Jack Matlock was
was
ambassador to the Soviet Union at the end of the Cold War. He was also
an interlocutor between President Reagan and President Gorbachev during
various arms control and other negotiations.
Recently
Ambassador Matlock was reviewing his papers and discovered a speech he
gave on July 4, 1982, US Independence Day, while he was US Ambassador to
Czechoslovakia. In reading the speech now, and reflecting on it, he
felt somewhat sad at the reality of America today in comparison to the
ideals he spoke about in his speech in Prague in 1982.
Attached.