Kissinger Henry. White House Years

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partywasmovingintothepapalchamberforthegeneralaudience,Laird

suddenlyappeared,chewingonhisubiquitouscigar.Askedwhathewasdoing

there,hemumbledsomethingaboutlookingforthehelicopters,thoughitwas

notclearwhathethoughtthesemightbedoinginsidetheVaticanwhenthey

weresoconspicuouslyparkedoneithersideoftheobeliskinSt.Peter’ssquareat

theentrancetotheVatican.IurgedLairdatleasttodoawaywiththecigarwhile

wewereinthepapalpresence.



TheAmericangroupwasplacedintotworowsatrightanglestoNixonand

theHolyFather,whowereseatedsidebyside.ThePopewasmakingagraceful

littlespeechwhensuddenlysmokecamepouringoutofthepocketofLaird’ssuit.

Lairdattemptedtoquellthefirecausedbyhiscigar,atfirstinconspicuously,but

hefinallygaveupandstarted slappinghisside.Someoftheotherswhoseangle

ofvisionpreventedthemfromgraspingthefulldramaoftheSecretaryofDefense

immolatinghimselfinfrontofthePopetookLaird’seffortsatfire‐extinguishingas

applause,intowhichtheyjoined. Onlywisdomaccumulatedovertwomillennia

enabledtheVaticanofficialstopretendthatnothingunusualwasgoingonand

thuspermiteventstoreachtheirplannedconclusion.



Onebizarreinterludesucceededanother.AsonallofNixon’sforeigntrips,

whattheadvanceman’smanualdescribedas“photoopportunities”hadtobe

createdandscheduledsothatpicturescouldmaketheeveningtelevisionshows.

Andtherewasanimplacabledemandforcolorandcrowdscenes.Lashedonby

Haldeman,whosecomprehe nsionoftheconceptofsovereigntywasnothismost

highlydevelopedattribute,theadvancemendescendedongovernme ntsbaffled

bymodernpublicrelationsaspracticedinAmericabutunwillingtooffenda

Presidentialparty.ThustheVatican,whichhaditsdoubtsthatapictureofmilitary

equipmentinfrontofSt.Peter’sgaveatrueimpressionofitsspiritualmission,

hadfinallyyieldedtotheargumentthatthePresident’stightscheduleleftno

otherchoice.



Unfortunately,attheprecisemomentsetforleaving,theadvancemen

werestruckwiththerealizationthattherehadbeennocrowdscenesofNixonin

Rome.Thiswasnotunusual.ForeigndignitarieshavebeenvisitingRomesince

recordswerekept.Romans,residingwhereheroeshaveparadedforhundredsof

years,areratherjadedbypoliticalleaders.Basically,Romeisthecityofthe

Popes;onlytheirmovementsattractattention.NotevenJo hnKennedydrewa

crowdinRome.ButHaldemanwasnotinterestedinhistoricalcomparisons.He

appliedthewisdomacquiredinmanyyearsofbarnstorminginAmerica:nothing

producesanemotionalcrowdlikeatrafficjam.SinceMrs.Nixonwasprevented

bythenexistingNavyregulationsfromvisitingthefleet,itwasdecidedonthe

spotthatthePresidentwouldtakehertoherhotelbylimousine.Amotorcade

wasimprovisedandsetoffforthecenterofRomeattheheightoftherushhour

whiletherestofuswaitedinthehelicoptersinfrontoftheVatican.The

operationcouldnothavebeenmoresuccessful.Thoseofusnotpartofthe

motorcadedidnotseeourleaderagainfortwohours.Whenthehelicopters

finallyliftedoff,abeamingHaldemantoldusthatthetrafficjamhadindeedbeen

monumental;thecrowdsenormous;theirpassionsnearlyuncontainable.Allof

thismadegreattelevisionfilm.WhattheCuriathoughtofthehelicopterswaiting

inSt.Peter’ssquarefortwohourswillneverbeknown.Thisisprobablyforthe

best.



WereachedtheaircraftcarrierSaratoga atnighttobeginourvisittothe

SixthFleet.Thereissomethingabstractandesoteric,atleastforlaymen,abouta 

fleetatsea.Itfollowsunheardcommandsinresponsetoda ngersrarelyseen.It

affectspeoplewhoalmostnevergetaglimpseofwhatprotectsorthreatens

them.ThroughoutrecentcrisestheSixthFleethadbeentheprincipalextension

ofourmilitarypowerintheMiddleEast.Ithadhelpedmoldeventswithoutever

approachingclosertothemthantwohundredmiles.Highlyvulnerable toSoviet

land‐basedplanes,theSixthFleetneverthelesshadadecisiveimpactbecausean

attackonitwouldbringintoplaythefullforceoftheUnitedStates.Thedramatic

reinforcementofournavalpowerhadbeenacrucialsignalofourdetermination

topreventtheJordancrisisfromgettingoutofhand.Thefleet’simportancehad

beenenhancedbytheprogressivelossofourlandbasesandbypolitical

restrictionsonthoseremaining.



Theoriginalplanwastospendthenightaboardthecarrierandwatcha

demonstrationoffirepowerthenextday.Butthiswastobeoneofthosetrips

wherenothingworkedaccordingtoplan.Rogers,Laird,andIwerewatchinga

movie—AManCalledHorse—intheofficers’wardroomwhenaReutersdispatch

wasbroughtincontaininganunconfirmedreportofNasser’sdeath.I handedthe

dispatchtoRogers,whosaidthatifitweretruewewouldsurelyhaveheardin

officialchannels.Itendedtoagree,andweallresumedwatchingthemovie.After

abouttenminutesIgrewuneasy;thedispatchwasanunlikelystorytohaveno

foundationinfact.IsneakedoutandcontactedWashington.Ireceivedaclassic

reply:littlewasknownexceptthatCairoRadio hadstoppeditsregular

programmingseveralhoursearlierandstartedplayingfuneralmusic.“We

considerthishighlyunusual,”saidthereportcautiously.Theconclusionthatthere

hadbeenahigh‐leveldeathwouldnothavebeenexcessivelydaring.



NixonhadretiredandHaldemanwouldnotauthorizeawakeninghimuntil

wehadaconfirmedreport.Iworkedfranticallywithmyassociatesonalternative

plansforthetrip.WeguessedthatTitowouldgotoNasser’sfuneral,abortingour

Belgradevisit.Cablesstartedflying;phonecallsweremadeallover,thankstothe

ever‐efficientWhiteHouseCommunicationsAgenc y.Weplayedwiththeideaof

reversingtheMadridandBelgradestops,butourembassyinMadridthoughthat

thelogisticalobstaclestomovingallpreparationsupbyforty‐eighthourswould

proveinsurmountable;ouradvancemenwereapproachinganervousbreakdown

attheverythought.Ontheotherhand,whattodowithaPresidentforforty‐

eighthourswasnoteasytoresolve.ThehugeapparatusofaPresidentialparty

cannotsimplybeimposedonacountrywithoutextensivepreparations.Wewere

intheprocessofdevelopingseveralalternativeplanswhenTitotookusoffthe

hookthenextmorning.Heattachedmoreimpo rtancetothesymbolism ofthe

firstPresidentialvisittoBelgradethantothefuneralofhisfallenfriend.

Meanwhile,whenNasser’sdeathwasconfirmed, IhadawakenedNixon,toldhim

thenews,obtainedhisagreementtosendahigh‐leveldelegationtothefuneral,

andinformedhimoftheasyetunsettledstatusofhisBelgradestop.



Severalhourslater,about2:00a.m.,Iawokewithastartandremembered

thatwehadscheduledafirepowerdemo nstrationforthenextday.Itseemedto

methattocommemorateNasser’sdeathbysettingoffhighexplosivesinthe

Mediterraneanwouldbeanactofsupremeinsensitivity.Aftercheckingmy

judgmentwithRogersandLaird,Icanceledthefirepowerdisplaywithoutrousing

thePresidentagain.



Itprovedtobeagrievouserror.Preside ntialAssistantsshouldnot

overwhelmtheirchiefwithtrivia;afterawhiletheyshouldbesufficientlyaware

ofPresidentialpreferencestomakesomedecisionsinhisname.Buttheyhad

betterbesure,fortheyhavenoauthorityexceptthePresident’sconfidence.It

turnedoutthatNixonhadhisheartsetonthefirepowerdemonstration.Icould

almostcertainlyhavetalkedhimoutofit.Butpresenting himwithafaitaccompli

thenextmorningproducedararedisplayofNixoniantemper.Fortwenty‐four

hoursIwassubjectedtothelittlegesturesbywhichotherscanreadPresidential

disfavor.Forexample,Iwasconsignedtothebackuphelicopterforoneofthe

Presidentialmovementsonthatday.Iwasseatedattheperipheryofmeetingson

theSixthFleetflagship.Soonthestormblewover.Itwasasmallforetasteofwhat

IwouldlaterundergoaftertheIndia‐Pakistancrisis.Iwascorrectontheissue.But

Ihadalsobeengivenalessoninthelimitsofmyauthority.



WeweregreetedattheairportinBelgradebyMarshalTitoingray‐blue

uniformwithgoldenepaulets—anincongruousdressforaCommunistchiefof

statewereitnotforthefactthatnowhereinEuropearethemiddle‐classvalues

ofthe1930spreservedinmorepristineformthaninthe“classless”societiesof

EasternEurope.There,wherelifeiscolossallydull,bureaucracysuffocating,

planningall‐pervasive,itisnotthenotionoftheproletariatorMarxistideology

thatmovespeople.Internalcohesionisachieved,evenafteragenerationof

Communistrule,bynationalismofakindnearlyextinctinthemorecosmopolitan

WesternEurope.



JosipBrozTitowasbynowthelastsurvivorinofficeofthelegendary

figuresofthesecondworldwar—astoriedguerrillachieftain,thefirstCommunist

leaderwhodaredtochallengeStalin,theinventorofnationalisticCommunism,

andnowoneofthechampionsofnonalignment.BySeptember1970hehadbeen

inpowerfortwenty‐fiveyears.Heexuded theauthorityofamanwhohas

disposedofallpossiblerivals.Hismannerswerethoseofamiddle‐classCentral

European—courteous,clearlyenjoyinglife,aratherself‐satisfiedsenseofhumor.

Buthewasalsowaryandcareful.Hiseyesdidnotalways smilewithhisface.He

hadlearnedtodealwithcapitalistsbutnotnecessarilytoacceptthem.Inthe

immediatepostwarerahehadbeenoneofthemostintransigentofCo mmunist

leaders.TherehadevenbeenabriefconfrontationwiththeUnitedStatesin

1946,whenYugoslaviashotdownanunarmedAmericantransportplaneand

detaineditscrew.



AfterhisbreakwithStalintheWesternperceptionofTitochanged.His

concerntopreservehisregimewasseen—innosmallpartthankstohis own

skill—asanabjurationofthevaluesthathadhelpedtoestablishit.Allbut

forgottenwasthefactthatTitohadbrokenwithStalinovertheissueofnational

autonomy,notoverthevalidityofCommunisttheory.ThroughallvicissitudesTito

remainedamemberoftheLeninistfaith.Therequirementsofsurvivalforcedhim

toreinsurehimselfagainstSovietaggression;theydidnotsignificantlyalterthe

convictionsshapedbyalifetimeofrevolutionarydedication—norshouldthey

havebeenexpectedto. Onlystrongbeliefscouldhavesustainedamanthrough

theperilsandordealsofconspiracyandguerrillawarfare.Whyshouldhegive

theseupinhishourofvictory?



Thereluctancetofacethisfactcausedendlessmisunderstandings.

YugoslaviawasanassettousintheBalkansandtoalesserextentinEastern

Europe.Itsymbolizedthepossibilityofindependence.Itrelievedtosomeextent

thethreattoNATO.ButoutsideofEuropeTitopursuedhisconvictions,whichon

thewholewerenothospitabletoWesterninterestsorideals.Hissympathyfor

revolutionindevelopingcountriesdidnotdiffersignificantlyfromMoscow’s.

Indeed,Titowasevenmoreaggressiveincateringtotheradicaldeveloping

nations;hesawintheirsupportabuttressforhisownindependenceandan

additionalpoliticalinhibitiontoSovietpressures.Inturn,hisautonomyfromthe

Sovietsgavehimagreaterinfluenceinthedevelopingworldthanwouldhave

beenpossibleforanyofthesatellitereg imesofEasternEurope.Therefore

Yugoslaviararelysupportedourpositionininternationalforums.Itwas,for

example,asponsoroftheannualUNresolut ionforPuertoRicanindependence.

IntheMiddleEastitgenerallyencouragedtheradicalArabs.



Ifacedthiswithequanimity.YugoslaviahadnotbrokewithStalintodousa

favor;itdidnotpursueitscoursetofurtherourinterests.YetwhateverTito’s

motives,Yugoslavia’sautonomyimprovedourglobalposition.Stalinwasquite

rightinworryingaboutthedisruptiveexampleitestablishedforothercountries

ofEasternEurope.Inaddition,thesecurityofEuropewasenhancedbyTito’s

refusaltojointheWarsawPact.Finally,therewasalimitbeyondwhichhewould

notgo:Hecouldnotaffordtoantagonizeustoapointthatmadehissecurity

dependonthegoodwilloftheSovietUnion.Heneededustomaintainhissense

ofequilibrium.Wethereforewereundernopressuretocurryhisfavor.Wehad

noreasontobeobsequiousorreluctanttostandupforourinterestswiththe

sameintensityashepursuedhisown.



Therewereseveralareasofpotentiallyfruitfulcooperationbetween

Yugoslaviaandus.Belgradewasausefulsourceofinformationabouttrendsin

boththeCommunistanddevelopingworlds.Itcouldconveyourattitudestoits

friends,thoughithadtoomanyseparatepurposestobeareliableintermediary

ondetail.Periodichigh‐levelexchangeswereimportantinordertosynchronize

policiesasmuchaspossibleandtounderlineourinterestinYugoslavia’s

independence.



WedidnotseektowinYugoslaviaovertoourpointofview.Werecognized

thatitspolicyofnonalignment,likeIndia’s,reflectedacoldanalysisofitsself‐

interest.Theseriousnonalignedcountries—notthosewhich,removedfromall

danger,trafficinslogans—seektocalculatethemarginwithinwhichtheycan

manipulatetheinternationalequilibrium.Theywillnothazardtheirsecurityor

well‐beinginquixoticgesturesagainstus(unlesstemptedtodosobyAmerican

supinenessorsentimentality).Norwilltheyruntheriskofbecomingtooclosely

associatedwithusnomatterhow“understanding”oftheirproclamationsour

policymaybe.Paradoxically,ifweapproachtooclosely,theywillhavetomove

away;aswedistanceourselves,theywillhaveto movetowardus;thatisthe

almostphysicallawofnonalignment.Inshort,wedidnotsuccumbtothe

sentimentalillusionthatnonalignmentre sultedfromspecificgrievancesor

misunderstandings.Butwepaidthenonaligned,andmostparticularlyYugoslavia,

thecomplimentofrecognizingthattheywereconductingaseriouspolicy.

Yugoslaviacouldnotbewonoverbyacceptingitsrhetoricnorcoulditbe

permanentlyantagonizedwhenwedefendedourowninterests.



Tito’sassessmentoftheinternationalsituationwasunsentimental,slightly

doctrinaire,andalwaysinteresting.Asitturnedout,onthisvisithisprincipal

concernwastheMiddleEast.HewarnedusagainstputtingallourchipsonIsrael.

HeconsideredNassertheoutstandingleaderinthearea;hisdeathhaddealt

hopesforpeaceanextremelyseriousblow.HetoldusthatduringtheSeptember

ofcrisestheSovietUnionhadurgedSyriaandIraqtowithdrawfromJordanian

territory,whichaccordedwithourowninformation.Someofhisassociates

soughttoexplorehowAmericawouldreacttoaSovietattackonYugoslavia.Tito

neverraisedthesubject,perhapsbecausehewastooproud,perhapsbecausehe

knewthatitwouldnotcomeupinhislifetime.Nixonhadnowvisitedtwocapitals

inEasternEurope,BucharestandBelgrade.Thesymbolismwasinescapable.The

UnitedStateswouldpayspecialattentiontothoseEasternEuropeancountries

pursuinganautonomousforeignpolicy.TheChineseweretonoticethis,asIhave

mentioned.



TheonlyothernoteworthyfeatureofourvisittoBelgradewastoexpose

ourCommunisthoststothewondersofAmericanpublicrelations.Thesorely

besetHaldemanfacedthesameprobleminBelgradethathehadovercomein

Rome:theabsenceofa“photoopportunity”involvingcrowds.Hisdilemma

stemmedfromaninexplicablelapseoftheadvanceteam.Oneofthefixed

Presidentialactsinanycountry istolayawreathontheTomboftheUnknown

Soldier.Itisathoughtfulgesture;itcannotfailtodrawacrowd.Sucha wreath‐

layinghadbeenarrangedinBelgradeasthefirstitemonthePresident’sschedule.

Unfortunately,theYugoslavtombislocatedsometwentymilesoutsideof

Belgrade.Theadvanceteamhadapparentlyneglectedtoreportthisfact—or

perhapsthedistancehadsimplynotregistered.Asthemotorcadewounditsway

deeperanddeeperintoasylvansettingwherenocrowdsdisturbedthe

opportunityforreflection,theradioscarriedbyalladvancemencrackledever

moreinsistentlywiththeincredulousexchangesbetweenZieglerandHaldeman,

whosejointoutrageknewnobounds. ButHaldemanwasequaltothechallenge.

OnthewaybackthePresidentiallimousine suddenlyleftthemotorcadeand,

drawingallothercarswithit,headedforthecenterofBelgrade,whereits

bewilderedpoliceescortultimatelycaughtupwithit.Oncemoreamonumental

trafficjamdeveloped;againtheemotionofthecaptiveaudiencereached

extraordinaryheights.AndNixon, jumpingontothehoodofhiscarandwavingto

thecrowd,infactevokedgenuineenthusiasm.



Whateverhissatisfa ctionwithaPresidentialvisit,Titocouldnothavebeen

overjoyedthatMadridwasournextportofcall,thatweweregoingfromthe

capitalofoneagedautocrattothelairofanother,whoantedatedevenTito.

FrancohadcometopowerduringthefascistascendancyinEurope.Hehadnot

permittedthedebtheowedhisfellowdictatorstostandinthewayofkeepinghis

countryneutralintheSecondWorldWar.Butwhenthefascistempirescollapsed,

Francofoundhimselfinaninhospitableinternationalenvironment.Bythetimeof

Nixon’svisithehad,however ,survivedallpressureswiththeaidofthehistoric

insularityandproudnationalismofhispeople.Hehadfosteredtheindustrial

modernizationofSpain,graduallyeasinghisruleandlayingthefoundationforthe

development,afterhisdeath,ofmoreliberalinstitutions.Intheseventies,many

reactingbyrotefoundithardtoadmitthatSpainwasfarlessrepressivethanany

Communiststateandthanmostofthenewnations. 



Nowinhisdotage,Francohadpresidedoverhiscountry’sdestiniesforover

ageneration.Spainwasasifsuspended,waitingforalifetoendsothatitcould

rejoinEuropeanhistory.ItslocationmakesSpain’sstrategicimportancetothe

Westself‐evident.Forthisreasonalonewewereconcernedthatitspoliticsafter

Franco’sdepartureshouldevolvewithmoderation—indefianceofSpain’shistory. 

Ourchoicewaswhethertoostracizeandopposetheexistingregimeor,while

workingwithit,toextendourcontactsandthereforeourinfluenceforthepost‐

Francoperiod.Wechosethelattercourse.



TheimmediateissuewasourmilitaryrelationshipwithSpain.Sincethe

1950s,successiveadministrationsofbothpartieshadconcludedagreementswith

Franco’sgovernmentonbasesforourstrategicbombersandPolarissubmarines.

Ashisendapproached,theleaseagreementscameupagainand,likemost

militarymeasuresinthateraoftheVietnamWar,weredenouncedbyopponents

asanunnecessaryandmorallyindefensiblearrangementwithafascistcountry.

TheAdministrationdidnotbelievethatwiththeMiddleEastinturmoilandour

otherbasesintheMediterraneaninjeopardywecouldaffordtoabandonthe

SpanishbasesandcompoundtheimpressionofaglobalAmericanretreat.And

wesawnosenseinaconfrontationwithanagedautocratwhosetermofpower

wasclearlyending,aconfrontationthatwouldstimulatetheprove rbialSpanish

nationalismandpride.



EncouragingademocraticSpainafterFrancowouldbeacomplexchallenge

inthebestofcircumstances.Spain’shistoryhadbeenmarkedbyanobsession

withtheultimate,withdeathandsacrifice,thetragicandtheheroic.Thishad

producedgrandiosealternationsbetweenanarchyandauthority,betweenchaos

andatotaldiscipline.Spaniardsseemedabletosubmitonlytoexaltation,notto

eachother.TherewasnoprecedentinSpanishhistoryforchangethatwas

moderateandevolutionary,nottosaydemocraticratherthanradicalandviolent.

InternationalostracismrantheriskofmakingSpainaprisonerofitsown

passions.Throughoutthiscrucialperiodoftransitionwemaintainedour

friendshipwiththefutureKingJuanCarlos,andwithmoderateelementsin

Spanishgovernmentandsociety.Indeed,America’scontributiontoSpain’s

evolutionduringthe1970shasbeenoneofthemajorachievementsofour

foreignpolicy.



NixonwasnotthefirstAmericanPresidenttostopinMadrid.Eisenhower

hadpaidatriumphalcallinDecember1959.OneofNixon’sobsessions,infact,

wastoensurethatthecrowdsforhimatleastequaled,and,hehoped,exceeded,

thoseofthepredecessorwhomhebothrespectedandenvied.Therewasno

reasonforconcern.MadridgaveNixonamagnificentreception,marredonlyby

theunfortunatefactthatthecontroltowerneglectedtoclosetherunwaysafter

thearrival,andthewhineofjetenginesdrownedthewelcomingspeeches.Since

onbothsidesthesehadbeenhonedtoafineedgeofplatitude,historyisunlikel y

tofeeltheirloss.OntheceremonialrouteintotownnotevenHaldemancould

complainaboutthesplendidandphotogenicscene,asmountedlancersflanked

hischiefandFranco,erectinanopenlimousine,amidstscenesofwild

enthusiasm.HewasabletoassuageNixon’suneaseoverunfavorable

comparisonswithEisenhower’sreception bycommentingsagelythatonce

crowdsexceededseveralhundredthousandtheonlyproblemwastoannounce

someplausiblefigure.



Ofallthevisitsthiswastheoneinwhichthesymbolismofcontinued

Americaninterestwasmostclearlythemessage.Thenegotiationsonbaseshad

beenconcluded;thepost‐Francotransitionwasasubjecttoodelicateforeven

themostobliqueallusion.AndtheconversationswithFrancowerenot

memorable—atleasttome—foryetanotherreason.WhenNixon,accompanied

byme,calledonFrancoforwhatwerebilledassubstantivetalks,wefoundthe

ageddictatorexhaustedbythelongmotorcadeandtendingtodozeoffwhilethe

Presidentwastalking.Thishadaweirdlymesmericeffectonme.Despitemymost

desperateeffortstocontributetotheSpanish‐Americandialogue,atleasttothe

extentofstayingawake,Ifoundmyselfalsodozingoff.Nixonwasleftexchanging

ideaswithGregorioLopezBravo,theSpanishForeignMinister,whileFrancoandI 

recuperatedpeacefullyfromourexertions.Iwasadmittedtothemeetingas

note‐taker.Weowewhateverhistoricalrecordoftheeventasnowmayexistto 

thewakefulGeneralWalters,actingasinterpreter.



WeflewoffandstoppedforlunchatChequers,thecountryhomeofBritish

PrimeMinisters,forNixon’sfirsttalkswithEdwardHeath.Therelationshipwith

HeathwasoneofthemostcomplexofNixon’sPresidency.Therewasnoforeign

leaderforwhomNixonhadahigherregard,especiallyincombinationwithSir

AlecDouglas‐Home,Heath’sForeignSecretary,whomNixonpositivelyrevered.

DuringtheBritishelectioncampaign,Nixonhadbeenanunabashedpartisanof

theTories.Despitetheevidenceofthepollsandcontrarytotheopinionofallof

hisadvisers,includingourembassyinLondon,Nixonhadbeenconvincedthat

Heathwouldwin.Whenhispredictioncametrue,hewassoelatedthathecalled

mefourtimesinonenightinMexicoCity,whereIwasattendingthesoccerWorld

Cup,toexpresshisjoyandreceivemyconfirmationofhisprescience.Hewanted

nothingsomuchasintimatecollaborationofakindhewouldgranttonoother

foreignleader.Atlast,hesaid,therewouldbea kindredspiritinonemajor

country,agroupofleaderswhodidnotleanonus,whomwedidnotneed

constantlytobuttress,andfromwhomwemightlearnagreatdeal.



Therelationshipneverflourished.Likeacouplewhohavebeentoldby

everyonethattheyshouldbeinloveandwhotrymightilybutfutilelytojustify

theseexpectations,HeathandNixonnevermanagedtoestablishthepersonal

rapportforwhichNixon,atleast,longedinthebeginning.Bothwererather

austerepersonalities,vulnerableandeagerforacceptancebutincapableofthe

actofgracethatcouldhavebridgedtheirloneliness.OfallBritishpoliticalleaders,

HeathwastheoneIknewbestandlikedmostwhenIcametooffice.Wehave

remainedgoodfriends,despitesomedifferencesofopinionwhenwewereboth

ingovernment.Hewasone oftheablestworldleadersImet.Hewasnotfreeof

thecomplexesimposedbyBritain’sclasshistory;herosefrommodestbeginnings

toleadapartyimbuedwithBritain’saristocratictradition.Theruthlessness

necessarytoachievehisambitiondidnotcomenaturallyandwasallthemore

noticeableforthatreason.Hisrenownedaloofnesswasmoreapparentthanreal.

Hewasawarmandgentlepersonwho anticipatedrejectionandfendeditoff

withaformalpoliteness(punctuatedoftenwithalaughdistinguishedbyitslack

ofmirth).HewasinmanyrespectsthemostuntypicalofBritishpostwarpolitical

leaders.Hehadatheoreticalbentcloserthantheresttothatofthecontinental

Europeans,whichgavehisideasanabstractcastsometimesvergingonthe

doctrinaire.



AndofalltheBritishleadersHeathwasprobablyalsotheleastcommitted

emotionallytotheUnitedStates.Itisnotthathewasanti‐American.Rather,he

wasimmunetothesentimentalelementsofthatattachmentforgedintwowars.

FormostBritishleaders,whateverthefactsofgeography,Americaiscloserthan

“Europe.”ThisisavestigeofatimewhenBritainsoughtitsfulfillment acrossthe

oceansandthecontinentwasasourceofdanger,neverofself‐realization.Heath,

however,waspersuadedthatBritain’sfuturewasinEuropeandthatBritain