Kissinger Henry. White House Years

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TheMarchesonWashington



Tthismomentthatuneasilydormantbeastofpublicprotest—ournightmare,

ourchallenge,and,inaweirdway,ourspur—burstforthagain.When

objectivesareshared,thedomesticdebatecanaddresstactics;evenwhen

objectivesdiffer,thereisoccasionallyroomforsomesynthesisbetweenopposing

pointsofviewinpursuitofsomelargergoal.Butwhenthereisnoagreementon

fundamentalpremises,whenthechallengeisnotonlytoperceptionbutto 

motive,thendifferencestakeonthecharacterofacivilwar.



WithLaos,the“credibilitygap”becamenotsomuchanAdministration

failureasaweaponoftheopposition.Opponentsdelibe ratelychiviedthe

Administrationuntilharassedofficials eithermadesomepredictionthatturned

outtobewrong(thefamous“lightattheendofthetunnel”hadbeenanerrorof 

perceptionandjudgment,butnotalie)ortriedtoembellishfactswithevasions.

Thiswasthenmercilesslyexploitedtoundermineconfidenceinallgovernmental

purposes.Thecryforfulldisclosurewasunendingbutunfulf illable—partly,asin

theLaosoperation,becauseWashingtonhaddifficultylearningthefacts;partly

becausesomeelementsofmilitaryordiplomaticplanscanberevealedonlyatthe

riskofdestroyingthepossibilitiesofsuccess.And,ofcourse,manycriticswanted

notfactsbutammunition.Theyoftendemandedpublicdisclosureofwhatthey

hadalreadylearnedinclassifiedbriefings.



Thedayswerelongsincegonewhentheantiwarplatformaskedformutual

withdrawal.Twoyearsbefore,wehadbeenurgedtoshowourgoodfaithby

sometokenunilateralwithdrawal.SeveralhundredthousandAmericantroops

hadbeenwithdrawnsince;theendofAmericanparticipationingroundcombat

wasimminent.Butthecriticsnowdemandedthatwesetanunconditionaldate

forfinalwithdrawal,andtheyweresoontourgetheoverthrowofThieu—inother

words,adoptionofHanoi’sterms.



OnFebruary26theWashingtonPost—whichhadbeenamongthemore

compassionateofthewarcritics—objectedeventoastatementbyNixonthat“as

longasNorthVietnamcontinuestoholdasingleAmericanprisoner,weshallhave

forcesinSouthVietnam.”Thiswasnottreatedasabackhandwayofannouncing

thattherewastobenoAmericanresidualforce(apointalreadyconcededinthe

secretnegotiationsmonthsearlier).Rather,itwasseenasatokenofanopen‐

endedcommitment:“ItisalsoanadmissionthattheNixonAdministrationhasno

unilateral,irreversibleplanwhichpromisestoendthiscountry’sinvolvementin

thiswar…”Buttheonlywaytoendawarunilaterallyandirreversiblyistoaccept

theenemy’stermsunconditionally;unilateralwithdrawal,asHanoihadmade

clear,wouldnotdothetrick;itwouldleaveourprisonersinHanoi’shands.On

March3theusuallysupportiveWallStreetJournaljoinedthechorus.Explaining

thattheAdministrationhadtwoobjectivesinthewar—towithdrawAmerican

forcesandtoensureanon‐CommunistgovernmentinSaigon—itwarnedthatthe

latterobjective,whiledesirable,mustnotobscuretheimperativeofwithdrawal.

AndtheMilwaukeeJournalputthesamepointmorebrutallyonMarch4:“The

SouthVietnamesewillrelyonusaslongaswearethere.Theyhaveoneofthe

world’sbiggestarmies.Iftheycan’tstandontheirownfeetnowitistoolate.The

UnitedStatescannolongerstandtheinternalfrustrationsanddisruptionsthat

thebloody,tragicandimmoralwariscosting.”



TheseattitudesdidnottakelongtomakethemselvesfeltintheCongress.

BetweenthebeginningandtheendoftheLaotianoperationnofewerthanfive

Congressionalresolutionswereintroduced,aimedatlimitingPresidential

discretionintheconductofmilitaryoperations,prohibitingexpendituresfor

combatinCambodiaandLaos(whichallourstudieshadshownwerepivotalto

thewarinVietnam),orfixingadateforunconditionalwithdrawal.OnFebruary22

theSenateDemocraticPolicyCommitteeunanimouslydemandedthewithdrawal

ofallAmericanforces,includingairandsupporttroops,fromIndochinaby

December31,1972.OnFebruary25SenatorWalterMondale,alongwithSenator

WilliamSaxbeandsixteencosponsors,introducedlegislationtoprohibitAmerican

forcesfromsupportinganinvasionofNorthVietnamwithout“priorandexplicit”

Congressionalauthorization.Thesignificanceoftheamendmentwasnotthatit

constrainedanyAdministrationplan,butthatitsoughttolegislateimmunityfor

thecountrywhosearmiesweremarchingattheverymomentthroughevery

neighboringcountryandthustoremoveanyneedforittokeepdefensiveforces

athome.



AfterthewithdrawalfromLaos,bothmediaandCongressionalpressures

escalated.BetweenApril1andJuly1therewereseventeenHouseorSenate

votesseekingtorestrictthePresident’sauthoritytoconductthewarortofixa

dateforunilateralwithdrawal(makingatotaloftwenty‐twofortheyear).On

June22theSenateadopted,57‐42,SenatorMansfield’sSenseoftheSenate

resolutionthatdeclaredthat“itisthepolicyoftheU.S.toterminateatthe

earliestpracticabledateallmilitaryoperationsinIndochinaandtoprovideforthe

promptandearlywithdrawalofallU.S.forcesnotmorethanninemonthsafter

thebill’senactmentsubjecttothere leaseofAmericanPOWs.”ThoughSenseof

theSenateresolutionsarenotlegallybinding,theMansfieldresolutionillustrated

theVietnamtragedy:Theoppositionwasunwillingtoacceptultimate

responsibilityforitsviews,butitwouldmoveheavenandearthtokeepthe

Administrationfrompursuingacoherentstrategy.



Thepervasiveexhaustionreflecteditselfinevermoreexplicitassertions

thatnoconceivableobjectiveinVietnamcouldoutweighthedomesticrevulsion

againstthewar.Vietnamization,urgedtwoyearspreviouslyasameansofending

ourinvolvement,nowwasattackedasprolongingthewar.OnApril16,Life

magazinecriticizedtherefusaltosetawithdrawaldate:“Prolongedandopen‐

endedwithdrawalistoomuchlikeprolongedanopen‐endedwarfare…Acountry

thatfindsthewarintolerablewillfindsuchaprospectunacceptable.”TheNew

YorkTimesproclaimedonApril25:“Mr.Nixoncanbeassuredofbroadpublic

supportifhewillabandonthecrueldelusionofVietnamizatio n anddeclare

unequivocallyhisintentiontowithdrawallAmericanforcesfromVietnambyan

earlyfixeddate,contingentonagreementbytheothersidetoreleaseallUnited

StatesprisonersandtoguaranteethesafeexitofAmericantroops.”Inthemore

moderateformulations,unilateralwithdrawalwascoupledwithinjunctionsto 

PresidentThieutobroadenthebaseofhisgovernment,to“compromise”with

theCommunists—asifheweretheprincipalobstacleto accommodationandasif

anysuchnegotiatingpossibilitiesinfactexisted.“Saigon’schoice,”editor alized

theNewYorkTimesonApril6,“isbetweengoingonindefinitelywiththewaror

negotiatingacompromisesettlement.MovestobroadentheSaigonGovernment

andopenthisyear’selectionstotheCommunists,iftheyagreetoaceasefire,

wouldbeusefulste pstowardapoliticalsolution.”



FormerofficialsoftheJohnsonAdministration,havinghadnoplanforeven

alimitedwithdrawalwhentheywereinoffice,continuedtobeconvincedthatthe

promiseofatotal, unilateralwithdrawalwouldguaranteeanearlypeace.Clark

CliffordandAverellHarrimannevermissedanopportunitytopressthisview;

otherex‐officialsleddelegationstolobbytheCongressforafixeddeadline.Praise

forthecease‐fireinitiativeoftheyearbeforehadcompletelydisappearedamid

unrelentingcastigationoftheAdministrationfornotmakinganotherproposal,

whichallevidenceshowedhadnoattractionforHanoiwhatever.Bothpublicly

andsecretlyHanoineverdeviatedfromitsdemandthatthewarwouldnotend

untilwehadoverthrowntheSaigongovernment.Norwasiteverexplainedwhat

thepointwasincontinuingthewaronceafixeddeadline hadbeenestablished

andhowwecouldjustifyadditionalcasualtieswhenwehadalreadyannounced

theabandonmentoftheenterprise.InAprilandMayof1971thereweresix

weeksofdemonstrationsinWashington:ralliesbytheVietnamVeteransAgainst

thewar(includingcandlelightmarches,“guerrillatheater,”Congressional 

testimony,andsymbolicthrowingawayofmedals);distributionofantiwar

leafletsingovernmentbuildings;andamassiveMayDaycampaignofcivil

disobedience,disruption,andvandalismdesignedto“bringthegovernmenttoa

halt.”



Wearinesswasnotconfinedtothecritics.Nixonpersistedinhiscourseand

Iinmydefenseofit,notbecausewewantedtocontinuethewarbutbecausewe

couldnotagreethatweshouldoverthrowafriendlygovernment(putintooffice

byacouporganizedbyourpredecessors)andmockthesacrificeofmillionswho

hadreliedonus,asthepriceforgettingout.Andwedidnotknowhowtoexplain

toAmericanmother swhytheirsonsshouldbeatriskwhenadeadlinefor

unilateralwithdrawalhadalreadybeenes tablished.Nixonfounditdifficultto

articulatethisissueinagenero usmanner.Buthemadevalianteffortsinpress

conferencesandspeeches:“Theissueverysimplyisthis:shallweleaveVietnam

inawaythat—byourownactions—consciouslyturnsthecountryovertothe

Communists?OrshallweleaveinawaythatgivestheSouthVietnamesea

reasonablechancetosurviveasafreepeople?”



Thefactthatmostcriticswereboredwiththequestion—orridiculeditas

an“open‐ended”commitment—didnotmakeitanythelessvalidandcentral.

TheAmericathatwasthebulwarkoffreepeopleseverywherecouldnot,because

itwasweary,simplywalkawayfromasmallally,thecommitmentsofadecade,

45,000casualties,andtheanguishoftheirfamilieswhosesacrificeswouldbe

retroactivelyrenderedmeaningless.Andtheendresultmightwellbean

increasedriskofwar.ItoldapressbriefinginFebruary:



InSeptember,thesituationintheMiddleEasthungbyarazor’sedge.Ifanyofthechief

adversarieshadactedmoreprecipitouslytherewouldhavebeenanexplosion…weavoideda

MiddleEastwaralsobybeingbothfirmandrestrained.Neitherourfirmnessnorourrestraint

wouldhavemeantathinginSeptemberifwehadnotestablishedthedegreeofcredibilityby

ouractions[inSoutheastAsia]earlier.



Wecouldnotconvinceouroppositionathomethatitwasso.Nothing

Hanoididwasperceivedascynicalorbellicose. WhentheAdministrationput

forwardaproposition,thereseemedalmostavestedinterestinbelittlingitora

presumptionthatitwaseitherduplicitou sorinsignificant.EachployoftheNorth

Vietnamese,nomatterhowtransparent,wastreatedasanopeningthatan

Administrationbentonwarwasobtuselyignoring.Nixoncertainlydidnothelp

mattersbyinflatedclaimsandungenerouscomments.Butitisnotpossibleto

understandthetragedyofVietnamwithoutawillingnesstoadmitthatsomeof

thebestpeopleinourcountrythoughttheycouldservepeacebestby

discreditingtheirowngovernment.Isummarizedthis,ourdeepestproblem,ata

backgroundbriefingonApril8:



Irememberthreeyearsagoitusedtobeconsideredtheheightofenlightenmentto

believethatnegotiationswereausefulwayofendingthewar.



Today,itisconsideredbymanytheheightofobtusenesstobelievethatnegotiations

canstillbeameansofendingthewar.



ThereusedtobeatimewhenitwassaidthatweshouldsubstituteVietnamesefor

Americans.Nowthatisunderattack…



WebelievethatwehavetogivetheSouthVietnameseareasonablechancetostandon

theirownfeet,andthatwhatwouldhappentotheAmericanbodypoliticifanAmerican

President,aftersevenyearsofwarand40,000casualties,consciouslyturnedthecountryover

totheCommunists,wouldbesomethingfromwhichwewouldsufferformanyyears,evenif

thereisatemporaryfeelingofreliefintheimmediateaftermathofsuchasettlement.



IhadnotgivenuphopethatIcouldbridgesomewhatthechasmbetween

theAdministrationanditscritics.BetweenApril1,1970,andApril1,1971,

withoutpublicityImetwithgroupsofstudentsandyoungprotestorsnineteen

times,withacademiccriticsofthewartwenty‐ninetimes,andSenatorsandother

prominentcriticsthirtytimes—atotalofseventy‐eightoccasions,ormorethan

oneaweek.Manyofthemwereformeracademiccolleagues;somebecamenew

friends.



Duringthe1970CambodianoperationI hadbecomeacquaintedwitha

youngpacifistwhohadpledgedtofastuntiltheoperationwascalledofforhe

hadbeenableto puthiscasetothePresident.BrianMcDonnellandafriendsatin

LafayettePark,acrossPennsylvaniaAvenuefromtheWhiteHouse,foranhour

eachdaytodramatizetheirwillingnesstosacrifice toendthewar.EarlyinJune

1970,onamutualfriend’ ssuggestion,IcalledonMcDonnell,withoutWhite

Housepermission,atthesimpleresidenceinGeorgetownwherehewasstaying.I

wasmovedbyhissincerityevenwhileIdisagreedwithhisconclusions.Itoldhim

thathewassacrificinghimselfforapurposethatwasalreadyaccomplished.The

decisiontoleaveCambodiahadalreadybeenmade;Iassuredhimwewouldcarry

itout.Furthermore,hecouldhardlyexpecttoseethePresidentthroughmoral

blackmail;ifheendedhisfastIwoulddomybesttoarrangeameetingwiththe

President.Heendedhisfast.Wekepttothedeadlineforwithdrawal,butIcould

neversucceedinpersuadingNixontoreceivehim.



BrianandImetfrequentlyafterward,usuallyinmyoffice,alwayswithout

publicity.Oftenhebroughthisextraordinarywife,Alice,ayoungblackwoman

whodidsocialworkintheghettoofPhiladelphia.Monthslatershewasbrutally

murderedinarandomkillingintheghetto.Howcruelwasdestinytoinflict such

horrorontwogentlepeoplewhosepassionwastheabhorrenceofviolence!I

wentprivatelytoherfuneral.



Inearly1971Brianconceivedoneofthewildlyromanticideasthatproved

hisIrishancestry.HesuggestedthatImeetwithagroupofhisfriendswho,he

said,wouldwelcomeadiscussionwithmeonthewarandtheproblemsofour

society.IinvitedthemtotheWhiteHouse. Infact,thethreefriendswereanun

andtwoCatholiclaymenwhohadbeennamedasunindictedcoconspiratorsinan

allegedplottokidnapme.Whenthepresslaterlearnedofthemeetingthrough

oneofMcDonnell’sfriends,IwasadmonishedbytheSecretServiceandthe

AttorneyGeneral,whodemandedanexplanation.



ImetwithBrianandhisfriendsonaSaturdaymorninginMarchinthe

SituationRoomoftheWhiteHouse,andwestruggledtofashionatleasta

temporarybridgeacrossthemutualincomprehensionthatwasrendingour

society.Gently,theyexpressedtheirdeepandpassionateoppositiontothewar;

buttheyhadnoideahowtoendit.Theproblemforme,ontheotherhand,was

totranslateinchoateideas—howeverdeeplyheld—intoconcretepolicy.Ourswas

theperpetuallyinconclusive dialoguebetweenstatesmenandprophets,between

thosewhooperateintimeandthroughattainablestagesandthosewhoare

concernedwithtruthandtheeternal.



Ifounditeasiertorespectthesecommittedandconsistentpacifists,who

hatedallkilling,thanthosewhosemoralitywasselective,whocondemned

AmericanmilitaryactionsbutnotNorthVietnameseorIndianorSoviet.

McDonnellarguedthatbycontinuingthewarinVietnamweweredisintegrating

morally;weweredestroyingthechanceofanyhealingwithin oursociety.We

werecontributingtotheideathathuma nlifewascheapandirrelevant,that

poweralonewasdecisive.Ithoughttheoppositewastrue.Wecouldnot

establishourmoralpositionbysacrificingourfriends,therebyshakingthe

confidenceofallwhodependedonus.Inmyviewoursocietywassufferinga 

malaisethatwentfarbeyondVietnam.Afeelingofself‐pitywasrampant,anda

privategriefthathadbecomealmostliturgicalinnature.Attheendofthe

meetingItriedtoexpresstheinconclusiveness,frustration,andanguishofthe

dialogue:“somebody,andIdon’tknowwho,hasgottobuildabridgebetween

thosewhocareandthosewhodo.Iadmitthatfour‐fifthsofthebridgehastobe

builtbythegovernment,bythoseinpowerandthosewhocando.Buttheother

fifthmustcomefromyouandIdon’tevenknowhowtotellyoutotrytodoit.”

Withdeepforeboding,butalso aprayerfulsenseof thelong‐termnational

interest,theUnitedStatesgovernmenthadconcludedthatthesecurityoffree

peopleseverywherewouldbejeopardizedbyanessentiallynarcissisticactof

abdication.WecouldnotsimplyturntensofmillionsinSoutheastAsiaovertoa

Communistruleweknewwouldberepre ssiveandbrutal.Wewouldsettlefor

minimumterms.Butwewouldnotdishonorourcountrybyjoiningouradversary

againstourfriends.AndifwewouldnotacceptHanoi’sterms,onlytwo

possibilitiesexisted:eitherwewouldnegotiateacompromisecompatiblewith

ourvalues,orelsetherewouldbeanothermilitarytestin1972.



<<Contents>>



****



TheNegotiationsAreResumed



T

herewasnogoaltowhichIwasmorepassionatelycommitte dthanto restore

theunityandcohesionofmyadoptedcountrybyendingitsagonyinVietnam

throughnegotiation.Nixonacquiescedsomewhatgrudgingly;asIhaveexplained,

hewasalwaysmoreskepticalthanIthatanynegotiationwouldsucceeduntil

therehadbeenamilitaryshowdown.Heturnedouttoberight.AfterLaos,we

firstassessedthemilitaryprospectsfor1972,and,second,consideredhowwe

couldvaryournegotiatingtermstoencourageflexibilityfromHanoi.



ThemilitaryconclusionsofmysystemsanalysisstaffunderWayneSmith

provedremarkablyprescient.TheyconsideredthattheLaotianincursionhad

gainedusayear.TheypredictedthatasaresultoftheCambodianandLaotian

operationstheNorthVietnamesewouldretainthecapacityforamajoroffensive

onlyintheNorthernpartofSouthVietnamacrosstheDMZinMilitaryRegion1

and,toalesserextent,theCentralHighlandsofMilitaryRegion2.Becauseofthe

CambodianincursionHanoi’soffensiveoperationsinMilitaryRegion3wouldbe

deprivedofguerrillasupport;conventionalattackscouldnotbesustainedthere

foralongperiod.Therewasnomain‐forceoffensivethreatto MilitaryRegion4at

all.BecausetheLaosoperationhaddisruptedHanoi’slogisticssystem,an

offensivewasunlikelybeforethesecondhalfofthedryseason,probablynot

beforeearlyMarch1972.(Theestimatewasoffbyonlythreeweeks;the

offensive,infact,startedattheendofMarch.)ThequestionwaswhetherHanoi

hadmadethesamecalculationsand,ifso,whetheritwouldgambleonthe

outcomeofanoffensivein1972orattemptaseriousnegotiationin1971.



Withthesequestionsinmind,IwentbacktoParisforanotherroundof

secrettalks.WhiletheLaosoperationsweretakingplace,negotiationsinevitably

hadlanguished.Inmid‐April1971XuanThuyataplenarysessionchallengedthe

UnitedStatestosetawithdrawaldate;inreturnHanoiwouldguaranteethe

securityofourretreatand“discuss”prisonersofwar.Wedidnottakeupthese

schemesattheplenarymeetingsbecausewehadheardthemtheyearbeforeand

becauseaseparateUS‐Hanoicease‐firewasunthinkable.Hanoi’sconceptionofa

deadlinewasunchanged;onceafixeddatewasacceptedtheclockwouldthen

begintorunregardlessofwhatelsehappened.Wealso knewthatifHanoihad

anythingnewandsignificanttosay,itwouldsaveitformynext secretmeeting.

OnApril24GeneralWalterscontactedtheNorthVietnameseinParis,proposing

May16asthedateforarenewalofdiscussions“onthebasisofnewapproaches.”

WithitscharacteristicgenerosityofspiritHanoiwaiteduntilMay14toreply.It

wasnothardtoimaginewhatourcriticswouldhavesaidiftheroleshadbeen

reversedandwehadletHanoiwaitforthreeweeksbeforereplying,andthenhad

donesoonlyforty‐eighthoursbeforethesuggesteddate.Hanoiaccepted,but

offeredMay30instead.WecounteredwithMay31,partlysoasnottoaccept

Hanoi’sdate,butalsoforlogisticandsecurityreasons.(Itwasthelastdayofa

longweekend;myabsencewouldthereforenotbenoted.)



BeforethemeetingIsubmitted toNixonanewseven‐pointpeaceprogram

Iproposedtotable.Thoughbasicallyskeptical,andafraidthatHanoiwouldtryto

stringusalong,Nixonauthorizedourproposaltobeputforwardasa“finaloffer.”

Itwas,infact,themostsweepingplanwehadyetoffered,workedoutbyme,

LordandSmyserofmystaff,clearedbyBunker,andapprovedbyThieu.Itsought

tobringournegotiatingproposalsintolinewithouractions.



Theseven‐pointplanrecogniz edthatsincewewerewithdrawingmostof

ourforcesunilaterallywecouldnotusethemtobargainfortotalHanoi

withdrawal.Wewouldtrytouseourresidualforceasabargainingcounterwhile

recognizingthatthemountingCongressionalpressuresfordeadlines—reflectedin

theever‐increasingvotesfortheMcGovern‐Hatfieldtypeofamendment—would

soonerorlatermakeirrelevanteventhispotentialconcession.Weoffered,asour

firstpoint,tosetadatefortotalwithdrawal.Wegaveupthedemandformutual

withdrawal,providedHanoiagreedtoendalladditionalinfiltration intothe

countriesofIndochina.Theproposalso ughttogetusoffthetreadmillof

demandingmutualwithdrawalwhileweinfactcarriedoursoutunilaterally;we

would,ineffect,tradeourresidualforceforanendofinfiltration.Theoretically,

NorthVietnameseforceswouldwitherawayiftheycouldnotbereinforced.To

besure,theymightviolatetheprohibitionagainstreinforcement(ourpoint4);

butinthatcasetheywouldignoreaprovisionforwithdrawalaswell,asinfact

theyhaddoneinLaosadecadeearlierandweretodoinLaosandCambodiaa

fewyearslater.Whatevertheagreement, itwoulddependonourwillingnessto

enforceit.Weproposed,asourthirdpoint,acease‐fireinplacethroughout

Indochinatobecome effectiveatthetimewhenUSwithdrawalsbegan,basedon

afinalagreedtimetableunderinternationalsupervision(point5).Oursixthpoint

calledforguaranteesfortheindependence,neutrality,andterritorialintegrityof

LaosandCambodia,withbothsidesrenewingtheirpledgetorespectthe1954

and1962GenevaAccords.Werepeatedourproposalfortheimme diate release

bybothsidesofallprisonersofwarandinnocentciviliansonhumanitarian

groundsandasanintegralpartoftheUSwithdrawaltimetable(point7).The

politicalfutureofSouthVietnamwastobelefttotheSouthVietnamesetosettle

(point2).Ourunilat eralwithdrawal,needlesstosay,wascontingenton

agreementonallotherissues.Thedeadlinewouldstartrunningonlyafteran

agreementwasreached.Thetextofthepro posalisgiveninthenotes.



TheproposalmarkedaturningpointinourdiplomacyinVietnam.Indeed,

initsessenceitwasacceptedsixteenmonthslaterbyHanoi.Itisolatedthe

militaryissuesforaseparatesolution:USwithdrawal,cease‐fire,returnofPOWs.

ThiswastheapproachIhadrecommendedinmyForeignAffairsarticlewrittenin

1968,beforemyappointmentassecurityadviser.ItsacceptancebyThieuin1971,

whenhewashard‐pressed,misledusintobelievingthathewouldstillwelcomeit

in1972whenhethoughthewaswinning.



TheMay11meetingtookplaceinthedingylivingroomonRueDarthé.

OnceagaintheAmericanandVietnamesedelegationsfacedeachotheracrossa

narrowstripofcarpetandachasmofmisperception.Itwastoturnintothefirst

realnegotiationwiththeNorthVietnamese.Itlastedthreemonthsandfailed

becauseintheendHanoicontinuedtoinsistthatwedismantleourallyand

establishaCommunist‐controlledgovernmentbeforeitwouldagreetoacease‐

fireandthereturnofourprisoners.



XuanThuywastoosubtlenottorecognizeimmediatelythatwehadmade

amajorchangeonthemilitaryissues,thoughhepretendedtohavedifficulty

understandingit.Hestillarguedthatthe“correctandlogical”solutionwasforus

tosetadeadlineforunilateralwithdrawalunrelatedtoanyotheraspectofthe

negotiation.HerefusedtomovefromthepositionthatHanoiwouldonly

“discuss,”notguarantee,thereleaseofourprisonersevenifwesetawithdrawal

date;clearly,theprisonersweretobeusedasalevertogetustooverthrowthe

Saigongovernment.Norcouldherefrainfromlecturingmeonourprecarious

domesticsituation,leadingtoasharpexchange:



Kissinger:We’lltakecareofourpublicopinionandyouofyours.



XuanThuy:Sinceyourpublicopinionspeaksonthesituation,thereforewemustgivean

interpretation.



Kissinger:Iwon’tlistentoitatthesemeetings.

