Kissinger Henry. White House Years

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shouldjoinEuropenotreluctantlyandcalculatinglybutwithrealconviction.He

hadbeentheprincipalBritishnegotiatorinMacmillan’sefforttoenterthe

CommonMarket,abortedbydeGaulle’svetoin1963.Morethanhalfconvinced

bytheGaullistargumentthattheprincipalobstaclehadbeenBritain’s“special

relationship”withtheUnitedStates,HeathasPrimeMinisterwasdeterminednot

torepeatMacmillan’smistake.Hiscommitme nttoEuropewasprofound:The

UnitedStateswasafriendlyforeigncountry,entitledtotheconsiderationthat

reflecteditspowerandimportance,butthe“specialrelationship”wasanobstacle

totheBritishvocationinEurope.Heathwascontenttoenjoynohigherstatusin

WashingtonthananyotherEuropeanleader.Indeed,hecameclosetoinsisting 

onreceivingnopreferentialtreatment.



Aparadoxwasinthemaking.Wilson,whomNixondistrusted,hadreached

foraneasierandmorepersonalrelationshipthandidHeath,whomNixongreatly

admired.TheLabourParty,whosedomesticphilosophywasfarlesscongenialtoa

RepublicanAdministration,establishedacloserrapportthantheConservatives,

whoinonesensewereakindofsisterparty.SomeofthiswasduetoHeath’s

personalityandconvictions;someofitbroughttothesurfacedeepercurrentsin

Torythinking.TheConservativePartyfeltacutelythedeclineinBritain’sglobal

role,withwhichithadhistoricallybeensoidentified.Someofitselementswere

notfreeofresentmentaboutAmerica’spartintheprocessofdecolonization,

fromFranklinRoosevelt’sstricturesduring WorldWarIItotheSuezcrisisof1956.



Whateverthereason,HeathkeptWashingtonatarm’slength.Hewas

beingofferedfornothingthepreferredstatusinconsultationforwhichhis

predecessorshadstruggledwithpatienceandpersistenceandnotalittlestraight

flattery.Hechosenottoavailhimselfoftheopportunity,andbymakingthis

rejectionexplicithebothsmoothedBritain’sentryintoEuropeandcomplicated

hisrelationshipwithWashington.TherewasnomeetingbetweenthePresident

andthePrimeMinisterimmediatelyafterHeath’selection,asNixonhadhoped

andaseverypreviouspostwarBritishleaderhadsought.Therewereveryfew

personalcallsonthetelephone,thoughNixonhadmadecleartothosecharged

withhandlingallhisphonecallsthathisrefusaltoaccept“unscreened”callsdid

notapplytotheBritishPrimeMinister,andeventhoughIrepeatedlyurgedthe

BritishAmbassador,JohnFreeman,toencouragethissortofcontact.Thenew

BritishPrimeMinisterthusimplementedwhattheAmericanapostlesofEuropean

integrationhadurgedwhenNixonhadenteredofficeandwhathadthenbeen

explicitlyrejected.Indeed,invitingNixontostopbrieflyatChequers—evenina

mostcordialatmosphere—servedHeath’spurposeofdelayingaformal

consultativemeetingforseveralmonthsmore.ItgaveHeathanopportunityto

presentthemeetingtohisEuropeancolleaguesasaninformalcourtesycallin

whichnothingofsubstancecouldpossiblyhavebeenconcludedbecauseofthe

pressuresoftime,andtoconsulthisEuropeanscolleaguesbeforelaunching

himselfonatrans‐Atlanticdialogue.



FuturehistorianswillhavetodecidewhetherHeath’sjudgm entofthe

Europeanmoodwascorrect.Didhereallyneedtopaythepriceinintimacywith

WashingtontoestablishhisEuropeancredentials,especiallyatatimewhen

BrandtandPompidouwereheadingintheoppositedirectionofstrengthening

theircountries’tieswithus?Didhe,infact,payapriceexceptforaslightchange

inatmospherics?Heathpursuedalong‐termpolicywithvisionandtenacity.It

maybearguedthatbymakingtheAnglo‐Americanrelationshipmoreformal,he

adaptedittoaninevitable reality.Itwasneverthelessapitythatsoformidable

andattractiveamancouldhavesuchablindspotfortheimportanceof

intangibles.



Outwardly,themeetingatChequerscouldnothavegonebetter.Nixonstill

ascribedtherelativealoofnessofthenewBritishgovernmenttotheneedtoget

itsfeetontheground—confusingBritishwithAmericanpractice.(British

administrations,inheritingthepermanentcivilservice,andconsistingofahandful

ofpartyleaderswithlongParliamentaryexposuretotheissues,usuallydonot

requireanextendedshakedownperiod.)Thetalkswereconductedintwo

sessions.BeforelunchHeathmetwithNixon;onlyCabinetsecretarySirBurke

TrendandIwerealsopresent.DuringlunchRogersandSirAlecjoinedthegroup.

Altogether,therewaslessthantwohours’timeforconversation.Significantly,

Europewasnotdiscussedatall,exceptforNixon’sgeneralcommentthatwe

werepreparedtobediscreetlyhelpfulintheBritishnegotiationswiththe

EuropeanCommunity,anofferthatwasnotpursued.Alltheconversations

concernedinternationalissues:VietnamandAfricabeforelunch;theMiddleEast

afterward.Heathwasathisbestinthissortofdialogue—incisive,decisive,and

astute.Healsosubstantiallysharedourperceptionofinternationalaffairs.He

calledourattentiontothestrategicsignificanceofAfricaandtheIndianOceanat

atimewhenthesewerenotyethighprioritiesonouragenda.Heagreedwithus

thathowwedisengagedfromVietnamwouldaffecttheworldbeyondSoutheast

Asia:“IftheSovietsfeelyouareinretreatandhumiliated,theywillreactivate

theirpolicyinEurope.”Undertheguiseofbriefingusonhisattendanceat

Nasser’sfuneral,SirAlecsoughttonudgeusgentlytowardgreateractivisminthe

MiddleEast,especiallyintheFour‐Powertalks.Nixondisagreed,believing,asI

did,thattheradicalforceshadnotyetrunouttheirstring.Hethoughtmore

crisesinevitable,nomatterwhatwedid.Therewasnotimetoresolvetheissue

sinceourscheduleforcedustoleaveforIrelandifwewerenottoarrivetoolate

forthecherished“photoopportunit y.”Themeetinghadbeenuseful,friendly,

evenwarm,butstrangelyinconclusive,aharbingerofamorecomplexfuture.



ThelaststopofthePresidentialtripwasIreland.MybriefingbookforNixon

saidthemaximumthatwaspossible:“TheIrishstophasnogreatinternational

significance,exceptthatIrelandhasnotbeentota llypassiveinworldaffairs.Ithas

served,andcaninthefuture,asaconstructiveandreliableneutral.”Thisworthy

objectivewouldnotnormallyrequirepersonalPresidentialattentionforafull

forty‐eighthours.Thestopwasfranklyadomesticpoliticalone.ItenabledNixon

tobringhisclaimtoIrishancestrytotheattentionofIrish‐Americanvote rsandto

payoffanobligationtoawealthyAmericancontributoratwhoseextravagant

castlewestayed.Thecontributordecidedto putonapageantofIrishhistorythat

startedatoneinthemorningand,giventhepassionanddramaofthesubject,did

notconcludeuntilaroundfour‐thirty.ByaccidentofpropinquitymystaffandI

becamethetargetofPresidentialwrath,thoughwehadhadnothingtodowith

thescheduling.



Nixon’svisittoIrelandfolloweddistinguishedprecedents.Infact,the

scheduleletusoffeasy.Anearlierschemeputforwardbyanadvanceman

carriedawaybyhisimaginationhadproposedhavingNixonleadaSt.Patrick’s

DayparadeinDublin.Luckilyforeveryone’ssanity,thedatewasinappropriate

andnopretexteverdevelopedforaPresidentialtriptoEuropeinMarch.



TheIrishstop,anotherwiseconventionalvisit,unexpectedlyprovidedone

ofthebiggestnewsstoriesofthetrip,occasionedbyareviewofthenegotiations

onVietnamwithDavidBruceandPhilipHabib, whohadflowninfromParis.(As

relatedinthenextchapter,amajorPresidentialspeechwasbeingprepared,

offeringastandstillcease‐fire.)Thismeetinggavethepressanopportunityfor

anotherspateofspeculativestoriesonVietnamanditspeaceprospects.Nixon

couldnotescapethesubjectevenwhilesearchingforhisrootsinIreland. 



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

DeGaulle’sFuneralandHeath’sVisit



ithinlittlemorethana monthofourreturn,NixonwasbackinEurope,this

timeforthememorialMassforCharlesdeGaulle. Inpartbecauseof

Nixon’simmediate decisiontoattend,whichsettheprotocolleveland

guaranteedtheattendanceofmanyotherheadsofstate,PompidouandNixon

hadanunusuallywarmmeeting.PompidourepeatedhisreadinesstoseeBritain

entertheEuropeanCommunity,supportedourgeneralapproachtosettling

Vietnam,andexpressedagainhiswarinessaboutlong‐termGermantrends.



Thevisit,havingbeenquicklyimprovised,couldnotpasswithoutitsbizarre

aspects.AtfirstNixonhadindicatedthathewantedtoleaveimmediatelyafter

thememorialMass.ToHaldeman’sirritation,IpersuadedNixonthathewould

losemuchgoodwillifhedidnotstayforPompidou’sreceptionforvisiting

delegationsinthelateafternoon.Haldeman’soppositionwaspartlyaquestio nof

prerogative;hedidnotlikeinterferenceinhisareaofjurisdiction,whichwasthe

President’sschedule.Moreimportant,heknewbetterthananyoneNixon’s

crucialneedforregularrestperiods;itwastheessentialguaranteeforconsistent

decisions.InfiercelyprotectingthePresident’sschedule—especiallytherest

periods,forwhichtheeuphemisminthepressreleasewas“stafftime”—

Haldemanservedthecountryandcontributedtothestrongdecisionsthatwere

thehallmarkoftheNixonPresidencyinforeignpolicy.



OnceIhadsucceededininterferingwithhispreciousschedule,however,

Haldeman’sproblembecamethepracticaloneofhowtofillthegap.Likemanyof

Nixon’sassociates,hehadbeenmaderepeatedlyawareofhischief’sfondnessfor

Maxim’srestaurant.HethereforesuggestedthatNixonmightcaretolunchthere

withhisofficialparty.TheideaofthePresidentoftheUnitedStatesrepairing

fromamemorialserviceatNotre‐DametoMaxim’swas,ofcourse,mind‐

boggling.ButitdidnotseemsotoanebullientNixonwhenhethoughtaboutit

afteragooddinnerattheresidenceofourAmbassador,Arthur(Dick)Watson.

Planswerethereforebeinglaidtoproceed.IngoodbureaucraticfashionIclothed

myobjectiontoprincipleinthetechnicalargumentthatthePresidentcouldnot

possiblybephotographeddrinkingwineafteramemorialservice.Iwasoverruled.

AnedictwasissuedreaffirmingMaxim’sbutbanning winefromthemeal.Luckily,

ourAmbassadorwasasensibleman.Bya strokeofdestiny,heratherthanan

advancemanhadbeenassignedtocontacttherestaurant.ItookWatsonaside

andwarnedhimthathispositionwouldbecomeintolerablewhentheFrench

publicoutrageatourinsensitivityspilledoverintoofficialrelations.Heshouldnot

doanythingthatnight.IftherewereanycomplaintIwouldtakethe

responsibility.AsitturnedoutNixon,afteragoodnight’ssleep,himselfhadhad

secondthoughts.WhenItoldhimthenextmorningthathewouldundoallthe

goodhistriphadaccomplished bysuchanaction,heinstructedmetocancelthe

preparations.Ihadnodifficultypromisingaspeedyexecutionofthatorder.



EdwardHeathvisitedWashingtonamonthlater,inDecember1970,forhis

firstformalconsultationwithNixon.Britain’sprospectiveentryintotheEuropean

CommonMarkethadbroughttoa headincreasingtensionsbetweenEuropeand

America,thoughitdidnotcausethem.Theunderlyingreasonwasaclashof

perceptiondueessentiallytoeconomicrivalrybetweentheUnitedStatesanda

resurgentEurope.Someofthedisputehadaslightlyunrealquality.Wespokeof

nondiscriminatorytrade,ignoringthatacommonmarketisinherently

discriminatory;afterall,itisformedbyraisingtariffsandotherobstaclesagainst

importsfromtheoutsideworldthatdonotapplytothetradeofthestateswithin

it.TheimminenceofBritain’smembershipforcedustofacethelong‐ignored

probleminherentintheveryconceptofEuropeanintegration.Heath’svisit

definedtheissue;Heathwasinnopositiontoresolveit.Heleftnodoubtabout

thenewprioritiesinBritishpolicy.Hestre ssedthathisoverridinggoalwas

Britain’sentryintotheCommonMarket.Oncein,Britainwouldplaya

constructiverolewithrespecttoourconcerns.Buthecouldnotriskmakingany

concessionstousinadvance;hewishedneithertonegotiateCommonMarket

issuesbilaterallywithusnortoappearas—or,forthatmatter,tobe—America’s

TrojanHorseinEurope.NopreviousBritishPrimeMinisterwouldhave

consideredmakingsuchastatementtoanAmericanPresident.Neitherthe

amiablecontextnorNixon’sunderstandingreplycouldobscurethefactthatwe

werewitnessingarevolutioninBritain’spostwarforeignpolicy.



Howeverpainfulthetransformation,thisrevolutionhaditspositive

aspects.Britain’sglobalexperienceandpragmaticstylewereboundtobehelpful

inEuropeancouncilswhetheritsviewswerecoordinatedbeforehandwiththe

UnitedStatesornot.Heathwassurelyrightinstressingthatthemajorbenefitto

usofBritain’senteringintoEuropewouldbepolitical,noteconomic. (This,of

course,beggedthequestionofhowbiganeconomicpricewewerepreparedto

payforpoliticalbenefits.)AndhisconversationswithNixononworldaffairs

demonstrated—asatChequers—asubstantialhar monyofviews. 



AsdidalltheotherEuropeanleaders,Heathexpressedmisgivingsabout

thelong‐termtrendsinGermany;thoughlikeallhiscolleagueshealmostsurely

didnotconveytheminBonn,leavingittous—ifanybody—tobeartheonusof

expressingwhateveryoneseemedtofear.HeopposedBrandt’sideaofa

permanentconferenceonBerlin.Hethoughttheallieshadtobringhometothe

Sovietstheneedforreciprocity,especiallyonBerlin,ifBrandt’spolicywasnotto

becomeaseriesofunilateralconcessions.Nixonagreed,explainingourconcept

oflinkage.HereassuredHeaththathewouldnotpermitSALTtogivetheSoviets

strategicsuperiority.TherewasareviewofIndochina,againwithsubstantial

agreement.HeathwasanewexperienceforAmericanleaders :aBritishPrime

MinisterwhobasedhispolicytowardtheUnitedStatesnotonsentimental

attachmentsbutonacoolcalculationofinterest.Atthesametimehisconvictions

sonearlycoincidedwithoursthatclosecollaborationwouldresultfromthatself‐

interest.



TheHeathvisitconcludedanotheryearofintensivealliedconsultations.

WehadaftersomehesitationsupportedthebreakthroughofBrandt’spolicy.

Britain’sentryintoEuropewouldintimehavesignificantconsequences.Buton

thewholewewereengagedinaholdingaction.Intheearlypartof1971wewere

preoccupiedwiththeefforttosevertheNorthVietnamesecommunicationsin

Laos,theopeningtoChina,andtheMay20breakthroughlinkingoffensiveand

defensiveweaponsintheSALTnegotiationswiththeSovietUnion.



Inhighofficecompetingpressurestemptonetobelievethatanissue

deferredisaproblemavoided;moreoftenitisacrisisinvited.Boththemilitary

andtheeconomicdimensionsofourEuropeanrelationshipcamebacktohaunt

usin1971.



<<Contents>>



****



TheMansfieldAmendment:TheOldGuardStepsintothe

Breach



hefirstcrisiswasmilitary.OnMay11,1971,welearnedwithoutanywarning

thatthegentleSenateMajorityLeader,MikeMansfield,wouldrevivehis

perennialproposaltocutourforcesinEuropebyhalf,or150,000men.The

vehiclewouldbeanamendmenttotheDraftextensionActhavingtheforceof

law.MansfieldwasnotjustanySenator.HewastheMajorityLeader,widely

respectedforhisfairness,universallylikedforhisdecency.Mansfieldwasnota

memberofaradicalfringebutachartermemberoftheSenateEstablishment,

oneofthatsmallbandofpatriotswhohavemadeourmaddeninglydelicate

systemofchecksandbalancesactuallywork.Hewasapassionateopponentof

thewarinSoutheastAsia.Buthisopposition,whilefierce,neverpassedthe

boundsofthecivilityandcomitythataresovitaltoademocracy.Atheart

Mansfieldwasanisolationist,eagertoreduceallAmericanoverseas

commitments,reflectingthehistoricalnostalgiathatsoughttomaintain

America’smoralvaluesuncontaminatedbyexposuretocalculationsofpowerand

thepettyquarrelsofshortsightedforeigners.

T



Mansfield’samendmentwasthusaformidablechallenge.Allourstudies

indicatedthatourconventionalforcesinEuropeneededtobeenhanced,not

reduced;theMansfieldamendmentwoulddismantlethem.IftheSenateofthe

UnitedStateswentonrecordaslegislatingamassivetroopcut,NATOwouldhave

joinedtheotherelementsofourforeignpolicyasavictimofunrelenting

domesticpoliticalcontroversy.SoonwewouldseetheVietnamizationprocess

repeatedinEurope,wherebyinordertosalvageabareminimumwewouldhave

toemasculatetheessential.Thelong‐termgoaltoadaptAlliancedefensetonew

strategicrealitieswouldbedestroyed.



Theissuehadcomeupaspartoftheannualdebateoverthedefe nse

budget,whichcriticsoftheVietnampolicyincreasinglyturnedintoanassaulton

allelementsofourmilitarystrategy.TheAdministration,alreadypublicly

committedtoavolunteerarmy,hadaskedforatwo‐yearextensionofthedraft.

WhenthebillreachedtheSenatefloor,SenatorMansfield revivedhisannual

proposaltocutAmericanforcesinEurope—thistimenotintheformofa“sense

oftheSenateresolution,”asheusuallydid,butasbindinglaw.Heaskedfora

votethenextday,May12.LeadingSenators ofbothpartieswarnedtheWhite

HousethatMansfieldprobablywouldprevail.



Itwassymptomaticofthebitteranddestructivemoodoftheperiodandof

thesubstantialbreakdownofnationalconsensusthatabillofsuchmagnitude

couldreachtheflooroftheSenatewithoutcommitteehearingandthatitstooda

seriouschanceofpassage.Ourmassivebalance‐of‐paymentsdeficitlentweight

toanycalltocutoverseasexpenditures;respectforMansfieldmadehis

colleaguesreluctanttovoteagainsthim.Buttherealproblemwentdeeper.It

wasthenationalmalaisethatmadetheUnitedStatesSenatewillingtohazard

institutionsbuiltupona bipartisanbasisovermorethantwentyyearsandfive

administrations.TheAdministrationwasdeterminedtoresist.TheWhiteHouse

immediately(onMay12)issuedastatementwarningthattheamendmentwould

have“aseriousdetrimentaleffectonthestructureofthealliance.”Ournext

movewastodelaythevoteto giveustimetorallysupport.Weobtainedan

extensionoffivedayswhich,whileniggardlyandalmostpreposterousinthelight

oftheissuesinvolved,probablymadethedifference.



OurdeterminationtodefeattheMansfieldamendmentconfrontedsevere

obstacles.Foronethingtherewasthepassionofitssupporters.Manyofthese

weremoreconcernedwithSoutheastAsiathanwithWesternEurope,andsome

ofthemconsideredita bonustodismantlethestructureofaforeignpolicythat

theyconsideredmisconceivedandColdWar‐oriented,andamajorcontributorto

internationaltensions. Butthedecisiveelementwasthattheliberal

establishment,whichthroughoutthecenturyhadextolledtheimportanceofa

strongexecutive,hadreverseditselfandhadpressedontheCongressits

obligationtocontroltightlyanallegedlypower‐madandwar‐obsessed

Administration.



ThattheCongressshouldplayamajorroleintheconductofforeignpolicy

wasbeyondargument.ButintheSeventiespassionoverwhelmedanalysis.Our

systemcannotfunctionwhenCongressandthePresidenthavesharplyconflicting

goalsorwhentheCongressattemptstoprescribeday‐to‐daytacticaldecisions.

TheCongresscanandoughttoscrutinizetheconsequencesofdiplomacy.It

cannotcarryitout.Whenithastried,theresultshavebeenunfortunate,asIwill

discussatgreaterlengthinmysecondvolume.TheprimefunctionofCongressis

topasslawswithaclaimtopermanence:Itdealsinthepre dictable.Diplomacy

requiresconstantadjustmenttochangingcircumstance;itmustleavea margin

fortheunexpected;theunpredictableiswhatalwayshappensinforeignaffairs.

Nuance,flexibility,andsometimesambiguityarethetoolsofdiplomacy.Inlaw

theyarevices;certaintyandclarityaretherequirementsthere.Lawmakingand

diplomacyarenotonlystarklycontrastedintheirmethodsandconsequences;

theyaredonedifferently.Legislationoftenemergesfromthecompromiseof

conflictinginterests;randomcoalitionsfo rmandfade.Thecoalitionsandpower

centersofCongressshiftinresponsetothestimuliofvariouspressuregroups.

Foreignpolicyrequiresaconsistentviewofthenationalinterest.Thelegislator

practicestheartofreconcilingpressuregroupsonasingleissue;theforeign‐

policymakerdealswiththesameinternationalactorsoverandoveragain,rarely

concludinganissueorterminatingarelationship.



TheMansfieldamendmentresultedfromacoalitionoffrustrations.Butit

couldhavehadgraveconsequenceslongafterthecoalitionthatproducedithad

disintegrated.ItillustratesalsothatCongressisinnopositiontomakecoherent

tacticaldecisionsbecauseitsknowledgeofthemosaicofforeignpolicyisso

fragmentary.Theamendmentcameforwardinaweekinwhichweconcluded the

negotiationsforabreak‐throughonSALT,setupthesecrettriptoPeking,were

engagedindelicatetalksonBerlin,andarrangedforanotherroundofprivate

talkswiththeNorthVietnamese.Evengranting thattheNixonAdministration

sometimescarriedsecrecytoexcessivelengths,sensitivenegotiationswillalways

betakingplaceorbeinformativestages ofwhichtheCongressisboundtobe

unaware.Infact,theCongress’scapacitytododamageisconsiderableevenwhen

thepoliciesaffectedarefullyinthepublicdomain.InMay1971theCongress

knewthatmajornegotiationsweretakingplaceonSALT andonBerlin,andthat

wewereurgingourallieswithsomesuccesstoimprovetheirNATOforces.The

Mansfieldamendmentjeopardizedeveryoneofthesepolicies.



ThehabitsoftheSenateprov idedanothercomplication.EvenSenators

whohadalwayschampionedtheAtlanticAllianceweretornbetweentheir

convictionsandtheirmembershipinanexclusiveclub,betweentheirknowledge

thattheMansfieldamendmentjeopardizedfundamentalAmericanforeignpolicy

interestsandtheirreluctancetoinflictaclear‐cutdefeatonareveredcolleague.

OursupportersintheSenatewerethereforeurgingacompromisethatwould

avoidaspecificmandatorycutbycallingupontheAdministrationtonegotiate

reductionswithboththeSovietUnionandourEuropeanallies.ThePresidentwas

toreporttotheCongressonSeptember15,1971,andeverysixmonths

thereafterontheprogressofthesenegotiations.



ViewsintheAdministrationdiffered.Rogers,aswellastheCongressional

liaisonstaffsoftheWhiteHouseandtheStateDepartment,favoredthe

compromise.IntheirviewtheMathiasamendmentcommittedustonothing

morethanconsultations;itwasaneatwayofavoidinganobligatoryreduction.

Lairddisagreed,largelyfortactics.HewantedastraightvoteontheMansfield

amendmentwithoutmodifications;hethoughtthatthe“worse”theamendment,

thebetterourchancesofprevailingintheend.NixontendedtosupportLaird.He

wasdeeplycommittedtotheAtlanticAlliance.Hewasexperiencedenoughto

understandthatoncetheprincipleofreductionwasacceptedthefloodgates

wouldbeopened.Hewas,asithappens,principallyconcernedatthetimewith

concludingthepreliminaryunderstandingonSALT(linkingoffensiveand

defensivelimitations),scheduledforaweekhence,buthewaswillingtodowhat

wasnecessarytodefeattheMansfieldamendment.Heassignedthebruntofthe

efforttome.



Iwasonlytooeagertoacceptit.IconsideredtheMansfieldamendmenta

seriousthreattoourentireforeignpolicy.ThenationalanguishoverVietnam

couldbeascribed,bycountriesthatdependedonoursteadiness,torash

decisionsandaninconclusivewar.Anassaultonourde ployments inEurope,on

theotherhand,wouldshaketheveryfoundationsofourpos twarpolicy.Iwas

adamantlyagainsttheproposedcompromise.Evenifitavoidedimmediate

reductions,itestablishedtheprincipleandthesemiannualreportswouldrevive

thepressureforunilateralwithdrawals.Thecompromiseamendmentwasalready

beingspokenof—bySenatorHumphrey,forexample—asa Congressional

instructionto theAdministrationtoundertakespeedyreductions.Andawhole

hostofotheramendmentselaboratingthesamethemewaswaitingforSenate

action.Ifanyofthemanycompromisevariationswereonthebooks,theNATO

forceimprovementprogram,howevermodest,wouldbeoutthewindow;our

allieswouldloseheart;andthenegotiationswiththeSovietUniononmutual

reductionswerelikelytoatrophy.WewouldbeontheroadtoVietnamizing

Europe.

