Kissinger Henry. White House Years

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ofCongressionalandmediaaccusationsofcynicismandbadfaithinwelshingon

ourownproposals.Inmyjudgment, ourbestchancewastoproceed,continuing

topushHanoiagainstitsself‐imposeddeadlineofourelection,andusingitsnow

palpabledesireforspeedtoextractevenfurtherimprovements.



Iwasaware,ofcourse,thatNixononthewholepreferredtostringoutthe

talksuntilafterourelectionandthengoforbrokewithbothHanoiandSaigon. 

Butthisoptionwasnot,infact,available.ProcrastinationwouldforceHanoiinto

thepublicarenawhereourcasewouldbeweak.Wehadnopossiblebasisfor

refusingorevendelaying.Theofferwasmuchmorefavorablethananything

imaginedbyourCongress,media,andpublictobeachievable,andbetterthan

whatwehadaskedfor.IfHanoididpublishitsproposal,itwouldbecomethe

startingpointofnegotiationswithouttheimprovementsIwaspracticallycertainI

couldachieveinthreeorfourdaysofintensivesecretnegotiationsunderthe

pressureofadeadline.



Equallyimportant,theoptionofescalation—impliedingoingforbroke

aftertheelection—wasdramaticbutnotrealis tic. Ourmilitarypossibilitieswould

notthenbedifferentfromnow;theymightbepoorer.Wewerealreadydoing

everythingtoNorthVietnamwewerecapableofdoingexceptmassiveB‐52

bombingintheNorthernthirdofthecountry.ButtobeginB‐52attacksthere

afterHanoihadpublisheditsacceptanceofourtermswouldbeimpossibleto

justify.AndshortlyafterourelectionHanoiwouldrediscovernotonlyour

domesticfragilitybutalsothebudgetar ypressuresthatwouldforceustoreduce

ourforcesunilaterally,inlinewithLaird’sfiscalplanning.Wewouldthenhaveto

settledisagreementswithHanoibytestingeachother’sendurancethrougha

seriesofadditionaldeadlocks—aprocessthatwouldfurtherdivideourcountry

andmakeendingthewarassearingasitsconduct.



Thattomeseemedthemostcrucialpoint,asIwalkedthestreetsofParis

thatfatefulnight.WehadamoraldutytoouralliesinSaigonnottobargainwith

thefateofthosemillionswhohadputtheirtrustinourword.Butwehadnoduty

tothemtoguaranteethematotalvictorythattheywereunabletodefine,whose

achievementrequiredanopen‐endedcommitmentextending overmanyyears

more,andthatwehadpubliclyforswornforthepastthreeyears.Wehadsent

millionsofAmericansandbillionsofdollarsofequipmenttoSouthVietnamand

bledoursocietyfortenyears.WehadboughttimewhilestrengtheningSouth

Vietnam’scapacitytodefenditself.But,finally,wehadamoralobligationaswell

toourownpeople:nottoprolongtheirdivisionbeyondthepointdemandedby

honorandourinternationalresponsibility;toendthewarinamannerthatwould

healratherthandivide.Forthis,speedwasessentialbeforetheopportunitywas

submergedinthemorassofourdomesticsuspicions.Ifwecouldbringoffa

settlementnoonehadthoughtpossible,achievingtheessentialtermsthatwe

hadputforwardforyears,therewasatlastachanceforreconciliationinour

country.Dovescouldrejoiceintheendofthewar.Hawkscouldtakeprideinthe

preservationofAmerica’sdignity.Ifweacteddecisively,wemightendthewarin

amannerthatgavesomemeaningtothesacrificesthathadbeenmade:asan

exerciseofourownwillratherthanthroughtheexhaustionofendlessdiscord.

AndinthismannerIwouldhaverepaidasmallpartofthedebtIowedtothe

countrythathadshelteredmyfamilyandmefrompersecution,hatred,and

tyranny.



ForallthesereasonsIchosethesecondcourse—toacceptLeDucTho’s

planinprinciple andimmediatelyproceedtonegotiatetoimproveitfurther.I

knewthatwhenthechipsweredownNixonwouldbackme.Hewouldnotforgoa

settlementforelectoralconsiderations.Hewouldunders tandthatheriskedmore

bywaitingthanproceeding.Haldemanwouldnodoubtarguefordelayinorder

nottostiruptheconservatives.Butapartfromthefactthatwedidnotreally

havethischoice,Nixonhadneverlistenedtosuchargumentspreviouslyonan

issueascrucialasVietnamandhewouldnotnow.AlHaigagreedwhenI

discussedmyconclusionswithhimuponmyreturntotheEmbassyresidence.Like

me,hewasmovedbytheoccasion,andbythethoughtthatourmilitary

establishmentcouldatlastbedisengagedwithhonorfromawretchedand

ambiguousconflict.Assumingonecouldnegotiatetheimprovementswestill

needed,whichIwasconfidentofachieving,hedidnotbelievebettertermswere

availableshortofanotheryearormoreofintensivebombingandanguishing

turmoilathome.



WellpastmidnightIsentacrypticmessagetoHaldeman:“Tellthe

Presidentthattherehasbeensomedefiniteprogressattoday’sfirstsessionand

thathecanharborsomeconfidencetheoutcomewillbepositive.”Whilegiving

nodetails,itofferedNixoneveryopportunitytocallahaltortorequestadditional

informationifdelaywaswhathewanted.AsIhadexpected,therewasno

response.Simulta neously,ashortmessagewassenttoEllsworthBunkerto

forewarnPresidentThieuthat“theothersidemaysurfaceaceasefireproposal

duringthesemeetings”andthereforeitwas“essentialthatThieuinstructhis

commanderstomovepromptlyandseizethemaximumamountofcritical

territory.”Bunker,aswasbecomingcustomary,wasunabletopassonthis

messagebecauseThieuwasunavailable.ThieuhadgonewaterskiingonOctober

8,steppedonanail,beengivenatetanusinoculation,andwasinbedwithahigh

fever—orsoNhaclaimed. Bunkernoted,however,thatThieuhadtoldhimon

October6thathiscorpscommanderswerealreadyunderorderstoseize

territory.



IdelayedthesessionwithLeDucThountil4:00p.m.becauseweneeded

thetimetoprepareacounterdraftdesignedtousehisobsessionwitha

“shedyule”toelicitthemaximumconcessions.WhenthemeetingofOctober9

began,IhandedXuanThuyaregimentalnecktieasarewardforhavingworkedon

Sunday.Hesaidhewouldwearitwhentheagreementwascompleted.(Hedid.)I

openedthemeetingbystressingthatLeDucThohadgivenus“averyimportant

document,whichIbelievewillbringustoanagreement.”Ihandedoverournew

proposalandwentoveritsprovisionspointbypoint.Weacceptedsome

provisions,reformulatedothers,droppedsome,andaddednewonestoourown,

tighteningtheprovisionsoninfiltration,replacementofmaterial,andLaosand

Cambodia.LeDucThoreservedhispositionuntilhecouldstudythedocument,

butvocallyprotestedhiseagernesstosettlewiththesameintensitythathad

previouslymarkedhisprocrastinations:



Sothecircumstancesarepropitious.Andnowwe,bothyouandus,shouldmakean

efforttoreachanagreementexpeditiously,rapidlyandwithgoodresults.Thereforeifeachof

ushavesomeissuetoraiseforsettlementweshoulddothatwithanopenheart,franklyandto

cometoaquicksettlement.Whatwecanrecordintheagreementweshalldothat.Whatwe

can’trecordintheagreement,weshallmakeanunderstandingwitheachother.



Aftertwohoursweadjourned.ThistimetheNorthVietnameseneededthe

morningtostudyourdraft.Thenextmeetingwassetfor4:00p.m.thefollowing

day.



AswewerebreakingupThohandedmealengthydocumentthathe

proposedshouldbesignedbytheUnitedStatesandHanoi;itsetdownguidelines

forthepoliticalnegotiationsofthetwoSouthVietnameseparties.Thiswas,of

course,totallycontrarytoourstrategyofseparatingthepoliticalandmilitary

issues;itcouldnotpossiblybenegotiatedwithinthe“shedyule”onwhichThoset

somuchstore.Hemusthaveknownthis,butperhapshisVietCongcolleaguesin

SouthVietnaminsistedandhediditfortherecord.Itooknoteofthedocument,

indicatedthatIwouldstudyit,andneverreturnedtoit.NeitherdidTho.



IsentanothertersecabletoHaldeman:



AtthisjunctureIbelievewehavechancetoobtainsignificantprogressbymaintaining

firmpositionandanticipateprogressattomorrow’ssession.Theessentialaspectofissueisto

besurenowthatnopublicstatementsaremadewhichwouldsuggesteitheranxietyorconcern

forthecurrentroundsoftalks.Itisevenmoreimportanttobesilentastosubstance.Weareat

acrucialpoint.



Wewillhavefirmprognosticationattheendoftomorrow’ssession.



Againtherewasnoreply,norarequestforfurtherinformation.



Thereweretwoprincipalreasonsforoursparsereporting.Therewasno

VietnamexpertleftintheWhiteHousewhocouldhaveanalyzedthevarious

provisionsforthePresident.ThemembersoftheNSCstaffwhowouldnormally

dothiswereallwithme.ThePresidentdistrustedtheStateDepartmenttoomuch

toconsultit;itsVietnamexperts,inanyevent,werenotinformedaboutthestate

ofplay.Moreimportant,thosewhomthePresidentsawmostfrequentlyinthese

closingweeksofthecampaignwerepublic relations“experts”andpolitical

operativeswhowouldbesorelytemptedtoexploitthenegotiations forshort‐

termends.BothHaigandIknewthatNixonmightshowaparticularlyinteresting

cabletowhoeverhappenedintohisoffice.IfthatpersonwereCharlesColson—

withwhomhewasspendinganincreasingamountoftime—therewasnotelling

whatwouldhappen.[

InDecember,NixondidshowsomeofmycablestoColson,whichdid

nodamageatthetime,thoughColson,totallymisunderstandingthem,latergavethem

prominenceinhisownbook.

]IwasespeciallyconcernedbecauseGeorgeMcGovern

wasslatedtoannouncehisVietnamprogramwithintwenty‐fourhours,onthe

eveningofOctober10.HewascertaintoofferHanoifarmorethanitwas

demanding.IdidnotthinkitdesirabletoputbeforeNixon’spoliticaladvisersthe

temptationtoriskfouryearsofnegotiationsforafleetingheadlinetomake

McGovernlookridiculous.Inanyevent,Iwassurethatinafast‐movingtactical

situationIwasoperatingwellwithinPresidentialguidelines(particularlythosein

ourconversationofOctober4).TheOctober8draft wasmuchmorefavorableto

usthanwhatHaighadtakentoThieu,withNixon’sapproval,lessthanaweek

before.AndtherewerenodecisionsneededfromNixonatthispoint. 



ToavoidmisunderstandingsinHanoi,ItoldLeDucThothatallour

negotiationswereadreferendumuntiltheywereapprovedbythePresident.And

topreventuneasinessinWashingtonIsentthePresidentapersonalcable:



Thenegotiationsduringthisroundhavebeensocomplexandsensitivethatwehave

beenunabletoreporttheircontentindetailduetothedangerofcompromise.Weknow

exactlywhatwearedoing,andjustaswehavenotletyoudowninthepast,wewillnotdoso

now.Pendingourreturnandmydirectreporttoyouitisimperativethatnothingbesaidin

replytoMcGovernorinanyothercontextbearingonthecurrenttalks.



IaddedapostscriptforHaldeman’seyesonly:“Pleaseholdeverything

steady.Irecognizetheuncertaintiestherebutexcessivenervousnesscanonly

jeopardizetheoutcomehere.”



FewPresidentswouldhaveacquiescedinsuchaprocedure.Butmaddening

asNixon’sconductcouldbeincalmtimes,itvergedontheheroicwhenreally

criticalissueswereatstake.Hemusthavebeentense;hecouldnotavoidbeing

uneasy.Butatthiscrucialmomenthewaspreparedtoentrusttoanadviserfar

awaytheoutcomeofaconflictthathaddividedthenationhewastryingtolead

andthatmightthreatenhisownPresidency.Ittookunusualfortitudenottotryto

affectanegotiationthatmightdecidetheelectionandthatwouldcertainly

determinewhetherornothissecondtermwouldbetranquilorriddenbycrisis.

SuchwasNixon’sself‐controlthatherefrainedevenfromindulgingnatural

humancuriositybyaphonecall.



ThetwodelegationsconvenedagainonTuesday,October10,at4:00p.m.

atGif‐sur‐Yvette.OvernightIhadhadamessagedeliveredto LeDucTho

enumeratingourrequirementsaboutsecurityandLaosandCambodia.Thiswas

designedtopresshimtobeasforthcomingaspossibleintheseareaswhenhe

presentedhiscounterdraft.Thogrumbledthatthey“complicated”mattersand

thatIwasbringing“pressures”—asifsuchaprocedurewereforeigntothetender

heartsofthemenfromHanoi.Butwethengotdowntocasesandinasix‐hour

sessionstartedthetediousprocessofcomparingthetwodrafts,reconcilingthem,

temporarilyputtingasideinsolubleissues,andstartingthenegotiationof

separatewrittenunderstandingsontopics,suchasLaos,thatdidnotfitintoa

Vietnampeaceagreement.



Thenextday,October11,wecontinued, launchingourselves(though we

didnotrealizeit)intoamarathonsessionthatlastedsixteenhours,from9:50

a.m.untilafter2:00thefollowingmorning.Thetranscriptofthatsessioncovers

122single‐spacedpages.Thehopeanddedicationthatanimatedeverymember

ofourdelegationwasshownbymysecretary,IreneDerus,whotookthe

stenographicnotesthroughoutthemeeting.Shedeclinedofferstorelieveher,

partlybecausethemeetingseemedconstantlyonthevergeofconcludingwhen

someotherissuewouldcropup,butmoretrulybecauseshewantedto

participateinthehistoriceventofendingtheVietnamwar.



Nousefulpurposewouldbeservedbyrecountingtheebbandflowof

thesedetailednegotiations.Thesettingdidnotlackitssurrealisticquality.

Surroundedbyabstractpaintings,wewouldgothroughthetwodraftspointby

point.Whenadisagreementarose,thetwodelegationswouldcaucustosee

whethertheycouldsuggestanalternativeformulation.Thiswouldthenhaveto

betypedandtranslated.Whilewaiting,ThoandIwouldoftenchat.Iblamedall

deadlocksonXuanThuy,whomIproposedtobanishfromtheroom.Tho

threatenedtotakemychairatHarvardawayfrommeifIwerenotmore

reasonable(histhreatturnedouttobemoremeaningfulthanmine).Theheavy‐

handedjokingcouldnotobscureeitherthetensionortheexhilaration,the

consciousnessofourresponsibility,andthehopethatwewouldatlastreachthe

elusivegoalwhichwehadpursuedwithhopeandanguishforalltheseyears.



Wequicklyagreedonacease‐fire,anAmericanwithdrawalintwomonths,

andasimultaneousreleaseofprisoners.Ourprincipalobjectivewastodrainthe

politicalprovisionsofwhatevervestigesofcoalitiongovernmentremainedandto

phrasetheremnantpoliticalobligationsofbothsidesinsuchawaythatfailureto

fulfillthemwouldgiveHanoinopretextforresuminghostilities.Wetherefore

changedHanoi’sprovisionthatthetwoSouthVietnamesepar tieshadtoagreeon

apoliticalsettlementwithinthreemonthstoaweakerformulation—theywould

“dotheirutmost”toreachsuchasettlement—transforminganobjective

obligationintoasubjectivepromisetomakeaneffort.Weaddedtheprincipleof

unanimity.The“AdministrationofNationalConcord,”formerlyacoalition

government,wasdilutedandturnedintoanebulousbodyclosertoourelectoral

commission,called(meldingthetitlesofthetwosides’proposals)a“National

CouncilofNationalReconciliationandConcord.”(ThepoliticalparagraphinLe

DucTho’sdraftofOctober8andtheendresultasofOctober11aregiveninthe

notes.)

4

IlatercharacterizedthepoliticalprovisionsatameetinginSaigonwith

ThieuandhisadvisersonOctober19:



Soletmesumupthepoliticalprovisionswhichweconsideramajorcollapseofthe

Communistposition…ThedemandfortheinstitutionofaProvisionalGovernmentofNational

Concordhasbeendropped.ThedemandfortheamalgamationofARVNandcommunistforces

hasbeendropped.Theexistinggovernmentcancontinuewithunlimitedamountsofeconomic

aidandAmericanreplacementmilitaryaidofaverylargeforce.Andtheonlyrequirementis

thatitnegotiatewiththeothersidetosetupaCouncil.IftheCouncilevercomesintobeing,it

hasnojurisdictionthatIcandetermine,exceptoverelectionstowhichyoumustagree,for

institutionswhichyouaretodecide,withinaframeworkwhichdependsonyournegotiatingit.

Inotherwords,wehavepreservedthecardinalpositionthatweleavethefutureofSouth

VietnamtotheSouthVietnamesepeopleandthatthegovernmentwehaverecognizedisthe

governmentoftheRepublicofSouthVietnamanditsPresident.



Thereversesideofthiswas,ofcourse,thatHanoibargainedallthemore

insistentlyaboutthemilitaryissues.Soitwasonlyaftergreateffortthatwewere

abletoachieveLeDucTho’sagreementthatallinfiltrationofpersonnelinto

SouthVietnamwouldceaseandthatequipmentcouldbereplacedonaone‐for‐

onebasisunderinternationalsupervision.(Thohadaskedfor“equality,”meaning 

thattheCommunistswouldhavetherighttointroduceweaponsintheSouth

equaltowhatweweregivingtoSaigon.SinceSaigon’sarmywasmuchlarger,we

insistedonourformulation,whichmeantthatexistingequipmentcouldbe

replacedbutnotaugmented.Andweprevailed—perhapsbecauseHanoihadno

intentionofabidingbytheprovision.)



Ateverymeetingandwithvariousformulationswekeptdemandinga

NorthVietnamesecommitmenttowithdrawtheirtroopsfromtheSouth.We

neverobtainedit.LeDucThoresistedasamatterofprinciplebecausehedidnot

regardSouthVietnamasaforeigncountry,andbecausesuchaclausewouldhave

representedatotalsurrender. Wefinallysettledforthebanoninfiltrationanda

formulationthatafterthecease‐firethetwoSouthVietnamesepartieswould

discuss“stepstoreducethemilitarynumbersonbothsidesandtodemobilizethe

troopsbeingwithdrawn.”Ihadnoillusions.WhenevereitherweorHanoiwere

lookingforanelegantwaytoburyanissue,weleftitsresolutionto thetwoSouth

Vietnameseparties,whoweknewmightneveragreeonanything.Weacquiesced

becausewehadbeenofferingacease‐fireinplacefortwoyearsandbecause

Hanoiwasacceptingourowncompromiseformulaprohibitinganyfurther

infiltrationofpersonnel.ThiswouldgraduallyeliminateNorthVietnameseforces

intheSouththroughattrition,assumingthattheprovisionswereobservedby

Hanoiorenforcedbyus.(Thatcaveatappliedtotheentireagreement;ifdoubts

astocomplianceweretobeallowedtoblockasatisfactoryagreement,thenthe

warcouldnevercometoanegotiatedend;itwouldhavetobefoughttothe

finish.)



MuchtimewasspentonLaosandCambodia.Therewerethreeissuesthat

werenottobesettledforseveralweeks:inwhatlegalformtoexpresswhatever

obligationswereundertaken;thestatusofforeignforces,includingNorth

Vietnamese;andhowto establishacease‐firethere.Thefirstissuearosebecause

ThoclaimedthatinternalLaotianandCambo dian matterscouldnotbedealtwith

inaVietnamesepeacetreaty.Wesettledthatbyreflectingourunderstandingin

separatewrittendocuments.LeDucThoacceptedthatthewithdrawalofforeign

forcesfromCambodiaandLaosshouldbepartoftheVietnamagreement;after

muchdebateheacceptedthatallforeigntroopswouldbewithdrawnfromLaos

andCambodiaandthatVietnamesetroopswouldbeconsideredforeignforthat

purpose.Wedidlesswellonthecease‐firesinLaosandCambodia.Iinsistedthat

thesebeestablished byafixeddatethatwouldprecedeourcomplete

withdrawal.LeDucThoagreedtopromiseacease‐fireinLaoswithinthirtydays

aftersigningtheagreement;heinsistedthatHanoi’sinfluenceontheCambodian

Communistswasnotdecisive.Wewereskeptical.Assubsequenteventshave

madeclear,itturnedouttobeoneoccasionwhenThowastellingthetruth.



Themajorboneofcontentionwasthealleged30,000civilianprisonersin

SouthVietnameseprisons,about10,000ofthemVietCongcadres,therest

criminals.LeDucTho’sOctober8draftrequiredthattheybereleasedtogether

withallprisonersofwar.IsawnopossibilityofSaigon’sreleasingthecoreofthe

VietCongguerrillas.IproposedthatthisissuebelefttothetwoSouth

Vietnameseparties,whowould“dotheirutmost”tosettleit.LeDucTho

objected,aswellhemight,sinceitineffectleftallSouthVietnameseCommunist

prisonersinSaigon’sjails.ItwasobviouslyasensitivepointforhisVietCongallies.

YetitwastotallyunacceptableforustoallowthereleaseofAmericanPOWstobe

madeconditionalonourabilitytopersuadeThieutoreleaseVietCongprisoners.

AweeklatertheNorthVietna mesedroppedtheirdemand—anexampleofa

majorconcessionweextractedbymakingarapidconclusionoftheagreement

dependonit.



Finally,LeDucThoandIagreedtoputintotheagreementageneral

statementreflectingwhathadfirstbeenofferedbyPresidentJohnsonin1965

andrepeatedbyNixonexplicitlyonJanuary25andMay8,1972:thatafterthe

warAmericawouldcontributetotheeconomicreconstructionofIndochina,“to

healthewoundsofwar”asthedocumentphraseditsomewhatmorepoetically.I

madeclearthatwewoulddothisasinourowninterest,forhumanereasons,and

toincreasetheprospectsforimprovedbilateralrelationsbetweenourcountries

(andinturntogiveHanoiagreaterincentivetohonortheagreement).Butwe

rejectedthen,andcontinuallythereafter,anyprincipleofguiltorreparation;I

alsomadeclearthattheCongresswouldhavetoapprove.



Therewereendlesstechnicaldiscussionsaboutotherissues,including

internationalcontrol machineryandtheparticipantsataninternationalpeace

conference.Butatlast,at2:00a.m.onOctober12—afterhavingnegotiated

nonstopforsixteenhours,andtwenty‐twooutofthelastthirty—LeDucThoandI

werepreparedtocallitaday.WehadsettledallprincipalVietnamissuesexcept

theformulationontherightoftheUnitedStatesto replacemilitaryequipment

forSouthVietnameseforcesandthequestionofciviliansdetainedbySaigon.We

alsostillneededtoformulateamoreprecisecommitmenttoacease‐fireinLaos

andCambodia.Butwehadcomesofarthata conclusionwasnowinevitable.We

weredoomedtosuccess,evenifittooktime.Ijoked—presciently—thatitmight

achievenomorethantounitealltheVietnamese partiesintheiroppositionto

me.



Therecameoverusatlastthereliefoftheendofstrenuousexertions

accompaniedbyexcruciatingtension.ForoverthreeyearsLeDucThoandIhad

testedeachother’sendurance,triedtobreakdowneachother’sdefenses,sought

todepriveeachotherofoptions.Diplomacyamongadversariescanbeadeadly

business,allthemoreforbeingclothedinconciliatoryforms.Bothsideshad

riskednotonlyforeignpolicygoalsbutdomesticcohesion;bothhadbeenforced

toputasidethevastobjectiveswithwhichtheyhadenteredthestruggle;both

weregamblingonthefuture.WewerenotsonaiveastobelievethatHanoi’s

dourleadershadabandonedtheaspirationsofalifetime.Buthavingfoughtfor

thefreedomandindependenceofthosewhohadreliedonusandjoinedtheir

effortstoours,wecouldnowhopethatsimilarjointexertionswouldpreservethe

peace.



Atthatearlymorninghour,overcomebytheprospectthathadbeenso

elusiveforsolong,wewereinamoodapproachingeuphoria.AndsoLeDucTho

andIbothmadelittlespeechesintotalcontrast totheoccasionallybitterclashes

thathadcharacterizedourencountersforthreeyears.LeDucThospokeinthe

idiomwithwhichwehadbecomealltoofamiliarovertheseyears:



Wehavemadegreateffort,andyoutoo,youhavemadegreateffort.Andtheefforts

arethebiggestduringthelastfewdays.Andsometimeduringthecourseofthenegotiations,

ourdiscussionswerehot;onmanyoccasionstheimpressionleftwasthatthenegotiations

mightbreak.Butoureffortshavebeengreat,anditcanbesaidthatournegotiationshave

broughtaboutbasicagreementsonmanyquestions,althoughtheagreementhasnotbeen

completedinthattherearestilltwoorthreequestionsleft.Butthroughoureffort,nodoubt

wewillreachourobjectiveofpeace.



Ifpeaceisrestored,Icansaythatthereisanewpageturnedinthehistoryofthe

relationshipofourpeoples,anewpageturnedfromtherelationshipofhostility toa

relationshipoffriendship;notonlyfortheimmediateperiodbutforthelongterm.Andtheday

ofsigningofthesettlementandthedayoftheendofthewarwillbeaday offestivityforour

twopeoples.Youanduscanundertaketofirmlykeeptheagreementwehavemadehere.

Whenweachievetheagreement,thenwewillundertaketohonorwhatwehavesigned.So

thatiswhatIwouldliketoexpressbeforeIleaveforHanoiintwoorthreedays.



AndIreplied,withoutseekingtomatchtheHomericqualityofLeDucTho’s

lastsentences:



Mr.SpecialAdviser,Igreatlyappreciateyourcomments.Ihavepersonallynegotiatedon

theproblemofVietnamnowsince1967andwiththeSpecialAdvisersince1969.Wehavehad

verydifficultperiods,butwehavesurmountedthem,becausewehavebothrealized,asour

peoplehaverealized,thatpeaceisthemostimportantobjectivetobeachieved.AsItoldyou

yesterday,ourtwocountrieshaveonseveraloccasionsmadeanarmisticewitheachotherbut

thistimewemustmakeapermanentpeace.



Butaswemovefromhostilitytofriendship,weshouldrememberthattherehasbeena

greatdealofsufferingonbothsidesandthatweoweittothosewhohavesufferedthatwenot

characterizethewarinanyparticularwayandthatneitherofusproclaimvictoryordefeat.



Therealvictoryforboth,ofcourse,willnowbethedurablerelationswecanestablish

witheachother.SowhenmycolleaguesandIcometoHanoi,wewillcometopayourrespects

totheheroicpeopleofNorthVietnamandtobeginanewerainourrelationships.