FORTHCOMING TROOP WITHDRAWAL ANNOUNCEMENT

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: Library of Congress
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): LOC-HAK-447-3-7-5
• Release Decision: RIFLIM
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: January 11, 2017
• Document Release Date: October 27, 2010
• Sequence Number: 7
• Publication Date: September 12, 1969
• Content Type: MEMO

No Objection to Declassification in Full 2011/01/03: LOC-HAK-447-3-7-5
TOP SECRETIMNSITIVE/MaJS September 11, 1969
MEMORANDUM FOR
THE SECRETARY OF STATIC
THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
SUBJECT:
Fortheova ng Troop Withdrawal Announcement
bed is a draft copy of the proposed press release
wiab would accanapwiliy the sent troop red Loa decision.
Precise timing for decision has not lot been **Mb1isbmd#
ha~ll-evvrr, I will be *are that y*or are iatenned as soon as the
date is cod. The President has asked that I furnish you with
a copy of this draft on as arzci u*iv oly eyes oily basis. He rem
quests that you provide any comments you a aaight hays to him
through me on the same basis and as soon as possible, so that
he will have the benoSt of your view thy.
The Prosidest has directed that distribution of this
paper be handled in this way in order to avoid disclosure which
wuld thou require further delay.
Henry A. Kissinger
DOS, OSD Reviews
Completed
TOP SEC RETtS=SITI Y/.N
ON-FILE NSC RELEASE
INSTRUCTIONS APPLY
No Objection to Declassification in Full 2011/01/03: LOC-HAK-447-3-7-5
 No Objection to Declassification in Full 2011/01/03: LOC-HAK-447-3-7-5
W
TOP SECRET/SENSITIVE/NODIS
PROPOSED PRESS RELEASE
W
After careful consideration with my senior advisors and in
full consultation with the government of Vietnam, I have decided to
reduce the troop ceiling in Vietnam by another 40, 500. The new
ceiling will be 484, 000 as compared with the ceiling of 549, 500. The
total reduction in authorized ceiling strength since June 8 thus
amounts to 6 5, 500.
Since coming into office, my Administration has made major
efforts to bring an end to the war.
We have renounced an imposed military solution.
We have offered free elections organized by joint
commissions under international supervision.
We have offered the withdrawal of U. S. and allied
forces over a 12-month period.
We have declared that we would retain no military
bases.
We have offered to negotiate supervised cease-fires
under international supervision to facilitate the process
of mutual withdrawal.
We have made clear that we would settle for the de facto
removal of North Vietnamese forces so long as there are
guarantees against their return.
TOP SECRET/SENSITIVE/NODIS
_ No Objection to Declassification in Full 2011/01/03: LOC-HAK-447-3-7-5
 No Objection to Declassification in Full 2011/01/03: LOC-HAK-447-3-7-5
w
-- We and the Government of South Vietnam have
announced that we are prepared to accept - political
outcome which is arrived at through free elections.
-- We are prepared to discuss the 10-point program of the
other side together with plans put forward by the other
parties .
In short, the only item which is not negotiable is the
right of the people of South Vietnam to determine their
own future free of outside interference.
I reiterate all these proposals today. On September 2, 1969,
North Vietnam's chief negotiator in Paris said that if the U. S. committed
itself to the principle of totally withdrawing its forces from South
Vietnam, and if it withdrew a significant number, Hanoi would take
this into account.
Such a commitment exists.
The lowering of our troop ceiling by 65, 500 is significant.
The time for meaningful negotiations has therefore arrived,
I realize that it is difficult to communicate across the gulf of
five years of war. But the time has come to end this war. Let history
record that at this critical. moment, both sides turned their faces toward
peace rather than toward conflict and war.
No Objection to Declassification in Full 2011/01/03 : LOC-HAK-447-3-7-5