John Kerry to make major speech on Vietnam War

The US Secretary of State will give an important speech on the Vietnam War at a library in Texas, before accompanying President Barack Obama to Vietnam.

US Secretary of State John Kerry. Photo: Telegraph

Mr. Kerry, who served in the US Navy during the war,April 27will speak at the Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ) Presidential Library in Austin, Texas.

According toExpress News, Secretary of State Kerry spoke at the three-day event, before accompanying US President Barack Obama to Vietnam next month. Mr. Kerry is expected to focus on changes in Vietnam and relations with the US.

The conference is organized by the University of Texas at Austin and the library. Officials promise an unflinching look at the war. "When the LBJ Presidential Library was dedicated, President Johnson said: 'It's all here, the story of our times, unvarnished. There's no mistake, no discomfort, no criticism that isn't recorded in the documents here.'"Mark K. Updegrove, library director, said.

"Following President Johnson's vision for his library, we will take a candid look at the most controversial aspect of his presidency. Our goal is to shed clear light on the Vietnam War, its lessons, and its consequences."

The library's website emphasizes the importance of the war in Johnson's life: "The Vietnam War began long before Lyndon Johnson became president and ended in 1975, many years after he left office. But for many Americans, it is the event most closely associated with Johnson's years in the White House."

In addition to Mr. Kerry, Mr. Henry Kissinger, US Secretary of State from 1973 to 1977, Mr. Pham Quang Vinh, Vietnamese Ambassador to the US, and filmmaker Ken Burns will attend the conference. Mr. Burns' 10-part documentary on the Vietnam War will be released in 2017.

According to VNE