This is the letter that Ho Chi Minh wrote to
President Johnson explaining his opinions about the war:
To His Excellency Mr. Lyndon B. Johnson,
President, United States of America
Your Excellency: On February 10, 1967, I received your message.
This is my reply. Vietnam is thousands of miles away from the United States. The
Vietnamese people have never done any harm to the United States. But contrary to the
pledges made by its representative at the 1954 Geneva conference, the U.S. has ceaselessly
intervened in Vietnam, it has unleashed and intensified the war of aggression in North
Vietnam with a view to prolonging the partition of Vietnam and turning South Vietnam into
a neocolony and a military base of the United States. For over two years now, the U.S.
government has, with its air and naval forces, carried the war to the Democratic Republic
of (North) Vietnam, an independent and sovereign country.
The U.S. government has committed war crimes, crimes against peace
and against mankind. In South Vietnam, half a million U.S. and satellite troops have
resorted to the most inhuman weapons and most barbarous methods of warfare, such as
napalm, toxic chemicals and gases, to massacre our compatriots, destroy crops, and raze
villages to the ground. In North Vietnam, thousands of U.S. aircraft have dropped hundreds
of thousands of tons of bombs, destroying towns, villages, factories, schools. In your
message, hyou apparently deplore the sufferings and destruction in Vietnam. May I ask you:
Who has perpetrated these monstrous crimes? It is the United States and satellite troops.
The U.S. government is entirely responsible for the extremely serious situation in
Vietnam.
The U.S. war of aggression against the Vietnamese people
constitutes a challenge ot the countries of the socialist camp, a threat to the national
independence movement, and a serious danger to peace in Asia and the world.
The Vietnamese people deeply love independence, freedom and peace.
But in the face of U.S. aggression, they have risen up, united as one man, fearless of
sacrifices and hardships. They are determined to carry on their resistance until they have
won genuine independence and freedom and true peace. Our just cause enjoys strong sympathy
and support from the peoples of the whole world, including broad sections of the American
people.
The U.S. government has unleashed the war of aggression in
Vietnam. It must cease this aggression. This is the only way to restoration of peace. The
U.S. government must stop definitely and unconditionally its bombing raids and all other
acts of war agains tthe Democratic Republic of Vietnam, withdraw from South Vietnam all
U.S. and satellite troops, recognize the South Vietnam National Front for Liberation, and
let the Vietnamese people settle themselves their own affairs. Such is the basis of the
five-point stand of the government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, which embodies
the essential principles and parovision of the 1954 Geneva Agreements on Vietnam; it is
the basis of a correct political solution to the Vietnam problem.
In your message your suggested direct talks between the Democratic
Republic of Vietnam and the United States. If the U.S. government really wants these
talks, it must first of all stop unconditionally its bombing raids and all other acts of
war against the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. It is only after the unconditional
cessation of U.S. bombing raids and all other acts of war against the Democratic Republic
of Vietnam that the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and the U.S. could enter into talks and
discuss questions concerning the two sides.
The Vietnamese people will never submit to force, they will never
accept talks under threat of bombs.
Our cause is absolutiely just. It is to be hoped tha tthe U.S.
government will act in accordance with reason. Sincerely,
Ho Chi Minh
(February 15, 1967)
Taken from: A History of the Vietnam War
This letter explains Ho Chi Minh's feeling
regarding the war and how they feel that like the United States they are simply defending
their interests and freedom. Ho Chi Minh was a vehement supporter of the war until his
death in 1969.

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