Glassboro Summit Conference facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Glassboro Summit Conference |
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Premier Alexei Kosygin and President Lyndon Johnson during the meeting in Glassboro.
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| Host country |  United States |
| Date | 23–25 June 1967 |
| Venue(s) | Whitney Mansion |
| Cities | Glassboro, New Jersey |
| Participants |  Alexei Kosygin Lyndon Johnson |
| Follows | Vienna summit (1961) |
| Precedes | Moscow Summit (1972) |
The Glassboro Summit Conference was an important meeting between the leaders of the United States and the Soviet Union. It happened from June 23 to June 25, 1967. The main goal was to talk about how the two powerful countries got along.
The meeting took place in Glassboro, New Jersey. The US President, Lyndon B. Johnson, met with the Soviet Premier, Alexei Kosygin. Even though they didn't agree on big issues, the meeting felt friendly. This positive feeling was later called the "Spirit of Glassboro." It helped improve relations between the Soviet Union and the US.
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Why the Glassboro Summit Happened
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In 1967, the United States was facing challenges in the Vietnam War. The government was looking for different ways to solve the conflict. At the same time, a war broke out in the Middle East. This was the Six-Day War between Israel and several Arab states.
This Middle East conflict made the US and the Soviet Union talk more. Some people hoped this increased communication could help solve the Vietnam War. They also hoped it would help with other global problems.
A Message from the Soviet Union
On June 10, 1967, Premier Alexei Kosygin sent a direct message to President Johnson. This message came through the "hot line," a special communication link. Kosygin wanted to talk about the Middle East crisis. He wrote:
To The White House
To President Lyndon B. Johnson
Dear Mr. President:
Recent events make me speak frankly. The Security Council's decisions are not working. Israel has ignored them completely. Our attempts to stop the aggression in the Near East have failed.
A critical moment is here. If military actions don't stop soon, we must make our own decision. We are ready to do this. But these actions could lead to a serious clash. Some powers in the world might want this to happen.
We ask you to demand that Israel stop military action immediately. We will do the same. We must warn Israel that if they don't stop, necessary actions, including military ones, will be taken.
Please share your thoughts.
A. Kosygin
Planning the Meeting
After this message, the Soviet Union sent Premier Kosygin to New York City. He was there to give a speech at the United Nations headquarters. The US government was happy to hear this. They invited Kosygin to meet with President Johnson.
President Johnson wanted to meet. Llewellyn Thompson, the US ambassador to the USSR, thought a meeting could help both countries understand each other better. Senator J. William Fulbright also pushed for a summit. He believed it was very important for the two nations to talk.
The Soviet leaders, known as the Politburo, were not all sure about the meeting. But Andrei Gromyko, the Foreign Minister, convinced them. He said that talking with the US, which had stopped in 1963, should start again. This was important, even with the Vietnam War causing tension.
Kosygin wanted the meeting in New York. Johnson preferred Washington, D.C.. They chose Hollybush, a house in Glassboro, New Jersey, as a compromise. It was about halfway between the two cities. Hollybush was the home of the president of Glassboro State College (now Rowan University).
Discussions at the Summit
The first meeting happened on June 23, 1967. Only four people were there: Kosygin, Johnson, and their two interpreters. They mainly talked about the crisis in the Middle East. They also discussed the arms race, which was about both countries building many weapons.
Talking About the Vietnam War
Towards the end of their first meeting, Johnson said he was ready to talk about peace in Vietnam. He suggested dividing the country into a communist part and a capitalist part. Johnson explained that the US was bombing North Vietnam only because North Vietnam was sending troops into South Vietnam. He even offered for the Soviets to watch over democratic elections in South Vietnam after the war.
Kosygin then brought the conversation back to the Middle East. Later that afternoon, Kosygin told Johnson he had spoken with Phạm Văn Đồng, the Prime Minister of North Vietnam. They had discussed ways to end the war. Kosygin compared the Vietnam War to the Algerian War. That war ended when France signed a peace treaty, giving Algeria its independence. He believed the same would happen to the US if the war continued. He also made it clear that North Vietnam wanted a unified Vietnam and would not give up easily.
Johnson worried that North Vietnam might trick them. He said he would face big political problems in the US if North Vietnam sent troops into South Vietnam after the US stopped bombing. Kosygin reassured Johnson. He said that a North Vietnamese group could meet anywhere in the world to discuss a peace deal with the Americans.
The Spirit of Glassboro
The two leaders met for three days, from June 23 to June 25, 1967. They met at Hollybush Mansion. Even though Johnson and Kosygin didn't agree on limiting anti-ballistic missile systems, the meeting was very friendly. This positive feeling became known as the "Spirit of Glassboro." It showed that even rivals could talk and try to understand each other.
