Samantha Smith, is interviewed on Nightline by Ted Koppel on

[XShanyLiyahJenniferX]

I'm tired of people replying to me disagreeing with my opinion..just let me have my opinion.

[Karatel2011]

Dear Mr. Andropov,

My name is Samantha Smith. I am ten years old. Congratulations on your new job. I have been worrying about Russia and the United States getting into a nuclear war. Are you going to vote to have a war or not? If you aren't please tell me how you are going to help to not have a war. This question you do not have to answer, but I would like to know why you want to conquer the world or at least our country. God made the world for us to live together in peace and not to fight.

[Serega2000L]

Samantha Smith - героиня холодной войны!

Прекрасная как сказочная маленькая Фея!

Своей добротой и открытостью она сделала больше многих политиков!

Которая сделала очень много для мира и мирного неба!

[Serega2000L]

Samantha Smith - the heroine of the Cold War!

Beautiful as a fairy little fairy!

By their kindness and openness she did more than most politicians!

Who has done a lot for peace and the peace of heaven!

[omid11]

the innocents of youth and how precious life can be bless her soul and family

[XShanyLiyahJenniferX]

This is so sad!!! She was so young at age 13!! No offense to others, but is August 25 the worst day to ride planes, because Aaliyah died that day!!!

[KaiseroftheEnigma]

@XShanyLiyahJenniferX No Sep. 11 is.

[XShanyLiyahJenniferX]

@KaiseroftheEnigma Let's just agree that both august 25 and September 11 are not good days to ride planes. I don't want to argue. Thanks.

[KaiseroftheEnigma]

@XShanyLiyahJenniferX Fine

[SonofThor73]

I remember reading about her when I was in 5th grade. I always thought it was interesting that a kid my age would take this cause on. I'm sure her parents gave her the idea, as well as politicians using her for political gains. But it was still courageous.

[0924zero]

We need more people like her and also R.I.P samantha

[Marbles471]

I love how urbane, old-school Ted Koppel is treating this like any other interview----he's not talking down to her at all.

[snoops71]

So intelligent and articulate. She was only a year younger than me. I wonder what her life would be like now..

[Atown13777]

chech out the tags lol

[1916jutland]

Sadly this intelligent girl died in a plane crash only 2 years later in August 1985. She had such a bright future ahead of her. Later, she became a child actress for only a couple of episodes of a TV series until her death. But what she is most remembered for is her courage and as an unofficial ambassador of peace at a time when the Cold War was HOT. Reagan was deploying Persing II missles in Europe and the USSR was deplying their SS 20 ICBMs. She was only 13 when she died. RIP Samantha

[TheVoiceOfReason93]

@1916jutland

On the brighter note, she helped to precipitate world peace, something most leaders cannot do, and when she was still so young. Now THAT is the ultimate glory that not many would ever achieve in their life time.

RIP Samantha

(PS Its a pity though that by her actions Conservatives would had accused her of being a traitor)

[gablio77]

How did she get Yuri Andropov's address? wtf is this shit. 

This must have been staged. Please...

[vinkiUfa]

@gablio77 You can try to write to Mr Medvedev. Address is: Moscow, Russia, Kremlin, to mr Medvedev.

Simple is that.

[rickyseabra]

@gablio77

Uh...

Premier Yuri Adropov

Kremlin, Red Square

Moscow, USSR?

[Grant691]

@gablio77 You could mail the Kremlin just like you can the white house.

[gigobait]

@guitargirl13forever Apply to MIT right away! No need to waste time with your talent

[gigobait]

Remember when kids at 11 could talk to world leaders and now they can't add 7+14. But they can sure eat them Hot pockets good :)

[Elfinesmom]

I dreamt Samantha Smith and Anne Frank were on a board like the UN: Children For Peace. And there were children from different nations who beseeched their nations leaders to stop the violence.

[woah455]

When I have a daughter, I hope she is just like this girl..

[TELEVISIONARCHIVES]

An 11 year old worried about War? Give me a break. I don't want 11 year old kids to worry about war. She was used by the media in both countries.

[Mascherina1964]

@TELEVISIONARCHIVES Children hear their parents and are very worried when they see their parents fearful about something (Remember, in a child's mind, parents are all powerful and are there to protect.)

When I was young, I heard my parents talk about the Vietnam War and I found it scary (even though this war was far far away!)

Think about 9/11 and how it has affected the kids of today...

Cheers

[TELEVISIONARCHIVES]

@Mascherina1964 9/11 didn't effect any young kids in this country expect for the families that lost people

[KardashianVideos]

@TELEVISIONARCHIVES oh bro, you are so stupid. that's like saying we shouldn't be worried about how the world is corrupted because we are living in a vile society. get real jackass.

[TELEVISIONARCHIVES]

@KardashianVideos I am. In fact a few news stories in Maine said that Politicians used her to win elections. Unlike you, I saw it first hand.

[dasmysteryman12]

RIP Samantha Smith. She was a champion of peace. She showed that anyone, even a kid, can bring people together in peace and harmony.

[setpunk12]

man, i remember this little girl.

so long ago.

sad that she died so young.

[emoviebuff87]

R.I.P kid!!

[Richardhedditch261]

Little Jewess Samantha Smith, campaigning so that the Social Democracy of both the Soviet Bloc and NATO would fully integrate with each other for the sake of Zionist commercial interests.

[Marbles471]

@Richardhedditch261

Oh, DO shut up, you silly, silly boy.

[MishaPilsudski]

she die on a plane ummmmm....

[DictatorRoB]

I am always saying that most of children are way smarter than adults. Children are total realists.

Too bad she died so young :-(

She was pretty brave for sending that letter to head of Soviet Union, honor her!

[Cakerolled]

She's so cute <3

[stepilon]

What a great person. What a great loss. More proof that a lot of kids understand what really matters much more than adults...who seem to forget.

[GWhiz99]

Its noted that Samantha Reed Smith wrote a letter to Soviet leader Yuri AnDROPov soon after hie succeeded Leonid Brezhnev (b. December 19, 1906). Jerry Gonzalez was born on JUNE 29, 1972—the very same day as Samantha Smith—and assigned 116-60-4864, but its not related to 378-32-7108. Thats despite 116 reminding of the short bus and ending 4864.

[cbradley1391]

more people need to think like this girl. stop bitching about whos country is more powerful and just live and let live.

[aaaaa895]

wow

i remembered her when i was a kid.

so sad that she has gone.

[kakha1974]

Great daughter of USA. RIP from Georgia, Tbilisi

[1501007551]

she sounds smart for her age, sad she died so young...

[wbc1]

The plane she died in crashed at 10:05 pm on 8/25/1985. I was born on 8/25/1985 at 4:01 pm. While researching interesting events that have occured on my birthday, I happened to have stumbled upon the death of Samantha Smith.

[CadillacL]

I remmeber hearing whens he died. VERY sad. R.I.P. :(

[konstaish]

Samantha, I will always remember you and never forget. You will always live in my heart. All Russia loves you very much and appreciate all that you did. We love you madly and miss you! Go down to us from the clouds, pleeeease, at least not for long ... Much time has passed, but the pain does not subside: (((

[flames24lightning]

She seemed so sweet! Her end was truly the saddest I'd ever heard, but somehow, I feel as if she's with us forever, even 24 years later.

[besiknibladze]

I miss you Samantha...

[stoneygator]

Remarkable young lady regardless of weather she was used or not. There's a slightly interesting "rest of the story" here. Samantha was stalked by Robert John Bardo, a piece of trash from Tucson, AZ. After Samantha's tragic death, Bardo turned his attention to Rebecca Schaffer who starred in the sitcom My Sister Sam with Pam Dawber. He murdered Schaffer in July '89 and was successfully prosecuted by Marcia Clark of OJ Simpson infamy.

[stevensm100]

R.I.P samantha.

[nutherefurlong]

Poor girl never lived past 13. I should accomplish so much in so few years.

[MBurg2007]

to bad she died.....sad

[TELEVISIONARCHIVES]

I don't want my kids thinking about the problems of the world. Why? Because you're only a kid once. You have your whole adult life to take care of adult problems.

[neoncity1213]

then what do you want them to worry about?

kids aren't stupid unless you teach them to be.

Its not an adults world. Its everyones world and every problem in the world comes back to us. so kids have to learn to stand up for what they belive in and whats right so when they are adult they will be intelligent and peacful leaders of the world. instead of ignorant and dumb like most people are.

just saying

[TELEVISIONARCHIVES]

Being smart is not worrying about things you can't control. She was used by many Politicians including many in Russia. I'm being smarter then most people by telling them not to have faith in the Government of either party.

[itools79]

nastolyagiya! slapjack that year went to first grade and still remember this incident, we in the USSR then, many took a very hard! p.s sorry bad english ж-)

[AlgerianBanjo]

While this is cute, deep down it was little more than than the age old tradition of using sweet and innocent kids for government propaganda.

[DeathlyReaper217]

Meh, I still say worrying about these issues was better then what little pre-teen girls do nowadays. Fawn over Edward Cullen, have stupid shipping wars and just be annoying little prats.

[tomelty]

I thought her death was very suspicious, the CIA probably were involved.

[Icefishermans]

you think it was the CIA that had her killed? Try the KGB.

[DeathlyReaper217]

No, it was the Freemasons, the Jews, the Majestic 6, the super secret guys in black suit (SSIBS), the Illuminati and the Priory of Sion.

[donmakati]

@Icefishermans @DeathlyReaper217 Maybe Robert Wagner had something to do with Samantha's death. After all, he was able to get rid of Natalie Wood in 1981, and has been evading the rule of law for the past 30 years. Either that or Sam's death just brought bad karma back to him, bringing about the failure of his television series "Lime Street".

[LTcrew]

Wow, she's really smart for a girl of 10. True shame her life was cut short, who knows where she would have gone?

[SAMAROONSTALKER]

she died in a plane crash dude wat is wrong wit u ??

[Ninelon]

Poor girl. RIP.

[sanadabri]

she is such a hero to me...and oddly enough both of us have alot alike, but i am too scared to get off my butt. nshe was so brave!!! rest in peae, samantha!

[a2dsmusic]

R.I.P Samantha

[RollandB]

I wonder how Reagan felt after a little girl said the soviet premier is important than he is.

[dimkavenom]

@RollandB LOL!

[melijaje06]

who plays the song in the beginning?

[newdonia]

SAMANTHA SMITH - My Hero.. I will love you always! You did just fine!! God Bless You Darling! All My Love. XXX

[XDinexitaXD]

R.I.P little samantha smith xx

[sarzamineiran]

CIA killed her.

[airnational]

hey kgber go fuck your self! the cia didnt kill her !

[dummyboy627]

Youthful, innocent idealism..

We need more of this in the world.

May Samantha Smith's ideals live on.

[garrettsambo7]

R.I.P Samantha

[joetenista]

what a bright, compassionate child she was. she's an awesome role model... she should be remembered by kids nowadays to show them what a kid can do by the time they're 11.

[Ruckas356]

@joetenista no... its not about what one can do by a time deadline but its what one can do.

[nesnman]

The USSR used her. It was a publicity stunt by Russia. As for a child worried about War, Give me a break.

[RockyII5]

Such greatness cut short, imagine how the world would be if she was still alive? If only...

[littleloli604]

SHE DIED?!?!

[BoberMcBoberson]

Yes. She was on Bar Harbor Airlines Flight 1808, when it crashed August 25, 1985. She was only 13:(

[KGBer]

CIA killed her. That is a fact

[ActiveStorage]

why is that?

[zgodofjewev]

yes u´re right because she was enough danger for Us-capitalist company... Great glory for great little girl who saved world before III.W.W. A vechnaja pamjat velikomu cheloveku gospodinu Yurimu Andropovi kotorij vyslishal ee Slova

[LeanaJo76]

Yeah, in a plane crash in 1985 or something like that.

[GreatAuntCayce]

Could you please upload the rest of the video. I recently found out about Samantha Smith. My tutor will remember her because she's an 80s kid. I don't remember Samantha Smith because I'm a 90s kid.

[angelanamraka]

The World remember you, Samantha!!!

[1kahnefan9]

RIP Samantha

[RedPolarBearRanger]

It sad that this girl's life was cut short in that plane crash and also at the time the same man who killed Rebecca Schaeffer had also stalked her too until her death and a what pervert the man was too not just stalking Schaeffer but also this sweet innocent little girl too. RIP Samantha may you live on in spirit and continue to inspire people to be like you a quest for peace.

[blockheadman]

rip Samantha. thank you for your words to the ussr zzzz7 that war is wrong

[tanyalee8]

I was very lucky to be with Samantha in pioneer camp "Artek" in USSR. It was in 1983 or 1984. I remember the firework wich was specialy for this girl and thousands of children who were shouted Sa-Man-tha! Sa-man-tha! It was really big event in  Artek and in all USSR.

[keiwata262]

It must have been a great experience! You should get her book 'Journey to the Soviet Union', it has lots of pictures of Samantha at Artek with the Russian children. Who knows? You might find your picture in the book!!

[marehtseira]

@tanyalee8 Did you talk with her?

[soonthedestroyer]

Her spirit and her dad's will live on. What else can I say. It is heartbreaking. But, her dream will continue forever.

[LBCCAL]

its girls like her that save the world from nuclear war god bless you samantha smith and its girls like her that bring peace

[p1zd3c]

RIP Samantha and Arthur.

Jane, we haven't forgotten your daughter's message

I still remember Prokofy Neva's nasty letter to the NYT, and I pitied her then as I pity nesnman now.

Sam's parents knew better, nesnman, give them a little credit. Believing in a message of peace doesn't make you a tool.

She accomplished more in her short life than most of the people trolling these comments. Good luck to all of you, may your lives be better every day.

[nesnman]

While this is cute and all it was just a way for the soviets to use our kids to play nice.

[dyonker]

Is'nt that sweet

[guyNbluejeans]

Ted Koppel made sure to tell the world about the horrible crime that was committed against James Byrd, but for some strange reason never said a word about what happened to Kristopher Kime up in Seattle a few years ago. A mob of "wilding" blacks murdered him during Mardi Gras as he pulled a (Caucasian) girl away from blacks that were in the process of murdering her! Koppel was silent!

[OutlandsCommunity]

Thanks for posting this, it is a beautiful tribute to a forgotten and courageous young lady.

[luisal20]

lmao, the USSR/CCCP didnt started to loose control till the 80s and i hawyt they did cuz now the US has no one to threaten and he can do everything as he wishes cuz has no opponent now...

[Luzern76]

Chernenko wanted Reagan to come to the table in the Autumn of 1984. It was Reagan who stalled since all Pershing II deployments had not been completed (unlike the SS-20s).

[Crusadist1099]

I see. So Reagan should have come to the table when he would have been dealing from a position of weakness rather than a position of strength? Never mind that Chernenko was more of a physical wreck during his brief time in power than Reagan ever was. You are what Lenin called a "useful idiot."

[Luzern76]

Re pos. of weakness: We should have named the Federal Reserve after him. -- for doubling the national debt.

[Crusadist1099]

Ahhh, classic lefty tactics, when you know you're losing, change the subject. You would rather we'd gone in there having to beg the Soviets to remove missiles already there than being able to say remove them or else? Please explain why this would have been better.

[Luzern76]

Re missiles- Please. It was more for the appeasement of Thatcher, who was concerned of losing her beloved bombs - right up to the INF treaty. It was political. Entirely political. She made sure she had a front row seat. - "I like Mr. Gorbachev. We can do business together."

[Crusadist1099]

Uh huh. And is that why we put them in Germany and Italy too? Thatcher didn't need appeasing. It was her and Reagan, together with the moral support of Walesa and JPII, that sealed the doom of the Soviet Union, and the world is better off without it.

[Luzern76]

By the way, not one US gov official was present at Samantha's funeral. One official was sent by the Soviet embassy. I believe it was the ambassador himself.

[Crusadist1099]

Vladimir Kulagin read Gorbachev's letter of condolence. There is no mention of him being the Soviet ambassador. Reagan did send his personal condolences to Samantha's mom. Samantha had no official status and was not entitled to a representative. To send one to the funeral of a child idealist would have set a bad precedent.

[Luzern76]

A child idealist! Oh God forbid! The Reagan Admin. saw Smith as an annoyance and just another of Andropov's attempts to appeal directly to Western public opinion, bypassing diplomatic channels. He did the same with nuclear physicists.

[idahopotato99]

why did she have to die? So sad (R.I.P sweet angel) :(

[guyNbluejeans]

During his 28 year Nightline tenure, Koppel dug a knife into the collective backs of Caucasians by couching the message: white people are screwing over and holding back all the other races, especially the blacks! As a result of his lies, we're now seeing more than ever black on white crime! Too many blacks bought into his 'fair and balanced" crap, thus Kristopher Kime and others are dead as a result!

[keiwata262]

So sad she had to die... She achieved so much more than anyone can do so in their entire lifetime, and yet she was only 10! R.I.P Samantha...

[Crusadist1099]

Uh huh,the Soviets showed themselves to be such peaceful folks in turning eastern Europe and central Asia into giant prisons for five decades. Thankfully for us and the now-free people of Poland and the Baltics and a bunch of other nations, we listened to Reagan and his educated, experienced staff, not to a child who wasn't even in high school. If my daughter said she wanted to make the world a better place, I'd tell her she could start with cleaning her room.

[Luzern76]

That's a cheap shot. Russia was invaded 2 times by the West in the first half of the 20th century and they lost 27 million people in WW2. Soviet occupation of Eastern Europe was actually defensive. They wanted to make sure it never happened again. The land and its people were devastated.

[Crusadist1099]

MMMhmm, I'm sure that's EXACTLY how the people of Eastern Europe saw it. BTW, the Baltics and Armenia were seized long before WWII. Poland successfully threw back the USSR's first advances and they'd have done it again but for the now-admitted Katyn Forest massacre.

[Luzern76]

The Soviets knew the Nazis were planning to use the Baltics as a staging ground for invading the Soviet Union. And I wouldn't put blame on Carter for the collapse of Detente. The Soviets had taken advantage of Detente from the beginning - from SALT1 to the mass tank build-up and Cuban adventures in Africa, in the mid 70s (Ford's watch).

[Crusadist1099]

I see. And that justifies not garrisoning but conquest? I am not blaming Carter for the failure of detente, that was being cheated on LONG before him and only ended when Reagan walked away from the table in Iceland. I blame him for his poor handling of every crisis, topped with wringing his hands while the Soviets made inroads in Nicaragua and tried to conquer Afghanistan.

[Luzern76]

The USSR was a an empire by outcome. Leave it at that. Afghanistan was convenient, given that Soviet influence had diminished in the mid 70s and Egypt had become the next American stooge in the Middle East. Israel was the stauchest anti-communist state in the ME and the bulk of Israel's security policy was now centered on Egypt. The Soviets began to see them as one and the same. Think about it.

[Crusadist1099]

So this gave them the right to encourage terrorism and turn continents into prison? Please explain the connection.

[Luzern76]

Who was encouraging terrorism? Do you recall 1984, when Costa Rica tried to extradite a CIA agent for a bombing that killed several journalists in a border town? And Costa Rica is a democratic country!

[Crusadist1099]

Hmmm, and how much training for the PLO, the Shining Path, and other bands of thugs did the USSR underwrite?

[Luzern76]

What about Saudi support for Wahabi Islam, which is anti Jew and anti American? The Kingdom spends billions each year promoting this outreach for 'peace'. And now the US has recently finalised a twenty billion dollar arms contract with this government.

[Crusadist1099]

Your point is?

[DeathlyReaper217]

I think this guy's point is that America is just as guilty for terrorism and problems in the Cold War.

[dandy714]

also for the soviet union heard the qutoe from hitler's speech that he wants his people to have "living space" which they knew they were gonna attack soviet. Also Hitler wanted much of the resources in the east which soviet knew.

[Luzern76]

Disclaimer: I am not in denial of Soviet atrocities of '53, '56, and '68 and Stalin's terror.

[Crusadist1099]

Then why defend those evil actions? Samantha appears to have been a sweet kid, but in the end we don't look to kids to lead the way, whatever the Bible says. Let's not forget that Jimmy Carter's attempts to deal with the Soviets by pretending they weren't so bad had met with clear failure.

[DeathlyReaper217]

What's so bad about a kid with idealistic views on peace? At least it's better then what they do nowadays. Like for example obsessing over Edward Cullen.

[myshkas]

Thank you for posting it!

I still have a newspaper clip which is more than 20 years old about her visit. She was my age when she came to Russia, and I wanted to meet her desperately and cried so much when she died!

[jlrsm]

She was a tool of the Soviets. Simple minded child thinking the USSR was like any other "peaceful" nation. The Soviets used this to the hilt.

[MeanIvan]

Dear jlsm! maybe US is more peaceful nation,it was clearly shown in Yougoslavia and Iraq, but people in the USSR really believed her,and she was the first sober person to stand up and try to stop the madness- unlike your clown reagan.We believed her, but it was our mistake to believe your dirty politicians that finally destroyed our beloved motherland, our great USSR. You and people like you must remember,

OUR MISSILES SHALL RISE AGAIN!

[kertschy]

What a sweety she was. May her soul rest in peace.

[Crusadist1099]

She had no effect on the world other than to let the Soviets make propaganda hay out of her. I think she also made some ridiculous suggestion about world leaders exchanging granddaughters or something. Why do we elect leaders if little girls who haven't mastered long division and bitter mothers of the slain know so much more about foreign policy?

[annuchka10]

You are very sad human being. I wish you light and happiness.

[shesoutofsync]

I was born 20 years after her, and she's one of my heroes. I really admire her and her bravery and courage. It's such a shame that she died so young. Imagine what the world would have been like if she had lived to be an adult. World peace, everyone, world peace. This Monday was Samantha Smith Day (It's the first Monday in June every year) but let's not have world peace just on Samantha Smith day, but everyday. Please. To remember her.

[JayBrew391]

She died before her teens doing more good for the world than most people would have ever dreamed about doing. Maybe she dindt realize the impact she has had on the world with a simple letter, but she will be remembered for it.

[SolidSnake311]

Poor girl :( A poor young girl died in such a ridiculous way... There is no good in this world... More people should remember her, and despite what she did was not gonna change the world, at least she was concerned...

We should advocate ourselves to prevent more wars.

R.I.P Samantha, wherever you're.

[AgentRaindrop]

Thanks for posting this interview!  She was a brave little girl! Look up Samantha's name online, there is a very informative website dedicated to her life and memory.

[valkorn]

She is still remembered in Russia. Such a shame she perished.

[viewerjan291978]

thanks so much for this clip.  i have a copy of smith's book "journey to the soviet union", which is really great. buddha bless her, as she watches over us from the other side.

[atokadm]

i remember the death of samantha smith. very tragic. she had been filming the show. i think called,"lime street". with the guy from "heart to heart". in california. she was on her way home when the plane she was on crashed. her father also died as well. happened in 1985 i believe. there is a statue errected in augusta, me in her honor