Kissinger Henry. White House Years

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BunkerandIleftthemeetingencouraged.“Ithinkwefinallymadea

breakthrough,”IoptimisticallycabledWashington.IaskedBunkertosendafuller

reporttoWashington,sinceIwasleavingfortheairporttovisitPhnomPenh. 

Bunkercabledthat“webothleftwiththeimpressionthatwehadfinallymadea

breakthrough…webothleftthemeetingmoreencouragedthatThieuwillbe

tryingtofindawaythroughhisproblems.”WhileBunkerwasatit,healso

pointedoutthatHanoi’sattempttoseizeasmuchterritoryaspossiblebeforethe

cease‐firewasacompletefailure.Therewasalargegap,hereported,between

theenemy’scapabilitiesandhisintentions.“Ourconclusionisthatdespite

Communistinstructionsandeffortsbytheenemytocarryouttheseinstructions,

hehasbeenunabletodosoeffectivelyandhassufferedcasualtiesintheeffort.”



TokeeptheotherVietnamesepartyquietIsentadisingenuousmessageto

HanoithatitsreplyhadbeenreceivedwhileIwasinPhnomPenh.Theanswer

wouldhavetowaitformyreturnlateintheday.Nowthatthewarwascomingto 

aclose,thearrangementsforCambodiawerethemostcomplex,andbyfarthe

leastairtight,ofallthesettlements.



LaosandCambodiawerebeingdealtwithintwosetsofdocuments.Hanoi

tookthepositionthatinthedraftVietnamagreementitcouldobligateitselfonly

withrespectto itsownactions.Thusitcouldcommititselftowithdrawitsown

troopsfromLaosandCambodia.Asforcease‐firesbetweenthebelligerent

parties,orsecuringpledgesofreleasingAmericanprisoners,LeDucThocould

onlypromiseHanoi’sbesteffortstopersuadeitsallies.Anditwouldpromise

thesebesteffortsinwrittenprivateunderstandingswithus,notinthetextofthe

Vietnamagreement.Thus,underArticle20oftheVietnamagreement,Hanoi

pledgedtowithdrawitsforcesfromCambodiaandLaosandtorefrainfromusing

theterritoryofCambodiaandLaosformilitaryoperationsagainstanyofthe

signatoriesoftheagreement,thatistosay,SouthVietnam.



Theprivateunderstandingsprovedmorecomplex. Hanoiwasconfidentof

itsinfluencewithitsallyinLaos,thePathetLao.LeDucThothereforepromisedto

bringaboutacease‐fireinLaoswithinthirtydaysoftheVietnamcease‐fireandto

signanunderstandingtothateffect. WithrespecttoCambodia,LeDucTho

claimedtohavelessinfluenceovertheKhmerRouge.Hegaveonlygeneraloral

assurancesthatoncethewarstoppedinLaosandVietnam,“thereisnoreason

forthewartocontinueinCambodia.”Afterrepeat edeffortstosecureamore

explicitcommitmenttoacease‐fireinCambodia,Icouldachievenomorethan

Hanoi’swrittenacknowledgmentofwhatLeDucThohadtoldmeorally.Idecided

tourgeLonNoltoofferacease‐fireunilaterallyassoonastheParisAgreement

wassigned(whichhedid),andIwarnedLeDucThothatiftheKhmerRouge

respondedwithanewoffensive,thiswouldbe“contrary…totheassumptionson

whichthisAgreementisbased.”

IwaswillingtogamblethatLonNol’sforces

withourmodestsupportcouldcontaintheindigenousCambodia nCommunistsif

NorthVietnamesetroopswerewithdrawnandNorthVietnameseinfiltration

ended.Indeed,wehadlittlechoice.Therewouldhavebeennosupportwhatever

athomeforrefusinganagreementinVietnamthatreturnedourprisonersand

ledtothewithdrawaloftheNorthVietnamesefromthecountriesofIndochina

simplybecausethecease‐fireinCambodiawaslessthanairtight.



IhadsentBillSullivan toBangkokandVientiane,becauseheknewthe

leadersofThailandandLaos,havingworkedwiththemwhenheservedas

AmbassadortoLaos.Hehadreturnedwiththeirenthusiasticendorsement.

AccordingtoSullivanSouvannaPhoumahadexclaimed:“Theyaretotally

defeated.”ThereactionoftheThaileaderswassimilar.Butbecauseofourlimited

aidandtheambiguoussettlementprovisionforCambodia,IthoughtIoweditto

LonNoltobriefhimpersonally.



Itwasashamingencounter.ThoughLonNolhadgenuinecausefor

uneasiness,therewasnoneofthenitpickingofSaigon,ortheinsolence.The

Cambodians,whohadreceivedsuchamicroscopicfractionoftheannualaid

giventoSaigon,continuedtoplacetheirtrustinus.LonNolendorsedwhatwe

weredoingeventhoughheundersto odthathiswastheonecountryinIndochina

notgivenaspecificdateforacease‐fire—thoughtheNorthVietnamesewere

firmlyobligatedtowithdraw.LonNolevenpromisedtoputoutastatementof

strongsupportfortheagreementwhenitwasannounced.



ThetriptoPhnomPenhwasthereforepainfulinawayexactlytheopposite

ofmySaigonsessions.Ofalltheleaderswhohadcountedonus,nonehadbeen

soshortchangedasLonNol.OfallthevictimsofNorthVietnam’squest,for

hegemonyinIndochina,nonehadresistedwithmoreofanationalspiritandhad

beenleftsomuchtotheirowndevicesasthepeopleofCambodia.Inaveryreal

senseCambodiaboretheheaviestburdenoftheirreconcilabilityofourdomestic 

debate.Afterourtroopshadwithdrawnfromthesanctuaries,thosewhohad

denouncedthe1970incursiondidtheirutmosttoforestallanyeffective

assistancetothebeleagueredcountry,asiftopunishthefreeCambodiansfornot

livinguptotheroleofvictimtowhichtheyhadbeenconsigned.Theargument

thatwemustnotgetboggeddowninCambodiahadcausedtheCongressin1971

and1972tolimitallaidtoCambodiatothepaltrysumofaround$300million

(about3percentofourexpendituresinVietnam),toplaceaceilingonthe

numberofmilitaryattachestobepostedinourPhnomPenhEmbassy,andto

prohibitthesendingofmilitaryadvisers.Indeed,evenourmilitaryattacheswere

preventedbyourlawsfromvisitingCambodiantroops.Theargumentaboutour

gettingboggeddowninCambodiawasspeciousorbasedonafalseparallelwith

Vietnam.TheNorthVietnameseforcesintheSouthwereoverextendedasitwas;

Hanoiwasinnopositiontoreinforcethem;anyimprovementofCambodian

capabilitieswasboundtopressthemhard.AndtheKhmerRougewere

insignificantatfirst.Allthatourself‐denialaccomplishedwastoleavepoor

CambodiatoitsownmeagerresourcesagainstitsimplacableenemyinHanoi,and

togivetimetothemurderousindigenousKhmerRougetobuilduptheirforces

fortheirfinalconquest.Itneednothavehappened.Weshunnedtheopportunity

toarmthosewhowereeagertoresistandwhoindoingsocouldhavebogged

downtheNorthVietnamese—notus—inawarofattrition.Whateverone’sview

aboutthewisdomofouroriginalincursion,itisnoteasytofollowthelogicof

thosewhobasedtheiroutrageonCambodia’sindependenceandthen,once

NorthVietnamandtheKhmerRougedeterminedonconquest,madeimpossible

aneffectiveresistancetopreservethatindependence. 



Intheevent,LonNolmagnanimouslyendorsedtheagreement,declareda

unilateralcease‐fire,andcalledfornegotiations.Hisgenocidalenemiesignored

theappeal;andtheAmericanCongresswithinayearlegislatedaprohibition

againstusingourairpowertoassisthim.TheCambodianpeopledeservedbetter.



ItwascharacteristicofVietnamthatasimplefailureneverseemedto

satisfythevengefulgodsarrangingitsdestiny;theyhadtobreak one’sheartas

well.IreturnedtoSaigonexcitedattheprospectofsuccess.WithLonNolin

accordIthoughtwewereonthehomestretch. BunkerandIsawThieuandNhaat

5:00p.m.asscheduled,fornearlytwohours.AttheendofthetalkItelegraphed

Haigwiththedisastrousnews:“Thieuhasjustrejectedtheentireplanorany

modificationofitandrefusestodiscussanyfurthernegotiationsonthebasisof

it.”



Ithadbeenabizarreencounter.Thieu,whospokeEnglishfluently,refused

touseit.Whiletalkinghefrequentlyburstintotears—ofrageratherthansorrow,

BunkerandIthought.Nhatranslatedandattheappropriatepassageshetoo

wept.



ThemeetingbeganwithmybriefingThieuonoursuccessfulconsultations

inPhnomPenh,Bangkok,andVientiane.Thieudismissedthiswiththecomment

thathewasnotsurprised;thosecountrieshadnotbeen“sacrificed.”Hesaidthat

theUnitedStateshadobviously“connived”withtheSovietsandChinatosellout

SouthVietnam.Hewouldnotbeapartytoit.Forthefirsttimeherevea ledthat

hissenseofbetrayalwentbackatleastayear,toourproposalaskinghimto

agreetoresignonemonthbeforeanewpresidentialelection.Thoughhehad

accepteditwithoutprotest,andreiterateditnotthreemonthsearlier,it

obviouslyhadrankleddeeply:



EversincetheU.S.askedmetoresignandbargainedwithmeonthetimeofmy

resignation,hadInotbeenasoldierIwouldhaveresigned.BecauseIseethatthosewhomI

regardasfriendshavefailedme.HowevergreatthepersonalhumiliationformeIshall

continuetofight.MygreatestsatisfactionwillbewhenIcansignapeaceagreement.Ihavenot

toldanyonethattheAmericansaskedmetoresign,sincetheywouldsharemyhumiliation,but

havemadeitappearvoluntaryonmypart.



Irepliedcalmly:



Iadmirethecourage,dedicationandheroismwhichhavecharacterizedyourspeech.

However,asanAmerican,Icanonlydeeplyresentyoursuggestionthatwehaveconnivedwith

theSovietsandtheChinese.HowcanyouconceivethispossiblewhenthePresidentonMay8

riskedhiswholepoliticalfuturetocometoyourassistance?WhenwetalkedwiththeSoviets

andChinese,itwastopressurethemtoexertpressureonHanoi.Wegenuinelybelievedthat

theproposedagreementpreservedSouthVietnam’sfreedom—ourprincipleshavebeenthe

sameasyoursandwehavedefendedthem.Youhaveonlyoneproblem.PresidentNixonhas

many.YourconvictionthatwehaveunderminedyouwillbeunderstoodbynoAmerican,least

ofallbyPresidentNixon.



Astospecifics:wehavenotrecognizedtherightofNorthVietnamtobeintheSouth.

WehaveusedthelanguageoftheGenevaAccords,sincewethoughtthisthebestwaytowork

outapracticalsolution.Hadwewantedtosellyouout,therehavebeenmanyeasierwaysby

whichwecouldhaveaccomplishedthis.



Ipointedout thatwenowhadapracticalproblem:“Wehavefoughtfor

fouryears,havemortgagedourwholeforeignpolicytothedefenseofone

country.Whatyouhavesaidhasbeenaverybitterthingtohear.”Obvio uslythe

negotiationscouldnotcontinuewithouthisagreement.Iwouldreturnto

Washington.Itwasintheinterestofbothourcountriestoavoidaconfrontationif

wewerenottomockallwehadsacrificed.IsuggestedthatIpayafarewellcall

beforemydeparture.Wesetthetimeforeightthenextmorning,Monday,

October23.



IfOctober8,whenHanoihadfinallyyieldedonallitspoliticaldemands,

wasthemostmovingmomentofmygovernmentservice,thiswasperhapsthe

saddest—atleasttothatpoint.Whateverhappenednow,Thieu’sreaction

guaranteedthatthewarwouldnotendsoon,orinawaythatwouldhe althe

divisionsofourcountry.Myferventhopehadbeenthatwecouldbringpeaceina

waythatthosewhohadsacrificedwouldfindjustifiedtheirsufferingandthat

thosewhohadopposedthewarcouldacceptasa culm inationoftheirefforts.As

aunitedpeople,wecouldthenturnourenergiestothepositivetasksawaitingus

inanewlyhopefulinternationalorder.Thieu’sconductmadeitlikelythatthe

negotiationofthepeacewouldhauntourfutureastheconductofthewarhad

mortgagedourpast.Ifwefailedtokeepthe“shedyule”ofasettlementby

October31,Hanoiwouldcertainlyattackuspubliclyforhavingrenegedona

peaceagreement.IfHanoipublishedthepeaceterms,whichitundoubtedly

would,ourcritics—whohadbeenaskingustosettleforless—wouldacceptno

excusesforourfailuretosign,allthemoresoasHanoihadacceptedourown

proposals.Hanoicouldaccuratelypointtotherepeatedconcessionsithadmade,

beginningonOctober8andcontinuinguptoOctober21.Anybodywhoknew

anythingaboutVietnamknewthatwewouldbeabletoachieveabetter

agreementonlybyanextendedconflictwhichtheCongresshadmadeclearit

wouldneversupport .Ifwedidnotsettleonclosetothetermsnowavailableto

us,wewouldbeforcedoutofthewarbyaCongresslegislatingasimpletradeof

prisonersforourwithdrawal.Havinggivenupitspoliticalformula,Hanoiwould

surelyjumpattheopportunity;itwasmuchbetterforitthantheexistingscheme.

Thewarwouldendmessilyafterall,inawaymuchlesspromisingforSaigonand

infinitelymore divisiveforourcountry.



AndyetIhadnomarginforregrets.OutrageousasThieu’sconducthad

been,ourstrugglehadbeenoveraprinciple:thatAmericadidnotbetrayits

friends.IagreedwithNixonthatturningonThieuwouldbeincompatiblewithour

sacrifice.Mydutywastomanageaffairs,andnotletthemslideintochaos.Thieu

boreaheavyresponsibilityforluringusdeeperanddeeperintothebogoverfour

days.HadherevealedhisrealattitudethedayIarrived,wewouldsurelyhave 

sentdifferentmessagestoHanoi.Still,wecouldnotdisintegrate,outofpersonal

irritation,everythingforwhichmillionsofAmericanshadenduredandsuffered

fortenyears.NorcouldweriskallowingThieu’shysteriatoturnintosuchdespair

thathewouldmakeoursplitpublic,temptingHanoiintoanewcycleof

intransigence.Butneithercouldwelethimbelievethathehadstaredusdown

andthatwewouldbedeflectedfromourlargerobjectives.Wehadtoleaveno

doubtinhismindthatanydelaynowwastactical,togivehimachancetopaper

overourdifferencesandtoexactmarginalimprovementsbutnotastrategic

reversalofourdeterminationtosettlethewar.



AsimilarlyfinelinehadtobewalkedwithHanoi.Wehadtoconvincethe

NorthVietnamesePolitburothatweweredeterminedtoconcludetheagreement

onsubstantiallyexistingterms.ButwealsohadtomakeHanoiunderstandit

wouldnotbeabletouseourdifferenceswithSaigontojockeyusatthelast

momentintodoingwhatwehadrefusedforfouryears:overthrowingthepolitical

structureinSouthVietnam.



Theseweretheconsiderationsattheheartoftheexchangesbetweenme

andLordinSaigonandthePresidentandHaiginWashingtonaswe

communicatedcontinuallythroughthenightoveradistanceoftenthousand

miles.Dramaticeventsoftentakeplaceinincongruoussettings.Ourheadquarters

wasmysmallbedroominBunker’sresidence.Wehadnorapidmeans of

communicationwithWashington.Thesecurephonedidnotwork;theopen

phonewasnotsecure.Thedouble‐codingsystemslowedcommunicationstoa

pointwhereWashingtonwasgenerallyrespondingtoamessagethathadalready

beenovertakenbyanotherone.ItwasthemiddleofthenightinSaigon.Lord

wouldtakedownmyinstructionssittingonmybedwhileIwaspacingupand

down;hewouldthengotothenextroomanddraftamessagebyhand.Inthe

courtyardadriverandcommunicatorwerestandingbytotakeLord’s

handwrittentelegramtotheEmbassycommunicationscenter—afterhaving

madesuretheywouldnotbechallengedbecauseofthecurfew.Between

messagesLordandIwouldponderourdilemma andourchoices.Ourmost 

importantconsiderationwastogetbackto WashingtonbeforeHanoiblewup.

Temperswerefurtherfrayedbecausetelegraphicexchangespermitonlyoneset

ofconsiderationstobeputforwardatatime.Thegive‐and‐takeofconversation

notbeingpossible,tentativethoughtsbecomeenshrinedasformalproposalsand

treatedaccordingly.Onseveraloccasionsbothendsofthelinechangedtheir

minds,butbythetimethisfactcouldbecommunicated,theWhiteHouseandI

wererespondingtoalreadysupersededmessages.



ImmediatelyaftermydisastrousmeetingwithThieuonSunday,around

8:00p.m.Saigontime,IcabledHaigthatwenowhadtwooptions.Icould

proceedtoHanoiasoriginallyscheduled,presentSaigon’schanges,andgoback

andforth(theterm“shuttlediplomacy”didnotyetexist)untilIhadgainedthe

concurrenceofbothsides.Thesecondoptionwasformetoreturnimmediately

toWashington;HaigmeanwhilewouldtellDobryninthatwehadencountered

majorobstaclesinSaigonwhichweweredutyboundtopresenttotheotherside

inanothermeetingwithLeDucTho.WewantedSovietassistancetokeepHanoi

onarestrainedcourse. Iadvised:“ObviouslyIfavorthesecondcourse,buthave

offeredthefirst[triptoHanoi]onlyforintellectualcompleteness.”



ThemoreIthoughtaboutit,thelessappealingatriptoHanoibecame.I

wouldbetrappedthereinalmostcertainlyinconclusivemeetings;

communicationswithWashingtonwouldbedifficult;itwashardtoforetellto

whatharassmentswewouldbeexposed.AtbestIwouldbeintransitifthings

blewup.ItwasimportantformetoreturntoWashingtonasquicklyaspossible.

Theirony—ittranspired—wasthatwhileNixoninWashingtonbeganto worry

thatImightprocee dto Hanoi,IbegantogrowanxiousinSaigonthatagainstmy

recommendationhemightacceptthefirstofthetwooptionsandordermetogo

there.BeforeIhadreceivedareplytomyfirstmessage,therefore,Isentoff

anothercable:“Ihavethoughtthesituationoverandthereisnoviableroute

excepttheSovietUnionoptionwhichmustbetakenimmediatelyinordertoget

aheadofthefollowingmessagewhichhastobedeliveredinParisat11p.m.,

today,Sunday,Paristime”(about7:00a.m.Monday,Saigontime,orsometen

hoursaway).



Themessage—inthePresident’sname—tobedeliveredinPariswasfor

Hanoi,andwasdesignedtostallforenoughtimetoenablemetogetbackto

WashingtonbeforeHanoiblewup.Itread:



ThePresidentnoteswithappreciationthemessagefromthePrimeMinisterofthe

DemocraticRepublicofVietnamwhichsatisfiedallhispointswithrespecttoLaosand

CambodiaaswellasU.S.prisoners.



AstheDRVsideknows,theU.S.sidehasmadestrenuouseffortsinSaigon,Vientiane,

PhnomPenhandBangkoktosecureanagreement.AstheDRVsidealsoknows,theU.S.side 

hasalwaystakenthepositionthatitcouldnotproceedunilaterally.Unfortunatelythe

difficultiesinSaigonhaveprovedsomewhatmorecomplexthanoriginallyanticipated.Someof

themconcernmatterswhichtheU.S.sideishonor‐boundtoputbeforetheDRVside.



ThePresidentwishesthePrimeMinistertoknowthatunderthesecircumstanceshehas

askedDr.KissingertoreturntoWashingtonimmediatelytoconsultonwhatfurtherstepsto

take.



ThePresidentmustpointoutthatthebreachofconfidencecommittedbytheDRVside

withrespecttotheArnauddeBorchgraveinterviewbearsconsiderableresponsibilityforthe

stateofaffairsinSaigon.



ThePresidentrequeststhattheDRVsidetakenopublicactionuntilhecansubmita

longermessagewithhisconsiderationswhichwillbetransmittedwithinthenext24hours.



TheU.S.sidereaffirmsitscommitmenttothesubstanceandbasicprinciplesofthedraft

agreement.



Atthatpoint,whenasfaraswewereconcernedwehadalreadyselected

thecourseofreturningtoWashingtonandindeedhadalreadyinformedHanoiof

thatfact,theWhiteHouseansweredmyfirstmessage.Nixonvehemently

rejectedtheoptionofgoingtoHanoithateventhenhadbeenputforwardonly

“forintellectualcompleteness”andwithaspecificrecommendationagainstit.

A

floodofcablesfromHaiginNixon’snameemphasizedto metheunwisdomof

proceedingtoHanoi.TempersrosedangerouslyonbothsidesofthePacific

Ocean.Icabledback:



IntheperiodnowbeforeusIthinkitisabsolutelyimperativethatwenotshowany

nervousness.Everyoneshouldexudeoptimismandgivetheimpressionthatwemaybevery

closetoanagreement.Ifwearehard‐pressedbyquestionsweshouldsimplysaythattechnical

detailsalwaysariseinthelaststageofnegotiations.Andifwearereallypressedtothewallwe

shouldconcentrateonthequestionofNorthVietnamese forcesintheSouth.Atallcostwe

mustavoidlettingThieubecometheobjectofpublicscorn,notforhissakebutforourown.If

Thieuemergesasthevillain,evenifwefinallyovercomehisobjections,everythingthatwe

havedoneforthepasteightyearswillbethrownintoquestion.



Ibelievethatoveraperiodofweekswecanstillbringthistoareasonableconclusion.I

haveaskedBunkertogettoworkonThieu.Allintelligenceindicatesthatheismakingactive

preparationsforacease‐fire.Itisthereforelikelythathewillyield;especiallyifweremainfirm

aftertheelection.Ontheotherhand,ifhedoesnotyieldthereisstillagoodchancethatHanoi

andwecouldsignanagreementwhichwewouldrecommendtotheotherpartiesthatthey

accept.ThiswouldgiveThieuanopportunitytoclaimthathewasrapedbutintheendhe

wouldyield.Weshoulddoapurelybilateraldealonlyasalastresort.



Bythetimeconfusionovermy(nowcanceled)triptoHanoihadbeen

settled,anothercontroversyarose,thistimeovermyproposalthatwestopall

bombingofNorthVietnam.WehadindicatedtotheNorthVietnamesethatwe

woulddosotwenty‐fourhoursbeforemyarrivalinHanoi.Ididnotthinkthatwe

couldfailtocarryoutthispromiseandcontinuefull‐scalebombingafterHanoi

hadacceptedallourproposals.(BombingNorthofthetwentiethparallelwasto

havebeenstoppedwhenIarrivedinSaigon.)Ontheotherhand,Ishouldhave

knownthatabombinghaltbeforetheelectionwouldtouchoneofNixon’srawest

nerves.DespitehisgenerallyhighregardforPresidentJohnson,hehadconvinced

himselfthatthe1968bombinghalthadbeenanelectoralploydesignedto

deprivehimatthelastsecondofacertainvictory.Heneverceaseddescribingit

tohisassociatesasanunreciprocatedsellout.ItwastoomuchtoexpectNixonto

repeatwhatlookedlikethesameploy.Herejectedmyproposal,thoughhe

agreeditwasunthinkabletocontinuebombingNorthofthetwentiethparallel

whenitwasSaigonthathadblockedtheagreementandwhenweweretheparty

notfulfillingtheschedule.



WithrespecttomytriptoHanoiandtheattitudetowardThieu,

WashingtonandIagreedandyetarguedheatedly.Onthebombinghalt,over

whichtherewasagenuinedisagreement,thediscussion,paradoxically,

proceededcalmlyandresultedinasensiblesolution.Nixonwasright.Ihad

overreacted.BombingofNorthVietnambelowthetwentiethparallel,interdicting

suppliesrelevanttothecontinuingwarintheSouth,continued.



Afternomorethanthreehours’sleepIpaidmyfarewellcallonThieu,

accompaniedbyBunker,at8:00a.m.,Monday,October23.Itwasamelancholy

encounter.Itriedtoremovethebitterness.Thieu,forallhisfaults,wasapatriot

whohadfoughtcourageouslyforhiscountry’sindependence.AndIthoughtit

importantnottopushhimoverthebrinkintorashactsandpublicconfrontation.I 

informedThieuthatIhadrequestedanothermeetingwithLeDucThotopresent

Saigon’sproposals.IhopedthatThieuwouldnotengageinopendebatewithus

inthemeantime.TherewouldbenopubliccriticismofThieufromourside.In

ordernottoraisefalsehopesIemphasizedthatweconsideredthedraft 

agreementagoodoneandthatwewouldproceedwithinitsframework.We

wouldtrytoobtainasmanyoftheproposedchangesaspossible,butwewould

notabandonthebasicdraft.Iconcludedbystressingmyrespectforthe

redoubtableSouthVietnamesePresidentasapatriotandasa soldier.Still,Ihad

totellhim“inanguish”thatifthewarwentonatthepresentscaleforanothersix

months,theCongresswouldcutoffourfunds:



Whatisimportantisthatallthesacrificesthathavebeenmadeshouldnothavebeen

madeinvain.Ifwecontinueourconfrontationyouwillwinvictories,butwewillbothlosein

theend.ItisafactthatintheUnitedStatesallthepress,themediaandintellectualshavea

vestedinterestinourdefeat.IfIhaveseemedimpatientinthelastdaysitisbecauseIsaw

opportunityslippingaway…Iamnottryingtoconvinceyou,butIwantyoutounderstandwhat

wehaveattemptedtodo.Haditnotbeenfortheimportanceweplaceonourrelationship,we

wouldnothavetomakenewplans—thatiswhyIleavewithsuchasenseoftragedy.Wewilldo

ourbestandBunkerwillbeintouchwithyou.



Thieu,muchcalmernow,reviewedhisobjectionstotheagreementonce

more.Theyhadbeensoftenedslightly.Henowconcentratedonstrengthening

theprovisionsregardingtheDemilitarizedZone(importantbecausetheyaffected

infiltrationandreinforcements)andthecompositionoftheimpotentNational

CouncilofNationalReconciliationandConcord(essentiallyfrivolous).Heagreed

thatthequestionofNorthVietnamesetroopsintheSouthcouldbesettledona

defactobasisbyunannouncedNorthVietnamesewithdrawals.(Whilewedidnot

haveHanoi’sagreementtothis,therewouldbeinfactawitheringawayofNorth

Vietnameseforcesiftheproposedagreementwereobservedandinfiltration

ceased.)Thieu,withdignity,evenagreedwithmyanalysisoftheAmerican

domesticsituation.ButforSouthVietnamitwasamatterofsurvival,hesaid.He

wouldnevertakeapublicpositioncriticaloftheUnitedStates:



Ipromised[yesterday]toavoidanyconfrontationandsaidthatIwouldnotpublicly

acknowledgeanydisagreementbetweenPresidentNixonandmyself…



IstillconsiderPresidentNixonafriendandacomradeinarms.WhetherornotIam

PresidentIwillstrivetocreateconditionssothattheUnitedStatescanhelpVietnam.IfIaman

obstacletoAmericanaidortopeace,IwillnotstayonasPresident.Ihadnointentionof

criticizingPresidentNixon.Ionlywishtopointoutthatcomparedtothesituationwhichwould

prevailinCambodiaandLaosIfindtheproposaldisadvantageoustoSouthVietnam,butthere