| The single most important event of the second half of the 20th century. At the time of his death, President Kennedy had just ordered the acceleration of the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Vietnam. He had originally wanted to wait until after the 1964 election, but events and the persuasion of Attorney General Robert Kennedy had led him to accelerate the timetable. In June of 1963, he had given his American University Address on peace, which led to a thawing of relations with the Soviet Union. The possibility of a Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, which would be a cornerstone of his frequently stated goal of total general disarmament, had suddenly become a reality. Constructive communication was taking place at the highest levels, and the President was determined to use the withdrawal from Vietnam as a first step toward detente with the Russians and normalization of relations with Cuba. That policy came to a screeching halt shortly after noon on November 22, 1963 in Dealy Plaza. On November 24, Lyndon Johnson met with the Vietnamese Ambassador and pledged total U.S. military support to Vietnam. The troops which were scheduled for withdrawal the following month were rotated, instead, and one of the most divisive periods of American history had begun. |
Oil on canvas |
30" x 24" |
Galleries
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