1967 meeting between U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson and Soviet Premier Alexei Kosygin
The
Glassboro Summit Conference
, usually just called the
Glassboro Summit
, was the 23?25 June 1967 meeting of the heads of government of the United States and the
Soviet Union
?
President
Lyndon B. Johnson
and
Premier
Alexei Kosygin
, respectively?for the purpose of discussing
Soviet Union?United States relations
in
Glassboro, New Jersey
. During the Arab?Israeli
Six-Day War
diplomatic contact and cooperation increased, leading some to hope for an improvement in the two countries' relations. Some even hoped for joint cooperation on the
Vietnam War
. Although Johnson and Kosygin failed to reach agreement on anything important, the generally amicable atmosphere of the summit was referred to as the "Spirit of Glassboro" and is seen to have improved Soviet?US relations.
Background
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With the United States gradually losing ground in the
Vietnam War
, the administration was looking for other solutions to the conflict.
On 5 June 1967 the
Six-Day War
began between
Israel
and the
Arab states
. The war led to an increase in Soviet-US diplomatic contact and cooperation; there were some who hoped this could continue to help the US solve the
Vietnam War
and other pressing international issues.
[1]
On 10 June 1967, Premier Alexei Kosygin wrote a letter to contact President Lyndon B. Johnson. The "hot line" message arrived at the White House to seek communication between the United States and the Soviet Union. Alexei Kosygin gives a quick explanation of what the Soviet Union and United States should do in regards to the Middle Eastern Crisis. In the message Alexei Kosygin writes:
To The White House
To President Lyndon B. Johnson
Dear Mr. President:
The events of the last days have forced me to express to you with all frankness our view. As the situation shows, the resolutions of the Security Council are invalid. Israel has completely ignored them. As you can understand, after the many attempts taken in this direction and the resolutions of the Security Council concerning the termination of aggression on the part of Israel in the Near East - - these attempts have proved ineffective.
A very crucial moment has now arrived which forces us, if military actions are not stopped in the next few hours, to adopt an independent decision. We are ready to do this. However, these actions may bring us into a clash, which will lead to a grave catastrophe. Obviously in the world there are powers to whom this would be advantageous.
We purpose that you demand from Israel that it unconditionally cease military action in the next few hours. On our part, we will do the same. We purpose to warn Israel that, if this is not fulfilled, necessary actions will be taken, including military.
Please give me your views.
A. Kosygin
[2]
Several days later the
Soviet Union
sent Premier
Alexei Kosygin
to
New York City
to deliver a speech on the then-ongoing Middle Eastern crisis at the
United Nations headquarters
. When the
United States government
was informed of this the Americans gladly welcomed Kosygin to a meeting between him and President
Lyndon B. Johnson
. On 13 June 1967 Johnson sought out
J. William Fulbright
, a Senator, at a
White House
reception.
Llewellyn Thompson
, then
US ambassador to the USSR
, believed that a conference could "start the process of moving toward an understanding with the Soviets". Fulbright even believed that Johnson was reconsidering his Vietnam strategy. Later Fulbright wrote two letters to Johnson about the importance of a summit between the two nations. Johnson agreed, and wrote a letter in return, which said they were waiting for a Soviet response for US invitation.
Walt Rostow
, the
National Security Advisor
at the time, said it was a 20 percent chance of the summit having a good effect on Soviet?US relations, and only a 10 percent chance of the summit going awry.
[3]
The Soviet
Political Bureau
(Politburo) were divided over the usefulness of the summit.
Andrei Gromyko
, the
Minister of Foreign Affairs
at the time and still not a member of the Politburo, was able to win support for it. Gromyko noted that Soviet-US dialogue which had been suspended in 1963 should be reactivated, despite the
Vietnam War
putting a great deal strain on the two countries' relations.
[4]
Kosygin had agreed to address the
United Nations
and as such, wished to conduct the summit in New York. Johnson, wary of encountering protesters against the war in Vietnam, preferred to meet in
Washington, D.C.
Roughly equidistant,
Hollybush
, the residence of the President of Glassboro State College (now
Rowan University
) in
Glassboro, New Jersey
was selected as a compromise.
The summit
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Vietnam War
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In their first meeting held on 23 June 1967 there were only four people present,
Alexei Kosygin
and
Lyndon B. Johnson
and their respective interpreters. The main subjects discussed between the two was the ongoing crisis in the
Middle East
and the Soviet-US
arms race
. Towards the end of the meeting, Johnson said he was willing to discuss a peace settlement regarding war in Vietnam; literally meaning dividing the country in half, one part communist another part capitalist. He assured Kosygin that the only reason for American bombing in
North Vietnam
was because of North Vietnamese intervention into
South Vietnam
. Johnson offered the Soviets to supervise the democratic election in South Vietnam in the aftermath of the war. Kosygin responded by returning to the original subject; the crisis in the Middle East. During their afternoon meeting, Kosygin told Johnson that he was recently in contact with
Ph?m V?n đ?ng
, the
Prime Minister of North Vietnam
, and that they had discussed the possibilities on putting an end to the war. The North Vietnamese reply came during Kosygin's lunch with Johnson. Kosygin compared the Vietnam War with the
Algerian War
which ended when
Charles de Gaulle
's France signed a peace treaty signifying the end of French colonisation of
Algeria
; he believed this would happen to the United States if the war continued. He also made it very clear that the North Vietnamese would not give up their goal of a unified Vietnam that easily.
[5]
Johnson was worried of North Vietnamese betrayal, saying he would be "crucified" politically in the United States if the North Vietnamese decided to send their troops into South Vietnam if and when the United States stopped bombing them. Kosygin said, relieving Johnson of his worries, that a North Vietnamese delegation could meet anywhere in the world to discuss a peace settlement with the Americans.
[6]
The Spirit of Glassboro
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The two world leaders met for three days, from 23 June to 25 June 1967, at Hollybush Mansion, home of the college president. Although Johnson and Kosygin failed to reach agreement on limiting
anti-ballistic missile
systems, the generally amicable atmosphere of the summit was referred to as the "Spirit of Glassboro".
See also
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References
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- Notes
- Bibliography
External links
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