Kissinger Henry. White House Years

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TheSovietUnionplayedahighlyinflammatoryrole.Thoughprotesting

repeatedlyitsdedicationtopeace,itdefinedtermsthatwereindistinguishable

fromnewDelhi’sandthereforerepresentedthebackingforIndiathatwould

guaranteeashowdown.Thoughrepeatedlyaffirmingitsnewfounddevotionto

détente,itusedthebuddingimprovementofrelationswithusnot topreventan

explosionbuttodeflecttheconsequencesfromitself.Moscowwasacting

throughoutlikea pyromaniacwhowantscreditforhavingcalledthefire

departmenttothefirehehasset.



MyfirstdiscussionoftheIndia‐PakistancrisiswithDobrynintookplaceon

July19shortlyaftermysecrettriptoPeking.Dobrynin,oozingconciliation,asked

formyviews.Irepliedthatwefavoredapeacefulpoliticalevolutionbecausea

warcouldnotbelocalized.DobryninsaidthiswasalsotheSovietview;Moscow

supportedIndia’spoliticalgoals butwasstronglydiscouragingmilitary

adventures.WemetagainonAugust17afterthesigningoftheSoviet‐Indian

FriendshipTreaty.DobryningavemethesameinterpretationasJhahad

previously,insistingthatthetreatyhadbeeninpreparationfo ralongtime.No

morethanJhadidheexplainwhypremeditationshouldassuageourconcern.The

treatywasnotdirectedagainstanybody,hesaid.(This,asIhavenoted,isthe

conventionalpacifierofdiplomacybywhichdiplomatsgiveaformalreassurance

tothosetheywishtokeepinsuspense;itisanelegantwayofsuggestingthatone 

hasthecapacitytodoworse.)I warnedthatwewouldreactsharplytoamilitary

challenge.Dobrynin’sresponsewasthattheSovietUnionwasurging apeaceful

solution.



Unfortunately,Sovietactionsincreasinglycontradictedtheseassurances.

TowardtheendofAugustwereceivedincontrovertibleevidencethat,farfrom

restrainingtheIndians,MoscowhadpromisedtouseitsvetointheUnited

NationsifIndiawerebroughtbeforetheSecurityCouncilasanaggressor;further,

ifPakistanorChinaattackedIndia,theSovietUnionwouldrespondwithanairlift

ofmilitaryequipment.TheSovietUnion,inotherwords,cameclosetogivingMrs.

Gandhiablankcheck.PublishedaccountsofMrs.Gandhi’svisittoMoscowinlate

Septembersupportedthisinterpretation.PremierKosyginjointlywithMrs.

GandhicalledonYahyatoliquidatetensions—placingtheentireblameon

Pakistan.Kosygindeclaredanearlypoliticalsettlementessentialtoavoidwar—

thestrongestendorsementyetbytheKremlinoftheIndianstrategy.Avisitby

SovietPresidentPodgornytoIndiainearlyOctoberfurtherdramatizedSoviet

support.



OnSeptember29,NixonmetwithGromykoinWashingtonandtoldhim

thatourtwocountrieshadamutualinterestindiscouragingIndiafromwar.

Gromykowasnoncommittal.Avoidingwarwasindeeddesirable;unfortunately, it

washisconsideredjudgmentthattheriskofwarresided,aboveall,inPakistani

provocation.Hegavenoevidenceforhisinterestingjudgmentthatthe

demonstrablyweakercountry,cutofffromallsuppliesofarms,waslikelyto

attackthestronger.Nordidheexplainwhywecouldnotbegiventheperiodtill

Marchtoseewhatcouldbedoneafterthetransferofpowertocivilianhandsin

Pakistan.



OnOctober9IurgentlysoughtSoviethelpindiscouragingtheinfiltrationof

40,000guerrillasintoEastPakistan,afterwehadreceiveddisturbingreportsthat

thiswasabouttooccur.ThePresident,IsaidtoDobrynin,attachedtheutmost

importancetotheavoidanceofwar. Dobrynincouldnothavebeenfriendlier—or

lesshelpful.TheSovietswereappealingtobothsides,hesaid,buttheIndians

werebecomingextremelydifficult.I saidwewerepreparedtoconsideracting

jointlywiththeUSSRtodefusethecrisis.Theofferwasnevertakenup.India’s

opportunitytohumiliatePakistanwasalsotheSovietUnion’sopportunityto

humiliateChina.Moscow hadeveryincentivetoraisethestakes.Pakistanwasthe

weakercountry.TheUnitedStates,whichmighthaveequalizedthescales,was

barredfromhelpingPakistanbyaself‐imposedarmsembargo,aVietnam‐

inducedfearofanyforeigninvolvement,andanearlyunanimousCongressional

andmediasentimentthatIndiawasjustifiedinanyactionshemighttake.And

Chinawastemporarilyparalyzedbyitsowninter naltravails.



ThroughoutOctobertheNixonAdministrationwassubjected toadrumfire

ofcriticism.OnOctober5,theSenateForeignRelationsCommitteevotedto

suspendallUSeconomicandmilitaryaidtoPakistan.ManySenatorswere

clamoringfortoughermeasuresstill.Thisattitudewassummedupinaneditorial

ofOctober22intheWashingtonPost:



TheAmericanpositionremainsdisgraceful.TheotherdaytheStateDepartment

musteredafeeblecallforrestraintonbothsides.Itwasanappealrenderedgrotesquebythe

twinfactsthatoneside,Pakistan,isalmostentirelyresponsibleforthethreattothepeace,and

theUnitedStatesisapartisan—arms,supplies,politicalsupport,reliefandsoon—ofthatside.

Infact,thedangertopeaceonthesubcontinentdoesnotlieinthetraditionaldifferences

betweenIndiaandPakistanbutinPakistan’spolicyofexportinganinternalpoliticalproblem—

intheformofrefugees—intoIndia.Americanleadershipintheprovisionofreliefissimplynot

enough.ItmustbeaccompaniedbysternpoliticaleffortstoinducePakistantohaltthe

persecutionofitsownpeople.



ThatPakistanwastoblamefortheoriginofthecrisiswasincontestable.

ButbyOctoberthecentralissuewashowtoremedytheoriginalerrorandavoida

warwithconsequencesfartranscendingthesubcontinent.TheSovietaiminthe

wakeofourChinainitiativewastohumiliatePekingandtodemonstratethe

futilityofrelianceoneitherChinaortheUnitedStatesasanally.Furthermore,if

Indiagotawaywithsuchtactics,thesemightwellspreadtotheMiddleEast,

whereEgypt,whichalsohadafriendshiptreatywithMoscow,wasthreateningin

aso‐calledyearofdecisiontosettleitsgrievancesbywar.FortheSovietstobe

abletopointtoSouthAsiaasevidenceoftheefficacyofwarandtheimpotence

oftheUnitedStatesopened,Ithought,ominousprospectsfortheMiddleEast.



IconvenedtheWSAGinthesituationRoomonOctober7toconsiderwhat

couldbedonetoarrestthedrifttowar.Therewasthereflexconcernabout

Chineseintervention;someproposedaformalwarningtoPeking,whichwould

havehadthepracticalresultofremovingyetanotherofIndia’sinhibitions. 

However,themeetingconcludedharmoniouslyenough.Stateproposedthatwe

askbothIndiaandPakistantopullbacktheirmilitaryforcesfromtheborders;

MoscowandTehranwouldbeapproachedtosupportthisidea;itwouldagainbe

madecleartobothsidesthatwarwouldleadtoacutoffofAmericanaid;Pakistan

wouldbeencouragedtoopenadialoguewiththeelectedBengalileaders—anot‐

too‐subtlehinttoreconsideritsattitudetowardMujib.State’splanwas

approved.



ItisclearinretrospectthatwevastlyoverestimatedtheimpactonIndiaof

thethreattocutoffaid.Becauseofthecomplexityofdeterminingandaffecting

whatisalreadysoldandontheway,anaidcutoffisneverallthatsurgical.India

couldcalculate—asitturnedout,correctly—thatitcouldrelyonthepipelineto

tideitoveruntilanotherchangeintheclimateofopinionwouldpermitthe

renewalofaid.



OurfirstoverturewastoYahya,withencouragingresults.OnOctober11,

heacceptedourproposalofamutualpullbackoftroopsfromtheborders.He

nowgaveusatimetableforapoliticalsolution.Hewouldconveneanewnational

Assemblybeforetheendoftheyearandsubmitaconstitutiontoit.Shortlyafter

thenationalAssemblymethewouldturnoverpowertoaciviliangovernment.

ProvincialassemblieswouldmeetinbothWestandEastPakistan.EastPakistan

wouldhaveamajorityintheciviliannationalgovernment(ineffectguaranteeing

anoutcomecompatiblewithBengaliaspirations).HepromisedagainthatMujib’s

deathsentencewouldnotbecarriedout;theciviliangovernmentcoulddealwith

hisfuturewithinthreemonths.OnOctober16ourchargeinIslamabadmetwith

Bhutto,whoagreedthattheleadingpositionsina newgovernmentshouldgoto

EastPakistan;Mujibcouldplayanactiverole.Therewasnowlittledoubtleftthat

EastPakistanwouldbeabletodecideitsfutureonceYahyahadsteppeddown.



TheresultsinIndiawerelessauspicious.OnOctober12Ambassador

KeatingsawSwaranSinghandwasgiventhefamiliarcatalogueofIndian

grievances:TheUnitedStateswasnotusingitsinfluencewithIslamabad

adequately;theeffortstostartadialoguewiththeBangladeshexileswerea

subterfugetobypassMujib.Amutualtroopwithdrawal,theForeignMinister

indicated,wasunacceptable,butaunilateralPakistaniwithdrawalfromthe

frontierwouldbeusefulandIndiamightreconsiderifthePakistanisinfact

withdrew.SinghdidnotexplainhowPakistancouldwithdrawtroopswhilethe

Indianarmywasmassedatitsfrontierandinfiltratingthousandsofguerrillas.



Learningoftheserebuffs,NixonorderedHaigonOctober19to“hitthe

Indiansagainonthis.”(IwasenroutetoPekingandHaigwasstandinginforme.)

Beforetheinstructioncouldbecarriedout,theIndianDefensesecretaryonce

morerejectedamutualtrooppullback,thistimeonOctober20to Maury

Williams.Therewasnodanger ,theIndianaddedominously,ofaccidental

confrontation.



OnOctober18AmbassadorBeaminMoscowpresentedourproposalfor

mutualtroopwithdrawaltoGromyko.ThiswasbuttressedbyaHaigwarningto

DobrynintoreinforceNixon’sconcern.OnOctober23wereceive dtheSoviet

answer.ItwasidenticalwithnewDelhi’s.Theonlyeffectivewayofavoidingwar

wastheimmediatereleaseofMujibandthe“speediestpoliticalsettlementin

EastPakistan.”Mutualtroopwithdrawalsweredeemedusefulonlyinthecontext

ofa“complexof[other]measures.”Clearly,Moscowwasnotgoingtocooperate

inbringingaboutrestraint. 



Thewardangermeanwhilewasdevelopingitsownmomentum.On

October18theIndianarmyandNavywereplacedinthehigheststateofalert.

ClashesintheEastwereincreasing.OnNovember1theIndianarmytookmajor

actiontosilencePakistaniartillerybatteries,whichtheyclaimedhadfiredon

Indianterritory.(ConsideringthatPakistaniforcesintheEastwereoutnumbered

bysomefivetooneandhadtofightaguerrillawar,theirincentivetoinitiate 

hostilitiescouldnothavebeenhigh.)OnNovember6,aftertheNixon‐Gandhi

talks,welearnedthatsmallIndianregulararmyunitshadbeguncrossingtheEast

PakistanborderonOctober30.OnNovember1aSovietairliftofmilita ry

equipmenttoIndiastarted.SovietDeputyForeignMinisterNikolaiFiryubin

visitedNewDelhiinlateOctober;thepressinIndiareportedthathewasurging

restraint.Presumablyhewasaidedinthisbyafollow‐onvisitbyMarshalPavelS.

Kutakhov,DeputyDefenseMinisterandChiefofstaffoftheSovietAirforce.



WemadeonemoreefforttolowertensionsbeforeMrs.Gandhi’sarrivalin

Washington.AmbassadorFarlandwasinstructedtosuggestthatPakistan

considerunilateraltroopwithdrawalfromthebordersafterall,andtourgeYahya

togototheouterlimitsofhisflexibilityinmakingpoliticalchanges.OnNovember

2FarlandbroughtYahyaaletterfromNixonthatwasnonetoosubtle:



Iknowtheimportanceyouattachtoenlistingthemaximumdegreeofparticipationby

theelectedrepresentativesofthepeopleofEastPakistan.Ialsobelieveyouagreethatthis

processisessentialtorestoringthoseconditionsintheEasternwingofyourcountrywhichwill

endtheflowofrefugeesintoIndiaandachieveaviablepoliticalaccommodationamongallthe

peopleofPakistan.



TooursurpriseYahyaagreedtotheunilateralwithdrawal.Thenextdayhis

AmbassadorinWashingtonreiteratedtheofferinameetingwithme,on

conditionthatMrs.GandhiagreetowithdrawIndianforces“shortlyafterwards.”

YahyaacceptedfurtherthatthetotaldryingupofthearmspipelinetoPakistan

couldbeannouncedinconnectionwithhervisit—agalling concessionthathe

madewithgoodgrace.Yahyawasprepare d,finally,toholddiscussionswithsome

AwamiLeagueleaders,orsomeBangladeshleadersinIndianotchargedwitha

majorcrime,andhesaidhewouldconsidertheideaofmeetingwithsomeone

designatedbyMujib.Ifwewantedtogo further,wewouldhavetowaitforthe

adventoftheciviliangovernment—thenlessthantwomonthsawaybyYahya’s

timetable.OnNovember3BhuttotoldFarlandthattalkswithBangladesh

representatives—includingMujib—wereessential;intwomonths’timeBhutto

wouldprobablybealeader,ifnotthehead,ofthenewciviliangovernmentin

Pakistan.



Thiswasthecontextofwhatwerewithoutadoubtthetwomost

unfortunatemeetingsNixonhadwithanyforeignleader—hisconversationson

November4and5withPrimeMinisterIndiraGandhi.Itwasnotthatthe

participantswerebelligerentorthetoneimpolite.Infact,theystudiously

followedtheconventionforsuchencounters.Headsofgovernmentrarelymake

disagreementsexplicit;theydonotwanttosolidifyadeadlockthattheyhaveno

meansofbreaking—thiswouldbea confessionofeitherlackofnegotiatingskill

orfailingresolution.Theinabilityofheadsofgovernmenttoarriveatameetingof

themindstendstobereflectedinmonologuesthatbearnorelationshiptowhat

theoppositenumberhassaid,andinpregnantsilencesduringwhichbothno

doubtponderthepoliticalconsequencesoftheimpasse.Orelse—ashappenedin

theNixon‐Gandhitalks—thekeysubjectissuddenlydroppedaltogether.



ThePresidentandthePrimeMinistersatintwowingchairsoneitherside

ofthefireplaceintheOvalOfficewithherCabinetsecretary,P.N.Haksar,andme

onthesofasadjoiningeachchair.Afterthenewsphotographershadtakentheir

hurriedpicturesandbeenhustledout,Mrs.Gandhibeganbyexpressing

admirationforNixon’shandlingofVietnamandtheChinainitiative,inthemanner

ofaprofessorpraisinga slightlybackwardstudent.Herpraiselostsomeofits

lusterwhenshesmuglyexpressedsatisfactionthatwithChinaNixonhad

consummatedwhatIndiahadrecommendedforthepastdecade.Nixon reacted

withtheglassy‐eyedpolitenesswhichtoldthosewhoknewhimthathis

resentmentswerebeingkeptincheckonlybyhisreluctancetoengageinface‐to‐

facedisagreement.



NixonhadnotimeforMrs.Gandhi’scondescendingmanner.Privately,he

scoffedathermoralpretensions,whichhefoundallthemoreirritatingbecause

hesuspectedthatinpursuitofherpurposesshehadinfactfewerscruplesthan

he.Heconsideredher,indeed,acold‐bloodedpractitionerofpowerpolitics.On

August11NixonhadadmittedtotheSeniorReviewGroupthatinMrs.Gandhi’s

positionhemightpursueasimilarcourse.Buthewasnotinherposition—and

thereforehewasplaying fortime.He,asdidI,wantedtoavoidashowdown,

becauseheknewthatawarwouldthreatenourgeopoliticaldesign,andweboth

judgedthatEastPakistaniautonomywasinevitable,ifoveraslightlylonger

periodthanIndiasuggested.(Infact,Indianeverputforwardaspecifictimetable,

implyingthroughoutthatyesterdayhadalreadybeentoolate.)



Mrs.Gandhi,whowasasformidableasshewascondescending,hadno

illusionsaboutwhatNixonwasupto.Shefacedherownconflictingpressures.

HerParliamentwouldbemeetingintwoweeks,thirstingforblood.Thoughshe

hadcontributednolittletothecrisisatmosphere,bynowithaditsown

momentum,which,ifshedidnotmasterit,mightoverwhelmher.Her dislikeof

Nixon,expressedintheicyformalityofhermanner,wasperhapscompoundedby

theuneasyrecognitionthatthismanwhomherwholeupbringingcausedherto

disdainperceivedinternationalrelationsinamanneruncomfortablyclosetoher

own.Itwasnotthatshewasahypocrite,asNixonthought;thisassumedthatshe

wasawareofagapbetweenheractionsandhervalues.Itwasratherthatforher,

herinterestandhervalueswereinseparable.



MyownviewsofMrs.GandhiweresimilartoNixon’s,thechiefdifference

beingthatIdidnottakehercondescensionpersonally.Lateron,NixonandIwere

accusedofbiasagainstIndia.Thiswasatotalmisunderstanding;aseriouspolicy

mustrestonanalysis,notse ntiment.Tobesure,asIhavesuggested,Ididnot

findinIndianhistoryorinIndianconducttowarditsownpeopleoritsneighborsa

uniquemoralsensitivity.Inmyview,Indiahadsurviveditsturbulenthistory

throughanunusualsubtletyingraspingandthenmanipulatingthepsychologyof

foreigners.ThemoralpretensionsofIndianleadersseemedtomeperfectly

attunedtoexploittheguiltcomplexesofaliberal,slightlysocialistWest;they

wereindispensableweaponsforanindependencemovementthatwasphysically

weakandthatusedtheethical categoriesofthecolonialpowertoparalyzeit.

Theywereinvaluableforanewcountryseekingtovindicateaninternationalrole

thatitcouldneverestablishthroughpoweralone.



Mrs.GandhiwasastrongpersonalityrelentlesslypursuingIndia’snational

interestwithsingle‐mindednessandfinesse.Irespectedherstrengthevenwhen

herpolicieswerehurtfultoournationalinterest;butIcouldnotagreewithIndian

pretensionsthatwemight“lose”India’sfriendshipforeverunlesswesupported

itshegemonicambitionsonthesubcontinent.Iwasconfidentthatwhateverthe

momentarypassionswecouldnomorepermanently“lose”Indiathanwecould

permanently“win”it.Lessthanmost,inmymind,wouldMrs.Gandhiholdthe

pursuitofourinterestsagainstus.Shewouldnotlightlygiveupthenonalignment

onwhichherbargainingpositiondepended,includingatleasttheappearanceof

anoptiontowardtheUnitedStates.WhenshethoughtIndia’sneedsrequiredit,

Mrs.Gandhiwouldcooperatewithuswiththesameunsentimentalitywithwhich

shenowpursuedthedismembermentofPakistan.Shewouldrepairourstrained

relationsrapidlyaftertheimmediateblowupwasover;paradoxically,thegreater

thestrains,thehigherherincentivetorestoreatleasttheappearanceof

normality.Andsoitturnedouttobe.



ButinNovember1971relationswerestilldeteriorating.Allthereasonsthat

ledNixontoplayfortimeledMrs.Gandhitoforcetheissue.Theinevitable

emergenceofBangladesh—whichwepostulated—presentedIndiawithfierce

long‐termproblems.ForBangla deshwasineffectEastBengal,separatedonlyby

religionfromIndia’smostfractiousandmostseparatiststate,WestBengal.They

sharedlanguage,tradition,culture,and,aboveall,avolatilenationalcharacter.

Whetheritturnednationalistorradical,Bangladeshwouldovertimeaccentuate

India’scentrifugaltendencies.Itmightsetaprecedentforthecreationofother

Moslemstates,carvedthistimeoutofIndia.Onceitwasindependent,its

MoslemheritagemighteventuallyleadtoarapprochementwithPakistan.Allof

thisdictatedtotheunsentimentalplannersinNewDelhithatitsbirthhadtobe

accompaniedbyadramaticdemonstrationofIndianpredominanceonthe

subcontinent.



Yahya’smountingconcessionsaggravatedMrs.Gandhi’sproblem.Ifshe

couldhavebeensurethatYahyawasinsincere,thattherewouldbenocivilian

government,thatMujibwouldnotbereleased,thatEastPakistanwouldnot

becomefirstautonomousandthenindependentinamatterofmonths,shecould

haveplayedoutthestringandusedthefailureofourprogramasapretextfora

showdown.Itwaspreciselythenearcertaintyofafavorableoutcomethatgave

urgencytoheractions.AciviliangovernmentcouldhaveledPakistanoutofits

isolation.AnegotiationbetweenBanglades hrepresentativesandPakist anwould

havecircumscribed,ifnotended,India’sabilitytoforcethepace.Indiahadtoact

beforethissequencecametopass.Mrs.Gandhiwasgoingtowarnotbecause

shewasconvincedofourfailurebutbecauseshefearedoursuccess.



TheNixon‐Gandhiconversationthusturnedintoaclassicdialogueofthe

deaf.Thetwoleadersfailedtoheareachothernotbecausetheydidnot

understandeachotherbutbecausetheyunderstoodeachotheronlytoowell.

Nixonstressedhisconvictionthattheoutcomewasboundtobeautonomyfor

EastPakistanleadingtoindependence;allweaskedforwasatimetablethat

wouldnotshatterthecohesionofWestPakistan,whosegovernmentwasalready

inprocessofbeinghandedovertocivilians.HelistedwhattheUnitedStateshad

accomplishedthroughpersuasion:aversionofafamineinEastPakistan;

internationalizationofrelief;appointmentofaciviliangovernorforEastPakistan;

proclamationofanamnesty;thepromisenottoexecuteMujib;agreementto

unilateralwithdrawalofPakist aniforcesfromtheborder;and,veryimportant,

Yahya’swillingnesstotalktosomeBengalileaders.Awarinsuchcircumstances

wouldsimplynotbeunderstoodbytheUnitedStatesandwouldnotbeaccepted

asasolutiontoproblemswhoseseriousnesswedidnotdeny.



Mrs.GandhilistenedtowhatwasinfactoneofNixon’sbetter

presentationswithaloofindifference.Shetookupnoneofthepointshemade,

althoughsomeofthem—suchasPakistan’sofferofunilateralwithdrawaland

Yahya’swillingnesstotalktoBanglades hleaders—shewashearingpersonallyfor

thefirsttime.Pakistan’sconcessionswereofnofundamentalinterestto her.Her

realobsessionwasthenatureofPakistan,nottheinjust icesbeingcommittedina

portionofthattormentedcountry.Ignoringtheissuesthathadproducedthe

crisis,shegavealittlelectureonthehistoryofPakis tan. Shedeniedthatshewas

opposedtoitsexistence,butheranalysisdidlittletosustainherdisclaimer.Her

father,sheaverred,hadbeenblamedforacceptingpartition.Andtherewasan

elementoftruth,shesaid,intheoften‐heardchargethatIndiahadbeenbrought

intobeingbyleadersofanindigenousindependencemovementwhilePakistan

hadbeenformedbyBritishcollaboratorswho,assoonastheybecame

“independent,”proceededtoimprisontheauthenticfightersforindependence.

Pakistanwasajerry‐builtstructureheldtogetherbyitshatredforIndia,which

wasbeingstokedbyeachnewgenerationofPakistanileaders.ConditionsinEast

PakistanreflectedtendenciesapplicabletoallofPakistan. NeitherBaluchistannor

theNorthwestfrontierproperlybelongedtoPakistan;theytoowantedand

deservedgreaterautonomy;theyshouldneverhavebeenpartoftheoriginal

settlement.



ThishistorylessonwashardlycalculatedtocalmanxietyaboutIndian

intentions.Itwasatbestirrelevanttotheissuesandatworstathreattothe

cohesionofevenWestPakistan.Mrs.Gandhistressedthecongenitaldefectsof

Pakistansoinsistentlythatsheimpliedthatconfiningherdemandstothe

secessionofEastPakistanam ountedtoIndianrestraint;thecontinuedexistence

ofWestPakistanreflectedIndianforbearance.ShetreatedYahya’sconcessionsof

November2asofnoaccount.Shewasnotopposedtounilateralwithdrawalby

Pakistan,butsherefusedtosaywhetherIndiawouldfollowsuit,promisinga

formalanswerthenextday.NixonassuredthePrimeMinisterthatshecould

countonustousealloureffortstoeasethecrisis,includingtheencouragement

ofaspeedypoliticalsolution.Butthesteelyladydeferredallsuchdiscussionto

anothermeeting.



IntheafternoonIwentoverYahya’sconcessionsonceagainwithheraide

Haksar.Iassuredhimthatwewouldpressthesoon‐to‐be‐formedcivilian

governmentinsistentlyinthedirectionofBengaliself‐determination.Iforesaw

autonomyforEastPakistanbyMarchandindependenceshortlythereafter.I

proposedthatweworkonajointtimetable.Haksarshowednointerest.



TheconversationbetweenNixonandMrs.Gandhithenextdayconfirmed

thenever‐never landofUS‐Indianrelations.Mrs.Gandhimadenoreferenceto

Pakistanatall.TheentiremeetingwasconfinedtoaworldreviewinwhichMrs.

Gandhiaskedpenetratingquestionsaboutourforeignpolicyelsewhere,asifthe

subcontinentweretheonecornerofpeaceandstabilityontheglobe.Shegaveus

honorgradeseverywhereexceptthere.Nixononhispartwaswillingenoughto

ignorethesubjectofthepreviousday,partlybecausehedreadedunpleasant

scenes,partlybecausehecorrectlyjudgedthatthiswasMrs.Gandhi’swayof

rejectingthevariousschemeswehadputforward.Itwasaclassicdemonstration

whyheadsofgovernmentshouldnotnegotiatecontentiousmatters.Because

theirdeadlocksseemunbreakable,theirtendencytoavoidprecisionis

compounded.ThusMrs.Gandhi’svisitendedwithoutprogressonany

outstandingissueorevenonaprocedurebywhichprogresscouldbesought.



ByNovember10,newsofpenetrationbyIndiantroopsintoEastPakistan—

inoneconfirmedreport,twobattalions—couldnolongerbeignored,andthere

wastheriskofPakistaniretaliation.SiscocalledinboththePakistaniandIndian

ambassadorstourgemaximumrestraint.ThenewPakistaniAmbassador,N.A.M.

Raza,promisedthathisgovernmentwouldavoidallprovocativeaction.Jha

deniedanyIndianinvolvement;wecouldnotchallengethisuntruthwithout

revealingourintelligencesources.InthefirsthalfofNovemberwereceived