Special Presentations   

In October 1963 the White House publicly proposed the removal of United States troops from Vietnam, earning President Kennedy an enduring reputation as skeptic of the war. Was there a strong chance that escalation of U.S. military engagement in Vietnam would not have occurred if Kennedy had not been assassinated and won reelection in 1964? UVA’s Marc Selverstone has studied secret presidential tapes and other relevant information about Kennedy’s decision-making. He’s produced a surprising conclusion about this fascinating topic.

Late this year, Selverstone published an intriguing book about this topic. Copies will be available for purchase at the meeting. The book can also be obtained here through Harvard University Press: https://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674048812  

In the more than 40 years since the rupture of diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Iran, efforts to explore a more constructive relationship on both sides have invariably collapsed into even greater mutual acrimony, recrimination, and mistrust, resulting in a shadow war that has resulted in American deaths, a reeling Iranian economy, and constantly spiraling tensions in the Persian Gulf.  Ambassador Mull, who led the U.S. government implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Program of Action to curb Iran’s nuclear program from 2015-2017, will explore the history of this remarkably troubled relationship and consider whether there is any alternative.