Kissinger Henry. White House Years

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Americanpeoplecouldtakepridethaninthecontextofopen‐endedwarfare

tearingourcountryapart.Whetherthejudgmentwouldhavebeenvindicatedin

normaltimeswillremainforeverunknown.Soon aftertheagreementwassigned,

WatergateunderminedNixon’sauthority,andthedamholdingback

Congressionalantiwarresolutionsburst.Thisunleashedonceagainthedivisive

passionswehadsoughttostillbymakingpeace.Itgavethosewhowere

interestedaboveallinvindicatingtheargumentofa decadeofprotestonemore

opportunity—andthistimeasuccessfulone—tomaketheircaseontheruinsof

SouthVietnam’sindependence. 

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FirstRumblings



omemberoftheAmericanteaminthePresidentialPalaceinSaigonthat

Octoberdreamedofanysuchsequel.Wesincerelybelievedwewere

preservingbothAmerica’sprinciplesandSouthVietnam’sfreedom.Wewere

frustratednotbydoubtsaboutopinionathomebutbyThieu’sseeminginability

tograsphisopportunity.EvenGeneralAbrams,normallysotaciturn,intervened

onOctober20tourgethatThieuacceptthedraftag reement: 



Iamconfidentthatthestructurehereasitstandstodayiscapableofsecuringthis

countryandthisgovernment.IechothesentimentsofDr.Kissingerthatnoagreementwill

securethiscountry—onlyvigilanceanddeterminationwillsecureit.



WhenPresidentNixononMondayafternoonofthisweekcalledmetohisofficewith

SecretaryLairdandaskedmewhatIthoughtaboutthis…ItoldhimthatIthoughtitwastimeto

takethenextstep.Itwasadifficultsteptomakethefirstwithdrawalandeachsubsequentone,

butasconfidenceandcapabilitiesandskilldeveloped,itbecamepracticable.Somoreandmore

astimehasgoneonthedefenseofSouthVietnamhasbeenbytheSouthVietnamese

themselves.IhavealwayshadgreatrespectandadmirationfortheSouthVietnamesepeople

andmilitary,butIhavealwaysbelievedfromthebeginningthatthedayhadtocomeforyou

andforyourownprideandyourpeoplewhenthesecurityandthepoliticalstrengthwasall

yours,witheventuallyourairpowerstandinginthewingsandourequipmentandsupplies

comingintoyourports.



AtthispointThieuletitslipthattherealanxietywasnottheagreement

butalackofjustthatself‐confidenceAbramshaddefinedassoessential.Abrams

hadurgedThieunottooverestimateHanoibecausetheNorthVietnamesehad

madegraveerrors;theyhadmisjudgedthesituationrepeatedly.Hadtheymoved

thetwodivisionsthatbesiegedKheSanhin1968toHué,wewouldneverhave

beenabletorelievethecity.Similarly,Hanoi“stupidly”disperseditsforcesduring

the1972offensive:“Theyaremakinganofferbecausetheyhavelostandthey

knowit.Thisisthefirsttimetheyhavegottensmartaboutthewar.”

Unfortunately,ThieudrewtheoppositeconclusionfromAbrams’spresentation

andturnedAbrams’sargumentagainsthim:“Thisfact,GeneralAbrams,about

howtheycouldhavedispatchedtwodivisionsfromKheSanhtowardHué,the

facttheydidn’tmeansthatthisisduetothetalentofourgenerals,andthefact

thattheCommunistshavelostisduetothetalentofourgenerals.’’Thisapparent

avowalofself‐confidencemaskedadeeperdoubt;Thieurefusedtoaccept

Abrams’sclaimofCommunistineptitude.ListingNorthVietnamesefailuresdid

notreassurehimifsuccessderivedfromthemorecontingentfactorofSouth

Vietnameseskill(orluck).



Thatwastheheartoftheproblemwhichnosystemsanalysisor

proclamationsaboutVietnamizationcoulderase.TheSouthVietnamese,after

eightyearsofAmericanparticipation, simplydidnotfeelreadytoconfrontHanoi

withoutourdirectinvolvement.Theirnightmarewasnotthisorthatclausebut

thefearofbeingleftalone.ForSaigon’sleadersacease‐firemeantthedeparture

ofourremainingforces;theycouldnotbelievethatHanoiwouldabandonits

implacablequestforthedominationofIndochina.Inaveryrealsensetheywere

beinglefttotheirownfuture;deepdown,theywerepanickyatthethoughtand

tooproudtoadmitit.Andtheywerenotwrong.Wehaveconsideredthe

presenceofAmericanforcesinKoreaessentialforthemilitaryandpsychological

balanceonthatpeninsula.



ItwasnotThieu’sfaultthatwehadsimplycometotheendofourroad—

largelyastheresultofourdomesticdivisions.Butevenifheunderstoo dour

positionintellectually,hecouldnot,asaVietnamesepatriot,bringhimselfto

acceptitpublicly.Thetermswehadobtainedwerethebestpossible;theywere

indeedbetterthanwhatwehadaskedfor;theoreticallytheygaveSouthVietnam

themeanstosurvive.Buttheydidnotofthemselvesprovidethesinewsof

confidenceandcohesioninSaigonessentialtomaintaintheequilibriumwhich

hadinfactbeenachievedonthebattlefield.



Thisbeingso,muchofthediscussioninSaigon’sPresidentialPalaceturned

outtobebesidethepoint.TheSouthVietnameseraisedanumberofdrafting

proposalsthatoncemoreledtheAmericanside—everunequaltothe

complexitiesofVietnamesepsychology—tobelievethatSaigonwasfeelingits

waytowardanagreement.ThatimpressionwasreinforcedwhenThieuattheend

ofthemeetingstatedthathewouldbebusynextmorningconsultingleadersof

theNationalAssemblyandotherkeypoliticalfigurestopreparethemforwhat

mightbeahead.Wescheduledthenextmeeting,then,for2:00p.m.,October21;

inthemeantime,therewouldbetechnicaldiscussionsbetweenagroupof

expertsheadedbyForeignMinisterTranVanLamandtheAmericanteamto

developacommonpositionondraftingchangestobepro posedtoHanoi.Having

toldHanoithatthetextoftheagreementwas“complete‘‘—thoughnotthe

associatedunderstandings(orprotocols)—weknewthatthiswouldbea

formidabletask.



Attheendofthethree‐and‐a‐half‐hourdiscussionwithThieu,Ireportedto

Washington:



Itwasclearfromthesober,somewhatsad,moodofthesessionthattheyarehaving

greatpsychologicaldifficultywithcuttingtheAmericanumbilicalcord.Theyprobablyrealize

thatthedealisagoodonebyAmericanstandards,buttheirfocusisonremainingNorth

Vietnameseforcesandthelikelihoodofviolationsoftheagreement.Whiletheyshowedpride

inthetalentsoftheirgenerals,theycontinuedtoexhibitaweofCommunistcunningandalack

ofself‐confidence.Theyundoubtedlyfeeltheyneedmoretime,butonesensestheywillalways

feelthatway.Theyknowwhattheyhavetodoanditisverypainful.Theyareprobablyeven

right.Ifwecouldlasttwomoreyearstheywouldhaveitmade.



…Ihavethesensethattheyareslowlycomingalongandareworkingthemselvesinto

thementalframeofacceptingtheplan,buttheirself‐respectrequiresasenseofparticipation.



AsonmysecretvisittoMoscowinApril,Inowfoundmyselflockedintoa

communicationscyclewithWashingtonthatmadeaneffectiveexchangeofviews

extremelydifficultand,aseventsspeededup,producedescalating 

misunderstanding,allcompoundedbythepressuresofdeadlines,thelargestakes

involved,andtheemotionconnectedwiththehomestretchofthewar.Saigon

wasthirteenhoursaheadofWashington.Myeveningreportsofmeetingswould

thusarriveinWashingtonduringthemiddle ofthemorning.Forsecuritywehada

complicatedsystemofdouble‐codingateachendthatrequiredtwosetsof

communicators.BecauseofSaigon’scurfewourmessengershadtoarrangefora

specialescorteachtimewesentorreceivedamessage.Allthiscausedadditional

delay,sothatWashingtonlaggedfarbehindourdeliberations.BythetimeHaig

coulddiscussourmessageswiththePresident,draftareplyforNixon’s

consideration,andsenditoff,theWashingtonworkingdaywasusuallyover.I

wouldgetWashington’sreactionduringthemorningofthenextday,generally

whileIwasalreadyinvolvedinanothermeeting.Thuseachendwascontinually

commentingorreportingoutofcycle,oneventsorrecommendationsalready

overtaken.



ItwashardlysurprisingthatIbegantodeveloptheclassicneurotic

syndromethatcomessoonerorlatertoallthosediplomatswhoworkin thefield.

ThereweretimeswhenWashingtonseemedtomemoreinterestedinpositio ning

itselfoverwhathadalreadyhappenedthaninsharingresponsibilityforour

criticaldecisions.Forinstance,aftermyrelativelyhopefulreportofOctober19,

NixonhelpfullycabledmetotellThieuthat:



Ihavepersonallystudiedingreatdepththedraftagreementwhichhasbeenworked

outwithHanoi,andIamconvincedthatitisinthebestinterestofthegovernmentandthe

peopleofSouthVietnamthatthisproposalbeaccepted.AlsoadvisePresidentThieuinthe

strongesttermsthatforthefouryearsIhavebeeninofficeand,indeed,fortheperiodbefore

thatwhenIwasoutofoffice,noAmericanpublicfigurehasstoodupmorestaunchlyforthe

propositionthattherecanbenoCommunistgovernmentimposedonthepeopleofSouth

Vietnam.Furthermore,noU.S.publicfigurehasbeenastrongersupporterofPresidentThieu

himself.YoushouldassurethePresidentthathecanunreservedlyrelyonthecontinuationof

thatsupportinthedaysahead.



ButthenextdayNixon, aspartofhisconsultationwithsenioradvisers,

metwithGeneralWilliamWestmoreland,onthevergeofretiringasArmyChief

ofStaff,whosuddenlysurfacedobjectionstotheveryconceptofacease‐firein

place.Thiswasamazing,sinceastandstillcease‐firehadbeenpartofourposition

sinceOctober1970andhadbeenendorsedthenbytheJointChiefsofStaff,of

whomWestmorelandwasone.Withouttellingmeofthatconversation,Nixon

nowsentmeyetanothercable,forthefifthtimeinfourdaystellingmenotto

payanyattentiontotheforthcomingelectionandtoemphasizesolidaritywith

Thieu:



AsyoucontinuediscussionswithThieu,Iwishtore‐emphasizeagainthatnothingthatis

doneshouldbeinfluencedbytheU.S.electiondeadline.Ihaveconcludedthatasettlement

whichtakesplacebeforetheelectionwhichis,atbest,awashouthasahighriskofseverely

damagingtheU.S.domesticscene,ifthesettlementweretoopenusuptothechargethatwe

madeapoorersettlementnowthanwhatwemighthaveachievedhadwewaiteduntilafter

theelection.TheessentialrequirementisthatThieu’sacceptancemustbewholeheartedso

thatthechargecannotbemadethatwehaveforcedhimintoasettlementwhichwasnotin

theinterestofpreventingaCommunisttakeoverofasubstantialpartoftheterritoryofSouth

Vietnam.



AsIoutlinedyesterday,wemusthaveThieuasawillingpartnerinmakingany

agreement.Itcannotbeashotgunmarriage.IamawareoftheriskthatHanoimightgopublic

butamconfidentthatwecanhandlethiseventualitymucheasierthanwecouldhandlea

preelectionblow‐upwithThieuoranagreementwhichwouldbecriticizedasapretextforU.S.

withdrawal.



ThefirsttimeIhadheardthisinjunctionIwasmoved;now Ibegantobe

naggedbytheunworthynotionthatIwasbeing setupasthefallguyincase

anythingwentwrong.OfallofNixon’sAssistantsIwastheleastinvolvedinthe

electioncampaign.Ihadbeenoutofthecountryalmostconstantlysinceearly

September.Ineverparticipatedinmeetingsdealingwithpoliticalstrategy.Onthe

principlethatforeignpolicywasbipartisanIhadrefusedtoattendanyfund‐

raisingfunctions.IhadturnedasiderepeatedrequestsbyJohnEhrlichman,who

allegedthathewastransmittingordersfromNixon,todeclassifyembarrassing

documentsinvolv ingpreviousadministrationstohelpinthecampaign.(Thiswas

beforetheFreedomofInformationActmadesuchmattersroutine.)Ononesuch

missiveinAugust1972Ihadwrittenbyhand:“Iamopposed—itischeappolitics.”

Nixonhadneverpursuedthesubjectwithme,buthecouldbeunderno

misapprehensionaboutmyview.Mystrategy—explainedininnumerable

memoranda—hadbeentotakeadvantageofHanoi’sexpresseddesiretosettle

beforeourelection,usingitasaninflexibledeadlinewithwhichtoextract

concessions.NevereitherorallyorinwritinghadIarguedthereverse,that

concludingtheagreementwouldhelpourelectoralprospects.Nixonironically

wasimplyingthesamechargeagainstmethatothersweretomakeagainst

Nixon—thatIwasrushingitfortheelection.Tohim,infact,theelectoral

considerationscounseleddela y. Exhaustedbytwoweeksofworkingfifteento

eighteenhoursaday,testyfromjetlag,andtouchyfrombeingassailedbytwo

monomaniacalgroupsofVietnamese,Ireturnedasarcastic replytoHaig:



IamgratefulforthehelpfulcommentsthatIhavebeenreceiving.Itmustbekeptin

mindthatanysettlementwillatbestbeprecariousandusherinamessyperiod.Norinthebest

ofcircumstancescantheSouthVietnamesebeexpectedtobeenthusiasticsincetheyarelosing

ourmilitarypresenceandthenhavetoadjusttoasituationtheyhavenotfacedsince1962.



IfIambeingtoldtostopthisprocess,thenthisshouldbemadeunambiguous.Onthe

otherhand,itiseveryone’sjudgmenthere—includingBunker,Abrams,HabibandSullivan—

thatthisisthebestdealweareevergoingtoget.Wehavetoweightheelectoral

considerationsagainstthefactthatIcannotimaginetheprisonerissuebeingsettledinless

thanamatterofweeksundernormalconditions.



InanyeventIampreparedtostallthisoperationifIreceiveaclearsignaltodoso.



Nosuchsignalwasforthcoming;norinfairnesscouldonehavebeen

issued.ForeventsinSaigonbegantoacceleratebeyondthecapacityofour

communicationssystemtohandle.



<<Contents>>



****



ShowdownwithThieu



nOctober21,asIhaveindicated,westillsupposedthatwewereinchingto

anunderstandingwithSaigon,ifwithpainandlittlegraceonthepartof

Thieu.InthemorningImetwiththeSouthVietnameseteamofexpertsheaded

byForeignMinisterLamtogoovertheirsuggestedchangesinthedraft.

O



Thereweretwenty‐three.Somewereofmajorsignificance.Saigonwanted

todeletethephrasedescribingtheNationalCouncilofNationalReconciliation

andConcordasan“administrativestructure”inordertoavoidhagglingabout

translation.IturgedthatthereferencetotheDemilitarizedZonebestrengthened

toemphasizeitscharacterasadividing lineandtomakeassaultsacrossitillegal.

ItinsistedthattherebenoreferenceinthetexttotheProvisionalRevolutionary

Government(Hanoi’spoliticalarmintheSouth).Otherchangeswereseemingly

minor,thoughthenotoriouslyunsubtleWesternmindmightwellnotgraspthe

woundingnatureofclearlyambiguousandapparentlyinsignificantphrases.My

associatesandIhadnoillusionsaboutthedifficultiesofobtainingthatmany

changesinatextwehadalreadydeclared“completed.”ButwepromisedSaigon

wewouldtry,ingoodfaith.Wespentthemorningseekingtodiscov erthe

rationalebehindtheproposedchangessothatwecoulddeterminesomepriority

whenwetookupSaigon’sproposalsinHanoi.Theatmospherewasprofessional,

markedbyaseriousattempttoassesstheattainableandcalculatethepractical.



IhadlunchwithBunker.Webothwerequiteoptimisticaswerepairedto

hisofficeshortlybefore2:00p.m.toawaitthesummonstothePresidential

PalacetomeetagaintheSouthVietnameseNationalSecurityCouncil.Nocall

cameattheappointedhour.AboutanhourlaterNhacalledBunkertosaythatwe

shouldstandby;themeetinghadbeenmovedto5:00p.m.Wewouldbenotified

whenThieuwasready.Therewasnoapologyforthedelaynoranexplanation.

Nhasimplydeliveredhismessageandhungup;hemusthaveseenHumphrey

Bogartdothisinsomemovie.At4:30p.m.—ortwoandahalfhoursafterour

scheduledmeeting—Thieu’smotorcadepassedtheEmbassywithsirensatfull

blast.By5:30p.m.wehadnotyethadawordfromthePalace,givingrise toan

historicoccasion:ashowoftemperbyBunker.Hetriedtore achThieuby

telephoneandwastoldthePresidentwasinaCabinetmeeting.Whenheasked

tospeaktoNha,hewastoldthatthepresssecretaryhadleftthebuildingalso

andwasunreachable.Anhourlater,ornearlyfivehoursafterthescheduled

meetingtime,ThieucalledBunkertotellhimthathewouldseeusrightafterthe

Cabinetmeeting,whichwasstilltakingplace.Afteranotherthree‐quartersofan

hourNhatelephonedtosaythatThieuwouldseeBunkerandmeat8:00a.m.the

nextmorning.WhenBunkerremonstratedthatthetimedifferencewouldnow

meanadelayofatleasttwenty‐fourhoursinWashingtondecisiontime,Nha

simplyhungup.



WereturnedtoBunker’sresidence.Seatedinhissmalllibrary,wetriedto 

understandwhatwashappening.Clearly,theSouthVietnameseneededtimeto

deliberateovermajordecisions.Buttheirinsolentmannerimpliedanimminent

confrontation.Andoverwhat?Thieuhadnotyetstatedaposition;hehad

confinedhimselftoaskingquestions.Theexperts’meetinginthemorning

seemedtohavegonewell.WehadpromisedtoraiseallofSaigon’spointsin

Hanoi;wecouldnot,ofcourse,guaranteetheoutcome.NeitherThieunoranyof

hisassociateshadasyetinvokedanyissueofprinciple,thoughtheprovisions

regardingNorthVietnamesetroopsobviouslybotheredthem.Whatevertheir

concerns,noallyhadarighttotreatanemissaryofthePresidentoftheUnited

Statesthisway.AndtheinjusticeoftheconducttowardBunkerwasmonumenta l.

WefeltthatimpotentragesocunninglyseededinforeignersbytheVietnamese.

Thieumusthavesensedthatourstrategycouldnotproceedwithouthim;the

morehisindispensabilitywasbroughthometous—howeveroutrageousthe

conduct—themorehecouldhumiliateHanoi,themorehecouldappealto

Vietnamesenationalism,andthebetterwouldbehisbargainingposition.



Thiswasnotjustparanoiaonmypart;theemotionalfrenzyinthe

PresidentialPalacequicklyrevealeditself.Around9:00p.m.— o rsevenhoursafter

ouroriginalappointment—ThieuphonedBunker.Nearlyhysterical,he

complainedbitterlythatHaig’smissionthreeweeksearlierhadbeentoorganizea

coupagainsthim;membersofmyteamwerenowcontinuingtheeffort.He

demandedthatwedesist.BunkerandIhadbeenamongThieu’sprincipal

supportersforyears,resistingdemandsfromHanoiandfromantiwarcriticsthat

wedoawaywiththeSaigongovernment.HaighadfoughtinVietnam;hewasa

staunchadmirerofThieu’s.Itwasabitterpilltobeaccusedoftryingto

overthrowaleaderforwhosesurvivalwehadundergonenolittletravail.Bunker

cameasclosetoindignationashisgentlenaturepermittedinrebuttingThieu’s

charges.Butwehadnotimeforoutrage;nordidwehaveanyoptionexceptto

endure—asThieuhadcorrectlycalculated.Wewerelockedintoaschedulethat

wastotakemetoHanoiinseventy‐twohourswhileourVietnameseallywas

disintegratingemotionally.ThephonecallsfromthePalacecouldleavenodoubt

thatthemoodwasturninghostileand,intheabsenceofspecificobjections,we

didnotevenknowhowtoresolvemattersorwhattherewastoresolve.We

begantohopethatHanoimightmaketheissueacademicbyrefusingthetextson

LaosandCambodiathatwehadcommunicatedonOctober20,butIimmediately

doubtedit.IreportedtoWashington:



Afamiliarpatternisbeginningtoemerge.Thisputsusintoanenormouslyprecarious

position.IfHanoicavesagainonourlatestmessageandIthenrefusetomakethetrip,theywill

clearlyknowwhatthedifficultyis.Theywouldthenhaveeveryincentivetogopublicand

demandthatwesignasettlementtowhichwehavealreadyagreed.



Mypredictionprovedcorrect.OntheeveningofOctober21,Hanoionce

againacceptedallourdemands.TheNorthVietnameseagreedtoallour

formulationswithrespecttoLaosandCambodia.Theyinformedusthatthere

werenoAmericanprisonersinCambodia,butthattheprisonersinLaoswouldbe

releasedtogetherwithallAmericansheldinNorthandSouthVietnam.They

agreed,too,tothenew“shedyule”IhadtransmittedonOctober20.Ourstrategy

wasworkingeverywherewithdazzlingsuccess—exceptwithourownalliesin

Saigon.Thefactwas,asHaigpointedout inacable,that“wearenowatthehard

point,andyourmeetingwithThieuthismorningbecomescrucial.”



Fortunately(giventhecircumstances),Hanoimadeonemista kethat

providedarealjustificationforprocrastination.Thedistinguishedjournalist

ArnauddeBorchgravesuddenlyhadbeengrantedavisatovisitHanoi.What

madetheeventevenmoreremarkablewasthathehadnotaskedforit.Once

there,hewasgrantedaninterviewbyPrimeMinisterPhamVanDong,whichhe

hadnotrequested.TheinterviewwastobepublishedonOctober23,whileIwas

stillinSaigon,whenHanoiknewIwouldbeintheprocessofobtainingSouth

Vietnameseconcurrence.[

WereceivedanadvancetextonOctober21;deBorchgrave

tradedhisunexpurgatedversionforAmbassadorGodley’spermittinghimtouseEmbassy

communicationsinVientianetotransmithisstorytoNewYork,nootherquickandreliable

cablefacilitiesbeingavailable.]PerhapsHanoihadarrangedthestorywhenitwasstill

operatingontheearlier“shedyule”thatwouldhaveseenmealreadyinHanoion

thedateofpublication.Theinterviewineithercasewasaninsultingactofbad

faith,andbecauseofthedelay,anearlyfatalone.ForPhamVanDonginhis

interviewputforthatendentiousNorthVietnameseinterpretationofthedraft

agreementatvariancenotonlywithourinterpretationbutwiththetextofwhat

hadbeennegotiated.Thieuwasdescribedas“overtakenbyevents”;a“three‐

sidedcoalitionoftransition”wouldbesetup;alldetaineesonbothsides

(includingcivilians)wouldbereleased;Americahadtopayreparations.De

BorchgravereportedthatHanoiwasalreadyinformingforeigndiplomatsofthe

completedagreementandwaspreparingfestivitiesthatlookedtohimlike

“victorycelebrations.”ThePhamVanDonginterviewwasboundtoprovokethe

SouthVietnameseandcompoundtheirgravestsuspicions.Italsoputusonnot ice

thatTho’srecentflexibilityhadbeenimposedbynecessity,notachangeofheart.

Buttheinterviewexhibitedweaknessaswellasduplicity.PhamVanDong

admittedthatThieuwouldstayafterasettlement.Undernea ththetendentious

phraseologyhehadmadeitclearthattheagreementwasessentiallyastandstill

cease‐fire,heretofor econtemptuouslyrejectedbyHanoi.The“twoarmiesand

twoadministrations”wouldremaininexistenceintheSouth.



AtaboutthesametimeatelegramarrivedfromNixoninstructingmefor

whatweallagreedwouldbethedecisivemeetingwithThieuonthemorningof

October22.IwastopushThieutothelimitwithoutcausingablowup.Iwastodo

thesamewithHanoi.Thebestsolutionwouldbetodeferthefinalagreement

untilafterelectiondayandtokeepthetwoVietnamesepartiesquietuntilthen.

TheinstructionswerenotilluminatingastohowIwastoaccomplishallthis.(They

remindedmeofthemanwhoduringWorldWarIIsaidthatthewaytosolvethe

submarineproblemwastoheattheoceanandboilthemtothesurface.When

askedhowtodothishereplied:“Ihavegivenyoutheidea,thetechnical

implementationisuptoyou.”) ButifNixon’sinstructionsprovidednoclear‐cut

courseofaction,theyleftnodoubtthatelectoralconsiderationsweredriving

Nixonmoreandmoretodeferasettlement,not,ashiscriticslaterwouldhaveit,

toaccelerateit.



MorehelpfulwasaletterfromNixontoThieu, draftedbythePresident

himself.InitNixonrepeatedthatheconsideredtheagreementasitstoodfully

acceptable.Andheadded agravewarningthatmusthavebeenextremelypainful

afterallwehaddonetosupportThieu:



Wereyoutofindtheagreementtobeunacceptableatthispointandtheotherside

weretorevealtheextraordinarylimitstowhichithasgoneinmeetingdemandsputupon

them,itismyjudgmentthatyourdecisionwouldhavethemostseriouseffectsuponmyability

tocontinuetoprovidesupportforyouandfortheGovernmentofSouthVietnam.



NothinginVietnamworksasexpected.ThemeetingwithThieuat8:00a.m.

thenextmorning—Sunday,October22—didnot,aftertheominouspreliminaries,

produceaconfrontation.Indeed,italmostseemedasifThieuhadstagedthe

melodramaofthepreviousdaytoestablishapostureofindependencethat

wouldmakeitpossibleforhimtogoalongwithusatthelastmoment.Thieuand

NhawereontheVietnameseside,andBunkerwaswithme.Thieurestatedhisby

nowfamiliarobjectionstotheagreement.Hefocusedonthecontinuedpresence

ofNorthVietnamesetroopsandonthecompos itionoftheNationalCouncil—

whichhadnofunctions,inwhichhewastohaveaveto,andwhich,asitturned

out,nevercameintobeing.IansweredThieu’sconcernspointbypointandgave

himNixon’sletter.Thieurespondedwithsomedignitythatforustheproblem

washowtoendourparticipationinthewar;forhimitwasamatteroflifeand

deathforhiscountry.Hehadtoconsidernotonlythetermsoftheagreementbut

theperceptionofitbythepeopleofSouthVietnam.Hewasthereforeconsulting

withtheleadersoftheNationalAssembly.Healsowantedtohearafullreport

fromhisadvisersonourreactiontothechangestheyproposed.Hewouldmeet

Bunkerandmeagainat5:00p.m.togiveushisfina lreply.

