TLS as president, one page, 6.75 x 9, White House letterhead, November 22, 1968. Letter to former governor of California, Edmund G. Brown. In full: “It was fine to hear from you and I look forward to seeing you and your good lady here in the White House in December. Your kind offer to come and help me with my teaching chores in Texas is most encouraging. Don’t think I won’t hold you to it. Lady Bird and I look forward to your visit soon.” In fine condition, with a received stamp to top left corner.
In November 1967, the Johnson administration launched a public relations campaign about progress in the Vietnam War announcing that the war was almost won and that an end to the war was near, but early 1968 painted a different picture. On January 21, the Viet Cong launched an attack on Kan Sahn, followed ten days later by the TET offensive, a massive attack culminating in the storming the U. S. Embassy in Saigon. At home, antiwar demonstrations broke out; Johnson's popularity plummeted, resulting in the president's statement that he would not seek reelection. On November 5, Republican Richard Nixon was elected to the Oval Office. Johnson was quoted as saying, "There's nothing I can do about it anymore. So I might as well give up and put my energies in the one thing they cannot take away from me—and that is my ranch."
After attending the inauguration of his successor, the ailing 60-year-old Johnson retired to the LBJ Ranch. He never returned to teaching, but removed to his ranch to write his memoirs (published in 1971) and to launch the the LBJ library at the University of Texas. Broken and despondent that his vision of ‘The Great Society’ and his presidency had been destroyed, he referred to his Great Society as a "beautiful woman" replaced by the "bitch" that was the Vietnam War. He died January 22, 1973, just days before the Vietnam War ended. Pre-certified John Reznikoff/PSA/DNA and RR Auction COA.
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