Kissinger Henry. White House Years

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workoverThieu.Bunkerhadbetterhave another“coldturkey”talkwithThieu;

ThieuhadtobemadetounderstandthatNixonrefusedtobeplacedinso

untenableaposition.NixonauthorizedmetoproceedwiththeOctober8

meeting,consolinghimselfthatHanoiwouldprobablyturndownourproposals

anyway.AsduringtheCienfuegoscrisis,hewantedtostalluntilaftertheelection.

“Andwe’rejustgoingtohavetobreakitoffwithhim[Thieu]aftertheelection,I

canseethat.Youknow,ifhe’sgoingto bethisunreasonable,Imeanthetailcan’t

wagthedoghere.”IwarnedNixonthattherewasafifty‐fiftychancethatHanoi

wouldfinallyacceptourSeptember15proposal(inturnacombinat ionofour

proposalsgoingback sixteenmonths).Ithoughtthiswasthebestchancewe

wouldget:“Wecan’timprovethatbyanotheryearofbombing.”Nixonsaidhe

agreed.Irepeatedmyviewofthestrategy:Wehad“theclockrunningonthe

NorthVietnamese.”IwonderedaloudwhetherThieudidnotreallywanttobe

pressuredbyussothatwewouldbeartheonus.



TheupshotwasadecisionthatIwouldstickwithourSeptember15

positionandnotpresentanyofthevariationsrejectedbyThieu;therewasno

senseinstraining ourrelationswithThieuevenfurther.Hanoiwouldbeaskedto

bemorespecificaboutmilitaryissuesbeforewecouldofferanynewpolitical

program.IfHanoiacceptedourSeptember15proposal,Iwouldaskfora recess

togotoSaigon.NixontoldmethatthenIshould“cramitdownhis[Thie u’s]

throat.”



Nixonwasclearlyhopingthatthiseventuality—whichwehadbeen

resistingfornearlyfouryears—wouldnothappenbeforetheelection.I wasnot

sosure.ForonSeptember30wehadreceivedanotefromHanoithatshowedyet

againthatHanoiwaseagertosettlerapidlyandmightofferadditionalnew

concessions:



TheDRVNside[Hanoi]considersthatthenextmeetingwhichshouldlastthreedaysis

ofvitalimportanceandthatitistimetotakeacleardecisionconcerningtheorientationofthe

negotiations:Either,bothsideswillarriveatanagreementontheessentialsofthequestions

whichhavebeenraised,thuspermittingtherealizationofthescheduleofthenegotiations

alreadyunderstoodbetweenthetwoparties,thatistosaytoendthewarandsigntheglobal

accordtowardstheendofOctober1972orevenearlierwhichwouldbebetter.



Or,bothsideswillnotbeabletoagree,thenegotiationswillremainatanimpasseand

thewarwillbeprolonged,inwhichcasetheAmericansidemustaccepttheentire

responsibility…



Foritspart,theDRVNsidewillstudyindetailthe27September1972,10point

propositionbytheAmericansideandwillattendthenextmeetinginaconstructivespiritanda

seriousattitude,inalasteffortatarrivingatanagreementoftheessentialswiththeAmerican

side.



Inthemeantime,ourtaskwastopreparethecontextoftheOctober8

meetingaswellaspossible.WehadtopreventThieufrommakingourdispute

public,whichcouldunderminebothournegotiatingpositionwithHanoiandour

domesticpositionwithNixon’sconstituencyontheright.Butwealsohadtoput

himonnoticethattheevolvingnegotiationsmightforceustoreturntosomeof

thepoliticalproposalsthatHaighaddiscussedwithhim.OnOctober5Idrafteda

messagetoThieu,inNixon’sname,promisingconsultationbeforeanyfinal

decision.ThenextdayIcabledBunkerthatThieushouldstudythepolitical

proposals—forapresidentialelection,electionfortheConstituentAssembly,or

evenreviewoftheConstitutionbytheelectoralcommission—leftbyHaig“so

thathecannotcomplainthathehasnothadsufficienttimetoconsiderthe

variousaspectsoftheseproposalsshoulditbenecessarytodoso.”



InpreparationfortheOctober8meetingIbroughtintheState

Department.UnderSecretaryAlexJohnsonandDeputyAssistantSecretaryfor

EastAsiaWilliamSullivanproducedworkingpapersoninternationalsupervisory

machineryandcease‐fireimplementationthatwereenormouslyuseful.Andthen

atlastonthemorningofSaturday,October7,IsetoffforParisandwhatturned

outtobetheclimaxoffouryearsofnegotiationswithHanoitoendthewar.



<<Contents>>



****



TheBreakthrough:TheOctober8Meeting



T

histimemyentirepartystayedatAmbassadorWatson’sre sidence,thenewly

renovatedmansiononthefashionableRueduFaubourgSt.Honoré.Itwas

expectedtobeathree‐orfour‐daysession. AlHaigaccompaniedmebecausehe

hadarecent,firsthandsense ofwhatthetrafficmightbearinSaigonandbecause

hewouldbeabletohelpmetosellanypossibleagreementtoNixon.RichardT.

KennedyofmystaffwaslefttorunmyNSCoffice.



Sunday,October8,wasacrisp,clearautumndayinParis.WithHaigintow,

Iarrivedatthestill‐secretwhitestuccohouseatGif‐sur‐Yvetteat10:30a.m.The

meetingopenedwithbanteringgoodhumor.IapologizedtoLeDucThoandXuan

Thuyforhavingma dethemmisschurchonSunday—oralternativelyabighorse

racethatwastakingplaceatLongchamp.TheNorthVietnamesewerewilling

enoughtoenterintothespiritoftheoccasion:



KISSINGER:InFrancetheyruntheoppositewayaroundthetrackthaninAmerica.AndI

amtoldthere’soneracetrackinParis,inAuteuil,wherewhentheygetaroundtheotherside

they’rebehindthetreessoyoucan’tseethem,andI’mtoldthatthat’swherethejockeys

decidewhowillwin.



LEDUCTHO:Butwe,arewemakingnowaracetopeaceortowar?



KISSINGER:Topeace,andwe’rebehindthetrees!



LEDUCTHO:Butshallweovercomethosetreesorweshallbehinderedbythesetrees?



KISSINGER:No,wewillsettle.



LEDUCTHO:Butifyougetoutofthesetreeswewilltoo.



KISSINGER:We’llbothcomeoutfrombehindthetreesandwewillsettle.



LEDUCTHO:Andthenboththehorseswillhavethesameroad.



KISSINGER:Butaswegetacrossthefinishlineyouwillbesaying,“Youhavenotbeen

sufficientlyconcrete.”



Aftertheseopeningpleasantr iesInoticedtwobiggreenfoldersinfrontof

LeDucThoandaskedhimwhetherhewantedtoreadthemtome.XuanThuy

invitedmetospeakfirst—obviouslytheywantedtoseewhetherIhadbroughtan

offerbetterthanwhattheywerepreparedtoconcede.Irepliedthatwefound

somepositiveelementsinLeDucTho’slatestpoliticalproposal,suchasthe

principleofunanimity,butitstillhadmajordrawbacks:



YouwouldremovetheincumbentPresidentuponsignatureofanagreement;youwould

abolishthepresentconstitutionalstructure;youwouldcreatenewquasi‐governmentalorgans

fromSaigonrightdowntothevillagelevel.



…Thecumulativeimpactofthesevariouselementsisclear.Evenifanyparticularone

wouldnotnecessarilyprovedecisive,thecombinationofthemalloccurringsimultaneouslyhas

togiveusconcern.



IconcludedsarcasticallythatIknewthattheresultantunder miningof

Saigonwasnotintentional; mycommentswereofferedpurelyinaspiritof

cooperation.



Ithenturnedtothemilitaryissues,which,Istressed,hadtakenon“a

particularurgency.”ThereweremanyunresolvedproblemsinHanoi’slatest

proposal,particularlyinthemodalitiesofacease‐fire,thewithdrawalofNorth

VietnameseforcesfromLaosandCambodia,anendofinfiltrationthroughLaos

andCambodiaintoSouthVietnam,andthereleaseofUSprisonersinLaosand

Cambodia.Therehadbeenhintsbutnoconcreteproposals.Wewouldinsiston

cease‐firesthroughoutIndochina,althoughwewereopen ‐mindedastothe

specificarrangeme nts.Evenifthecease‐firesinLa osandCambodiahadtobe

arrangedseparately,theyshouldgointoeffectsimultaneously.Ihandedovera

seriesofshortexplanatorypapersonallthetechnicaltopics—substantiallywhat

theStateDepartment haddrafted.



Ialsohandedovera“new” peaceproposal,whichofferedinrealityonlya 

slightcosmeticchangebyspellingoutsomewhatmorespecificallythefunctions

oftheCommitteeofNationalReconciliation;itwastosuperviseelectionsand

anythingelsetheCommitteemightagreeon,whichwasnotlikelytobemuch

becauseofSaigon’sveto.Thenatureoftheelectionsitwastosupervisewasnot

formallyspecified.Ifthiswasour“lastoffer,”asNixonhadtoldGromyko,thenit

couldonlyhavesignaledtoLeDucThothatwewerestandingfastonourposition

ofmaintainingtheexistingstructureinSaigonandweremakingnofurther

significantpoliticalconcessions.



ApparentlyLeDucThodrewthesameconclusion.Insteadofexplodingas

hewouldhaveatanypointduringthepreviousthreeyears,hesaid:“Ipropose

nowabreakandafterwardIshallexpressmyviews.”Themeetingbrokeupat

12:38p.m.AgenerousarrayofluncheonsnackswasavailablewhiletheNorth

Vietnamesedisappearedupstairs.At1:00p.m.LeDucThoreenteredtheroom

andchattedwithmenearthesnacktable.“Whenthewarends,somedayIwill

showyoutheHoChiMinhTrail,”hejoked.Heleftagainforafewmomentsto

rejoinhiscolleagues.ThenhereturnedtosaythatsinceIhadgiventhem“so

manypapers,”theNorthVietnamesepreferredtohavealongerbreak.He

suggestedthatthemeetingresumeat4:00p.m.I agreed.



MystaffandIstrolledabitintheclearautumnairinthegarden,

whisperingsoftly(incasethebusheswerebugged). Then,topassthetime,I

thoughtoftakingadrive.Someone(perhapsitwasColonelGuay)suggested

Rambouillet,theforestandchâteauaboutfourteenmilesaway.Iagreed,andthe

sevenmembersoftheteampiledintotw ocarsdrivenbyGuayandhisassociate

andheadedWestwarddownRouteNationale306. Weneverreached

Rambouillet.Aftertenminutes’drive,restlessandwantingtoconfermore

privatelywithHaig,IaskedColonelGuaytostopthecarataplacewhereHaigand

Icouldwalk.Guaypulledoverataspotwherethetreesliningtheroadsuddenly

openeduptorevealasmalllake,whichalsoseemedtobeapicnicarea.

Picnickerswerespreadingouttheirfoodoncheckeredtablecloths;coupleswere

lyingunderthetrees.TheskyhadthemellowblueoftheearlyFrenchautumn.

AndnoneoftheseParisianspaidtheslightestattentiontothisoddgroupofself‐

absorbedAmericanswhowerewalkingalongthenarrowfootpathslinedbytall

grass.HaigandIwalkedbrisklypartofthewayaroundthelake,reviewingthe

bidding,thenturnedandheadedback.Othermembersofourdelegationwere

equallypreoccupied,tenseoverwhatwastocomeintwohours’ time.



Forusthecontrastbetweenthematter‐of‐factpeacefulnessofthatscene

andourownanxietywasalmostbeyondbearing.At4:00p.m.wewouldknow

whethertheagonyenduredbysomanyfornearlyadecadewouldhave

purchasedanhonorableendtothewarinVietnam.



Themeetingresumedonschedule.LeDucThodidnotbeataroundthe

bush.Heturnedimmediatelytohisgreenfolders.“Ithinkwecannotnegotiatein

thewaywearedoingnow,”hesaid,ifweweregoingtokeeptheschedulethat

hadbeenagreeduponandrapidlysettlethewar.Alltheproceduresand

multiforumscenariosthathehador iginally introducedintothenegotiation(andI

hadreluctantlygonealongwith)Thonowdecidedwereinadequate.Theywere

“verycomplicated”andwouldtake“alongtimeforthesedisc ussions,many

weeks.”Therefore:“Inordertoshowourgoodwillandtoensurearapidendto

thewar,rapidrestorationofpeaceinVietnam,asallofuswishfor,todayweput

forwardanewproposalregardingthecontentaswellasthewaytoconduct

negotiations,averyrealisticandverysimpleproposal.”



LeDucThosuggestedthattheUnitedStatesandNorthVietnamsignan

agreementsettlingthemilitaryquestionsbetweenthem—withdrawal,prisoners,

cease‐fire.OnthepoliticalproblemsofSouthVietnam,“weshallonlyagreeon

themainprinciples.Afterthesigningofthisagreementacease‐firewill

immediatelytakeplace.”Thepoliticalproblem—“thatisthemostthorny,the

mostdifficultproblem”—wouldnotbeallowedtoprolongournegotiations

(“prolonge”asMr.Phuong,theinterpreter,putit).LeDucThonownolonger

demandedtheforma tionofacoalitionG overnmentofNationalConcordbefore

thecease‐fire.Indeed,hedispensedwiththeentireconceptofacoalition

government.Itwasnowonlyan“AdministrationofNationalConcord,”tobeset

upwithinthreemonthsbythetwoSouthVietnamesepartiesandchargedwith

implementingthesignedagreements,achievingnationalconcord(whateverthat

meant),and“organizing”unspecifiedgeneralandlocalelections.Thetwo

“administrations”inSouthVietnam—theSaigongovernmentandtheCommunist

PRG—wouldcontinueinexistence,withtheirarmies.



This“Administratio nofNationalConcord” mightneverevenbesetupat

all,sinceitrequiredtheapprovalofthetwoSouthVietnameseparties;its

functionswereyettobenegotiatedbythetwomortalenemies,andafterwardit

wouldoperateontheprincipleofunanim ity.[

Thiselementofunanimitywas,infact,

notinLeDucTho’sOctober8writtenplan,buthementioneditinhisoralpresentationandI

wassurehewouldacceptitsinceithadbeeninhisproposalofSeptember27.Hedid.]This

paleshadowoftheirformerdemandsforacoalitiongovernmentwasnotmuchto

showforadecadeofheroicexertionandhorrendoussufferingbytheNorth

Vietnamese.IwassureIcouldfurtherreducetheimportanceofthis

“Administration”inthenegotiationsyettocome.Afterfouryearsofimplacable

insistencethatwedismantlethepoliticalstructureofourallyandreplaceitwitha

coalitiongovernment,Hanoihadnowessentiallygivenupitspoliticaldemands.



Andtherewereotherprovisionsthatalsohelpedmeetourconcerns.For

threeyearsHanoihadinsistedthatanendofAmericanmilitaryaidtoSouth

Vietnamwasanabsolutepreconditionofsettlement.LeDucThonowscrapped

thisproposal.“Replacementofarmament”(thatis,militaryaid)waspermitted;in

otherwords,wecouldcontinuetosupplySouthVietnam.WhileHanoisaid

nothingaboutwithdrawingitstroops(indeed,notevenadmittingthattheywere

there),itacceptedourproposalofMay31,1971,thatinfiltrationintoSouth

Vietnamcease;ifobserved,thiswouldguaranteetheerosionofitsstrengthinthe

South.Therewouldbeinternationalcontrolandsupervision—althoughLeDuc

Thoconsideredthis“notapressingquestion”andproposedto discussitafterthe

cease‐fire.Therewere,inevitably,stillsomegaps.LeDucThowasasyetsilent

aboutNorthVietnamesetroopsinLaosandCambodia(althoughhehadconceded

theirwithdrawalpreviously);hewouldnotcommitHanoitocease‐firesthere

becausethiswascontrarytotheprincipleofnoninterferenceinthesecountries.

“Butsoisthepresenceofyourtroops,”Icracked.ButifLeDucThowassincerein

hisprofessionthathewouldnowworkasresolutelyforpeaceashehad

previouslyfoughtthewar,theseissuescouldbesettledinthenextfewdays. He

knewtherewouldbenoagreementotherwise.AttheendofhispresentationLe

DucThohandedmethetextofadraftagreement.



TimeandagainLeDucThoinsistedthathisplanrepresentedanacceptance

ofourownproposals:



Andthisiswhatyouyourselfhaveproposed,thesameproposal…Soourproposalhas

shownourgoodwill,ourrealdesiretorapidlyendthewar.Anditisthesameproposalmade

byPresidentNixonhimself—ceasefire,releaseofprisoners,andtroopwithdrawal…Astothe

internalpoliticalandmilitaryquestionsofSouthVietnamweagreeonprinciplesandtheSouth

Vietnamesepartieswilldiscuss…Wedothiswithaviewtoreducingthethornyquestions.So

ouraimistodowhatyouproposedpreviously:ceasefireandcessationofhostilities,troop

withdrawal,releaseofprisoners…Anditisyourproposal,andwemetitwithgreatgoodwill,in

ordertoendthewar…BecausethisnewproposalisexactlywhatPresidentNixonhashimself

proposed:ceasefire,endofthewar,releaseoftheprisoners,andtroopwithdrawal…andwe

proposeanumberofprinciplesonpoliticalproblems.Youhavealsoproposedthis.Andweshall

leavetotheSouthVietnamesepartiesthesettlementofthesequestions…



Andsoitwas.Hanoihadfinallyseparatedthemilitaryandpolitical

questions,whichIhadurgednearlyfouryearsearlierasthebestwaytosettle.It

hadacceptedNixon’sMay8proposalandconcededthattheSouthVietnamese

governmentneednotbeoverthrownasthepriceofacease‐fire.Havingignored

ourofferofapresidentialelection,HanoievenremovedthenecessityofThieu’s

temporarywithdrawalbeforeit.Thedemandforacoalitiongovernmentwas

dropped;thepoliticalstructureofSouthVietnamwaslefttotheVietnameseto

settle.



Fornearlyfouryearswehadlongedforthisday,yetwhenitarriveditwas

lessdramaticthanwehadeverimagined.Peacecameintheguiseofthedroning

voiceofanelderlyrevolutionarywrappingtheendofadecadeofbloodshedinto

legalisticambiguity.



AtonceIandmostofmycolleaguesunderstoodthesignifica nceofwhat

wehadheard.IntheimmediaterecessIaskedfor,LordandIshookhandsand

saidtoeachother:“Wehavedoneit.”Haig,whohadservedinVietnam,declared

withemotionthatwehadsavedthehonorofthemilitarymenwhohadserved,

died,andsufferedthere.LeDucTho’spaperstillhadmanyunacceptable

elements,tobesure.Andothersofmycolleagues,especiallyJohnNegroponte,

focusedontheseinthehalf‐hourbreakafterourinterlocutorfinishedhis

presentation.ButI knewthatitsessencewasacease‐fire,withdrawalofUS

forces,releaseofprisoners,plusnofurtherinfiltration—thebasicpr ogramwe

hadofferedandinsistedwasessentialsinceMay1971.



Ihaveoftenbeenaskedformymostthrillingmomentinpublicservice.I

haveparticipatedinmanyspectacularevents;Ihavelivedwithpower;Ihaveseen

pompandceremony.Butthemomentthatmovedmemostdeeplyhastobethat

coolautumnSundayafternoonwhiletheshadowswerefallingovertheserene

Frenchlandscapeandthatlargequietroom,hungwithabstractpaintings,was

illuminatedonlyatthegreenbaizetableacrosswhichthetwodelegationswere

facingeachother.Atlast,wethought,therewouldbeanendtothebloodletting

inIndochina.Westoodonthethresholdofwhatwehadsolongsought,apeace

compatiblewithourhonorandourinternationalresponsibilities.Andwewould

beabletobeginhealingthewoundsthatthewarhadinflictedonourown

society.



Butnegotiatorsmustnotbetrayemotion;itbecomesaweaponinthe

handsoftheotherside.Whenweresumed,allIcouldsayfortacticalreasonsat

thatmomentofnearlyexultanthopewas:“Iofcoursehavenothadan

opportunitytostudyyourpaper.FromyourpresentationIbelievethatyouhave

openedanimportantnewchapterinournegotiationsandonethatcouldbringus

toarapidconclusion.” IwarnedLeDucThothatwhateverwasnegotiatedwould

havetobeapprov edfirstbyPresidentNixon,thenbySaigon. Onlythencouldwe

speakofavisitbymetoHanoiasheurged.Theearliestdateforthatcouldbe

October20.Iaskedtospendtheeveningandthenextmorningstudyingthe

paperandtomeetagainat2:00p.m.onMonday,October9.LeDucTho

assented.Ihaddinnerwithafr iend.IreturnedtotheEmbassyresidenceandgave

directionstoWinstonLordandJohnNegropontetoredraftLeDucTho’s

document,weakeningthepoliticalprovisionsevenfurther,strengtheningour

righttoassistSouthVietnam,tighteningtheprovisionsagainstinfiltrationwith

languagedrawnfromearlierAmericanproposals,andinsistingonNorth

VietnamesewithdrawalfromLaosandCambodia.



AfterwardIwalkedalonethroughthestreetsofParis,alongtheleftbankof

theSeinetoNotre‐Dame.IcrossedtherivernearSainte‐Chapelle,turnedpastthe

Louvre,andwalkedacrossthePlacedelaConcordetoreturntothe

Ambassador’sresidence.Thereisnocityinwhichthepastandthepresentarein

suchharmoniousbalanceasinParis.Somecitiesareolder,butlessrelevantto

currentreality;othersaremoreoverwhelminglymodern,butfailtoinspirea

senseofcontinuity.InParishistoryliveseasilyinthecontemporaryworld;it

inspiresbutitdoesnotoverw helm.TheLeftBankrecallsthehumanscaleof

Paris’sorigin;Notre‐Damebreathesofafaiththatmadeapeasantsocietyraise

edificestoitsvisionofGodanditssenseoftheeternal;andtheParisofthe

nineteenthcenturyshowshownaturecanbemadetoserveart(eventhoughthe

purposeofthebroadavenueswasmoreutilitarian—toprovideaclearfieldoffire

againstrebellioussubjectsandtocomplicatetheParisians’temptationtobuild

barricades).AlltheseviewsofParispassedbyasIpaceditsstreets,lostin

reflection.Westoodwithinsightofanexhilaratinggoal;agreatdealwould

dependonwhatIdidandrecommendedandpursuedoverthenextfewdays.



Ihadthreechoices.Icouldrej ectLeDucTho’splaninprincipleas

inadequate;Icouldacceptitinprincipleandnegotiateitsimprovement;Icould

stall,perhapsbyret urningtoWashingtonforconsultations.



Idecidedtoproceed.Overtheyears,wehaddefinedourtermsprecisely:

Wewouldnotoverthrowanalliedgovernmentdirectlyorindirectly;wewanted

thefightingtoendthroughoutIndochina;wewouldinsistonthereturnofour

prisonersandanaccountingforthosemissinginaction.WewantedNorth

Vietnamtoremoveitsforcesfromneighboringcountries.Wedemandedanend

toinfiltrationintoSouthVietnam.LeDucTho’sdraftagreementmetallofthese

terms;itineffectacceptedwhatwehadputforwardonMay31,1971,andon

May8,1972.Indeed,thepoliticalprovisionsofthenewproposalweremuch

betterforusthanwhatNixonhadofferedonJanuary25,1972.Thegeneral

electionsprovidedforinTho’splanweresovagueastobeunachievablein

practice(ascomparedwithourproposalofpresidentialelectionswithinsix

monthsandThieu’swithdrawaltwomonthsbefore).The“Administrationof

NationalConcord”hadlesspowerthaneventhejointelectoralcommissionwhich

wehadbeenurgingforoverthreeyears,becausetherewasnoagreedelectionto

supervise.AndIwascertainthatinarapidnegotiationwecouldwaterdownthe

politicalprovisionsevenfurther.



Asforthemilitaryterms,theofferofthecease‐fireinplaceinVietnamwas

unqualified.LeDucThohadhintedthatitcouldbeextendedto Laosand

Cambodia.Thedraftbehandedoverincludedaprovisionrequiringthe

withdrawalofallforeignforcesfromLaosandCambodia;Iwouldhavetotryto

pindownthetimingandmakecertainthatLeDucThoconsideredNorth

Vietnameseforces“foreign.”AndHanoiwaspreparedtoreturnourprisonersas

ourremainingforcesleft.Therewas,admittedly,noprovisionforthewithdrawal

ofNorthVietnamesetroopsfromtheSouth.Butweourselveshadabandoned

thisdemand—withThieu’sconcurrence—inourcease‐fireproposalofOctober7,

1970;inoursecretseven‐pointplanofMay31,1971;andinNixon’spublicoffers

ofJanuary25,1972,andMay8,1972.Itisworthrememberingthatnobody—

hawkordoveorThieu,forthatmatter—objectedwhentheearlierproposals

withoutthisprovisionwereputforward.InprincipleademandforNorth

Vietnamesewithdrawalwascertainlyequitable.Butinpracticeithadproven

unobtainablethroughtenyearsofwarandthreeadministrations.Itwasan

objectivewecouldreachonlybythetotaldefeatofHanoi,throughall‐outwar,

whichinturnourpublicandtheCongresswouldnotsupport.Thus,whilewe

continuedtopressforitinthecomingdays,wecouldnotmakeitaconditionfor

afinalsettlement.Wehadlongpassedthatthreshold.Thebestwecoulddowas

toinsistontheprovisionofourMay31,1971,planthatprohibitedtheinfiltration

ofadditionalmenandmaterialintoSouthVietnamandwhichLeDucThonow

accepted.Ifobserved,thiscommitmentwouldleadtotheattritionofNorth

Vietnameseforces;ifviolated,wewouldbenobetteroffwithanequally

unobservedprovisioncallingforwithdrawal.



Ialsoreflectedonwhatwouldhappenifwerejectedtheproposaland

Hanoithenpublishedit—anearcertainty.(AndindeedHanoididgopublicinlate

October.)OnecouldimaginethepublicoutcryifwerejectedHanoi’sacceptance

ofourownproposals.Itwouldalmostcertainlyhaveforcedusbacktothe

bargainingtableandthistimewewouldhavebeennegotiatingundertheclamor