Kissinger Henry. White House Years

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miningandinterdictioncampaignswereunnecessary.Thecheapersolutionfrom

thebudgetarypointofviewwastosendmoreequipme nttoSouthVietnam.

Nixoninterjected:“Supposewearewrong?SupposeVietnamfalls?Howdowe

handleit?Youdon’tassesstherisksforourpolicy.”



JohnConnallyandVicePresidentAgnewrejectedLaird’sanalysis

altogether.AgnewwasunequivocalthatwesimplycouldnotaffordtoletSouth

Vietnamcollapse;itwouldhavedisastrousinternationalconsequences,especially

intheMiddleEastandaroundtheIndianOcean.Wewere“handcuffing

ourselves”bybeing“compulsivetalkers”;thePresidentreallydidn’thavean

option.Connallyagreed:“IfVietnamisdefeated,Mr.President,youwon’thave

anything.”



Rogerswasambiguous,agreeingthatafailureinSouthVietnamwouldbe

“disastrousforourpolicies’’butpointingouttherisksthattheproposedactions

mightnotbeeffectiveandwouldonlycompoundourproblem.Wehadtorelyon

themilitary’sjudgmentofhoweffectiveitwouldbe.Ontheotherhand,couldn’t

wewaitafewweeks,ratherthantorpedothesummit?Inotherwords,hewasfor

theoperationifitsucceededandagainstitifitfailed.HeconsoledthePresident

thatevenifwedidnothingandlost,theAmericanpeoplewouldsupportthe

President,knowinghehaddoneallthatwaspossible.Connallyemphat ically

rejectedthatproposition.AcollapseofVietnamdiscreditedthePresident’swhole

foreignpolicy;noexcusewouldbeaccepted.



Thisledtoadiscussionofwhatwouldhappentothesummitifwe

proceeded.Iexpressedmyjudgmentthattherewasa“betterthanevenchance

thattheSovietswillcancelthesummit.”Connallydidnotthinkthiscertain;inany

casehethoughtitbetteriftheSovietscanceledthanifwedid.



Ithenansweredtheanalysesthatdisparagedtheeffectofmining.The

NorthVietnamesewouldhavetofindalternativeroutesformorethan2.1million

tonsofseaborneimports.Sihanoukvillewasclosed.Theycoulduserailroadsonly

bynightforfearofourairinterdiction:“Youcan’tthrowthesefiguresaround

withoutabetteranalysis.Itiseasytosaythattheyhaveafourmonths’[reserve]

capacityandcouldgoalloutandendthewar,buttheywouldendwithzero

capacity…Onethingiscertain,theywillnotdrawtheirsuppliesdowntozero.”



Nixonsummedup:



TherealquestioniswhethertheAmericansgiveadamnanymore…IfyoufollowTime,

TheWashingtonPost,TheNewYorkTimesandthethreenetworks,youcouldsaythattheU.S.

hasdoneenough.“Let’sgetout;let’smakeadealwiththeRussiansandpullinourhorns.”The

U.S.wouldceasetobeamilitaryanddiplomaticpower.Ifthathappened,thentheU.S.would

lookinwardtowardsitselfandwouldremoveitselffromtheworld.Everynon‐Communist

nationintheworldwouldliveinterror.IftheU.S.isstrongenoughandwillingtouseits

strength,thentheworldwillremainhalf‐CommunistratherthanbecomingentirelyCommunist.



Themeetingendedat12:20afterthreehoursandtwentyminutes.Nixon

announcedthathewouldmakeadecisionattwoo’clock—thelastmoment,

accordingtoMoorer,toissuethe“execute”orderiftheminingwastocoincide

withthePresident’sspeech.NixonaskedConnallyandmetojoinhimintheOval

Officeimmediately.HeaskeduswhetheranythinghadhappenedattheNSC

meetingtochangeourminds.Webothtoldhimthatthediscussionhad

reinforcedourconvictiontoproceed.Nixoncalmlysaidthathewould.Ishould

bringthenecessarypaperstohisExecutiveOfficeBuildinghideawayattwo

o’clock.



WhenIarrived,Haldemanwasthere.BeforeIcouldhandNixontheorder,

hetoldmethatHaldemanhadraisednewquestions,whichIshouldhear.Tomy

amazementHaldemandescribedthedireimpactthattheproposedactionwould

haveonpublicopinionandthePresident’sstandinginthepolls.IfthePresident

weredefeatedasaresultofit,wewouldhavelosteverything.Ipassionately

defendedthedecision;alltheargumentswehadsoendlesslyrehearsedfordays

werestillvalid.TheywerereinforcedbytheconsiderationthatifthePresident

pulledbacknowatthelastmoment—w henallthekeyallieshadalreadybeen

briefed—hewouldriskhisleadershipandproducepanicinSaigon.WhenNixon

excusedhimselftogotothebathroom,IwhirledonHaldeman,whohadnever

meddledinsubstance,andcastigatedhim forinterferingatamomentofsuch

crisis.HisjobwhennochoiceswereleftwastogivethePresidentconfidence,not

toagitatehimonsubjectsaboutwhichheknewno thing.Haldemangrinned

shamefacedly,makingclearbyhisbearingthatNixonhadputhimuptohislittle

speech.Iwasusedtomanygamesfrommycomplexleader;thisonewasbeyond

mycomprehension—untiltherevelationofthetapessuggestedapossible

motive:Nixonwantedmeunambiguouslyonrecordassupportingtheoperation

lestthehated“Georgetownsocialset”seektodrawadistinctionbetweenhim

andmeastheyhadonCambodia.Bethatasitmay,Nixonreturnedfromthe

bathroom,andwithoutanother wordsignedtheexecuteorder.



<<Contents>>

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****



TheSummitintheBalance



immediatelypassedtheordertoajubilantMoorer.Itwaswhathehadbeen

recommendingforfiveyears.Heguaranteedthattherewouldbenorepetition

ofLaos;theeffortwouldnotfailbecausethemilitarydevotedinadequate

resourcesorattentiontoit.Icalledalltheotherprincipals.Asalwaysintheface

ofgreatevents,theyseemedrelievedthattheuncertaintywasover.(Andof

courseseveralhadpositionedthemselvestoavoidtheblameforanyfailure.)I

knewfrompastexperiencethatwhateverLaird’sattitudeatthemeeting,he

wouldbestaunchandimaginativeindefendingandcarryingoutthedecision.

Rogerswouldkeepalowprof ile.Helmswouldactlikethesuperbprofessionalhe

was.Andsoitproved.



OnSundayIhadspentnearlyanhourwithAlexJohnsonworkingonthe

obligatoryscenario:whichcountrywastobenotifiedbywhomatwhattime.My

officewouldtakecareoftheSovietsandtheChinese;theStateDepartment

wouldhandlealltheothers.Contrarytopastpractice,I wouldgivenopress

briefingbeforethespeech;itwouldcarryitsownmessage.Iwouldholdanon‐

the‐recordnewsconferencethenextdayexplainingthedecision.Therewas

neveranycontestoverWhiteHousepreeminencewheretakingtheheatover

Vietnamwasconcerned;theotherdepartmentswereonlytooeagertoleaveus

totheinevitablepublicbuffeting.ThePresidentwouldbrieftheCongressional

leadersateighto’clockintheevening.IwouldseeDobryninatthesametime.

PeterRodmanwouldgotoNewYorktotelltheChineseattheirUNMission.



Withthesepreparationsontrack,allwasquiet.Isatinmyoffice,knowing

thatthenextfewdayswoulddeterminethefateofourforeignpolicyand

perhapsoftheNixonAdministration.Ifeltlikeaboxerinthehoursbeforea

championshipfight,unabletodoanythingfurthertoimprovehischancesfor

success.ToeasethetensionIspentmostoftheintervalmakingpersonalphone

callstofriendswhomusthavebeenastonishedbymyuncharacteristicsolicitude.

Someofthemcomplimentedmeafterwardonmy“cool.”Theygavemetoomuch

credit.Iwasfatalistic;unknowinglytheydidmeagreatkindnessbyhelpingme

passthetime,providingmewithapersonalwarmththatwouldnotbeinplentiful

supplywhenthestormbrokeandthatwouldhelpsustainmeinthetrialsahead.

Andinoneortwocasestheygavemealastglimpseofarelationshipthatwould

shortlybesunderedforever.



At8:30p.m.thelullwasover.WhilethePresidentbriefedthe

Congressionalleadership,

IsawDobrynin,whomIhadcalledawayfromadinner.

Dobrynin,athoroughgoingprofessional,exhibitedincrisesnoneofthe

camaraderiewithwhichhenormallyeasedtheprocessesofdiplomacy.Hebegan

bytellingmethatwheneverIsawhimbeforeaspeechheknewitwouldnotbe

goodnews.IjokedthatnormallyhewasoutoftowninacrisisandletVorontsov

bearthebrunt;wehadobviouslycaughthimunaware.Ihandedhima letterfrom

NixontoBrezhnev.Atoncefirmandconciliatory,itpointedoutthatBrezhnev’s

messageofMay6didnotchangethesituation;indeed,itconfirmedit.Therehad

beennoindication,howeverminimal,thatHanoiwouldhaltitsoffensiveand

resumenegotiationsonanyacceptablebasis.Theletterthenoutlinedthe

measuresthatwouldbeannouncedinhisspeech.Italsosetoutthetermson

whichhewouldendtheblockadeandbombing:anendtotheoffensive;an

internationallysupervisedcease‐fireinplace(thusdroppingmyAprildemandfor

withdrawalofNorthVietnameseunitsthathadenteredSouthVietnamafter

March29);andwithdrawalofallUnitedStatesforcesfromVietnamwithinfour

months.(Thiswasanimprovementofourpreviouspositionofwithdrawalinsix

months.)



Nixon’sletterfollowedthesamestrategyasmytriptoMoscowinApril:

paintingtheprospectofasuccessfulsummitasanincentiveforSovietrestraint.It

tantalizinglysummarizedwhathadalreadybeenagreedonSALT,theDeclaration

ofPrinciples,andexpandedtrade,andwaxedeloquentaboutthepossible

accomplishmentsof“ourforthcomingmeeting.”Nixonconcludedwithanappeal

totheelevatedsentimentsthatheflatteringlyimpliedmightanimatetheSoviet

leaders:



Inconclusion,Mr.GeneralSecretary,letmesaytoyouthatthisisamomentfor

statesmanship.Itisamomentwhen,byjointefforts,wecanendthemalignanteffectsonour

relationsandonthepeaceoftheworldwhichtheconflictinVietnamhassolongproduced.I

amreadytojoinwithyouatoncetobringaboutapeacethathumiliatesneithersideand

servestheinterestsofallthepeopleinvolved.Iknowthattogetherwehavethecapacitytodo

this.



Afterallourweeksoftoingandfroing,Nixon’sletterthusmadeclearour

willingnesstoproceedwiththesummit.Theonuswasnowsquarelyon

Brezhnev’sshouldersifhechosetocancelit.



Dobryninwasallbusiness.Heaskedwhatprecisemeasureswereimpliedin

theblockade.HelosthiscoolonlyoncewhenIaskedhimhowtheSovietUnion

wouldreactifthe15,000SovietsoldiersinEgyptwereinimminentdangerof

beingcapturedbyIsraelis.Dobryninbecameuncharacteristicallyvehementand

revealedmorethanhecouldhaveintended:“Firstofall,weneverputforces

somewherewhocan’tdefendthemselves.Second,iftheIsraelisthreatenus,we

willwipethemoutwithintwodays.Icanassureyouourplansaremadeforthis

eventuality.”Histemperquic klysubsided.Itwasexplicablebythe

disappointmentofamanwhoIbelievewasalwayssincerelydedicatedtothe

improvementofSoviet‐Americanrelations(withintheessentialframeworkof

Sovietworldinterests)andnowsawtheworkofyearsinjeopardy.Dobrynin

askedforacopyofthePresident’sspeech.Itwasquiteliterallystillbe ingtypeda

halfhourbeforeitwastobedeliveredbecauseNixonwasmakingrevisionsuntil

thelastmoment.Dobrynindidnotbelievethisforonesecond.Hesaiditwassad

thatIdidnottrusthimtokeepasecretforevenfifteenminutes.Atlastacopy

arrived.DobryninnotedasentencetotheeffectthatmymeetingwithLeDucTho

onMay2hadbeenbasedonSovietassurances;thiswouldbetakenveryillin

Moscow.IexcusedmyselfforafewminutesandwenttotheOvalOffice,already

crowdedwithcamerasandtechnicians.ImetwithNixoninasmallofficeoffthe

formalroom.Heagreedtodeletetheoffendingphrase;bysomemiracle,Ron

Zieglermanagedtocorrectthepresscopyintime.WhenItoldDobrynin,hesaid

resignedlythatatleasthehadachievedsomethinginhisdealingswithour

Administration.



Speakingprivately,hewasgloomyaboutthereactioninMoscow.Knowing

Nixon,heaverred,hewasnotsurprisedaboutourreactiontotheMay2meeting,

thoughthisparticularcoursehadnotoccurredtohim.AdrasticSovietresponse

waslikely;thepitywasthatwehadbeensoclosetosuccess.Becauseoftheway

decisionsweremadeintheSovietUnion,oncethePolitburo hadadoptedanew

andmorehostilepolicyitwouldbehardtoreverseit;US‐Sovietrelationswere

likelytobeinforalongchillyperiod.IrepliedthatthePolitburocouldhavebeen

undernomisapprehensionaftermyApriltriptoMoscowthatafailureoftheMay

2meetingwouldleadtoadrasticAmericanresponse.Dobrynin,withsome

melancholy,agreed.Still,itwasapity;wehadcomeclosertoanunderstanding

thaninanypreviousperiodofhistenureinWashington.



At9:00p.m.Nixo naddressedthenation.Earlydraftsofthespeechhad

containedthesamestrident,apocalyptictoneashisaddressannouncingthe

incursionintoCambodia.BytheendofSunday,LordandI—togetherwiththe

verythoughtfulWhiteHousespeechwriterJohnAndrews—hadmanagedto

reworkit.Thespeechnowwasmoreinsorrowthaninanger.Itleftawayoutto

bothHanoiandMoscow.InarestrainedandpowerfuladdressNixonstressed

thatwewouldnotacceptHanoi’stermsbutthatanegotiatedoutcomewasstill

ourpreference.Heexplainedthesequenceofourmostrecentnegotiatingeffort:

myApriltriptoMoscow,thedisappointingMay2meetingwithLeDucTho.He

repeatedhiswillingnesstosettlethewar.ButtheNorthVietnamese “arrogantly

refusetonegotiateanythingbutanimposition.”Theonlywaytostopthekilling,

therefore,was“tokeeptheweaponsofwaroutofthehandsoftheinternational

outlawsofNorthVietnam.”Herecitedthemilitaryactionshewastaking;he

statedournegotiatingpositioninthetermshehadoutlinedintheletterto

Brezhnev.



Thetermswere,infact,themostforthcomingwehadputforward:a

standstillcease‐fire,releaseofprisoners,andtotalAmericanwithdrawalwithin

fourmonths.Thedeadlineforwithdrawalwastheshortestever.Theofferofa

standstillcease‐fireimpliedthatAmericanbombingwouldstopandthatHanoi

couldkeepallthegainsmadeinitsoffensive.Wewerepledgedtowithdraw

totallyinreturnforacease‐fireandreturnofourprisoners.Nixon’sspeech

publiclyaddressedBrezhnevintermssimilartotheletter:



Ourtwonationshavemadesignificantprogressinournegotiationsinrecentmonths.

Wearenearmajoragreementsonnucleararmslimitation,ontrade,onahostofotherissues.



Letusnotslidebacktowardthedarkshadowsofapreviousage.Wedonotaskyouto

sacrificeyourprinciples,oryourfriends,butneithershouldyoupermitHanoi’sintransigenceto

blotouttheprospectswetogetherhavesopatientlyprepared.



We,theUnitedStatesandtheSovietUnion,areonthethresholdofanewrelationship

thatcanservenotonlytheinterestsofourtwocountries,butthecauseofworldpeace.Weare

preparedtocontinuetobuildthisrelationship.Theresponsibilityisyoursifwefailtodoso.



ThatsameeveningPeterRodmandeliveredaletterfromNixonforChou

En‐laitotheChineseUNMissioninNewYork.AmbassadorHuangHuareadthe

lettersomberlybutmadenocomment;itscontentdidnotpreventhimfrom

makingpleasantsmalltalkandfromofferingRodmanseveralcupsofjasminetea.

Nixon’slettertoChouEn‐laicharacterizedournegotiatingproposalsasfairand

remindedhimofourrepeatedwarningsthatwewouldreactstronglytoan

enemyoffensive.ItremindedChouinapointedandprescientreferencetothe

SovietUnionthat“itisnottheUnitedStateswhichseeksalong‐termpresencein

Indochina.”Theletterexpressedhopethatthiscrisiswouldnotinterferewith

progressinUS‐Chineserelations:



DuringthepastthreeyearsthePeople’sRepublicofChinaandtheUnitedStateshave

beenpatientlyopeninganewrelationshipbasedontheprofoundinterestsofbothcountries.

Wenowfaceanimportantdecision.Wemustconsiderwhethertheshort‐termperspectivesof

asmallernation—allofwhoseownreasonableobjectivescouldsoclearlybeachieved—canbe

allowedtothreatenalltheprogressthatwehavemade.Iwouldhopethataftertheimmediate

passionshavecooled,wewillconcentrateonlonger‐terminterests.



IbriefedthepressnextmorningintheEastRoomoftheWhiteHouse.

Importantthoughexplanationstoourpublicwere,theyalsoservedavital

diplomaticfunction.EverystatementwaspartofanefforttopersuadeMoscow

andPekingtoacquiesceinourcourseandthustomoveHanoi,byisolatingit,to

meaningfulnegotiations.Ourmostimportantconcern,ofcourse,wasthe

summit,nowlessthantwoweeksaway.Iadopteda postureof“businessas

usual.”IexplainedthatwehadnotheardfromMoscow—norcouldwehave—but

thatwewere“proceedingwiththesummitpreparations,andweseeatthis

momentnoreasonfromoursidetopostponethesummitmeeting.”We

recognizedthattheSovietleaderswouldface“someshort‐termdifficulties”in

makingtheirdecision,butwe,forourpart,stillbelievedthatanewerainEast‐

Westrelationswaspossible.BecauseIdidnotwanttoembarrasstheSovietsI

sidesteppedaquestionaboutwhetheronmyvisitIhadforewarnedBrezhnevof

ourintendedactions.IsimplystatedthataftermyvisittheSovietleaderscould

nothavebeen“underanymisapprehensionofhowseriouslyitwouldbeviewedif

thisoffensivecontinued.”IconcludedwithanappealtoHanoi:



Leavingasidehowpossibleitistohavereallycompleteprivatemeetingsunderpresent

circumstances,webelievethatthemosteffectivewayofendingthewar,themostcertainway,

isbynegotiations.WerespectLeDucThoasaserious,dedicatedspokesmanforhisside,and

wearepreparedonoursidetoresumenegotiationswithhimatanytimethatheispreparedto

discusspropositionsthatareconsistentwithourprinciples.Andwewouldmakeeveryeffortto

understandhispointofview.



Forthemoment,theexplanationsandthesignalswereoverwhelmedby

Congressionalandmediaoutrage.SenatorWillia mProxmiredenouncedthe

President’sactionas“recklessandwrong.”SenatorMikeMansfieldwas

convincedthatourdecisionwouldprotractthewar.SenatorGeorgeMcGovern

calledforCongressionalaction:“ThePresidentmustnothavea freehandin

Indochinaanylonger…Thenationcannotstandit.TheCongressmustnotallow

it…ThepoliticalregimeinSaigonisnotworththelossofonemoreAmericanlife.”

SenatorEdmundMuskiethoughtthePresidentwas“jeopardizingthemajor

securityinterestsoftheUnitedStates.”SenatorFrankChurch,incondemningthe

action,wasoneofthefewtorecognizethatwehadmadeamajornegotiating

offer:“Theonethingthathasbeenoverlookedisthatinthesamespeechhe

[Nixon]madeapropositionforpeacethatneedstobegivencloserattention,not

onlybythisbody,butalsobyHanoiandbyMoscow…”



Themedia’soutragewasnearlyuniform.TheNewYorkTimes’sfirst

reactionwaspredictable:‘ThemanydangersthatlieaheadinVietnamare

exceededonlybythethreattothepeaceoftheworldifanewSoviet‐American

crisisblocksthestrategicarmslimitationaccordthatisvirtuallyassuredin

Helsinki.”

AfterfurtherreflectiontheTimesdecidedtoraisethedecibelcount ,

denouncingthePresident’s“desperategamble.’’TheTimescalleduponthe

Congresstocutoffallfundsforthewarto“savethePresidentfromhimselfand

thenationfromdisaster.”TheWashingtonPostdeclaredthatNixon“haslost

touchwiththerealworld…TheMoscowsummitisinthebalance,ifithasnotyet

toppledover…TheonlyreliefinthisgrimsceneisthatMr.Nixoniscomingtothe

endofatermandtheAmericanpeoplewillshortlyhavetheopportunityto

renderadirectjudgmentonhispolicy.’’EventheChristianScienceMonitorfound

that“thewisdomofthatdecisionandtherightnessofitareclearlyopento

question.”TheBostonGlobeadmittedthatNixon’speacetermsaddedupto“the

mostreasonableofferthiscountryhassofarmade.”Butoftheriskychallengeto

Moscow,theGlobewrote:“Somehowitallseemsevenmoreimmoralthanour

involvementinthewaritself.’’



OnMay10nineformermembersofmystaffsignedaletterofprotestto

me.Thoughinalmostallcasestheirassociationwith mehadbeenonlyforafew

months,twoorthreeyearsearlier,theydidnotmindtradingontherelationship

togainattention.Inaletterthatreceivedmuchpublicity,theyassailedthemining

andbombingonvariousgrounds—thatthe“councils[sic]ofcommonsense”had

failedtobeheeded;thatthePresident’saction“sojeopardized”detenteand

armscontrol;thatitwasclearly“dangerousandprobablyineffective.”Itwas

“fruitless.”“ill‐conceived.”“doublyshocking.”“perilousandfalse.”



Ifthecriticshadpaidcloserattentiontorealityandlesstoper sonal

outrage,theywouldhavenotedthattheCommunistreactionwasmuchmore

restrainedthantheirown.Theycouldnothaveknown,ofcourse,thatDobrynin

andIspokeearlyonMay9,whenItoldDobryninofanaccordworkedout

betweenWestGermanChancellorBrandtandoppositionleaderRainerBarzel

thatwouldleadtoratificationoftheEasterntreatiesnowbefore theBundestag.

Wehadnotplanneditthisway—wehadnoinfluenceovertheproceduresofthe

GermanParliament—butthelinkagesodisparagedbycommentatorswas

obvious.ItoldDobryninsoothinglythatatleastoutsideofSoutheastAsiawe

wouldcontinuetodobusiness(implying,ofcourse,thatiftheSovietsgottough

socouldwe).DobryninthensaidthatsincethiswasaholidayintheSovietUnion

(V‐EDay),theofficialreactiontothePresident’sspeechmightbesomewhat

delayed—atrulyextraordinaryexplanationinthemidstofaninternationalcrisis.

IfSovietleaderswerenotpreparedtointerruptaholiday,theycouldnotbe

viewingthecrisisasallthatserious.Heassumedthatastatementormessage

couldbeexpectedsoonerorlater,however.ItoldhimIwouldsendacopyofmy

pressconferenceremarks,whichspokepositivelyaboutUS‐Sovietrelations.



Ourcritics,asIsaid,wereunawareoftheseexchanges.Buttherewere

manypublicSovietsignalsthattheresponsemightbelow‐key.Hanoifulminated

againstthe“insolentchallenge”andaskedforincreasedsupportfromits

Communistbackers.ButtherewasnorushtothebarricadesineitherMoscowor

Peking.TheSovietSALTnegotiatorsinGenevacontinuedtheirwork.(Wehad

instructedourdelegationtoproceedasifnothinghadhappened—buttorefuse

todiscussVietnam.) ASovietcommercialdelegationheadedbyTradeMinister

NikolaiPatolichevwasinWashingtononavisitreciprocatingthatofCommerce

SecretaryMauriceStanstheprecedingNovember.Itmissedsessionsforoneday

butstayedinWashington.TheonlySovietpubliccommentwasaTASSarticleon

May9summarizingthePre sident’sspeechand,interestingly, callingattentionto

Nixon’sassurancethatoureffortswerenotdirectedagainstanyothercountry.

Ratherplaintively,TASSassertedthatouractionswerenotcompatiblewithour

professeddesiretoendthewar.



TheChineseresponsewasmoresubtlestill.Apublic statementonMay9

protestedattacksonChineseshipsonMay6,7,and8(beforethePresident’s

speech),thusmaintainingthedis tinctionofrecentmonths:Pekingmight

complainofAmericanactionsagainstNorthVietnam,butitwould“protest”

(implyingsomegovernmentalsanction)onlywhenChineselivesorpropertywere

involved.WeimmediatelynotifiedtheChineseUNMissioninNewYorkthat

specialcarewouldbetakentoavoidChineseships;thepointwasinanycase

moot,sincetheNort hVietnameseportswerenowclosed.Thateveningthe

Chinesegaveusanotherlessoninindirection.TheirEmbassyinParis—thepoint

ofcontactforroutinebusiness—matter‐of‐factlyinquiredabouttechnical

arrangementsforthetriptoChinaofHouseleadersHaleBoggsandGeraldFord,

whichwastotakeplaceattheendofJune,nearlytwomonthsaway.Weknew

wellenoughbynowthatnothingtheChinesedoisaccidental. Pekingwastelling

usthatthetripswerestillon;thesteadyimprovementofourrelationswasnot

affectedbythePresident’saction.



OntheafternoonofMay10,DobrynincametotheMapRoomoftheWhite

HousetohandmeabriefSovietnoteofprotest.Significantly,itwasconfinedto

damagecausedtoSovietshipsbyourbombing,includingthelossoflife.Thenote

askedforassurancesagainstarecurrence.Itsaidnothingaboutthemining.The

factthatitcamethroughourprivateChannelindicatedtheSovietdesiretokeep

theirresponseoutofthepublicrealm.Dobryninevengaveushis“personal

view”—anunlikelypossibility—thatMoscow’sdecisiontomovethiswaywas

“encouraging,”butitwasperhaps“premature”todrawfinalconclusions. 

Playfully,heaskedmewhatIthoughtthePolitburowoulddecide.IrepliedthatI

wouldplacemyanswerinasealedenvelopeforbothofustolookatwhenthe

crisiswasover.(Ineverdid,butifIhad,thenotewouldhavepredictedthat

Moscowwouldpostponethesummittoafixedearlydate.)Iremindedhimofthe

President’sinterestinanewerainourrelations.Dobryninaskeddetailed

questionsaboutourcease‐fireproposal.Webothspokedelicatelyaboutthe

discussionsthatwouldtakeplace“if”thetwoleadersmet.