Kissinger Henry. White House Years

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verycloseintheiraffirmationoftheindependence,neutrality,andterritorial

integrityofCambodiaandLaosonthebasisoftheGenevaagreementsof1954

and1962.Butwheneverweapproachedthepointofputtingtheseissuesasideas

settled,LeDucThowouldunnervinglypointoutthatHanoiwasalreadylivingup

totheGenevaAccords(atatimewhenseveralhundredthousandNorth

Vietnamesetroopswereroamingaroundthesecountries).WhenIquestioned

this,LeDucThowouldexplaincoollythattherewereVietnameseinmany

countriesoftheworld;orifhewantedtobemoreformalistic,hewouldargue

thattheNorthVietnameseweretheretoprotecttheneutralityofLaosand

Cambodia.AndtheNorthVietnamesewerevagueaboutthedeadlinefor

withdrawal,whetheritfollowedanagreementorwastorunindependentlyofthe

restofthenegotiation,asMadameBinhhadit.



ButwithallthesequalificationstheJuly12meetingdidturnintoareal

negotiatingsession.Wetooktheindividualpointsofbothdocuments,laying

themsidebyside.Itwasapparentthatagreementwaswithinreachonmostof

thepoints(theprincipleoftotalUSwithdrawal,releaseofPOWs,reaffirmationof

theGenevaagreementsof1954and1962,internationallysupervisedcease‐fireat

theend).Thereweretwobasicdisputes:thedemandforreparations,andHanoi’s

insistencethatweoverthrowtheSaigongovernment. Inspiteofmyprevious

rejectionofit,thereparationsquestionwasnotbeyondcompromise:Itwas

primarilyamatterofform,notsubstance.Wehadsaidrepeatedlyintheprivate

talks,andNixonhadstatedpublicly(ashadPresidentJohnsonbeforehim),that

wewouldcontributegenerouslytotheeconomicrehabilitationofallof

Indochina,includingNorthVietnam,afterthewar.Butwewoulddoitofourown

accord,notasanactofpenance.



Inevitably,itwasthepoliticalissuethatturnedintotheboneofcontention.

LeDucThorepeated:“ItellyouinaseriouswaythatyouhavetoreplaceThieu…

Youhavemanymeans[todothis].”Forone,herepeated,theforthcoming

presidentialelectionpresenteduswithaperfectopportunity.Thoughphrasedin

termsofasingleindividual,itsoontranspiredthatthedemandincludedeveryone

notconsidered“peaceful”byHanoi.AndsinceHanoiproposedtofightuntilit

achievedwhatitwanted,anyoneopposingitwascausingwar,hencewasnot

peaceful,thereforehadtobereplaced.Witheverymajornon‐Co mmunist

politicalfigurethusdisposedof,LeDucThoandXuanThuytookturnsinseeking

tocajolemeintoacceptingtheirproposal. Ifthisweredone,wewouldhavemade

a“bigstepforward”and“favorableconditionswillbecreatedforasettlement.”

(Hanoicarriedcautiontothepointofparanoia.Itdidnotbelieveinmaking

unconditionalpromises.EvenifweaccepteditsdemandtooverthrowThieu, that

wouldmerelycreate“favorableconditions”;Hanoileftitselfrunningroomtoput

forwardadditionaldemands.)



LeDucThodisposeddefinitivelyoftheargumentofourcriticsthatwe

couldsettleonlythemilitaryissuesandgetout.Thedourandheroicmenfrom

Hanoihadnotspenttheirlivesfightingjustforthechancetostopfighting.AsLe

DucThotoldmeonJune26:“Thereisnowarwithoutpoliticalgoals.Military

operationsaimtoachievepoliticalgoals.Militarymeansareonlytheinstruments

toreachpoliticalends.”ClausewitzwasaliveandwellandlivinginNorthVietnam.



Forsomeweeks,mycolleaguesandIwereintoxicatedbyhavingsettledin

effectsevenoftheninepoints;onehopedthatLeDucTho’simpassionedpleasto

dismantletheSaigongovernmentwerealast‐ditchefforttoprovetohis

colleaguesinHanoithatwehadreachedthelimitofourconcessionsandthat

theyhadbettersettlenowforwhatwasattainable.Nodoubtheassessedour

conductthesameway.Hemusthavethoughtitworthhiswhiletopersistinthe

negotiationswithuncharacteristicflexibilitytoseewhetherwithallotherissues

“solved”wewouldthenthrowthenon‐CommunistSouthVietnamesetothe

wolves.



Thetalkshadlastedfourandahalfhours.Wesetanewdatefora meeting

twoweekslater,onJuly26,indicatingthatwewouldinthemeantimereview

eachother’spositions.IreturnedtotheAmbassador’sResidencebyreversingthe

Waltersprocedures.Around7:00p.m.DavidBruceandIemergedatthefront

dooroftheResidencetoannouncetothewaitingmediathatwehadcompleted

ourreviewofthenegotiations.



BeforetheJuly26meetingIsubmittedamemorandumtoNixonindicating

thatwehadnarroweddifferencestooneissue—thepoliticalarrangementsin

Saigon:



Itisobviousthatwecannotdotheirpoliticalworkforthem.Forallhisfaults,Thieuhas

beenaloyalally.Moreover,therecentpublicationofthePentagonpaperswiththeir

revelationsaboutAmericancomplicityinthecoupagainstDiemwouldmakeourinvolvement

inThieu’sremovalevenmoreunpalatable.Lastbutnotleast,Iamnotevensurewecould

removeThieuifwewantedto,unlesswewerepreparedtoengageinamajorconfrontation

whoseonlycertainresultwouldbethedestructionofSouthVietnam’spoliticalfabricand

everybody’sself‐respect.



Ireaffirmed,andNixonagreed,thatwecouldnotmakepeaceattheprice

ofoverturningtheSouthVietnamesegovernment.If,however,Hanoiwantedto

negotiateagenuinelyopenpoliticalprocess,wecouldmakethefollowing

proposals:acompletewithdrawalofourforces;theclosingofourbases;and

guaranteedneutralityforSouthVietnam.Icontinuedtothinkthattherewasa

goodchancethatLeDucThowoulddrophispolit icaldemands.



Iwaswrong.AtthemeetingonJuly26wemadefurtherprogressin

meshingtheformulationsonallpointssavethepoliticalone.Butitwasbecoming

increasinglyclearthattheseconcessionswereonlycome‐onstoinduceusto

overthrowThieu.Evenintheissuesonwhichweseemedtobemakingprogress

thewilyVietnamesehadleftthemselvesinnumerableloopholes.NoMartian

observingthenegotiationcouldhaveconcludedthatthemenfromHanoiwere

representinganunderdevelopedcountry.Theyweresinuous,disciplined,

superblyskillfulinnuancesofformulation,endlesslypatient.Theyhadearned

theirplaceattheconferencetablebyruthlessstruggle;theywouldnotgiveupits

fruitsforbourgeoisnotionsofcompromise,sentimentalinvocationsofgoodwill,

orliberalideasoffreeelections.Unfortunately,onlyinepicpoemsareheroes

humanlyattractive.Inreallifetheirdedicationmakesthemunrelenting;their

couragemakesthemoverbearing;theyareoutofscaleandthereforenot

amenabletoordinarymortalintercourse.Itwasourmisfortunetostandinthe

wayofHanoi’sobsessivedriveforhegemonyinIndochina.Theyfoughtusas

strenuouslyandablyastheycontemptuouslyusedthesentimental

misconceptionsofsomanyoftheirsupporters,ourcritics.



IputforwardthevariousproposalsIhadgoneoverwithNixon.LeDucTho

andXuanThuyhadnointerestinanAmericanpledgeofneutralityorinafree

politicalprocessthattheydisdained.They wouldnothearofagreedlimitson

militaryaidbytheUnitedStates;theywantedtocutoffSaigonfromanymilitary

supplies.Forthethirdstraightmeetingtheyzeroedinonthethemethathaving

puthiminofficewehad“thecapability”toreplacethe“warlikeandfascist”

NguyenVanThieu.ThistimeXuanThuyofferedusasecretunderstandingonthe

removalofThieu:“wedonotaskyoutomakeapublicstatement.Youshoulddo

thatsecretly.”WhenIsuggestedthatitwouldbecomeobvious,Thuypersisted:

“Thisunderstandingisbetweenusonly.Itisnotdivulged.”Atanearlierpointin

themeeting,hemadeclearthatamerechangeofpersonalitieswouldbe

insufficient:“Ifyouchangetheperson,”hesaid,“andnotchangethepolicy…

thereisnochangeatall.”HanoiwanteddominationofSaigon,notcompromise.

LeDucThowaseagertobehelpful.Heevenofferedmethebenefitofhis

professionaladviceasarevolutionary.Duringabreakhetookmeasideand

suggestedthatifwedidnotknow howtoreplaceThieubymeansofthe

presidentialelection,assassinationwoulddoadmirably.Thevehemenceofmy

refusalproducedoneofthefewoccasionswhenIsawLeDucThotemporarily

flustered.HeobviouslyhadtroubleunderstandingwhatIwasgettingsoexcited

about.Buthesoonregainedhisaplomb. AswereturnedtothetableIsummed

up,almostplaintively,myproblemwithHanoi’spolitical“solution”:



Wehaveofferedtodoanumberofthingswhichwouldmakeiteasierfortheforcesyou

supporttoparticipateinapoliticalprocessandtoaffectthepoliticalfuture.Wehaveexpressed

ourwillingnesstoacceptneutralityforSouthVietnam,toannounceourwithdrawalsfrom

SouthVietnam,toacceptlimitationsonmilitaryaidforSouthVietnam,todeclarepubliclywe

arenotsupportinganyparticularforceinSouthVietnam,andtocarrythisoutstrictly.Weare

willingtolistentootherproposalsalongthisline.



Whatwecannotdoiswhatyouask,tomakeasecretagreementtoreplacetheleader

ofacountrywhichisstillanally;whichwouldthenleadtoendlessdebate,moreover,asto

whatexactlyapeacefuladministrationis,inwhichyouhaveavetobecauseyouaretheonly

onewhoknowswhatismeantbypeaceful…



Wewanttoendthewar.WedonotwanttostandinthewayofthepeopleofSouth

Vietnam.WearenotpermanentenemiesofVietnam.Butyoumustnotexpectustodo

impossiblethings.



SotheissuewasleftatthemeetingofJuly26.Theprizeofpeacewasasfar

awayasever.



<<Contents>>



****



TheSouthVietnamesePresidentialElection



nthemeantimeattentionwasincreasinglyfocusedonthepresidentialelection

scheduledforOctobe r3inSouthVietnam.Hanoihadalreadyshownthatitwas

alivetothepretextthevotingofferedforremovingThieu.IntheUnitedStates,

thereweremanysincereandconcernedindividualswhothoughtthatafair

democraticprocessinSouthVietnamwouldunlockthedoortonegotiations.Why

thisshouldbesowasneverexplained.Theso‐calledDemocraticRepublicof

Vietnampermittednoalternativepoliticalparties ,hadneverheldanelection,and

ridiculedthenotionoffreechoice.Withtheself‐assuranceofexpertswhoknew

whereoftheyspoke,XuanThuyandLeDucThoneverceased explainingtome

thattheconceptofafreeelectionwasmeaningless:whoevercontrolledthe

governmentwouldwin.IntermsofVietnamesehistorytheyweresubstantially

right.Liberaldemocracyhasflourishedinessentiallyhomogeneoussocieties

whereminoritiesaccepttheelectoralverdictinthehopeofonedaybecoming

themajority.Butthisdevelopmenthasbeentheproductofcenturies.Eveninthe

UnitedStatesdemocraticlibertiestookoveracenturytoreachthestageof

universaladultsuffrage.InVietnamwewereseekingtoforcethedevelopingofa

democratictraditionto itsculminationinamatterofmonths,amongapeople

whohadbeenkillingeachotherinacivilwarfortwodecades,incircumstances

wherelossofpoliticalpowermeantnotonlygivingupofficebutriskingone’slife.



Yetwithallthesehandicapsgreatprogresshadbeenmade.Whereas

Britain,inmuchlesscomplexcircumstances,hadpostponedelectionsforthe

durationofWorldWarII,severalelectionshadbeenheldinSouthVietnamwith

severalhundredthousandNorthVietnamesetroopsinthecountry.InAugust

1970,inelectionsfortheupperhouseofthenationalAssembly,sixteenslates

competedandoppositionBuddhistswonthemostvotes.InAugust1971,in

electionsforthelowerhouse,1,200candidatesrepresentingtwelvemajor

politicalpartiesandgroupscontendedforthe159seatsand,again,opposition

Buddhistswonthemostseats.Electionsforlocalchiefsandcouncilshadbeen

heldinover95percentofthecountr y’svillages;provincechiefsandmayorswere

tobechosenbyvoteinNovember1971.[

Innationwide“elections”forNorthVietnam’s

nationalAssemblyinApril1971,99.88percentofeligiblevoterscasttheirballotsandthe

Politburoleadersaveragedover99percentapproval.Therewasnooppositionslate.South

Vietnamwasmuchlessefficientandruthless.

]



TheconstitutionoftheRepublicofVietnam,promulgatedinApril1967and

draftedwithAmericanadviceandassistance,bestoweduponSouthVietnamthe

blessingofafour‐yearpresidentialterm.Inthefirstpresidentialelection,on

September3,1967,NguyenVanThieuwonwith35percentofthevote.The

secondpresidentialelectionwasscheduledforSunday,October3,1971.Thus,at

acrucialpointinthehistoryofAmerica’sinvolvementinVietnam,anevent

imposedonVietnamessentiallybyAmericanchoiceturnedintoanewsourceof

turmoilanduncertainty.



TheStateDepartmenthadbeenindefatigableinurgingThieutomakenew

politicalofferstotheCommunists;manyofitsexpertsfavoredacoalition

government.(Ihaveneverunderstoodthededicationtothisdevice,whichour

bureaucracytendstosurfaceasitspatentremedyforcivilstrife.IntheUnited

States,ahomogeneoussociety,theappointmentofanymemberofthe

oppositionpartytoaCabinetisconsideredasnewsworthyasitisextremelyrare.

Theideathatacivilwarcanbeendedbyjoiningthepeoplewhohavebeenkilling

eachotherinonegovernmentisanabsurdity.Gene rally,acoalitiongovernment

isagimmickoranexcuse,notasolution.Itworksbestwhereitisleastneeded.)

NowtheDepartmentthrewallitsenthusiasmbehindfreeelectionsforthe

presidency.OnMay19theStateDepartmentissuedelaborateinstructionsto

AmericanpersonnelinVietnamtobeneutral“inword,deedoracts.”American

aidwouldcontinueduringtheelection,butitshouldbe“carefullyadministered

soitwillnotbemisconstruedasU.S.Governmentsupportfor,oroppositionto,

anyindividualbidforelectiontooffice.”Manyinthebureaucracywerehoping

thatThieuwouldbedefeate dbyacandidatepreparedtoacceptacoalition

government.Ihopedthatademocraticelectionwouldincreasesupportforan

ally.



Thepremiseofneutralitymadesenseonlyiftherewasarealpolitical

contestwithatleasttwoauthenticcandidates.Wethuswoundupinthecurious

positionofsearchingforopponentstoaPresidentwhowasconductingawaras

ourally.ThetwomostlikelyprospectswereVicePresidentNguyenCaoKyand

GeneralDuongVanMinh.Lessthanayearbefore,Kyhadbeenconsideredso

unpalatabletoAmericancriticsthatwehaddiscoura gedavisittoWashington.

Butnow.Therewasagreatefforttokeephiminplayasacandidate.WhenMinh

headedthejuntathatoverthrewPresidentDiem,oneofthegrievanceshadbeen

thatDiemandhisbrotherNhuwereplottingacoalitiongovernment.Minhnow

becamethehopeofmanycriticsbecausehisopaquecommentslentthemselves

totheinterpretationthathewouldacceptCommunistsintohisadministration.

HewasclearlythepreferenceofHanoi;XuanThuyimpliedononeoccasionthat

hemightbeacceptableasareplacementforThieu.(Asusual,XuanThuywas

vague.Hemadenounambiguouscommitmentifweweretogoalongwithhis

proposal.)ButifXuanThuy’sDelphicutterancesmeantwhattheyimplied,the

reasonwassurelythatallVietnamesewhoknewMinhwereagreedononepoint:

Minhwasthemostincompetentandlackadaisicaloftheprincipalfigures.[

John

NegroponteofmystaffpointedoutperceptivelythatMinhasPresidentwouldhavegreat

difficultyinmakingmovesofaccommodationtotheenemybecausehewasnottrustedbythe

NorthernCatholicsandseniormilitaryofficers;the“hard‐line”Thieu,ontheotherhand,would

probablybeabletomakesuchmoveswithoutlosingtheconfidenceofthoseconservative

elements.

]IfHanoiacceptedhim—whichwasunclear—itwouldbebecausehewas

theeasiestofallcandidatestooverthrowshouldhebecomePresident.(Minh

finallybec amePresidenttwodaysbefor etheCommunisttakeoverofSaigonin

1975.HewasledoutofthePresidentialPalacebytwoNorthVietnamesesoldiers

andhasnotbeenseensince.Somuchforcoalitiongovernment.)



Andthen,ofcourse,therewasNguyenVanThieu.Hehadnotbecome

Presidentbyaccident.Hewasunquestionablythemostformidableofthemilitary

leadersofSouthVietnam,probablytheablestofallpoliticalpersonalities.Like

mostmenwhoreachhighoffic e,herepresentedanamalgamofpersonal

ambitionandhighmotive.Thosewhodonotfindtheexerciseofpoweratonic

rarelyaspiretoexerciseitandalmostnevergainit.Equally,thosewithoutstrong

valuescannotwithstandtheambiguities,pressures,andanguishthatare

inseparablefromgreatresponsibility.Thieuclearlyenjoyedhisoffice;inthis

attributehewashardlyaloneamongchiefexecutivesIhaveknown.Buthewas

alsoamanofprinciple;stronglyanti‐Communist,deeplyreligiousandpatriotic,

highlyintelligent,defendinghiscompatriotswithgreatcourageagainstan

onslaughtfromwithinandwithoutSouthVietnam.Hedidnotdeservethe

obloquythatthosewhosoughtexcusesforourabdicationinsistedonvisitingon

him.Heinheritedaciviladministrationtornapartbytherecklesscoupagainst

Diem,aguerrillaarmythreateningtooverwhelmhiscountrythroughsystematic

terror,andaninvasionalongatracklessborderof600miles.Hewassaddledwith

anallywhofirstfloodedhiscountrywithhundredsofthousandsoftroopsand

trainedhisarmyforawarnotrelevanttoSoutheastAsia;andthen,while

withdrawingatanacceleratingrate,urgedonhimescalatingconcessionstoan

implacableenemy.Heknewhecouldnotpossiblyhandleallthesethings

simultaneouslywithouthisgovernment’scollapsing.Buthedidasmanyashe

thoughtfeasible,andmorethanmanywouldhavethoughtpossible,includinga

majorlandreform.Itwasnothisfaultthatourdomesticcriticsprovedinsatiable

andthattomanyhebecameaconvenientscapegoat.Hewasnotanobstacleto

negotiationsuntiltheend,and—asIshallexplain—he wasinaterrible

predicamenteventhen.HewaskeptfullyinformedofmytalkswithLeDucTho,

approvingeveryproposalandbeinggivena summaryofeachsessionthrough

Bunker,withwhomwecommunicatedbyaninfantilecode.Periodically,Haig

wouldvisitSaigontomakeasurveyandtobringThieuuptodate.Thoughhe

musthavehadserio usmisgivings,Thieuconductedhimselftowardus—that

evisceratingally—withoutwhining,withaloofdignitynotuntingedwith

contempt.(IpayThieuthistribute,whichishisdue,notwithstandinghis

venomoushatredforthemannerinwhichInegotia tedthefinalsettlement.)



ThieuwasconvincedthatSouthVietnamcouldnotaffordaprotracted

periodofambiguousauthorityinthemiddleofabitterwar.Hisarmyhadjust

sufferedseverecasualtiesinLaos.Hisallyhadaccelerateditswithdrawals.He

knewIwasnegotiatingwithHanoi.Andwhilehewasfamiliarwiththemain

outlinesofourproposal,andhadindeedapprovedthem,heunderstood that

HanoiwouldbeinsistinginallourmeetingsinParisonhisoverthrow.Hismorbid

suspiciousness—aquintessentialVietnamesetrait—nodoubtledhimtofearthat

theoffermightprovetempting.Norwashereadytostepdown.Reminded

repeatedlyafter1967thathehadwonwithonlya35percentmargin,hewas

determinedthistimetosecureabiggermandate.Hethereforeusedthe

perquisitesofincumbencywithoutexcessivedelicacy.



Hisopponents,inturn,hadnointerestinpartic ipatinginanelectionthey

werecertaintoloseevenifitwereconductedfairly.Minheasilycollectedthe

signaturesrequiredtoqualifyfortheracebutwasuncertainaboutrunning.Ky,

whowantedtorun,haddifficultyaccumulatingsignaturesbecauseofThieu’s

heavy‐handedtactics.TheSupremeCourtofSouthVietnamreinstatedKyinthe

race,butbythenbothheandMinhhadchosentowithdraw.AmbassadorBunker

triedinvaintopersuadebothtorun.ButtheywantedineffectthesameasLe

DucTho:anAmericanguaranteeoftheirsuccess.WithKyandMinhunwillingto

run,theelectionwasthenturnedintoareferendum:votersweregiventhe

optionsofvotingforThieu,defacingtheirballots,orboycott ingtheelection.

Eighty‐sevenpercentofeligiblevotersparticipatedintheelection,andThieu

received94percentoftheballotscast.



Asthecampaignprogressed,IthoughtthatThieuwasactingunwiselyin

usinghisincumbencytodiscouragerivalcandidacies.Onmyvisitto SaigoninJuly

IostentatiouslycalledonKy,Minh,andtheleaderoftheBuddhistoppositionto

emphasizeourinterestinacontestedelection.InAugustIsentseveral

backchannelmessagestoEllsworthBunker,reinforcingtheformalinstructionsof

theStateDepartment,toexplorethepossibilityoffindingotheropposition

candidatesorfixinganewdateforanelectionforwhichtheycouldqualify.I

cabledBunkerthatThieushouldnotdoubtthedepthofthepublicreactionin

Americatohishigh‐handedmethods.ButneitherNixonnorIwaspreparedto

tossThieutothewolves;indeed,shortofcuttingoffallmilitaryandeconomicaid

andthusdoingHanoi’sworkforittherewasnopracticalwaytodoso.We

consideredsupportforthepoliticalstructureinSaigonnotafavordonetoThieu

butanimperativeofournationalinterest.Weweatheredthestorm.Itwouldbe

preposteroustomaintainthatHanoilamentedtheabsenceofafairelectionin

Saigon.Whatbothereditwasourrefusaltousetheelectionasapretextto

decapitatetheleadershipofthenon‐CommunistpoliticalstructureinSouth

Vietnam.



ImetagainwiththeNorthVietnameseonAugust16.LeDucThowasin

Hanoi,whichguaranteedthatnobreakthroughwaspossible.Iopenedthe

meetingbygivingXuanThuysomeunclassifiedtechnicalmate rialaboutthe

ApollomoonshotssinceLeDucThohadaskedaboutthemattheprevious

session.XuanThuycouldnotresistawisecrackthatalthoughwehadsentmento

themoon,Ihadbeenahalfhourlatetothemeeting.(Thiswasduetoaprivate

sessionIhadhadwiththeChineseAmbassadortoParis,HuangChen.)Butwhen

wegotdowntobusiness,itbecameevidentthatthisseriesoftalkshad

deadlocked.Bothsidesknewthatthemilitaryissueswerecapableoffairlyrapid

resolution.Eachregularlymademinoradjustmentsinitspositiontobringthe

formulationsonthoseissuesevenclosertogether,andtotantalizetheotherside

intoconcessionsontheintractablepoliticalproblem.Wemodifiedouroriginal

proposalthatallourprisonersbereleasedtwomonthsbeforeourfinal

withdrawal;weagreedthatitcouldbesimultaneous.WegaveXuanThuyarough

estimateofeconomicassistancetoallofIndochinaafterthewar,thoughnotas

partoftheagreementorasreparations.Hanoiagreedthatallourprisoners

throughoutIndochinawouldbereleasedandnotonlythoseheldbythe

Vietnamese,ashadbeentheiroriginalposition.



Butnothingcouldobscureourmutualincapacitytosettlethepolitical

issue.WewouldnotmakepeaceonHanoi’stermsofoverthrowinganallied

government.Andforourprincipleswewerewillingtobravedomesticturmoil—

focusedirrelevantlyontheessentiallysettledscheduleforourunilateral

withdrawal.AttheendofoneparticularlybitterexchangeIsummedupthe

impasse,notwithoutsomebarbsatXuanThuy’ssubordinatestatus,andwitha

bravadothattime(contrarytomuchoftheevidence)wasonourside:



NowMr.Minister,Iknowyouhaveyourinstructions.AndIknowyouarenotauthorized

tobeconvincedbyme.Andyouwillmakeareplythateverythingthathappensisourfault.Itis

apity…Thetragedyisthatifwecontinuethewar,thenayearfromnowwewillbeataboutthe

samepoint,andonedaywewillarriveatanagreementmoreorlessonthetermsweare

discussingnow.Wehavetoldyouthatwewillnotstandinyourwayifyoucanwinthepolitical

contest.Soonerorlaterthisiswhatyouhavetodoanyway.Butitisobviousfromwhatyou

havesaidthatyouarenotnowdisposedtodothis.Ihaveenoughexperiencetoknowthat

nothingIcansaycanchangeyourconviction,andevenmore,yourinstructions…Theonlything

thatremainsformetosayistoexpressthehopethatsomedayHanoiwillapproachuswithan

attitudethatwewillmakepeace.IfthereisthatattitudeIknowtheMinisterandIcanfind

formulastomakepeace.Untilthen,untilwecanfindthatattitude,wewillstayasweare.



Andthisiswhathappened.Fourteenmonthslaterweweretomeetand

settleessentia llyonthetermsIhadpresentedinthe1971talks.



ForsomereasonXuanThuyinsistedonanothersessionaboutamonth

later.HiseagernessgaveusanotherflickerofhopethatmaybetheHanoi

Politburowasusingthetimetoreviewitsposition.ThoughNixonwaseagerto

breakofftheincreasinglysterilecontacts,Ijustmanagedtopersuadehimthatto 

meetwouldimproveournegotiatingrecord,thatitgaveHanoionemore

opportunitytomodifyitsposition,andthatwehad“nothing tolose,exceptmy

36hoursofinconvenience.”Wewouldachievenothingbybreakingoffnow,and

Hanoiwasnotkeepingusfromanythingwewantedtodo.Sowemetagainin

ParisonSeptember13.TheabsenceofLeDucThocouldleavenofurtherdoubt

thatwehadrunoutthestringonthisseriesofmeetings.XuanThuymadeno

efforttosayanythingnew,ineffectreadingapropagandaspeechofthekindput

forthrepetitivelyintheplenarysessionsofAvenueKléber.Themeeting

adjournedaftertwohours,theshortestsecretsessionever.Wepartedwiththe

understandingthateithersidecouldreopenthechannelifithadsomethingnew

tosay.

