Kissinger Henry. White House Years

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returnfromSaigontoParisforanotherroundofnegotiations.Alternatively,it

mightbedesirabletomeetwithLeDucThoagain,sayinVientiane,after

completingmySaigonstop.XuanThuygrumbled,butclearlyhadnoauthorityto

giveadefinitivereply.



MeanwhileinWashington,Nixonwaspollinghissenioradvisers.On

October16,heconsultedwithSecretaryLairdandGeneralAbrams.Both,Haig

informedme,stronglyendorsedtheagreement.Abramsstressedthatwewould

notbesignificantlybetteroffmilitarilyifwefoughtanotheryearatthepresent

scale(anditwas,ofcourse,highlyimprobablethatwecouldmaintainthepresent

scale).OnOctober18RogersandAlexJohnsontoldNixonthattheyconsidered

thedraftagreementa“totalsurrender’’byHanoi,especiallyonthepolitical

points.Haigreporte dthatNixonwasenthusiastic.ThePresidentsuggestedthatI

treattheforthcomingmeetingswithThieuasa“pokergame”inwhichIshould

holdbackthe“trumpcard”untilthelasttrick.ThusIshouldnotshowthepolitical

portionoftheagreementtoThieuimmediately.I shouldimplythatHanoiwas

askingformorethanitactuallywas.Then,whenItabledtheactualtextasour

“rock‐bottomposition,”Thieuwouldhaveamaximumincentivetogoalong.Idid

notfollowthisadvice.Ihadconcludedthatsimplytoomanypeoplehadseenthe

textoftheagreementforustoplaygames.Playingitstraight,itturnedout,did

notdomuchgoodeither.



OnthewaytoSaigonIsentamessagetoHanoiinmynamereiterating

whatIhadsaidtoXuanThuy:thatavisittoHanoicouldtakeplace“onlyinthe

contextofanagreement.”Iincludedourproposedtextsforthedisputedpoints.

ForemphasisIsentanothermessagetoHanoilaterthatday,October18—this

timeinthePresident’sname—repeatingtheimpossibilityofvisitingHanoiwhile

anypointswereoutstandingandproposingameetingbetweenLeDucThoand

me,preferablyinVientiane,ifnecessaryinParis.Hanoi’scherished“shedyule”

wouldtherebyslipbyanotherthreeorfourdays.



IhadalreadyagreedwithLeDucThothatwewoulddecreasethebombing

oftheNorthduringthefinalphaseofthenegotiations.Uponmydeparturefor

PariswehadreducedthelevelofbombingNorthofthetwentiethparallel;with

thetextoftheagreementcompleted,thenotesaid,wewouldstopbombingthe

Northaltogethertwenty‐fourhoursbeforemyarrivalinHanoi.Atthesametime,

WashingtonwasmakingfinalpreparationstobeefupSaigon’sinventories,to

haveashighabaseaspossibleforone‐for‐onereplacement.Themassiveairliftof

militaryequipmentintoSouthVietnamforoncehadacodenamethatmade

sense:itwascalled“EnhancePlus.” 



ThemoodonthelongridetoSaigonwasoptimistic.AllofusexceptJohn

NegropontethoughtthatThieuwouldbeoverjoyedbytheagreement.Again,we

reviewedtheterms.Thecease‐fireinplacewouldgiveSaigon90percentofthe

population;infiltrationintoSouthVietnamwasbarred;theghostofthecoalition

governmenthadbeenlaidtorest;therewasinternationalsupe rvision;VietCong

cadreswouldprobablyremaininSouthVietnam’sjails;USmilitaryassistanceto

Saigoncouldcontinue.Tobesure,wehadnotobtainedHanoi’sagreementto

withdrawitsforcesfromtheSouth.Butiftheno‐infiltrationclausewasobserved,

attritionwouldeasethatthreat.Allthisassumedthattheagreementwouldbe

carriedoutandaboveallthattheVietnamesepartiesweremakingrational

calculationsoftheirprospects.Buttheyhadsufferedtoomuchforthat,and

inflictedtoomuchpainoneachother.Maddenedbyhatredandsuspicion,

incapableofimaginingpeace,thetwoVietnamesepartiesfinallyfoundcommon

groundonlyintheirobsessionwithhumiliatingeachotherandintheireffortto

drawusintothevortexoftheirpassions.Eachseemedwillingtodestroyitselfso

longasitcouldtakeitshatedopponentwithitintooblivion.



<<Contents>>

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

ConsultationwithThieu



llsworthbunkeralwayshadasoothingeffectinacrisis.Whenonesawatthe

footoftherampthattall,erect,thinfigure,immaculatelydressedasifnosuit

ofhiswoulddarerumpleeveninthetropicalheatofSaigon,oneknewtherewas

noriskoffailurefromeitherexcessofimpetuosityorlackofdedication.Ellsworth

wasoneofourgreatdiplomats . Hecametogovernmentservicerelativelylatein

lifeafteradistinguishedbusinesscareer;hehadnoneedtoproveanythingto

himselfortoothers.Hisambitionwastomakeacontributiontotheforeignpolicy

ofhiscountry,whosewell‐beingheidentifiedwiththesecurityandhopeofall

freepeoples.Hisva lueswerereflectednotinself‐servingrhetoricbutinthe

matter‐of‐factperformanceofahighstandardofduty.Hewasaquintessential

Americanintheoptimismthatmadehimappearyouthfuleventhen,inhislate

seventies.ForfiveyearshehadbeeninSaigon,servingtwoPresidentsof

differentpartiesandearningtheirunqualifiedtrustandadmiration.Throughthe

worstofourdomestictravailsheneverflinched. Hesupportedhisgovernmenton

televisionandinprintwhenotherswithfargreaterresponsibilityforour

involvementwererunningforcover.Hehadsharedinallofmysecretdiplomacy

involvingVietnam;hehadreceivedfullsummariesofeveryprivatemeetingand

detailedbriefingswhenhevisitedWashington.Forallmyyearsofservice,hehad

stoodbythegovernmenttowhichhewasaccredited,defendingitwithinoffic ial

councilsandinpublicagainstthechargethatitwastheprincipalobstacleto

peace.NobodydeservedlesstheshoddytreatmenttowhichThieuwassubjecting

him—theendlesswaiting,thepostponedappointments,theevasiveifnot

downrightdeceptiveanswershewasgiven.ThroughoutallthisEllsworthBunker

utteredrarelyawordofcomplaint.Heperformedhischoreswithgentleness,

discipline,andselflessskill.Hehadnursedmatterstothispoint;likeallofushe

yearnedforpeacewithhonor.Noonewhoknewhimcoulddoubtthathewould

interprettherequirementsofhonorstrictly.



Bunker,hisdeputyCharlesWhitehouse,GeneralAbrams,andImetsoon

afterourarrivalinthesmalllibraryoftheAmbassador’smodestresidence,

selectednotforitselegancebutforitslocationonadead‐endstreet,whicheased

thesecuritydangers.ItwasmyfirstopportunitytoshowBunk erandhis

associatesthecurrentdraftoftheagreement.Bunker’sreactionwasthatit

exceededwhathehadthought attainable;lesswouldstillhavebeenpractically

andmorallyjustifiable.HisopinionwassharedbyGeneralAbrams;Abereiterated

whathehadtoldNixon,thattherewasnogaintobehadinfightinganotheryear

onthepresentscale—addingthatifwereducedoureffortbywithdrawing the

augmentationforces,conditionsmightwelldeterio rate.Hereportedthe

disquietingnewsthattheNorthVietnamesehadlauncheda “highpoint”of

offensiveactivities,especiallyaroundSaigon,obviouslytrying(asIwasurging

Saigontotry)toseizeasmuchterritoryaspossiblebeforeacease‐fire.Abrams

thoughtthisoffe nsive wouldbetroublesome,butalsothatitcouldbedefeated

withoutsignificantlossofterritory.



CharlesWhitehousewastheonlyonepresenttoraiseawordofcaution.

Hesharedhiscolleagues’judgmentoftheagreement,buthedoubtedthatThieu

wouldacceptitbeforeourelection.ForSaigontocuttheumbilicalcordwiththe

UnitedStateswouldbeawrenchingpsychological blow.Thieuwouldneedmany

weekstopreparehimselfandhispeople forit.Nomatterwhattheterms,Thieu

wouldprevaricateanddelayaslongaspossible.Whitehouseturnedouttobe

rightonthemark.



IalsoconsultedPhilHabib,ourAmbassadortoKorea,whomIhadaskedto

joinmeinSaigon.Habib’sopinionmeantagreatdealtome.BorninBrooklynof

Lebaneseorigin,educatedattheUniversityofIdaho,hewastheantithesisofthe

publicstereotypeoftheelegant,excessivelygenteelForeignServiceOfficer.He

wasrough,blunt,direct,asfarfromthe“striped‐pants”imageasitispossibleto 

be.HehadservedinVietnamordealtwithVietnamproblemsfornearlyten

years.Hehadbeendeputyambassadortoasuccessionofambassadorsatthe

Parispeacetalksandtheoneelementofcontinuityonthedelegation.Hehad

selectedmostofthededicatedyoungForeignServiceOfficerswhohadservedin

theprovincesofSouthVietnam.Amanoftotalintegrity,hehadriddentheroller

coasterfromhopefulidealismtobleakdespair.Hewantedustoleavethe

graveyardofsomanyhopes,butwithdignity.HeowedittohisServiceandhis

colleaguestoendthewarinamannercompatiblewithourinternational

obligations.Hehadalwaysurgedflexibilitybutalsorealism;seriousnegotiations

butnosurrender,disguisedorotherwise.Hewouldhavetoselltheagreementto

SouthKorea,anallythathadsent50,000troopstoVietnamandwhosesecurity

alsodependedonconfidenceinourreliability.Hewasexultantaboutthedraft

agreement;itexceededhishighesthopes.Itwouldbeconsideredavictorybyour

Koreanallies.Withthat,everyAmericanseniorofficialfamiliarwiththe

negotiationsandwithVietnameseaffairshadendorsedoureffort.



HadThieubeenabletobringhimselftosay,evenprivately,what

Whitehousehadoutlined,muchoftheturmoilofthenextfewweekswouldhave

beenavoided.HadweunderstoodimmediatelythatThieuobjectednotto

specifictermsbuttothefactofanagreement,wewouldcertainlyhave

maneuvereddifferently.HoweverunreasonableThieu’sposition,Iwasclearinmy

mindthatNixondidnotwantablowupbeforetheelection.ButThieunever

engagedinaconceptualdiscussion.Instead,hefoughtintheVietnamese

manner:indirectly,elliptically,bymethodsdesignedtoexhaustratherthanto

clarify,constantlyneedlingbutneveraddressingtherealissue—methodsby

whichthroughthecenturiestheVietnamesehavesoughttobreakthespiritof

foreignersbeforetacklingthemphysicallyinoneoftheirheroiccharges.One

cannotsaythatithasnot worked;unfortunately,itinspireslittleconfidence;itis

especiallytoughonallies.ButthennoVietnamese,NorthorSouth,wouldbelieve

thatconfidenceortrustorfriendshipisdecisive.Theyhavesurvivedforeigners

forcenturiesnotbytrustingbutbymanipulatingthem.



ThemeetingonOctober19wasinthismode.OnarrivalatthePresidential

PalaceIwaskeptwaitingforfifteenminutesinfullviewofthepress.ThenThieu’s

aideHoangDucNhaappearedtoushermeandBunkerintothepresidential

presence.Thieuextendednogreetings.Impassively,heacceptedaletterby

Nixon,whichstated,interalia :



Dr.Kissingerwillexplaintoyouinthefullestdetailtheprovisionsoftheproposed

agreementwhichhecarrieswithhimandIwillthereforenotprovidefurtherelaborationinthis

message.Ido,however,wantyoutoknowthatIbelievewehavenoreasonablealternativebut

toacceptthisagreement.Itrepresentsmajormovementbytheotherside,anditismyfirm

convictionthatitsimplementationwillleaveyouandyourpeoplewiththeabilitytodefend

yourselvesanddecidethepoliticaldestinyofSouth Vietnam…



Finally,Imustsaythat,justaswehavetakenrisksinwar,Ibelievewemusttakerisks

forpeace.Ourintentionistoabidefaithfullybythetermsoftheagreementsand

understandingsreachedwithHanoi,andIknowthiswillbetheattitudeofyourgovernmentas

well.Weexpectreciprocityandhavemadethisunmistakablyclearbothtothemandtheir

majorallies.Icanassureyouthatwewillviewanybreachoffaithontheirpartwiththeutmost

gravity;anditwouldhavethemostseriousconsequences.



Tothetypedtextdraftedbymystaffandme,Nixonhadaddedthe

followinghandwrittennote:



Dr.Kissinger,GeneralHaigandIhavediscussedthisproposalatgreatlength.Iam

personallyconvinceditisthebestwewillbeabletogetandthatitmeetsmyabsolute

condition—thattheGVNmustsurviveasafreecountry.Dr.Kissinger’scommentshavemytotal

backing.



Ifever,thiswasthetimeforThieutostatehisrealconcernsandtohavea

heart‐to‐hearttalkwiththeemissaryofaPresidentwhohad,afterall,stakedhis

politicalfutureandhiscountry’scredibilityonsupportingSouthVietnam.Instead,

Thieureadtheletterwithoutcomment.Heinvitedmeintothenextroomwhere,

justasduringHaig’stripthreeweeksearlier,hisNationalSecurityCouncilwas

assembled,augmentedbytheSouthVietnameseambassadorstoWashingtonand 

theParispeacetalks.Ourside,inadditiontome,includedBunker,Whitehouse,

Abrams,Sullivan,Lord,andinterpreterDavidEngel.Themoodwasset

immediatelywhenThieu,withoutawordofintroduction,openedthesessionby

announcingthatNhawouldserveasinterpreter.Consideringthatevery

VietnamesepresentatleastunderstoodEnglish,thisindicatedthatThieuwasnot

goingtomakethingseasyforus.Nhaproceededtomockhisrolebycondensing

allmyremarkstoabouthalftheirlength.Thiscausedmetopointoutthateither

VietnamesewasamoreconciselanguagethanEnglishorelse Nhawas

abbreviating(inwhichcaseitwouldhavebeeninterestingtoknowwhathewas

leavingout).“Iamamasterofcontraction,”saidNhahumbly.



Ibeganbyoutliningourstrategy.OurVietnameffort,Iargued,hadbeen

heldtogetherbyaveryfewpeopleagainstmassivedomesticpressuresseekingto

liquidateourinvolvementinexchangeforonlythereturnofAmericanprisoners.

Thosepressureswouldbecomeuncontainableifwewereperceivedtoabandona

reasonablenegotiatingposition, especiallywhenitwasoneweourselveshadput

forward.IrecognizedthatinthisrespecttherewasadifferencebetweenThieu’s

imperativesandours.Hehadtodemonstratetohispeoplethathewasfirm;we

hadtodemonstratethatwewereflexible.Istressedthatourconcernwasnotthe

twoweeksbeforeourelectionsbutthemonthsthatwouldfollow.Theadditional

costsofthemilitaryaugmentationaftertheoffensive—amountingalreadyto$4.1

billion—wouldhavetobesubmittedtotheCongressinJanuary.Itwouldprovide

aconvenientoccasionforcuttingoffsupport.Forovertwoyearswehadmadea

clearlydefinedsetofproposalswithSaigon’sconcurrence;thesehadbeen

acceptedbyHanoi.EvenoursupportersintheCongresswouldneverunderstand

ifwenowdraggedourfeet.Thatwastherealdeadlineagainstwhichwewere

working.ForgettingNixon’s“trumpcard”suggestion,Ispentanhourreviewing

theentiredraft,showinghowinthecease‐firesectionitmeteveryproposalwe

hadputforward,andinitspoliticalprovisionswasfarbetterthanthetermswe

hadofferedpubliclyorprivately.IconcludedwithwhatIconsideredthecentral

issue:



Wehavefoughttogetherforeightyearsandlonger.Youhavesacrificedagreatdealand

sohavewe.Andnowifwecouldmakepeacetogetherwecanvindicateallthesufferingand

buildtogetherthesortofstructureinVietnamforwhichwehaveallsufferedsomuch.Itisin

thisspiritthatthePresidenthasaskedmetospeaktoyou,andIcometoyouasafriendtodeal

withajointproblemsowecancontinueourfriendshipandcontinueourcooperation.



ThieuprovedasresistanttotheeloquenceofforeignersashadLeDucTho

forthethreepreviousyearsinParis—ormaybeIsimplyoverestimatedmy

persuasiveness.HeadoptedthetacticIshouldhaverecognizedfromhisprevious

encounterswithHaigandme.Heraise danumberofintelligentquestions,none

ofthemgoingtotheheartoftheagreement.Thieuwantedtoknowtowhat

extentIthoughtthetermscompatiblewithourMay8proposal;themodalitiesof

signingtheagreement;whentheinternationalsupervisorymachinerywouldgo

intooperation;whatscheduleIrecommended—allofwhichsuggestedthatifthe

answersweresatisfactory,hewouldgoalong.Suddenlyheaskedwhetherthe

agreementwasneededforNixon’sreelection.Irespondedbyreadingthe

handwrittennotefromNixonthatwasgiventomeontheplaneasIleft

Washington.



WeagreedtoresumethediscussionwithhisfullNSCthenextmorning.

AnothermeetingwasscheduledfortheafternoonwithThieu,Abrams,General

CaoVanVien(ChairmanoftheSouthVietnameseJointGeneralStaff),andmeto

discusstheadditionalmilitarysuppliesforeseenbyEnhancePlus.Mycolleagues,

Bunker,andIwereatthispointveryoptimistic.Thieu’squestionsandhis

eagernesstodiscussEnhancePlussuggestedthathewasmovingtowarda

settlement.IsentoffareporttoNixonoutliningprospectsmore cautiouslythan

allofusreallyfelt.Anyhalfwayexperiencedemissarywillpromiselessthanhe

hopestodeliver;itwillmitigatethedisappointmentincaseofunexpectedfailure;

itwill—letusbefrank—heightenhisachievementifhesucceeds.Thereportread:



ItistooearlytotellThieu’sreaction;wehavelearnedfrompasttripsthathedoesn’t

showhishanduntilthesecondmeeting.Myinstinctisthatwefacethedifficulttaskweall

predicted;itremainstobeseenwhetherwecanpullitoff…InsumImadeemphaticallyclear

thatweconsideredthisanexcellentagreementthatwouldredeemyearsofsacrificeandfully

protectboththeGVNandThieu.Itwasamuchbettersettlementthananyonecouldhave

expectedandresultedfromourfirmmilitaryanddiplomaticsupport.



AtthemeetingontheafternoonofOcto ber19,AbramsdescribedtoThieu

thematerielwewouldleavefortheSouthVietnameseforcesandtheadditions

wewouldprovidethroughtheEnhancePlusprogrambeforethecease‐fire.This

includedover150additionalplanes,tobedeliveredinafourteen‐dayperiod.

OnceagainThieuaskedperceptivequestions;toourunsubtlemindsitsoundedas

ifhewereinchingtowardagreement.Forexample,heraisednodirectobjection

tomyproposedstopinHanoi;ifheacceptedtheagreement,hesaid,hewould

notconsidersuchajourneyinappropriate.



BeforethenextmeetingtheotherVietnamwasheardfrom.Hanoi’s

messagestomenowhadtotraveltoSaigon—only 800milesaway—overa

distanceof20,000miles.HanoideliveredtheminParistoColonelGuay.Hesent

themtoHaiginWashingtonthroughWhiteHousebackchannels.Haig

retransmittedthem—againinWhiteHousebackchannels—toSaigon.Whenwe

contactedHanoi,theprocedurewasreversed.OurmessageswentfromSaigonto

WashingtontoParisandthenonto Hanoi.



ThemessagethatcamelateonOctober19nonethelessrepresentedareply

withintwenty‐fourhours.ItmadeclearthatHanoididnotwantanothermeeting

eitherinVientianeorinParis.Rather,itsuggestedthatwesticktotheoriginal

schedule.Toenableustodosoitconcededthetworemainingpointsoncivilian

prisonersandreplacement;Hanoiacceptednotonlythesubstanceofourposition

butalsothetextwehadsentfromtheplane.Thepracticalresultwasthata

cease‐firewouldfreeallprisonersexceptVietCongcadresinSouthVietnamese

jails.Andthereplacementprovision,coupledwiththemassiveaugmentationof

SouthVietnamesefo rceseventhenunderway,permittedwhatamountedto

unlimitedAmericanmilitaryassistancetoSaigon.



WhenHaigcabledtheNorthVietnamesereplytome,headdedaccurately;

“Irecognizethismessageaddsimmeasurablytoyourburdensattoday’s

meeting.”ItwastheheightofironythatHanoi’stotalacceptanceofourdemands

wasthoughttoaddtomyburdens.Butindeeditdid.CoupledwithHanoi’s

stepped‐upland‐grabbingoperations,whichHaigalsopointedout,itleftuswitha

massiveproblem.Hanoi’smilitaryoffensivewouldmakeitmuchharderto

persuadeThieutocomealong;Hanoi’smessagewouldmakeitnearlyimpossible

forustosustainourpositiondomesticallyifhedidnot.Saigonheldthekey;its

attitudewoulddeterminewhetherthewarwouldendquickly.



Saigonwasinnohurry.Butwhenoneisonatightrope,themostdangerous

courseistostop.OncelaunchedonthejourneyIhadnochoiceexcepttogo

forward.Wehadusedthe“shedyule”toexactconcessions;intheprocesswehad

givenupscopeforprocrastination.Untilourelection,delay,ifjudiciouslyused,

couldimproveourbargainingposition.Afterward,procrastinationwouldwork

increasinglyinHanoi’sfavor.Asitbecameapparentthatourmilitaryandpolitical

positionwouldnotimproveafterNovember7,Hanoiwouldreversetheprocess

anddiscoverthatithadeveryincentivetopushusupagainstourowndeadlineof

areturningCongressandourneedforafour‐tosix‐billion‐dollarsupplementary

appropriation.So ouralternativeswerenownarrowindeed.Hanoialwayshadthe

optionofgoingpublic.Andinmyview—whichIhavenotchangedwith

hindsight—wewouldnotbeabletoachieveanythingliketheconcessionsthat

werefallingtousalmostdailynowifnegotiationswereconductedsemipublicly

underthepressureofadomesticuproar.Wewouldbeforcedtoacceptthe

agreement,whateverThieu’sviews.Ourrealchoicewasnotbetweendelayand

agreement.Itwasbetweenmakinganagreementexactedbythepressuresof

Hanoi,Congress,andpublicopinion,andendingthewarasanactofpolicy,

demonstratingthatwehadmasteredeventsandgivensomepurposetoour

sacrifices.



IthereforereturnedacabletoHanoi“onbehalfofthePresident”through

theWhiteHouseSituationRoom.Itdeclaredthetextoftheagreement

“complete”butalsopointe dtounsettledissuesremaininginthreeareasthathad

beenleftto“understandings”:AmericanprisonersinLaosandCambodia;anend

tothewarinLaos;andthefutureofCambodia.Ourproposedtextforeachof

thesetopicswassenttoParisfortransmissiontoHanoi.OnLaos,weaskedforan

understandingthatacease‐firewouldfollowtherewithinthirtydaysofthatin

Vietnam.WithrespecttoCambodia,whereHanoiinsisted—asitturnedout,

truthfully—thatitsinfluencewasnotconclusive,weaskedforconfirmationin

writingofstatementsbyLeDucThothatoffensiveoperationswouldbestopped,

NorthVietnamesetroopswithdrawn, andinfiltrationended.Whilewewereatit,

weproposedanew“shedyule,”whichdelayedmyarrivalinHanoibyforty‐eight

hours.



Saigonwasnoteagertohavememeetanytimetable.Whatwassuccessfor

us—thewithdrawalofAmericanforces—wasanightmareforourallies;evenwith

acease‐firetheysimplycouldnotimaginehowtheywouldbebetteroffwithout

us.ThemeetingscheduledwithThieuandhisNationalSecurityCouncilfor

October20slippedfrom9:00a.m.to2:00p.m.Thesessionlastedthreeandahalf

hours.ThecompositionoftheVietnamesesidewasthesameasthedaybefore.

OurdelegationwasalsoidenticalexceptforBillSullivan,whomIhadsentto

BangkokandVientianetobrieftheThaiandLaotianleadersaboutthedraft

agreement.



Thieuopenedthemeeting,onceagainwithoutawordofgracetothe

Americandelegation,byexpressingprofo undskepticismaboutHanoi’smotives

andthedangerofwhathecalled“ambushes.”Nhathenwentthroughalistof

extremelyintelligentquestionsthatcenteredontheNorthVietnameseforcesin

theSouth,onclarificationofthearmsreplacementprovision,onthecomposition

andfunctionsoftheNatio nalCouncilofNationalReconciliationandConcord,and

ontheAmericanattitudeiftheagreementwereviolated.Irepliedindetail,

repeatingtheargumentsofthepreviousdaythatthebanoninfiltrationshould

causetheattritionoftheNorthVietnameseforces; thatthereplacement

provisionwouldmeanineffectunlimitedAmericanmilitaryaidbecauseof

Saigon’slargeinventories,augmentedbyEnhancePlus;thatthefunctionsofthe

NationalCouncilweretobenegotiatedbySaigon,whichwouldalsohaveaveto

overitscompositionandoperation.



AstotheAmericanresponsetoviolations,IreiteratedNixon’sassurance

thatintheeventofmassiveNorthVietnameseviolationstheUnitedStateswould

acttoenforcetheagreement.Theargumentwaslateradvancedthatitwasnot

withinthePresident’spowertogivesuchassuranceswithoutexplicit

authorizationbytheCongress.Thisideanotonlydidnotoccurtous;itwould

havestruckusasinconceivablethattheUnitedStatesshouldfightforyearsand

lose45,000meninanhonorablecause,andthenstandbywhilethepeacetreaty,

theachievementoftheirsacrifice,wasflagrantlyviolated.Diplomacycouldnot

survivesuchcasuistry.Negot iationswouldbecomeexercisesincynicism;no

agreementwouldeverbemaintained.InVietnamthismeanttheagreement

wouldhavebeenablatantsubterfugeforsurrender.Wecouldhavedonethat

earlierandwithmuchlesspain.Honor,decency,credibility,andinternationallaw

allcombinedtomakeitseembeyondcontroversythatweshouldpromiseto

observethetreatyandseeitenforced.Whatelsecouldbethemeaningofa

solemncompactendingawar,ratifiedbyaninternationalconference?Thepoint

wasmadeprivatelytoThieuandhisassociates.Itwasalsomadepubliclyby

Nixon,ElliotRichardson(whenhewasSecretaryofDefense),me,andother

officials.

Itseemedtoustheleastcontroversialoftheissuesraisedbythe

agreement.Wethoughtwewouldbeinabettermoralandpoliticalposit ionto

assistSaigontomaintainitsfreedominthenameofapeaceprograminwhichthe