Uploaded May 2014 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
(c)1991 NBC News -- NBC Universal/Comcast
And now for a treat for history buffs. Here is an NBC News Special Report covering a speech on September 27, 1991 by then-President George H.W. Bush discussing proposals to reduce nuclear weapons in reaction to the recent attempt to topple Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in a failed coup (this being probably the knockout punch for the Soviet Union).
The speech (joined in progress) sees Bush mention the European nations recently freed from the Iron Curtain reading the Federalist Papers for ideas (would be nice to see that done here) as the clip begins; while mentioning the shift in American thinking from a potential nuclear war to regional conflicts such as the then-recently concluded Gulf War (and the more recent battles in Afghanistan and Iraq).
Bush then outlines plans to slim the BASE force down by about 500,000 troops. He then mentions the erosion of the Warsaw Pact and (once again) the failed Soviet coup and rise of new leadership in the USSR and Russian Republic (in the latter; Boris Yeltsin).
This leads to the heart of Bush's speech; an announced plan to lower the amount of nuclear weapons on both American and Soviet sides. The main steps involved the American ground-launch; non-strategic ("theater") weapons being scrapped in their entirety (with the Soviets being asked to do likewise). Next, Bush called on the withdrawl of tactical weapons from our ships (including the Tomahawk missile) -- again calling on Gorbachev to do likewise.
The strategic arsenal is turned to next; with Bush mentioning the recently-signed START treaty on July 31, 1991; then requesting the U.S. strategic bombers to stand down while the Soviets were asked to contain their mobile missiles to garrisons. Also, the U.S. would stand down to accelerate eliminating intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM); with the Soviets also being asked to do the same. Bush then scrapped the mobile Peacekeeper ICBM program; reducing the ICBM program to small, single warhead ICBM -- while the USSR was also asked to limit their ICBM project to one single-warhead project; scrapped the U.S. nuclear short-range attack missile program and finally streamlining command/control procedures.
ICBM's are the focus of Bush's next point; with his reiterating his call for the U.S. and USSR to eliminate multiple warhead ICBM's while pushing for ballistic missile early warnings.
Bush then returns to the failed coup attempt as he begins winding down; with people asking if he felt the Soviet nuclear weapons were under adequate control during that tense period. He then suggests cooperation of environmentally-friendly ways of transporting and dismantling of nuclear warheads; discussion of the enhancement of physical safety and nuclear command and control to prevent accidental usage; mentioning that French President Francois Mitterand made a similar suggestion. Bush emphasizes, however, the need for a "coherent" plan for a smaller but fully capable military; stating that the U.S. could safely afford to do so; calling for funding of the B-2 and Strategic Defense Initiative program. Bush then closes with a reference to a speech made while U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations; contrasting it with a discussion with Gorbachev and Yeltsin about the speech and ends with the William Jennings Bryan quote about destiny being a matter of choice, not chance (rough paraphrase).
NBC Nightly News anchor Tom Brokaw closes the report out.
(c)1991 NBC News -- NBC Universal/Comcast
And now for a treat for history buffs. Here is an NBC News Special Report covering a speech on September 27, 1991 by then-President George H.W. Bush discussing proposals to reduce nuclear weapons in reaction to the recent attempt to topple Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in a failed coup (this being probably the knockout punch for the Soviet Union).
The speech (joined in progress) sees Bush mention the European nations recently freed from the Iron Curtain reading the Federalist Papers for ideas (would be nice to see that done here) as the clip begins; while mentioning the shift in American thinking from a potential nuclear war to regional conflicts such as the then-recently concluded Gulf War (and the more recent battles in Afghanistan and Iraq).
Bush then outlines plans to slim the BASE force down by about 500,000 troops. He then mentions the erosion of the Warsaw Pact and (once again) the failed Soviet coup and rise of new leadership in the USSR and Russian Republic (in the latter; Boris Yeltsin).
This leads to the heart of Bush's speech; an announced plan to lower the amount of nuclear weapons on both American and Soviet sides. The main steps involved the American ground-launch; non-strategic ("theater") weapons being scrapped in their entirety (with the Soviets being asked to do likewise). Next, Bush called on the withdrawl of tactical weapons from our ships (including the Tomahawk missile) -- again calling on Gorbachev to do likewise.
The strategic arsenal is turned to next; with Bush mentioning the recently-signed START treaty on July 31, 1991; then requesting the U.S. strategic bombers to stand down while the Soviets were asked to contain their mobile missiles to garrisons. Also, the U.S. would stand down to accelerate eliminating intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM); with the Soviets also being asked to do the same. Bush then scrapped the mobile Peacekeeper ICBM program; reducing the ICBM program to small, single warhead ICBM -- while the USSR was also asked to limit their ICBM project to one single-warhead project; scrapped the U.S. nuclear short-range attack missile program and finally streamlining command/control procedures.
ICBM's are the focus of Bush's next point; with his reiterating his call for the U.S. and USSR to eliminate multiple warhead ICBM's while pushing for ballistic missile early warnings.
Bush then returns to the failed coup attempt as he begins winding down; with people asking if he felt the Soviet nuclear weapons were under adequate control during that tense period. He then suggests cooperation of environmentally-friendly ways of transporting and dismantling of nuclear warheads; discussion of the enhancement of physical safety and nuclear command and control to prevent accidental usage; mentioning that French President Francois Mitterand made a similar suggestion. Bush emphasizes, however, the need for a "coherent" plan for a smaller but fully capable military; stating that the U.S. could safely afford to do so; calling for funding of the B-2 and Strategic Defense Initiative program. Bush then closes with a reference to a speech made while U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations; contrasting it with a discussion with Gorbachev and Yeltsin about the speech and ends with the William Jennings Bryan quote about destiny being a matter of choice, not chance (rough paraphrase).
NBC Nightly News anchor Tom Brokaw closes the report out.
