Kissinger Henry. White House Years

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Allthatwasleftofthedebatesandnegotiationsofthesummerwasto

permitourdomest iccriticstocatchupwithreality.SenatorGeorgeMcGovern

hadtheopportunityofmeetingwithXuanThuyforfourhoursonSeptember11.

HeleftwiththefirmimpressionthattheCommunistswereofferingpeaceonthe

basisofafixeddateforUSwithdrawalinexchangeforthereleaseofprisoners.

ThoughIthoughtsuchadealwasclearlyinconsistentwithHanoi’sninepoints,

AmbassadorWilliamPorterwasinstructedtoexploreitatthe129thsessionof

theformalParispeacetalks,inordertoputanendtothespeculationonceand

forall.Portertoldreportersafterthemeeting:“wespentthedaytryingtoget

themtoconfirmordenyofficiallythingstheyhavesaidininterviews.They

refused.”Infact,theNorthVietnamese shortlyeliminatedthepreviousambiguity

oftheirpublicpositionandannouncedyetagainthatthereleaseofourprisone rs

wasconditionalonapoliticalsettlement.IntheprocesstheyleftMcGovernand

severaljournalistshighanddry.TheWashingtonPostreportedthenextday:



NorthVietnamtougheneditspeacetermstoday,therebyscuttlingitscarefullynurtured

effortsoverthepasttwomonthstoappearmoreaccommodating.



HanoidelegateXuanThuymadeclearthattheUnitedStatesmust“simultaneously”

announcetheendofitssupportforSouthVietnamesePresidentThieuandtotalUnitedStates

troopwithdrawalbeforeAmericanprisonerscouldbereleased…Moreoptimisticimpressions

voicedbyantiwarSen.GeorgeMcGovern(D‐S.D.)andahithertounquestionedstatementbyLe

DucTho,aHanoipolitburomember,wereleftinshreds.



ThehaplessPostcorrespondent,JonathanRandal,hadformonthsbeen

reportingtheoppositeonthebasisofinnuendoesassiduouslyfosteredbythe

NorthVietnamese.RandalpleadedwiththeNorthVietnamesepressspokesman

aftertheSeptember16plenarymeeting:



Youhaveknownmeforalmostthreeyears.Don’tyouunderstandwhywenolonger

understandanything,anddoyounotunderstandtheconfusioninourminds?Eitherthingsare

notclearorIamafool…whatyouhavesaidtodaycontradictsnotonlythesignificancebut

maybeeventheliteralmeaningofwhatweunderstoodandfiled.Ifeellikeafool.



IknewhowRandalfelt.Wehadriddenthesamerollercoaster.



<<Contents>>

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

RevealingthesecretTalks



uanThuy’sreaffirmationofHanoi’srigidnegotiatingprogramhadamazingly

littleeffectonourdomesticdebate.EvensostaunchafigureasSenator

HenryM.JacksononSeptember10urgedacutoffofaidtoVietnamunlessThieu

arrangedforacontestedelection.TheNewYorkTimesofSeptember18

castigatedNixonforstatingthatwewouldstayuntilSaigonwasabletodefend

itselfagainstaCommunisttakeover.EventheChicagoTribuneprintedon

September20acolumnbyfrankStarrurgingustoleaveVietnamimmediately.

AmericanbombingraidsonNorthVietnam—undertakenpartlyinreactionto

attacksonreconnaissanceaircraft,largelytodemonstratetoHanoithatbreaking

offnegotiationswasnotcostle ss—evokededitorialoutrage.OnSeptember30the

SenatevotedanewversionoftheMansfieldamendment,makingitnational

policytopullallUSforcesoutinsixmonths,dependentonlyuponreturnofour

prisoners.Itreceivedwidespreadappro val.Hanoi,ironically,showedmorefaith

inVietnamizationandthestrengthoftheSouthVietnameseresistance thanour

ownSenatorsoreditorialwriters.ItsinsistencethatweoverthrowtheSouth

VietnamesegovernmentbetrayedHanoi’suncertaintywhetheritcould

accomplishtheobjectivebyitselfevenafterourwithdrawal.



InthisatmosphereIsubmittedalonganalysistoNixononSeptember18,

summingupwherewestoodonVietnamdiplomacy.Ireiteratedthatifwe

overthrewthepoliticalstructureofSouthVietnameitherbyprecipitate

withdrawalorbyexcessivepoliticalconcessions,friendsandadversarieswould

conclude—afterabriefmomentofrelief—thatAmerica’spost‐worldwarII

leadershipwasgivingwaytoapost‐Vietnamabdication.Anignominiousendin

Vietnamwouldalsoleavedeepscarsonoursociety,fuelingimpulsesfor

recriminationanddeepeningtheexistingcrisisofauthority.Icontinuedtobelieve

thatweneededtoleaveVietnamasanactofgovernmentalpolicyandwith

dignity,notasaresponsetopressuresandacollapseofwill.



Vietnamization,Iagreed,mightachievethatgoalbutitwasinherently

precarious.Ifitwereplayedouttotheend,adelicatepointwouldinevitablybe

reachedwhereourwithdrawalswouldcreateuncertaintyaboutSouthVietnam’s

politicalfuture,jeopardizingthewholeenterpriseatthefinalhour.Anegotiated

settlementthatwouldgiveSouthVietnamafairchancetosurvivehadalways

beenfarpreferable;itwouldendthewarwithanactofpolicyandleavethe

futureofSouthVietnamtoanhistoricalprocess.



But,myanalysiscontinued,wenowfoundourselveswithournegotiating

assetswasting.Vietnamization,foralltheanguishcausedbyprotests,hadbought

timeathomewiththesteadyreductionofAmericanforces,casualties,and

expenses.AndithadgeneratedtwopressuresonHanoi.First,themeasuredpace

ofourwithdrawalconveyedtotheNorthVietnamesethatiftheywantedusto

leavequicklyortotallytheywouldhavetopayaprice.Second,itevokedthe

prospectthateventuallyastrengthenedSouthVietnamesegovernmentwouldbe

abletostandonitsown.Unfortunate ly,Ireasoned,ourfirstassethadallbut

witheredaway.Domesticpressuresandtheindisciplineofthebureaucracy

combinedtoassuretheNorthVietnameseinanalmostdailyandcompulsive

mannerthatwewouldbecompletelyoutofVietnamsoon.Whyshouldtheypay

forwhatwouldfallintotheirlaps?Untiltheautumnof1971itseemedthatour

secondasset—thegrowingstrengthofSaigon—wasstillgivingHanoiserious

pause.TheSouthVietnamesegovernmenthadmaintainedaremarkabledegree

ofstability.Theironywasthatthisstabilitywasnowthreatenedbecauseofthe

accidentofthefour‐yearpresidentialtermthatAmericanshelpedtowriteinto

theconstitution.InSouthVietnam,thecombinationofpresidentialelection,

majorUSwithdrawals,anddomesticdissidencewascausingthecurrentsof

unresttoflowagain.SomewithintheThieuadministrationandthearmywere

beginningtohedgetheirbetsandburnishtheircredentialsfortheVietCong.



IntheUnitedStates,mymemorandumcontinued,themomentumforrapid

disengagementwasrising.WenowfacedtherealdangerthatCongressional

legislationwouldsetanobligatorydateforourwithdrawalsandperhapslimitour

assistancetoSouthVietnam.Thepoliticallyandmorallywrenchingfactwasthat

muchoftheoppositionhadgivenuponthemeritoftheissues.Themorethey

wereconvincedweweregettingout,themoretheyweretryingtoimpose

restrictiveconditionsonourexitsoastoclaimcreditforwhattheyknewwe

woulddoanyway.Itwasimpossibletostayaheadofthemomentumofthis

emotion.



ForallthesereasonsIconcluded,first,thatweneededtostopweakening

thepoliticalstructureinVietnambywell‐meaningpanaceas,sinceitwasjust

abouttheonlycardwehadleft.Secondly,weshouldmakeonemoreeffortat

negotiationbeforeourassetsweredissipatedcompletely.Awithdrawal‐for‐

prisonersswaphadalreadybeenrejectedbyXuanThuy,whohadinsistedon

Thieu’sremovalandacleansweepofSaigon’spoliticalscene.Vietnamization

pursuedtotheendwouldnotreturnour prisoners.Inanycasewewere

approachingrestrictivelegislationonbothtroopandaidlevels.Finally,escalation

wasnotsustainabledomesticallyintheabsenceofoverwhelmingprovocation.



ThereforeIurgedNixonthatheauthorizeanewnegotiatingproposalon

thepoliticalissue,whichwouldgotothelimitofwhatwascompatiblewithour

obligations,oursacrifices,andourhonor.Iproposedthatwemodifytheeight

pointsIhadsubmittedonAugust16—whichdealtmostlywithmilitaryissues—by

puttingforwardaprovisionfo ranewpresidentialelectioninSouthVietnam

withinsixmonthsofsigningthefinalagreement.Theelectionwouldberunbyan

electoralcommissionrepresentingallthepoliticalforces,includingthe

Communists,underinternationalsupervision.Onemonthbeforethiselection.

PresidentThieuwouldresignandhisfunctionwouldbeassumedbythePresident

oftheSenate.AtthatpointthesmallresidualAmericanforcewouldbe

withdrawn.Wewouldalsoshortenourwithdrawaldeadlinefromninemonthsto

seven.



NixonapprovedthisofferonSeptember20.HaigleftforSaigonon

September21.Thieu accepteditonSeptember23,tellingHaigthathewas

preparedtoannouncealsothat hewouldnotevenbeacandidateinanew

electiononcepeacewasachieved.Thiswethoughtwouldgotoofar;we

recommendedhekeephisoptionsopen.ButThieuannouncedinapublicspeech

threedaysbeforehiselectionthatifpeacewereachievedhewouldreturnto

civilianlife.



InthepastwehadalwayshandedHanoianynewproposalsatameeting.

NowIthoughtwemightsavetimeifwesubmitteditinwritingalongwithour

requestforameeting.AndIwantedto haveourproposalonrecordincaseHanoi

refusedtomeetandinsteadlaunchedthenowallbutcertainoffensive.On

October11,GeneralWalterscalledontheNorthVietnameseDelegate‐Generalin

ParistorequestameetingwithLeDucThoforNovember1.Waltersreada

messagesayingwewererespondingtoMinisterXuanThuy’sstatementon

September13thattheNorthVietnamesesidewouldbeforthcomingifa general

proposalweremadebytheUSside.Ourpropo salwas“onelastattempt”toreach

ajustsettlementbeforetheendof1971.(TheUSproposalofOctober11isinthe

notes.)



ButHanoi’sgrimandimplacableleaderswouldcompromiseonlyasalast

resort;protractedwarfarewastheirprofession.Iftheyweretocompromise,they

hadtoprovetothemselvesthattheyhadnootherchoiceandtheywerenotyet

atthatpoint.Theyweredeterminedonanothermilitarythrowofthedice.Hanoi

repliedonOctober25—withcustomaryinsolence,onlysixdaysbeforethedate

suggestedforthemeeting.Therewasnoexpressionofgoodwill,nocommenton

ourproposal,noreferencetoaneagernesstosettleinanyparticulartimeframe.

ItcoldlyproposedNovember20,givingasareasonthat“specialAdvisorLeDuc

ThohasatthepresenttimeactivitiesunderwayinHanoiandfurthermore

MinisterXuanThuyisstillundermedicaltreatment.”Hanoididnotevendeignto

characterizetheactivitiesinHanoias“important.”Waltersreportedthatthenote

washandedoverinthebriefestmeetingever.“no smalltalkandnotea,”he

lamented,simplythereadingofapreparedtext.



WeacceptedthedateinacurtnoteofNo vember3,andafterward

expectedtheusualreportthatLeDucThohadleftHanoi.Itnevercame.On

November17,orlessthanforty‐eighthoursbeforeIwassupposedtoleav efor

Paris,HanoiinformedusthatLeDucThowouldnotbepresentbecausehehad

“suddenlybecomeill.”Noalternativedatewasoffered;noexpressionof

readinesstosettleaccompaniedthemessage;therewasstillnocommentonour

majornewproposal—offeringtheresignationofanalliedleader—overamonth

afterwehadtransmittedit.Theonlygracenote—whichwasalsoasignof

disdain—wasthatXuanThuywas“stillagreeable”tomeetingme.Butitwasclear

fromthewholerecordofpreviousmeetingsthatXuanThuyhadnoauthorityto

negotiate.



OnNovember19wereturnedalongreplysummingupthestatusofthe

negotiationsandconcluding:



OnNovember17,1971,theNorthVietnamesesideinformedtheU.S.sidethatspecial

AdviserLeDucThowasnowillandunabletoattendtheNovember20meeting.TheU.S.side

regretsthisillness.Underthesecircumstances,nopointwouldbeservedbyameeting.



TheU.S.sidestandsreadytomeetwithspecialAdviserLeDucTho,oranyother

representativeoftheNorthVietnamesepoliticalleadership,togetherwithMinisterXuanThuy,

inordertobringarapidendtothewar.Onabasisjustforallparties.ItwillwaittoHear

recommendationsfromtheNorthVietnamesesideastoasuitabledate.



Weneverreceiveda reply.TheNorthVietnamese,inthelatestagesof

planningtheirmajormilitaryoffensiveof1972,werebendingalltheirenergies

towardonelasttestofstrength.



ManyfactorscontributedtoHanoi’sdecision,includingthemonomaniaof

alifetime.Butinmyviewthebiggestsinglefactorwasthedivisionswithin

America.TheNorthVietnamesecouldonlyconcludethatonemoremilitarypush

mightpropelusintoessentiallyunconditionalcapitulation.ThePolitburoknew

thatCongresswouldimposewithdrawaliftheyofferedtoreleaseprisoners;they

hadlittletolosebytryingtoforceustocompletetheirvictorybydismantling

Saigon.NomeetingwiththeNorthVietnamesewascompletewithoutarecitation

ofthestatementsofourdomesticopposition.Ononeoccasion,whenLeDucTho

assertedthatwewouldbeforcedtogiveinbyouropposit ion,Ilostmytemper:

“Mr.SpecialAdviser,youareaspokesmanforoneofthemosttotalitarianstates.

Youhavebrutallydestroyedanysignofoppositioninyourcountry.Kindlyleave

theinterpretationofoppositiontothosewhotolerateoneanddonotinterpret

mattersaboutwhichyouknownothing.”Afterthat,Duckymadefewer

referencestoourpublicdiscomfiture,buttherewasnowaytoeliminateitfrom

theircalculations.



Tobesure,ourcriticswerenotawareofalltheproposalswehadmade.

Thiswastheperhapsunnecessarypricewepaidforasecrecywethought

essentialforaseriousnegotiation.ButHanoi’sconceptionofa“political

settlement”wasontherecord;itrequirednogreatanalyticalskilltodetermine

thatitamountedtoaCommunisttakeover.Thefactwasthatmostopponentsof

thewarwereatthispointbeyondcaringabouttheparticularissuesindispute;

theysimplyyearnedforthewartoend.InspiteofmanypublichintsbyNixon

thatwewereseekingasettlement,itseemedtobetakenforgrantedthatthe

AdministrationwhichhadarrangedsummitswithPekingandMoscowwithina

three‐monthperiodwaslaxinnegotiat ing withHanoi.OnNovember17theNew

YorkTimeseditorialized:



ThePresidentmaderepeatedreferencestohiscontinuingdesireforanegotiated

settlement…Buthemadenonewmovetoreactivatethedirectchannelhealreadyhasto

HanoiinParis.NordidhemakeanyefforttorespondtotheopeningsofferedinJulybytheViet

Cong’sseven‐pointproposal,whichhasremainedlargelyunansweredformorethanfour

months.



AndonJanuary3,1972,SenatorMcGovernpressedthesametheme:



Itissimplynottrue—andthePresidentknowsitisnottrue—thatournegotiatorsin

ParishaveeverdiscussedwiththeNorthVietnamesethequestionoftotalAmerican

withdrawalfromIndochinainconjunctionwiththe releaseofourprisoners.



AllthetimeCongressionalresolutionstoforceawithdrawalsimplyin

returnforprisonersmultiplied.TheSenatewaspassingthemregularly;theHouse

ofRepresentativeshadrepeatedlyrejectedthembutwithsteadilydiminishing

margins.OnApril1,onewasrejectedby122to260;onJune17,by158to254;

onJune28,by176to219;onOctober19,by192to215.Thedaywhenthe

Congresswouldlegislateadeadlinewasclearlyapproaching. OnOctober13the

SenateForeignRelationsCommitteevotedtolimitAmericanassistanceto

Cambodiato$250millionandthenumberofAmericanspermittedtoservein

Cambodiato200.Finally,onNovember5,Houseand Senateconfereesagreedto

acompromiseontheMansfieldamendment.Thenewlanguagestateditas“the

policyoftheUnitedStates”torequireaterminationofmilitaryoperationsanda

“promptwithdrawalfromIndochina,”subjecttothereleaseofallAmericanPOWs

andanaccountingforthosemissinginaction. WhileMansfield’soriginalsix‐

monthdeadlinewasdeleted,theresolutionurgedandrequestedthePresidentto

setadateandnegotiateanagreementforphasedwithdrawalsparallelwiththe

phasedreleaseofourprisoners.Hanoinowknewthatitcoulddonoworsethana

withdrawal‐for‐prisonersdeal.



WhatpreventedtotalcollapsewasthattheNorthVietnamese,too,wereat

theendoftheirtether.Theymighthavehadenoughleftforonebigpushbut

theirmilitaryresourceswerestrainedto theutmost.Theirlogisticsbuilduphad

beendisrupted;ourdiplomacywithMoscowandPekinghadpreventedthem

frommobilizingthefullfuryofpublicdissent.Theworldwidepropaganda

campaignscheduledtopromoteMadame Binh’ssevenpointsofJuly1,1971,had

beenblownoffthefrontpagesbyourChinaannouncementtwoweekslater.The

RussiansdidhotendearthemselvestoHanoibytheannouncementonOctober

12ofNixon’ssummitinMoscow.Nixon’spublicapprovalre mainedwellabove50

percentinthesecondhalfof1971.WehadmadethetwogreatCommunist

powerscollaboratorsinholdingourhomefronttogether.



Asthedryseasonbegan,thelargeNorthVietnameselogisticsbuildupleft

littledoubtthataCommunistmilitaryoffensivewasapproaching.Itwasessential

thatweseizetheinitiative.InDecemberwebombedsupplycomplexesSouthof

thetwentiethparallelfortwodays,toeditorialandCongressionaloutrage.We

sentstrongnotestobothMoscowandPekingsummarizingourexchangeswith

theNorthVietnameseandwarningthatanoffensivewouldevokethemost

seriousretaliation.Wedidnotthinkthateithercapitalwouldprovehelpfulinthe

negotiation,butweconsidereditprobablethattheyhadtheirownobjectivesto

protectattheforthcomingsummitsand thattheywouldthereforeprobablypass

onourwarning.NoreplywasreceivedfromChina—initselfasignificantsignof

dissociationbywhathadbeenconsidereduntilthenthecapitalofworld

revolution.Dobryninhadanoveltwist.Aspartofoneofourperiodicglobal

reviews,hetriedtoblameHanoi’sintransigenceonChina.MyinvitationtoPeking

becameknowninHanoionlythirty‐sixhoursbeforeitwasannounced,hesaid.

ThishadsoinfuriatedHanoiithadputthenegotiationsonicetoshowthatpeace

hadtobemadewithitandnotimposedbythegreatpowers. 



AstheeuphoriaoftheChinaannouncementworeoff,asaUSelectionyear

approached,andasaNorthVietnameseoffensivegrewimminent,ourdomestic

positionwassuretobeunderassaultagain.Wecouldnotweatherthestorm

unlesswewereclearlyperceivedashavingmadeeveryefforttonegotiateanend

tothewar,ashavinggonetheextramile.Presidentialcandidatesandothercritics

weretakingupHanoi’sduplicitousthemethatwehadnotrespondedtoBinh’s

sevenpointswhenwehadindeedrespondedto—andinpartaccepted—LeDuc

Tho’sparallelninepointsinthesecrettalks.Wewerebeingpressedcontinuallyto

setaterminaldateforourwithdrawalwhenwehadalreadyofferedoneinthe

secretmeetingandhadbeenrejected.Nixonthereforedecidedtolayour

negotiatingrecordbeforetheAmericanpeopleonJanuary25,1972.



ThisdecisionhadbeenprecededbysometouchyencountersinSaigon,

becausewhileThieuhadapprovedouroffer,hehadnotknownthatwehadin

facttransmittedittoHanoibeforetheprojectedmeetingwithLeDucThoon

November20.[

Thiswasonlyapretext;ayearlater,duringourshowdownoverthefinal

terms,Thieuwastotellusthathehadbeendeeplyoffendedbythebasicproposal;hegaveus

nohintofitatthetime.

]TherewasalsosomepricklinesswhenThieurealizedthat

mutualwithdrawalwasbeingdroppedfromourpublicposition.Heknewof—and

hadapproved—ourMay31proposal,whichhadabandonedit;henowclaimed

thatanypublicformalchangewouldweakenhisdomesticsituation.(Itwasa

harbingerofdisputeslaterin1972.)FinallyThieuwentalongwiththespeechand

itsreaffirmationoftheUSnegotiatingpositionbecauseheknewwewere

withdrawinganyway,andbecauseheprobablyjudgedthatHanoi,havingnot 

evenrepliedtoaprivateoffer,wasunlikelytoacceptapublicone.



Nixon’sspeechwasoneofhismostdramaticandimpressive.Helaidout

thenegotiatingrecordofmytwelvesecretmeetingswiththeNorthVietnamese.

HerevealedthatwehadofferedonMay31,1971,tosetadeadlinefor

withdrawalbuthadbeenturneddown.HereaffirmedourproposalofOctober11,

1971,whichspelledoutapolit icalsettlement—internationallysupervisedfree

elections,withCommunistinvolvement,andThieu’swillingnessto stepdowna

monthbeforetheelection.Heevenimprovedonourlastsecretofferbyreducing

thewithdrawaldeadlinefromsevenmonthstosixmonths.Nixonreiteratedthat

the“onlythingthisplandoesnotdoistojoinourenemytooverthrowourally,

whichtheUnitedStatesofAmericawillneverdo.Iftheenemywantspeaceitwill

havetorecognizetheimportantdifferencebetweensettlementandsurrender.”



Thereactionwasstunnedsurprisebothatourlongrecordofeffortsandat

thesweepofournewproposal.ThevariousPresidentialcontendersresponded

withcautioussupport.Thefrontrunner,SenatorEdmundMuskie,calledtheplan

“awelcomeinitiative.”HubertHumphreyrespondedwithcharacteristic

ebullience:“sowhat,thereareplentyofotherissues”—implyingthatthespeech

hadremovedVietnamasapoliticalissue.

TheWashingtonPostonJanuary27

churlishlycalledtheplan“ThesameOldshellGame,”buttheNewYorkTimesthe

samedaybrieflyabandoneditsmonths‐longcarpingandindicatedcautious

support,ifnotforeveryprovision,atleas tfortheoverallapproach.Mosteditorial

commentfollowedthisline.



Withinaweek,manyofthecriticswerebackinchorus.Onceagainthe

deadlock—Hanoi’srejectionofourproposals—wastreatedasentirelythe

Administration’sfault.Butthistimethecriticismsdemonstratedthatwehadwon

thepsychologicalbattle.Theonlyalternativesleftforcriticstoofferwere

unilateralwithdrawaltiedonlytoreleaseofprisoners(alreadyrejectedbyHanoi)

andtheoverthrowoftheSouthVietnamesegovernment.SenatorMuskie

respondedinaspeechonFebruary2withanewturnofthescrew:TheUnited

StatesshouldcutoffallaidtoThieu,evenafterourunilateralwithdrawal,unless

hereachedasettlementwiththeCommunists.(Itwasa“heads‐I‐win,tails‐you‐

lose”proposition:sincetheonlytermsavailablefromHanoicalledforhis

overthrow,Thieuwasbeinggiventhechoicebetweenexecutionandsuicide.)This

programbecamethenewplatformofantiwarprotestsandeditorials.Butthe

baseofoppositionsupportwasnarrowing.Thewarwasdeeplyunpopular.Yetit

seemedplainthathoweverwearythepublicmightbe,itwasnotpreparedtojoin

anenemyindefeatinganally.TomostAmericans,ourlongandvigorous

negotiatingrecordwasnowclear,aswasthefactthatitwasHanoiwhichhad

beensteadilyblockingasettlementbyitsexorbitantandinsolentdemands.



AfterNixon’sspeech,IcouldneverescapeWashingtonforlongwithout

pressscrutinyandqueries.Therefore,allsubsequentmeetingswereannounced

bytheWhiteHousewhenIwasinParisandalreadyinsession.Thishadits

advantages.Itcontinuallyremindedthepublicthatnegotiationsweretaking

placeandtheoppositionthatadramaticdevelopmentwaspossibleatany

moment.



WesentthetextofthePresident’sspeechtoMoscowandPekingwith

anotheremphaticwarningthatwewouldreactstronglytoanewoffensive.

Brezhnevrepliedinsoothingfashionthathethoughtpeacewasstillpossible.

Peking,nodoubtstungbyHanoi’schargesasreportedtomebyDobrynin,

returnedatartreplyonJanuary30accusing us—notunjustly—ofseekingto

enmeshChina.Werespondedsharply.TheexchangehadnoeffectonthePeking

summitthreeweekslater.



AsfortheNorthVietnamese,wefoundthemoffstride.Thiswasnewinour

experience.Forasecondtimeinsixmonthswehadoutmaneuveredthem(the

firsttimebeingmytriptoPeking).OnJanuary31,theyrespondedinParisby

publishingtheirsideofthecorrespondence,includingthenine‐pointpeaceplan

thatLeDucThohadpresentedtomeonJune26,1971.[

IhadindicatedinaJanuary

26briefingthatwewouldnotpublishHanoi’sdocumentsbutwould“havenoobjection”if

Hanoidid.

]Hanoi’sspokesman,NguyenThanhLe,contrastedthetwosides’peace

plans,whosedifferences,hesaid,were“fundamental—likenightandday.”Le

allegedthatHanoihadalwayswantedthesubstance ofthenegotiationstobe

public,butithadrefrained“aswishedbytheUSparty.”Yet,inaneffort“toshift

ontotheDRVsidetheresponsibilityforthedeadlockofthenegotiations,”hesaid,

theUnitedStates“hasbrokenitsengagementsandcreatedseriousobstaclesto