Kissinger Henry. White House Years

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accident,weevokedheadlinessuchasthisfromtheNewYorkTimesofJuly16:

“HowtoBombaDikeButNotTargetIt.”NixoninnewsconferencesonJune29

andJuly27andLairdonJuly6firmlydeniedthatourpolicywastoattackdikes.

Theassuranceshould,ofcourse,havebeeninherentlyplausible,orthedikes

wouldlongsincehavebeendestroyed.NixonalsoaskedonJuly27whytherewas

somuchconcernabouthypotheticalattacksondikeswhensolittlehadbeensaid

aboutthe860,000SouthVietnamesemadehomelessbythemostrecentNorth

Vietnameseoffensive.Afterafewweeksthedikestorywentaway,notto

reappearfortherestofthewar.



Intheinterval,too,wehadanotherexchangewithThieu.Itwasan

indicatorofthingstocome—thoughonceagainwetookfora tactical

misunderstandingwhatturnedouttobeafundamentaldisagreement.Wehad

toldThieuroutinelythatwewouldpresentduringthenextplenarysessionwhat

wehadwithheldonJuly19:Thieu’spro posedresignationtwomonthsratherthan

onemonthbeforeanewelection.Wealsoproposedtoinsistthatthecease‐fire

gointoeffectonthesignatureofanagreementinprinciple,contrarytoHanoi’s

constantinsistencethatacease‐firebedeferreduntilagreementonpolitical

issueshadbeenreached.Wewantedtoavoidatrapinwhichanagreementin

principlewouldturnintoaswapofprisoner sforourwithdrawal,leavingHanoi

freetopursuethewaragainstSouthVietnam.



ThoughThieuhadagreedtotheresignationproposalinhisconversation

withHaigonJuly3(suggestingthathecouldevenagreetoresignsooner)and

thoughthesecondprovisionforimmediatecease‐fireseemedtousentirelytohis

benefit,henowobjectedtoboth.Hesaidthatwecouldindicatethetwo‐month 

resignationintervalinformallybutnotinwriting.Hetiedthecease‐firetoa

withdrawalofallNorthVietnameseforceswithinthreemonths.Thefirst

objectionwouldeasilybehandledbyofferinganeutralformulationanda specific

privateassurance.Thewithdrawalpointwasnew.Withhisagreement,acease‐

fireinplacehadbeenproposedpubliclyonOctober7,1970.Withhisconcurrence

also,wehadformallyabandonedthedemandformutualwithdrawalinoursecret

proposalofMay31,1971,andNixonhadurgedacease‐firewithoutwithdrawal

onJanuary25andMay8,1972.



Thieu’snewproposalwasunfulfillable.Hanoiwouldnotyieldatthe

conferencetablewhatithadnotbeenforcedtogiveuponthebattlefield.After

havingbasedourwholepublicpositiononanunconditionalcease‐fire,wewould

neverbeabletosustainacontinuationofthewaronthisissue;amajorityofour

Senatewasopposedeventomakingunilateralwithdrawalconditionalonacease‐

fire.OnMay31,1971,wehadputforwardaproposalprohibitingfurther

infiltrationintoSouthVietnamafteracease‐fire.Thiswouldhavethepractical

consequenceofcausingtheNorthVietnameseforcesintheSouthtoatrophy

owingtonormalattrition.Eventhispositionhadnexttonopublicsupportinthe

UnitedStates,butweweredeterminedtostickto it.Furtherthanthatitwouldbe

senselesstogo;itwouldjustelicitaCongressionalresolutionforcingusto

abandonallconditions.ButwedidnotpursuethedisagreementwithThieusince

itseemedirrelevanttothedeadlockednegotiations.



MyAugust1meetinginPariswithLeDuc Thoturnedouttobethelongest

yet;itlastedeighthours.Idescribeditinamemorandum tothePresidentas“the

mostinterestingsessionwehaveeverhad.”LeDucThowasnotyetsoeagerfora

settlementastogiveuphistacticofopeningwithanassaultonourgoodfaith,

concentratinghisfirethistimeonourannouncementsoftheprivatemeetings.

Then,afteranhour‐longwrangle,Duckyyieldedtotheinevitable.Heknewvery

wellthattherewasnowayofkeepingthefactofthemeetingssecretifwewere

determinedtopublicizethem—unless,ofcourse,hewaspreparedtothreatento

breakofftheconversations.



Andthis,ittranspired,hewasnotatallwillingtodo.ForonAugust1Le

DucThocontinuedtheretreatthathehadbegunonJuly19.Ipresentedournew

“plan,”butLeDucThorealizedthatitconsistedmainlyofcosmeticmodifications.

ForoncehischargethatIwasoffering“nothingnew”wasaccurate.Afterwehad

consumednearlythreehours,firstinhagglingandtheningoingoverfamiliar

ground,LeDucThoaskedforarecess.Itlastedanhourandaquarter,thelongest

interruptionyet.Thebreakbroughttolightaninterestingchangeinatmosphere

observedfirstbyPeterRodman,who,asnote‐taker,wasmostinneedof

sustenance.Atpreviousmeetings,theNorthVietnamesehadlaidoutmodest

snacks,whichconsistedofVietnamesespringrolls(chagio)andsoftdrinks.Atthe

meetingofAugust1,fruit,cookies,andagreatervarietyoflightedibleswere

served,whichledRodmantorecordforposteritythat“thesnacksweremore

lavishandthechagiosomewhatthickerthanthepreviousmeeting”—an

indicationbothofRodman’slegendaryappetiteandofthetea‐leafreadingto 

whichwehadbeenreducedbyfouryearsoffrustratingnegotiations.(OnAugust

14,wineandricecakeswouldappear.)



Aftertherecess,Duckyreadmealittlelectureontheminingandbombing.

WhenIshowedimpatiencehefinallycametothepoint.Hehadawholenewset

ofNorthVietnameseproposals.



FortwoandahalfyearsHanoihadbeentormentinguswiththe

unconditional‐withdrawaldeadline.Wewereaskedtocommit ourselvestoa

withdrawalschedulethatwouldthenhavetobekeptregardlessofwhatelse

happenedinthenegotiations.Therewouldbeacease‐firewithourforceswhile

thefightingwouldgooninSouthVietnam.Wehadcounteredbyagreeingona

scheduleforwithdrawalcontingentonotherterms,ineffect,ageneralcease‐fire

throughoutIndochina.One‐sided,indeedinsolent,aswasHanoi’spro posal,ithad

beengainingmomentumwithintheUnitedStates.SeveralSenateresolutions

embodiedit;itwasMcGovern’scampaignposition.NowLeDucThowithdrewit.

Hewaswillingtosettleforlessthanhewasbeingofferedbytheopposition

candidate—aprettyclearindicationofhowHanoiwasreadingtheforthcoming

election.LeDucThoagreedthatwhateverscheduleweagreeduponwouldnot

startrunninguntilafterallissuesweresettled;theunconditionaldeadline,which

hadrentourdomesticdebate,wasdead.



LeDucThobeganalsotomodifyhispoliticaldemands.Hestillinsistedona

coalitiongovernment,butheputforwardtwoconcessions.Hanoiuptonowhad

demandedaprovisionalcoalitiongovernmentinwhichtheCommunists

appointedathirdofthemembersandhadavetoovertheothertwo‐thirds.That

disarmedgovernmentwassupposedthentonegotiatewiththefullyarmed

Communistshadowgovernmentforadefinitivesolution.LeDucThonow

proposedmakingthetripa rtitecoalitiongovernmentineffectthedefinitive

government;itwouldnothavetoengageinadditionalnegotiations withthe

Communists.ReflectingHanoi’ssenseofurgency,LeDucThogaveup,inaddition, 

thevetooverthecompositionofthenon‐Communistsegmentsofhisproposed

structure.Inthethree‐partcoalitiontheCommunistsandSaigonwouldeach

appointtheirthird,andalsoone‐halfoftheallegedly“neutral”third.Inother

words,thetripartitecoalitionhadbecomeafifty‐fiftysplit—withSa igonthus

havingaveto—ratherthanagrabfortotalpower.Wewereopposedtoanyform

ofcoalitiongovernment,butwewerecertainthatwehadnotseenthelast of

Hanoi’sflexibility.



OnceLeDucThostartedmakingconcessions,heprovedasinventiveashe

hadbeenobnoxiouswhilestonewalling.Henextsubmittedaproceduralproposal

forspeedingupthenegotiation,socompletethatitrequiredanadvanceddegree

inmetaphysicstounderstandthebewilderingseriesofforumshewasnow

puttingbeforeus.SaigonandtheSouthVietnameseCommunistswouldnegotiate

onpoliticaliss ues;thethreeVietnamesepartieswoulddiscusssubjectsaffecting

allofVietnam;allfourparties(includingtheUnitedStates)wouldtreatthe

questionsrelatingtothecease‐fire.Tous,thesignificantfeatureofthis

proceduralcornucopiawasthatineachoftheforumstheexistingSouth

Vietnamesegovernment,includingThieu,couldparticipateasanequal.Hanoi

wasobviouslyinfullretreatfromitsancientposition thatThieuwouldhaveto

resignbeforeanythingelsehappened.



IthoughtLeDucTho’sproposalssufficientlyserioustosendthewhole

voluminoustexttoBunkerandThieufortheirconsideration.Inamemorandum

tothePresident—onwhichNixonwroteskepticalmarginalcommentsaboutthe

tediumoftheexercise—IpointedoutthatHanoi’snewformulat ionscouldbea

firststeptowardseparatingthemilitaryandpoliticalissues,theapproachthatI

hadrecommendedinmy1968ForeignAffairsarticle,andthatHarrimanand

Vancehadurgedonusinthetransitionperiod.LeDucThohadheretofore

adamantlyrejectedthiscourse.ButifitwerenowthecasethatNorthVietnam

wasbeginningtomove,ourstrategyhadtobetocontinuetorejectanycoalition

governmentproposal.Intimethiscouldendupassomeface‐savingformulation

inwhichthemilitaryissuessuchascease‐fire,prisonerexchange,and

withdrawalswouldbesettledconclusively,whilethepoliticalissueswouldbeleft

toprolonged,andpo ssiblyinconclusive,negotiationsamongthevarious

Vietnameseparties.



Wewere,ofcourse,enteringdangerouswaters.AslongasHanoiaskedus

tooverthrowanalliedgovernment,wewereonmoralhighgroundinrejectingit.

ButwithHanoinowmovingtowardthegrayareaofacceptingagenuinepolitical

contest,thedividinglineswouldbegintoblur.Symbolismandsubstancewould

merge.Andtheformermightbemoredangeroustoourvulnerablealliesin

Saigon,whowouldhavetoremaintofightfortheirfreedomafterwehad

withdrawn,thanto ustenthousandmilesaway.Astheprivatetalks—still

unnoticedbythemedia—grewprogressivelymoreserious,whatemergedmore

andmoreasthekeyissuewassomethingintangible:thepsychologicalresilience

ofSaigon.



Forthetimebeing,wewerenotcompelledtodecide.Hanoihadnotyet

movedfarenoughtotestourconsistentpositionthattheonlyobstacletoa

settlementwasourrefusaltooverthrowanalliedgovernment.Nixonsawno

pointinmakingmoreconcessionsbecausehewouldjustassoonhaveputthe

wholenegotiatingprocessoniceuntilaftertheelection.Iagreedweshouldsit

tight,becauseIwantedtoconserveforthefinalpushthemarginaladjustmentsin

ourpositionwewerestillcapableofmaking.Hanoi wouldnotmakethefinal

decision,inmyanalysis,untilwellintoSe ptember,whenNixon’sprospectswould

beclearer.Thisassessment,interestinglyenough,wassharedbyDobrynin,who

seemedwellinformedonournegotiations.Allweshoulddo,Ithought,wasmake

minorresponsestoNorthVietnameseinitiativesandfromtimetotimesubmit

ourownwrittenformulations,whichshouldbejustforthcomingenoughtodeny

Hanoianypretexttogopublicandtriggeranotherbitterdomesticcontroversyin

America.Nixonagreed.



TokeepthepressureonHanoiforfurtherdilutionofitspoliticalposition

andtocoordinatepolicywithourally,NixonagreedthatIshouldvisitSaigon

immediatelyfollowingthenextmeetinginParis,scheduledforAugust14.This

hadtheadditionaladvantageofsupportingourstrategyofprocrastination;it

gavemeapretexttodelayareplytoHanoi’sAugust1proposalsforatleast

anothertwoweeks.Ifmyassessmentofthepressuresposedbyourelection

deadlinewascorrect,Hanoiwouldfinditselfforcedtodiscloseitshandrapidly.

Forthefirsttimeinthewaritwasouropponents,notourselves,whowereunder

thecompulsionoftime.



AsitturnedoutLeDucTho,too,wasgoingtotravel;hetoldusthathehad

beencalledbacktoHanoi.Thisconfirmedthatfundamentaldecisionswereinthe

offing.Asaresult,themeetingonAugust14turnedintoaholdingactiononboth

sides.IgavetheNorthVietnamesea numberofdocumentsthatmade upin

legalisticcomplexityforwhattheylackedinsubsta nce:astatementofgeneral

principlesdrawnfro mthetwoprecedingmeetings;aten‐pointnegotiating

documentansweringthetenpointstheyhadputforwardonAugust1;anda

proceduralpaperacceptingtheprincipleofthedifferentforumstheyhad

suggestedonAugust1butchangingthetopicsassignedtoparticulargroups.The

militaryissueswerestraightforward;wehadbeenclosetosettlingthemduring

thepreviousyear.Wechangedtheformulationbutnotthesubstance.Weput

forwardnopoliticalproposalsatall;mypendingvisittoSaigonwastheexcuse.

WeagreedtomeetagainonSeptember15onmywaybackfromalong‐planned

triptoMoscow.



Afterthreemeetings,then,therehadbeensignificantmovement,entirely

byHanoi;itwasmovingintherightdirectionbutnotatapacethatwouldkeepit

fromreversingcourselater.HanoihadgivenupthedemandforThieu’s

immediateremoval.IthadagreedtonegotiatingforumsinwhichtheSaigon

governmentwouldparticipate,thusina senserecognizingitslegitimacy.Ithad

abandonedtheabsurddemandforanunconditionaldeadlineforthewithdrawal

ofAmericanforces.Theproposedcoalitiongovernment,heretoforeatransparent

frontforaCommunisttakeover,hadbee nreducedtoafifty‐fiftysplitofpower.



Moreover,Hanoiseemedtometohavelostsomeofitspreviouslysure

grasp.LeDucThomovedalmosttoourgently;variousproposalssucceededeach

othersorapidlyaspracticallytotemptmetowaittoseewhatelsehemighthave

inreserve.Andtheproceduralplanalmostinviteddelaybecauseitcreateda

plethoraofforums,eachofwhichcouldbogdownontechnicalitiesandyet,

accordingtoHanoi,allofwhichhadtofinishbeforeacease‐firecouldgointo

effect.Thisprocedurewasmoreappropr iateforthesidepreparedonthewhole

towaitratherthanfortheoneinahurrytosettle—whichwas,suddenly,the

NorthVietnamese.



ButHanoihadleftitselfplentyofloopholes.Theconceptofacoalition

government,evenonthetermssuggestedbyHanoi,remainedunacceptable. It

gavethesidethatcontrolledperhaps10percentof thepopulation50percentof

thepower.Andafifty‐fiftysplitbetweengroupsthathadbeenkillingeachother

fortwodecadeswasboundtobeasham.Itwascertaintoturnintoastarting

pointforanewcontest,andwewouldhavepsychologicallyweakened ourallies

forthatcontestthroughwithdrawingandgivingtheiropponentsashareofpower

disproportionatetotheirrealpublicsupport.Theprocedura lforumswereas

compatiblewithThieu’sbeingaskedtonegotiatehisowndemiseaswith

acceptinghislegitimacy.Hanoihadnotyetmadeadecisivechoice;itstillhadalot

ofrunningroom.



IreportedtothePresidentaftermyAugust14meeting:



TheNorthVietnamesewillbewatchingthepollsinourcountryandthedevelopments

inSouthVietnamanddecidingwhethertocompromisebeforeNovember.Theyhavean

agonizingchoice.TheycanmakeadealwithanAdministrationthatwillgivethemafairchance

tojockeyforpowerintheSouth,butrefusestoguaranteetheirvictory.Ortheycanholdout,

knowingthatthiscoursealmostcertainlymeanstheywillfacethesameAdministrationwitha

freshfour‐yearmandatethatreflectstheAmericanpeople’srefusaltocaptenyearsofsacrifice

withignominy…Duringthisprocesswehavegottenclosertoanegotiatedsettlementthanever

before;ournegotiatingrecordisbecomingimpeccable;andwestillhaveachancetomakean

honorablepeace.



AndNixon’srealattitudewasreflectedinthenoteshewrotetoAlHaigon

themarginofmyreport:



Whichmeanswehavenoprogressin15meetings![Actually,ithadbeenmysixteenth

secretmeetingwiththeNorthVietnamese.]



Al—Itisobviousthatnoprogresswasmadeandthatnonecanbeexpected.Henrymust

bediscouraged—asIhavealwaysbeenonthisfrontuntilaftertheelection.Wehavereached

thestagewherethemerefactofprivatetalkshelpsusverylittle—ifatall.Wecansoonexpect

theoppositiontobegintomakethatpoint.



DisillusionmentaboutK’stalkscouldbeharmfulpolitically—particularlyinviewofthe

factthattheSaigontrip,regardlessofhowwedownplayit,mayraiseexpectations.



WhatweneedmostnowisaP.R.gameplantoeitherstoptalksorifwecontinuethem

togivesomehopeofprogress.



Clearly,NixonwouldnothavebeenpainedifIhadrecommendedhaltingall

negotiationsuntilaftertheelection.Ididnotdothatbecausemyanalysiswas

different.



<<Contents>>



****



AVisittoSaigon



nthismoodofexpec tancyIarrivedinSaigononAugust17,afterhavingspenta

dayinSwitzerlandtocelebratemyparents’fiftiethweddinganniversarywith

themandmychildren.ItwasapeacefulrespitefromthefanaticsfromHanoiand

thedesperatemeninSaigon,eachgropingforamaneuverthatwouldopenthe

roadtovictory.Wewerecaughtseekingcompromisefrompartiesunite donlyin

theirconvictionthattherewasnomiddleground,pressedbyapublictiredofits

exertions,harassedbydomesticopponentscommittedtoendourinvolvementon 

nearlyanyterms.



SaigonwasteemingwithrumorsthatIhadcometoimposepeace.Thecity

woreitsincongruous,characteristicairofhys tericallassitude,noisywith

motorbikesandmilitaryvehicles,flauntingitsdesireforthegoodlifeso

ostentatiouslyastoraisethequestionwhetheritcouldevermobilizethe

dedicationtoprevailagainstenemieswhoseonlyprofession,perhapseven

avocation,waswar.AmbassadorEllswo rthBunkergreetedmeatTanSonNhut

airport,unflappableasalways.HewasconvincedthatThieufeltstrongerthan

everbutalsothathisnewfoundstrengthwouldmakehimmorerecalcitrant. 

ThieuthoughtthatSouthVietnamhadtheupperhandmilitarily;concessionsto

whichhehadagreedinlesspromisingtimesappearedsense lesstohimnow.He

seemed,accordingtoBunker,genuinelyafraidofpeace.Allhislife,hetoohad

knownonlywar;hisentirecareerhadbeenbasedonAmericansupport.Aworld

inwhichtheSouthVietnamesewouldhavetostandentirelyontheirownwasfull

ofterrorsthathispridewouldnotlethimadmit.



MymeetingswithThieudidnotatfirstseemtosupportBunker’s

forebodings.WemetinthemodernisticPreside ntialPalace,flungintothecenter

ofSaigonatthejunctureoftwobroadboulevardsasiftodefythelegaciesofboth

FrenchcolonialismandaVietnamesepast(whichwas,intruth,tenuousatbestin

thissectionofthecountry,takenonlyalittlemorethanacenturybeforefrom

Cambodia).HewasaccompaniedbyNguyenPhuDuc,whowasmoreorlessmy

equivalentonhisstaff,andHoangDucNha,hisnephew,pressassistant,and

confidant.Duc,asplendidproductoftheFrencheducationalsystem,movedfrom

abstractdefinitiontoirrelevantconclusionwithmaddening,hairsplitting

ingenuity.AmericahadtotakesomeresponsibilityfortheegregiousNha.Hewas

inhisearlythirties;hehadbeeneducatedintheUnitedStatesandintheprocess

hadseentoomanymoviesofsharpyoungmensucceedingbytheirwits;hecame

onliketheearlyAlanLaddinagangsterrole.Hewasdressedinthefanciest

Hollywoodstyle,spokeAmericanEnglishfluently,andhadretainedfromhis

Vietnamesebackgroundonlyaninfinitecapacityforintrigue.Hereinforced

Thieu’sinherentsuspiciousness.BothBunkerandIwereconvincedthathedid

muchmischiefinexacerbatingeverymisunderstanding.



Thieugreeteduswithhisunvaryingdignityandcourtesy.Hissparklingeyes

gavenocluetohisinnerthoughts,whichcouldnothavebeenfreeofcontempt

forasuperpowereagertosettleforcompromisewhentotalvictoryseemedto

himattainable.IassuredhimthattheUnitedStateswouldnotcrownitslong

Vietnameffortwithdishonor;thatwewouldneverjointhoseAmericanswho

regardedThieuastheobstacletopeace.IhopedtoleaveSaigonwithanagreed

assessmentandposition.TheNorthVietnamesemighthavemissedthe

opportunityforacease‐firebeforetheelection,Ithought.Toomuchremainedto

benegotiated;Hanoi’sproposedprocedurewouldmakefordelay.Butwhatever

Hanoi’sintentions,itwasessentialforWashingtonandSaigontoadopta

conciliatorypostureifpublicsupportweretobemaintained.And“ifwecangeta

reasonablesettlementwewill,ofcourse,acceptitasyouwould.”



ToachievetheseobjectivesIsubmittedforThieu’sconsiderationthe

proposalIplannedtomaketoLeDucThoonSeptember15.Wewouldnot

changeourmilitaryproposalsexcepttoreduceourwithdrawaldeadlinefromfour

tothreemonths.Thisdidnotmakemuchdifference,sinceoverfourmonthsof

actualwithdrawalswouldhaveelapsedsincewehadofferedthefour‐month

deadlineonMay8.Onthepoliticalsidewewouldrejectacoalition government

butspelloutthecompositionofthejointelectoralcommissionwehadbeen

offeringforthreeyears,sinceMay14,1969.



EveryAmericanplansincethattimehadproposedanelectoralcommission

onwhichtheCommunistswouldberepresented,togetherwithallotherpolitical

forces;inotherwords,somesortoftripartiteformula.Mypresentideawasto

finishofftheschemeofcoalitiongovernmentbyrenamingtheelectoral

commissionaCommitteeofNationalReconciliation,withoutchangingits

function.AndIproposedtospelloutitscompositionastripartiteintheory(the

Communistformulation,onlyimplicitinourpreviousproposals).However,each

sidewouldappointhalfofthethirdsegment—thatis,thefifty‐fiftysplitoffered

byLeDucTho.Therenamedelectoralcommissionwouldmakedecisionsonthe

principleofunanimity.ThusSaigonhadadoubleveto:inthecompositionofthe

Committeeandinitsoperation.ItneveroccurredtomethatThieumightobject

toaformulawhichrepresentedonlythethinnestpretenseofajointbodyand

reducedtheelectoralcommissiontoimpotence.Tounderlinefurtherthatthe

Committeehadnofunctionbeyondsupervisingtheelection,anotherprovisionin

ournewplanpermittedtheCommuniststo participateinthegovernment

emergingfromtheelectionbutonlyinproportiontothevotestheypolled.We

estimatedthatthismightgivetheCommuniststwooutoftwentyseats. AsI

explainedtoThieu:“Inourcountrypoliticalopponentsaretakenintothecabinet

nottobegiveninfluencebuttobedeprivedofit.”ThatparticularargumentThieu

understood.



Iwasratherproudofthisscheme.Ithoughtitputtorestonceandforall

theideaofacoalitiongovernment,yetgaveusadefensiblepositionathome if

Hanoiturneddownourproposal.Thieu,iteventuallytranspired,didnotsharemy

highopinionofmydraftingabilities.



AnewandimportantdimensionofThieunowemerged. Hehadnever

beforefacedanAmericanofferthathethoughthadanychanceofbeingaccepted

byHanoi.Hehadgonealongwithusbeforetoestablishaclaimoncontinued

support.Butwithseriousnegotiationapproaching,hisviewsandoursbegan

increasinglytodiverge. Schemesthatonlymadeourpreviousproposalsmore

palatablehenowtreatedasmajordeviations;whatweconsideredtactical

maneuversheescalatedintoconfrontations.Hewaslookingforaretroactive

justificationtoundothenegotiatingrecordofthepastthreeyears.



Wedidnotgraspwhatwashappeningrightaway.Westillthoughtwewere

operatingintandemwithThieuandthereforeblamedhisreserveondrafting

difficultiesandshortsightedadvisers.Wewerepreparedtobepatientinfindinga

solution.AndThieuconfusedusfurtherbyapplyingtoustheelusivetactics

Vietnamesereserveforforeigners:Heneveractuallymadeanissueofanything;

hesimplysoughttogrindusdownbykeepinghisagreementevertantalizingly

closebutalwaysoutofreach.IshouldhaverecognizedthemethodsfromLeDuc

Tho.Thieuraisednoimmediateobjectionstomypresentation.Followinga

patternwithwhichweweretobecomeonlytoofamiliar,heheardusoutwith