Monday, April 28, 1958

Mississippi Valley

JFK was in full campaign mode (although covertly) and addressed the Mississippi Valley Historical Association. Kennedy spoke presciently on the ongoing conflict in Vietnam between French forces and Vietnamese insurgents and the risk to the United States of getting caught in the quagmire.

I am certain that the long period of French colonialism has ended. But, unless the French are willing to change….it seems to me that our hopes in that area, regardless of how extensive our intervention may be, are doomed to failure.

[154, p. 97]