--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Lyndon Johnson may have escalated the…" description: "\"Lyndon Johnson may have escalated the war, but when I was drafted and shipped off to Vietnam, the signature on my orders was Nixon's.\" — Bob Gunton" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74a/bob-gunton-33686_drafted_lyndon-johnson-may-have-escalated-the-wa_286765.png" --- # Lyndon Johnson may have escalated the war, but when I was… ![“Lyndon Johnson may have escalated the war, but when I was drafted and shipped off to Vietnam, the signature on my orders was Nixon's.” quote by Bob Gunton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74a/bob-gunton-33686_drafted_lyndon-johnson-may-have-escalated-the-wa_286765.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74a/bob-gunton-33686_drafted_lyndon-johnson-may-have-escalated-the-wa_286765.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74a/bob-gunton-33686_drafted_lyndon-johnson-may-have-escalated-the-wa_286765.png) > “Lyndon Johnson may have escalated the war, but when I was drafted and shipped off to Vietnam, the signature on my orders was Nixon's.” [Bob Gunton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-gunton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A personal anecdote linking two political figures to the Vietnam War, illustrating complex responsibility. **In simple terms:** Vietnam draft under Nixon orders. Key Takeaway Recognize layered accountability. Themes history politics war Mood analytical serious Type historical reflection When to use this quote - education - political debate - personal narrative Key Concepts command responsibility military policy Questions to Reflect On - How does this perspective shape your view of leadership? - What lessons can be drawn from shared responsibility? A Different Perspective May oversimplify nuanced history. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Drafted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drafted/) [Drafted Shipped](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drafted-shipped-2769308/) [Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/johnson/) [Lyndon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lyndon/) [Lyndon johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lyndon-johnson/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nixon/) [Off](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/off/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Orders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/orders/) [Orders Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/orders-nixon-2769307/) [Shipped](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shipped/) [Shipped Vietnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shipped-vietnam-2769306/) [Signature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/signature/) [Signatures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/signatures/) [Vietnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vietnam/) [Vietnam Signature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vietnam-signature-2769305/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [I started working at Airtight Games after I shipped 'Left 4 Dead 2' back in 2009.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-swift/i-started-working-at-airtight-games-after-i-shipped-left-4-dead-2/) [Kim Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-swift/) > [By the time I got into Juilliard, I was working at a Target distribution warehouse. It didn't make anything, it just shipped things, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-driver/by-the-time-i-got-into-juilliard-i-was-working-at-a-target/) [Adam Driver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-driver/) > [The deployment of geolocating tags attached to ordinary garbage could paint a surprising picture of the waste management system, as trash is shipped throughout…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlo-ratti/the-deployment-of-geolocating-tags-attached-to-ordinary-garbage-could/) [Carlo Ratti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlo-ratti/) > [I have to have the cotton candy shipped in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-white/i-have-to-have-the-cotton-candy-shipped-in/) [Meg White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-white/) > [I want every pillow shipped out the day we get the order.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-lindell/i-want-every-pillow-shipped-out-the-day-we-get-the-order/) [Mike Lindell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-lindell/) > [Food is available, but it cannot be shipped into an area, so the people in that area suffer the consequences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-merkle/food-is-available-but-it-cannot-be-shipped-into-an-area-so-the-people/) [Ralph Merkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-merkle/) > [Both VisiCalc and MultiPlan were available when the IBM PC shipped in October 1981. 1-2-3 didn't hit the market until January 1983.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-kapor/both-visicalc-and-multiplan-were-available-when-the-ibm-pc-shipped-in/) [Mitch Kapor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-kapor/) > [“Shipped software can also be great for people who want a good work/life balance, since there aren’t usually urgent issues that need to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-laakmann-mcdowell/shipped-software-can-also-be-great-for-people-who-want-a-good-work/) [Gayle Laakmann McDowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-laakmann-mcdowell/) > [Before containers, transport costs ate up 25 percent of the value of whatever was being shipped.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-george/before-containers-transport-costs-ate-up-25-percent-of-the-value-of/) [Rose George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-george/) > [Every day more Americans watch their jobs being shipped overseas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-costello/every-day-more-americans-watch-their-jobs-being-shipped-overseas/) [Jerry Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-costello/) > [When I decided to go to L.A. I said I was going to quit modelling and just go and see how I do. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/estella-warren/when-i-decided-to-go-to-l-a-i-said-i-was-going-to-quit-modelling-and/) [Estella Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/estella-warren/) > [We didn't have our online service developed. We had never shipped a console game before as a company. So we were developing a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-allard/we-didn-t-have-our-online-service-developed-we-had-never-shipped-a/) [J Allard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-allard/) > [The most intimidating world leader was Lyndon Johnson, who became U.S. President when John Kennedy was assassinated. He exulted in this power and liked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-johnson/the-most-intimidating-world-leader-was-lyndon-johnson-who-became-u-s/) [Paul Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-johnson/) > [Like Lyndon Johnson, President Obama understands that timidity in a time of troubles is a prescription for failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/like-lyndon-johnson-president-obama-understands-that-timidity-in-a/) [Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/) > [Lyndon Johnson faced some clear moral issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/lyndon-johnson-faced-some-clear-moral-issues/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) ## More by Bob Gunton > [My first presidential primary vote was for Bobby Kennedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-gunton/my-first-presidential-primary-vote-was-for-bobby-kennedy/) [Bob Gunton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-gunton/) > [In film roles, I play a lot of heavies and a lot of bad guys, so I tend to be the jokester and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-gunton/in-film-roles-i-play-a-lot-of-heavies-and-a-lot-of-bad-guys-so-i-tend/) [Bob Gunton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-gunton/) > [I grew up in California, which was not - at least in the '50s and '60s - a cultural oasis by any means. Certainly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-gunton/i-grew-up-in-california-which-was-not-at-least-in-the-50s-and-60s-a/) [Bob Gunton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-gunton/) > [And I'm a Catholic, from an Irish Catholic family, and we know plenty of stuff about guilt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-gunton/and-i-m-a-catholic-from-an-irish-catholic-family-and-we-know-plenty/) [Bob Gunton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-gunton/) > [Among the roles Ive played on stage, television and in films were politicos as diverse as Abe Lincoln, Juan Peron, Herman Goering, George Wallace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-gunton/among-the-roles-ive-played-on-stage-television-and-in-films-were/) [Bob Gunton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-gunton/) > [I was the adoring son of a Welsh-Irish father, a dyed-in-the-wool Democrat, a Catholic Knight of Columbus who was a blue-collar, trade union organizer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-gunton/i-was-the-adoring-son-of-a-welsh-irish-father-a-dyed-in-the-wool/) [Bob Gunton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-gunton/) > [Put your trust in the Lord…your ass belongs to me. Welcome to Shawshank.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-gunton/put-your-trust-in-the-lord-your-ass-belongs-to-me-welcome-to-shawshank/) [Bob Gunton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-gunton/) > [I was a grunt, walking around in the jungle of Vietnam, trying not to find the enemy. Because I am so big, they were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-gunton/i-was-a-grunt-walking-around-in-the-jungle-of-vietnam-trying-not-to/) [Bob Gunton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-gunton/) > [I actually acted onstage before I'd ever seen a live performance, and I loved it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-gunton/i-actually-acted-onstage-before-i-d-ever-seen-a-live-performance-and/) [Bob Gunton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-gunton/) > [Among the roles I've played on stage, television and in films were politicos as diverse as Abe Lincoln, Juan Peron, Herman Goering, George Wallace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-gunton/among-the-roles-i-ve-played-on-stage-television-and-in-films-were/) [Bob Gunton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-gunton/) > [I'm not a big comic fan and I'm not a big fan of comic movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-gunton/i-m-not-a-big-comic-fan-and-i-m-not-a-big-fan-of-comic-movies/) [Bob Gunton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-gunton/) > [Most people recognize me from The Shawshank Redemption, but there is this subculture of people who have collected all 13 episodes of Greg The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-gunton/most-people-recognize-me-from-the-shawshank-redemption-but-there-is/) [Bob Gunton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-gunton/) > [As a matter of fact, I decided in high school that I was going to go to the seminary. And I did study with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-gunton/as-a-matter-of-fact-i-decided-in-high-school-that-i-was-going-to-go/) [Bob Gunton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-gunton/) [Explore all 14 Bob Gunton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-gunton/) ## More Drafted quotes > [Some guys, when they get drafted, they only think about themselves. They go buy cars and houses. I just wanted to take care of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bam-adebayo/some-guys-when-they-get-drafted-they-only-think-about-themselves-they/) [Bam Adebayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bam-adebayo/) > [To me, it was so exciting that after just a short time of being on my own in NXT, I proved that I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carmella/to-me-it-was-so-exciting-that-after-just-a-short-time-of-being-on-my/) [Carmella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carmella/) > [Listen, we've drafted guys that wouldn't come in for workouts before. 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I was kind of a high school dropout at that point because I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-oates/i-was-19-years-old-pumping-gas-and-going-nowhere-i-was-kind-of-a-high/) [Adam Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-oates/) > [I knew I'd get an opportunity, and it's up to me to make the most of it whether I got drafted or not. 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