Kissinger Henry. White House Years

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TaiwanourrapprochementwithChinaacceleratedbecausewesharedacentral

concernaboutthreatstotheglobalbalanceofpower.



AfterNixonapprovedtheTaiwanparagraph,negotiationswithCh’iaoon

theotherunsettledissues,mostlytradeandexchanges,wereconcludedrapidly.

TheoriginalChinesedrafthadcontainedonlyabrief,noncommitta lsentence,but

westressedthattomanyAmericansprogressherewouldbeameasureofthe

newrelationship.Ch’iaonowacceptedourproposalstoexpandthesectionon

tradeandexchanges.Wewentoverthecommuniquéonceagainlinebyline.By

2:00a.m.Wehadcompletedourlabors.Thetextwassubjectonlytoconfirmation

byourprincipals,whichfrompreviousexchangesweknewwouldbeaformality.



OnSaturday,abriefplenarysessionwasimprovisedinthewaitingroomat

PekingairportbeforeourdepartureforHangchowinaChineseaircraft(withthe

SecretServiceoozingdispleasure).ThepurposewastogivetheForeignMinisters

theirmomentinthelimelightbyjoiningasessionwiththeprincipalscoveredby

thepress,aswellastoblesstheworkofthepreviousnight.Unfortunately,

someonehadneglectedtoinformthehonorguardthatdeparturewasnot

imminent.TheywerecalledtoattentionassoonasthelimousinecarryingChou

andNixonarrivedattheairportandremainedinthispostureinbitingcoldforthe

fiftyminutesthattheplenarysessionlasted.Itwasanastonishingdispla yof

disciplineandendurance.



Thesessionwentoff agreeablyenough.Discussionofthecommuniquéwas

dampenedbytheinconvenientfactthatmostmembersofourpartyhadnotyet

seenit,typinghavingbeencompletedonlyjustbeforewelefttheguesthouse.

ThetwoForeignMinisterswereinvitedtoreportontheirdeliberationsduringthe

week.Thisdidnottakelong.Choufilledthevoidbyspeakingofanincidenton

Nixon’svisittotheMingTombs.Akeen‐eyedAmericanjournalisthadnoticed

thatsomeofthechildrenplayingincolorfuldressesseemedextremelywell‐

rehearsed,raisingsomequestionsabouttheirspontaneity.Chougracefully

apologized:



SomepeoplegotsomeyoungchildrentheretoprettifytheTombs,anditwasputtingup

afalseappearance.Yourpresscorrespondentshavepointedthisouttous,andweadmitthat

thiswaswrong.Wedonotwanttocoverupthemistakeonthis,ofcourse,andwehave

criticizedthosewhohavedonethis.



IdidnotgomyselftotheMingTombs,andIadmitthatIdidnotknowaboutit

previouslythattheywoulddothat.Icametoknowthatonlythroughyourpresslastnight,and

whenIinvestigatedthematterIfoundoutthatthathadtrulybeenthecase,andImustthank

thatcorrespondent.ImayhaveachancetodothatwhenwearriveinHangchowandShanghai.



Chou’scommentonthedangerofcover‐upsevidentlymadenolasting

impressiononhisprincipalguest.Nixonrepliedgracefullythathehadenjoyed

seeingthelittlegirls,howevertheyhadgottenthere—andthenknockedthe

pressasuntrustworthy.Ittookgreatself‐confidenceandnolittleshrewdnessfor

Choutoadmitthismistake.Asidefromdisplayinganadmirablecandor,ithadthe

addedadvantageofreinforcingtheseriousnessofChinesepurposesonissuesof

principlewherenoteventhepossibilityoferrorwasadmitted.Unfortunately,

Chou’swordsdidnotseemtopercolatethroughtheChinesebureaucracywith

customaryefficiency.InHangchowweencounteredonceagain groupsof

youngstersincolorfulnationaldressesplayinggames—asightnevertobeseen

underothercircumstancesatthatperiodonthesomberstreetsofChinesecities.

AndtwoyearslaterwhenChouhadwithdrawnfromgovernmentbecauseof

illness,IencounteredthesametableauinSoochow.Itseemedtobeastandard

operatingprocedurefordistinguishedvisitorsthatnoteventhegreatChouhad

authoritytoerase.



ItwouldbepleasanttoreportthatafterourdeparturefromPekingthe

businessportionofthetripwascompleted.AndindeedHangchow,atthemouth

ofthelowerYangtzeRiver,isoneofthemostbeautifulcitiesinChina.Builtalong

romanticlakes,filledwithexquisitegardens,temples,andpalaces,blessedwitha

mildclimateandanearlyspring,itisanancientcenterofculture,scholarship,and

poetry.MarcoPolo,visitinginthethirteenthcentury,extolledHangchowas“the

greatestcitywhichmaybefoundintheworld”andsobeautifulthat“onefancie s

onselftobeinParadise.”

AmbassadorHuangCheninParishadtoldGeneral

WaltersofaChinesesayingthatthereweretwoplacesworthseeing,Heaven

aboveandHangchowbelow.Thesettingwasreducedto Nixonianprosewhenthe

PresidentpointedouttoChouen‐laionvisitingtheWestlakethatthescene

“lookslikeapostcard.”



Theonlysight‐seeingexcursionthatIpersonallymadewasinHangchow.

Oneofitsmostbeautifulspotsisanislandinthemiddleofalakethatisitselfon

anislandinside alargerlake.OnthatinnerislandtheChinesehaveplacedaseries

ofsimplestructureswhichareessentiallyframesthroughwhichtoviewthevistas

asiftheywerepaintings.DuringthisparticularsidetripIwaslookingatthegentle

hillsrisinglikesomelargeplantoutofthewater.Asolitarybirchwasbending

gracefullyattheedgeoftheframe.Allwastranquillityandrepose.Suddenlyinto

thepicturestaggeredWalterCronkite.Hewasalittletheworseforwear,dressed

inheavyfursmoreappropriateforapolarexpeditionandweighteddownbya

spectacularassortmentofphotographicgeararoundhisneck.FondasIamof

Walter,thescenelostsomeof itsserenity.



InanyeventthemoodoftheAmericanpartydidnotmatchthetranquillity

ofthescenery.OntheplanetoHangchowtheStateDepartmentexpertswere

giventhecommuniqué,inthepreparationofwhichtheyhadhadnopart.

Predictably,theyfounditwanting.Itisthepricethatmustbepaidforexcluding

theprofessionalsfromanegotiation.Unfamiliarwiththeobstaclesovercome,

thosenotparticipatingcanindulgeinsettingupUtopiangoals(whichtheywould

haveurgedbeabandonedduringthefirstdayofthenegotiationhadthey

conductedit)andcancontrastthemwiththedocumentbeforethem.Ortheycan

nitpickattheresultonstylisticgrounds,pointingouttellingnuances,brilliantly

conceived,whichtheworldwasdeniedbytheirabsence.Ihadrecommended

thatAssistantsecretaryGreenjoinournegotiatingteam.Nixonhadvetoedthis

forfearofleaksandbecausehepreferredtohavehisinevitableconfrontation 

overdraftingwithRogersallatonceratherthandaybyday.AsoverRogers’s

absencefromthemeetingwithMao,Ishouldhaveinsisted;wenowpaidthe

price.



NosoonerhadwearrivedinHangchowthansecretaryRogers—justasafter

theBerlinnegotiations—informedthePresidentthatthecommuniquéwas

unsatisfactory.Hesubmittedalistofamendmentspreparedbyhisstaff,as

numerousastheyweretrivial.Forexample,hisexpertsobjectedtothephrase

thatallChineseoneithersideoftheTaiwanStraitmaintainedthattherewasbut

oneChina.Itseemedtothemtooinclusive;theremightbesomeChinesewho

disagreed.Theypro posedthatwereplace“allChinese” with“theChinese”—a

distinctionbeyondthegraspofmyuntrainedmind.Anotherrecommendation

wastodroptheword“position”inthephrase“doesnotchallengethatposition.”

Therewereaboutfifteenchangesofthesameorderofmagnitude,includingthe

reasonableproposalthattheEnglishtextputtheAmericanstatementofposition

firstwhiletheChinesetextwouldreversetheprocedure.(Thisisconventional

diplomaticpractice.)



Nixonwasbesidehimself.Herecognizedhispoliticaldilemma.Hewas

alreadyedgyaboutthereactionofhisconservativesupporterstothetrip;he

dreadedaright‐wing assaultonthecommuniqué.Andhecouldseethatleaks

thattheStateDepartmentwasunhappyaboutAmericanconcessionsmightwell

bethetrigger.HealsoknewthatreopeningthecommuniquéaftertheChinese

hadbeentoldheagreedtoitmightwellsourhistr ip—especiallysincethe

importanceoftheproposedchangeswasnexttoimpossibletoexplain.Hewasso

exercisedthathestartedstormingaboutthebeautifulguesthouse inHangchow

inhisunderwear.Hewould“dosomething”abouttheStateDepartmentatthe

firstopportunity—athreathehadmadeatregularintervalssincemyfirst

interviewwithhimthosemanyyearsagoatthePierreHotel,andneverspecified

orimplemented.Oneminuteheinsistedthathewouldsticktohisword,thenext

thathecouldnotgohomewithadivideddelegation.IrecommendedthatIhave

agoatCh’iaoKuan‐huaafterdinner,howeverpainfultheoccasion.IftheChinese

insistedontheexistingdraft,wewouldhavenochoicebuttostickwithour

commitment.



Ididnotenjoythisparticularbanquet,ofSoutherncuisine,despiteits

extraordinaryquality,fromapprehensionofwhatwastofollow.Ch’iaoKuan‐hua

andImetat10:20p.m.Idecidedouronlyhopelayinperfectfrankness.I

explainedthatnormallyaPresidentialdecisionsettledacommuniqué.Butinthis

casewehadnotachievedourfullobjectiveifwemerelyannouncedsomeformal

propositions;weneededtomobilizepublicopinionbehindourcourse.Itwas

thereforeinourcommoninterestthatCh’iaocooperateingivingtheState

Departmentasenseofhavingcontributed.Ithenpresentedtheproposed

changes.



MyargumentsdidnotexactlyoverwhelmCh’iao.Herepliedsharplythat

bothsideshadcomeveryfarandChinahadmademanyconcessionsinresponse

toAmericanwishes.ThePolitburohadapprovedthetextthepreviousnighton

thebasisofourassurancethatthePresidenthadacceptedit.Howcouldwe

reopenitlessthantwenty‐fourhoursbeforethecommuniquéwastobe

published?ButtheChinese arepragmatic,andtheirleadershipwise.Creatinga

psychologicalbasisforanewrelationshipwiththeUnitedStateswasmore

importantthanthesevalidobjectionsofCh’iao’s.Afterabriefinterruption—no

doubttoconsultthePremier‐Ch’iaoreturnedwithacompromise.TheChinese

wouldconsidernochangesintheTaiwansection;theyhadmademajor

accommodationstoourview;theirleadershiphadapprovedthetextaftermuch

debate.Anyattempttochangeitwouldprecludeissuingacommuniquéthenext

day.ButCh’iaowouldbepreparedtodiscussourotherproposals ontheirmerits.



Wewerethuslaunchedintoanotherlate‐nightsession.Afterfiringmany

“emptycannons,”theChineseagreedtomuchofwhatwasproposedontheparts

ofthecommuniquénotdealingwithTaiwan.By2:00a.m.Another“final”draft

wasatlastcompleted,subjectonceagaintotheformalapprovalofourprincipals.

Thiswasobtainedearlythenextmorning.Ch’iaoandImetonceagainfortwo

andahalfhoursatmiddayonSundayinShanghaitoreviewthenewcompleted

text.Wereadthroughitlinebyline,checkingevenpunctuation,andagreeingon

afewstylisticchanges.(The fulltextofthecommuniquéisgiveninthenotes.)



IthenoutlinedtoCh’iaoKuan‐huathebriefingIwouldgivetothepresson

thecommuniquéthatafternoon.Itwasessentialthatneithersideclaimavictory.

Itwasimportantnottoexhibitourbrillianceininterpretation.Thiswasanotso

subtledigattheable(andoftenhelpful)AssistantMinisterChangWen‐chin,

whosecapacitytodevelopfineshadesofmeaninghadanheroiccast.Mymain

purposeatthesessionwastomakeCh’iaoawarethatIwouldreiteratethe

defensecommitmenttoTaiwaninmybriefing.Ihopedthattherewouldbeno

Chinesereaction.Ch’iaorepliedthathewouldrelyonmytact.



MynewsconferenceintheIndustrialexhibitionCenterBanquetHallin

ShanghaiwassurelyoneofthemostparadoxicaleventstotakeplaceonChinese

soilsincetherevolution.Aforeignofficialexplainedthathiscountrywould

continuetorecognizeagovernmentwhichwastherivaltothatwithwhichhehad

beennegotiating,andwoulddefenditwithmilitaryforceagainsthishosts. I

reiteratedthecontinuedvalidityofthedefensetreatybyreaffirmingthe

appropriatesectionsinthePresident’sforeignPolicyReportpublishedjustweeks

previously.AnditisameasureoftheirwisdomthattherewasnoChinese

reaction.Ourhostsunderstoodtheirpriorities.



TheChinesegraspofessentialswasalsoshownbytheirhandlingofthe

communiqué’stranslation.WehadusedPeking’sinterpretersinallthemeetings,

largelybecauseofNixon’sbeliefthatStateDepartmentinterpreterswouldleak;

theirswerealsomuchbetterthanours.Thiswasnotahandicap,assometimes

alleged,becausetheChinesewouldbeboundbytheEnglishtext.(Also,manyon

theChinesesideunderstoodEnglish,andHoldridgeunderstoodChinese.Incases

ofdisputetheEnglishtextwouldbecontrolling.)Becauseofthepressureoftime

wehadnoopportunityeventochecktheChinese translation—asuicidalomission

whendealingwiththeRussia ns,aswehadlear nedwhenweannouncedourfirst

SALTbreakthrough.ButChouEn‐laiplayednopettygames;heunderstoodthat

mutualconfidencewasmoreimportantthanscoringdebatingpoints.TheChinese

translation,amazinglyenough,turnedouttobemorefavorabletoourposition

thantheEnglishone.IlaterforwardedtothePresidentananalysisdoneby

RichardSolomonofmystaff,whichconcluded:



SignificantvariationsbetweentheChineseandEnglishtextswerefoundregardingthe

threeissuesofTaiwan,theIndochinawar,andculturalexchanges.Invirtuallyeverycase,

however,theChineseversionclarifiesabitofambiguityintheEnglishtext,orstatesour

positioninawaythatismoreratherthanlessfavorabletoourobjectives.



RegardingthefutureofTaiwan,theChineseversionconveysevenlessofasenseofU.S.

acceptanceofthePRC[Peking]viewthattheislandisChineseterritorythandoestheEnglish.It

morestronglyconveystheideathatwedonotwishtogetinvolvedinadebateregardingthe

ChinesepositiononTaiwan,andstrengthensthesenseofourconcernthattherebeapeaceful

resolutionoftheTaiwanquestion.



TheShanghaiCommuniquéwasasunusualasthenewrelationshipit

confirmed.Itsopeningsectionexpressedtheconflictingviewsonawholehostof

issuesincludingKorea,Vietnam,andJapan.TheAmericanpositionwasphrasedin

conciliatoryfashion,stressingourcommitmenttopeacefulsolutio nsandthe

principlesofindividualfreedomandsocialprogres sforallthepeoplesofthe

world.InthisfirststatementofourvaluestotheChinesepeople,wesoughtto

emphasizethatAmericastoodforhumanenessandhope.TheChineserhetoric

wasmoremilitant,thoughtoneddownconsiderablyfromtheconventionalstyle.

ItwasdifficultenoughtohabituatecadresbroughtupduringtheCultural

RevolutiontothesightofAmericansmeetingwithChineseleaders;itwasnot

possibletodispensetotallywithrevolutionaryrhetoric.Itwasclear,asMaoand

Choufrequentlyadmitted,thattheoccasionalfiringof“emptycannons”wasfor

therecord.



Thesecontrastingstatementsmerelyservedtohighlighttherevolutionary

changeintheChinese‐Americanrelationshipembodiedintheviewsthatthetwo

sidesexpressedincommon.ChinaandtheUnitedStatesineffectrenouncedthe

useofforceinsettlingdisputeswitheachother.Theyannouncedtheircommon

oppositiontothehegemonicaspirationsofothers.Theyagreednottoenterinto

anyagreementsaimedattheother.Theyundertooktopromoteexchangesand

trade.AndTaiwanwashandledinamannerpreservingthedignity, self‐respect,

andcommitmentsofeachside.



TheShanghaiCommuniquéwasprobablyuniqueinitssuccessinguiding

relationsbetweentwogreatnationsforsevenyearswithouteveradisputeover

itsmeaninguntilitwassupersededbydiplomaticrelationsin1979.Ithadno

secretclausesorcodicils.Itssignificancelaynotonlyinitswordsbutinthe

assumptionsunderlyingit.Despitethemedia’semphasis,thecommuniquéwas

notaboutTaiwanorbilateralexchanges,butaboutinternationalorder.Itbrought

togethertwopreviouslyhostilenationsnotbecausetheydesiredtosettle

bilateralproblems—thesecouldhavebeenpostponedforasubstantialtime—but

todealacrossthegulfofideologywithcommonsecurityconcerns.



OursojourninChinawasnearingconclusion.Therewasafinalbanquetin

Shanghaiwhere,withalltensiongone,mao‐taiflowedlikewaterandNixon,

carriedawaywithitall,deliveredhisextemporaneoustoast(alreadynoted)which

edgeduptoanAmericanmilitaryguaranteeofChina.Ch’iaoandIhadseemingly

becomesohabituatedtoourlate‐nightsessionsthatwecouldnotdowithout

anotherone.WemetonFebruary27‐28from11:05P.M.to12:30p.m.Ina

sessiondevotedtoVietnam.Iexplainedournegotiatingpositioningreaterdetail

thanNixonhadtoChou,andourdeterminationtodefeatanoffensivebyall

availablemeansshouldHanoiseekamilitaryresolution.Ch’iaorepeatedChina’s

moralandmaterialsupportforNorthVietnambut,followingChou,dissociated

ChinafromHanoi’snegotiatingposition.Thesewereamatterbetweenusandthe

NorthVietnameseonwhichChinawouldexpressnoviews.Heissuedno

warnings.Heindicatednopenaltyifwecarriedoutourthreat.



Therewasonemoreconversationbeforemydaywasdone.Atthree

o’clockinthemorningIwascalledtoNixon’sroomonanupperfloorofthehigh‐

risehotelthatservedasourdomicile.BeforeuslaytheimmensecityofShanghai,

withjustafewflickeringlightsbarelysuggestingthepresenceofclosetoeleven

millionpeople.Allelsewasblackness.ThemassofChinalaybeforeus,all‐

pervasivebutinvis ible.NixonhadalsoawakenedHaldemanto sharewithhimthe

tensions,theexhilaration,andtheinchoatefearsthatalwaysmarkedtheendof

hisgreatexertions.Nixontalkedabouthisaccomplishments,askingfor

confirmationandreassurance.Andwegavehimboth,movedinpartbyanodd

tendernessforthislonely,tortured,andinsecureman,inpartalsobyanall‐

consumingdesiretogettobedafteranexhaustingweek.Yetitwaseasytogive

Nixonthereassurancehewanted.TheembellishmentsgeneratedbytheWalter

Mittysideofhisnatureweretrivial,insomewaystouching.Hehadindeed

wroughtagenuinehistoricachievement.HehadthoughtuptheChinainitiative

(eventhoughIhadreachedthesameconclusionindependently);hehadfostered

it,hadrunthedomesticpoliticalrisksofgoingitalone,andhadconducted

himselfadmirablyduringthejourney.



ChouEn‐laipaidafarewellcallonNixonjustbeforeescortinghimtothe

airportearlyinthemorningofFebruary28.Itwasagentleandpensive

conversationbetweentwomenwhohadtakeneachother’smeasureandwere

comfortablewitheachother’spurposes.Sinceonecouldneverbesurewhether

Occidentalshadgottenthepoint, ChoureviewedonceagaintheChineseposition

onthetwoissuesmostlikelytobeimmediatelytroublesome:Taiwanand

Vietnam.WithrespecttoTaiwanheagaincounseledpatience:“we,beingsobig,

havealreadylettheTaiwanissueremainfortwenty‐twoyears,andcanstillafford

toletitwaitthereforatime.”AboutVietnamChouwasathisbest.Heaverred

supportforHanoibutheagainbaseditnotonnationalinterestorideological

solidaritybutonanhistoricaldebtincurredbytheChineseempireseveral

centuriesbefore.ClearlyChinamightmakesomematerialsacrifices;itwouldnot

runtheriskofwartodischargesuchadebt. China,insistedthesubtlePremier,

hadrefrainedfromavowinganyspeciallinktoVietnaminthecommuniqué

becauseitdidnotwanttoleavethewrongimpression.ChoutoldNixon:



Wehaveextremesympathyforthepeopleofthatarea.Webelievetheyareclosely

linkedwithus.Wethoughtofusingwordinginthecommuniquébutthenwethoughtmaybe

therewouldbeotherimplicationsandsowedidnotdoso…AsChairmanMaohaspointedout,

wewhohavebeenvictorioushaveonlyanobligationtoassistthem,butnottherightto

interfereintheirsovereignty.Thedebtweowethemwasincurredbyourancestors.Wehave

sinceliberationnoresponsibilitybecauseweoverthrewtheoldsystem…Dr.Kissingercanbear

witnessthatwehaveexertedextremerestraintsinceJulyoflastyear.Yetthekeytoeasing

tensionsintheworlddoesnotliethereandMr.PresidentandIandChairmanMaoall

understandthat.



Weindeedunderst ood eachother;thewarinVietnamwouldnotaffectthe

improvementofourrelations.Theavowalofrestraintandof thefactthatthekey

toeasingtensionsdidnotlieinIndochinaleftnodoubtthatPeking’sprioritywas

notthewaronitsSouthernborderbutitsrelationshipwithus.Threemonths

laterMoscowrevealedthesamepriorities,morecrudely.MoscowandPeking,for

alltheirhatredofeachother,andperhapsbecauseofit,wereagreedonthis

point:NorthVietnamwouldnotbepermittedtooverridetheirgreater

geopoliticalpreoccupations.Againstallodds,ourdiplomacywasonthevergeof

isolatingHanoi.



<<Contents>>

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****



Assessments



ixon’stripendedonahighnoteofsentiment,butitwasnotfromthat

impetusthatSino‐Americanrelationssubsequentlyprospered.Foralltheir

charmandideologicalfervor,theChineseleaderswerethemostunsentimental

practitionersofbalance‐of‐powerpoliticsIhaveencountered.Fromancienttimes

Chineserulershavehadto contendwithpowerfulnon‐Chineseneighborsand

potentialconquerors .Theyhaveprevailed,oftenfromweakness,by

understandingprofoundly—andexploitingfortheirownends—thepsychology

andpreconceptionsofforeigners.InthenineteenthcenturyChinawastheonly

greatprizetoescapecompletecaptureandsubjugationbyEuropeannations.

Thoughhumiliatedandmistreateditmanagedtomaintainself‐government

throughtheskillfuluseofWesternlegalconceptsofsovereignty(whichhaveno

exactChineseequivalent)andthepropositionthatdomesticmattersarebeyond

foreignchallenge.Throughoutitshistory,wheneverthreatened,Chinahassought

topitpotentialadversariesagainstoneanother,andasalastextreme—asinthe

nineteenthcentury—itembroiledthemoverthedivisionofChinesespoils.

ExplaininghowChinaavoidedthefateofAfricaandIndiainthecolonialera,Chou

saidtomeononeoccasion:“Ontheonehanditwasbecauseofthestrongdesire

forunity.Ontheother,somanycountriesweretryingtogetsomethingoutof

Chinathatothercountriescouldnotcontrolit.”WhentheNixonAdministration

cameintooffice,twoChinesegovernmentsclaiminglegitimacyweredealingwith

theirforeignproblemsbystartlinglysimilarmethods.ChiangKai‐shekdealtwith

usfromapositionofweakness;MaomaneuveredtheSovietsalsofromaposition

ofweakness.Bothweredoingwell.



MaoandChou,practicinghighChinesestatesmanshipinwhichideology

reinforcedhistoryandculturetoconferpsychologicalassurance,foundanatural

partnerinNixon.HewasPresidentduringaperiodwhentheconventional

wisdomdecriedtheexerciseofpower;hiscriticsassertedthatAmericawould

prevailifatallbecauseofthepurityofitsmotives.Butitwaspreciselythe

unpredictable,idiosyncraticnature ofapolicyfoundedonthisillusionthat

neededtobeovercome.Emotionalslogans,unleavenedbyaconceptofthe

nationalinterest,hadcausedushistoricallytooscillatebetweenexcessesof

isolationandoverextension.Thenew“morality”wassupposedtoextricateus

fromexcessivecommitments.Butmoralclaimslentthemselvesaseasilyto

crusadesastoabstinence;theyhadinvolvedusinthedistantenterprisestobegin

with.ThisAmericanvolatilityunsettledtheinternationalequilibriumandthose

whoreliedonus.Itwasultimatelydangeroustothemaintenanceofpeace.What

theintellectualcommunity’sloathingofNixonkeptthemfromunderstandingwas

thatweagreedwiththeirprofesseddesiretorelateendstomeansandour

commitmentstoourcapacities.Wepartedcompanywithmanyofthembecause

wedidnotbelieveitsensibletosubstituteoneemotionalexcessforanother.

Indeed,onereasonwhytheVietnamdebategrewsobitterwasthatboth

supportersandcriticsoftheoriginalinvolvementsharedthesametraditional

senseofuniversalmoralmission.



WhatmadetheNixonAdministrationso“un‐American”wasitsattemptto

establishasenseofproportionoutofthewelterofconflictingemotionsandto

adjusttoaworldfundamentallydifferentfromourhistoricalperception.The

impulsestolurchtowardeitherisolationismorglobalinterventionhadtobe

curedbymakingjudgmentsaccording tosomemorepermanentconceptionof

nationalinterest.Valuesandprincipleswouldinspireoureffortsandsetour

direction.Butitwasnouserushingforthimpetuouslywhenexcitedorsulkingin

ourtentwhendisappointed.Wewouldhavetolearntoreconcileourselvesto

imperfectchoices,partialfulfillment,theunsatisfyingtasksofbalanceand

maneuver,givenconfidencebyourmoralvaluesbutrecognizingthattheycould

beachievedonlyinstagesandoveralongperiodoftime.



Itwasahardlessontoconveytoapeoplewhorarelyreadaboutthe

balanceofpowerwithoutseeingtheadjective“outdated”precedeit.Itwasnot

oneoftheleastiro niesoftheperiodthatitwasaflawedman,so ungenerousin