| Mr. President, Mr. Speaker, Members of the Congress of the United States of America, and my fellow citizens: The truth of the nuclear age is that the United States and the Soviet Union must live in peace, or we may not live at all. From the beginning of history, the fortunes of men and nations were made and unmade in unending cycles of war and peace. Combat was often the measure of human courage. Willingness to risk war was the mark of statecraft. My fellow Americans, that pattern of war must now be broken forever. Between nations armed with thousands of thermonuclear weapons—each one capable of causing unimaginable destruction-there can be no more cycles of both war and peace. There can only be peace. About 2 hours ago, I returned from 3 days of intensive talks with President Leonid Brezhnev of the Soviet Union. I come here tonight to meet with you in a spirit of patience, of hope, and of reason and responsibility. Patience—because the way is long and ...read full document |