Nixon goes on to almost apologize: While this document is long, over 60,000 words, I would strongly urge when you have a free evening that you read it carefully. Not only does it set forth in depth the Administration's policies and the reasons for these policies; it also is an accurate reflection of my personal convictions with regard to our national security after almost twenty-five years in public life... When Richard Milhous Nixon became President, the nation was embroiled in a war in Vietnam, and deeply divided over that involvement. Much of Nixon's foreign policy was directed at ending the war and healing the domestic wounds. One element of this was improving relations with the Soviet Union, establishing relations with China, then playing off China and the Soviet Union against each other, and using these new relationships to pressure Vietnam. This address was given around this time Nixon was laying the groundwork for his trip to China, which occurred in February 1972. Maxwell Taylor (1901-1987) had been Army Chief of Staff (1955- 1959); Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (1962- 1964); Ambassador to South Vietnam (1964-1965); and Chairman of the President's Intelligence Advisory Board (1968- 1970). Historians have not been kind to Taylor or his policies. However, one can see where he would certainly have been interested in Nixon's policies. Condition: Excellent. Because it accompanied a "book," the letter does not have folds.