Typed memorandum from Carl Rowan, the director of the United States Information Agency, two pages, 8 x 10.5, issued to President Lyndon B. Johnson on April 26, 1965, in regard to the public stance the President should take in his upcoming press conference about the United States and Vietnam question. President Johnson has added a note in pencil to the upper left portion, “Get to Bill M,” which is in reference to Press Secretary Bill Moyers, with an unknown hand adding in the lower border, "This kind…of speculation is unproductive and harmful." Upper left corner bears secretarial filing notes. In his memo, Rowan points out the press conference would be an excellent opportunity to “win world support (or mute criticism) for our policies and actions with regard to Viet Nam…1. Peking and Hanoi both seem to cling to an assumption that world opinion…will force you to pull back from your present policies. 2. Should negotiations occur in any forum, we will need all the support that we can muster from other countries…Countries and leaders who sympathize with us privately…are somewhat critical of us publicly because of this overriding fear of war. Your John Hopkins speech…Put the United States on the ‘peace’ offensive without weakening our pledge to South Viet Nam…our desire to help build Southeast Asia rather than bomb it,…we would prefer to bring American Boys home from Viet Nam instead of sending more in—if only the aggressors would leave their neighbors alone.” In fine condition. Accompanied an earlier interoffice memorandum from George Stevens to Richard Goodwin on National Citizens for Johnson-Humphrey stationary, dated September 28, 1964.
