Kissinger Henry. White House Years

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somecooperationfromtheotherside,webelievethatwecanrestorebothpeaceandunityto

Americaverysoon.



October26wasadayofhighemotionandcomplicatedmaneuver.My

overwhelminganxietywastoholdtheagreementtogether.Ifthewarwenton,

thedivisionsinourcountrywoulddeepenfornofundamentalpurpose.Butwe

werenotsurethateitherVietnamesepartywouldreturntotheconferencetable.

ThereisnodoubtthatinthispressbriefingIgavehostagestofortune.Thedrama

ofthephrase“peaceisathand”wouldprovideahandysymbolofgovernmental

duplicityinthecontinuedbitteratmosphereoftheVietnamdebate,aswouldmy

repeatingpubliclywhatIhadalreadytoldthepartiesprivately,thatIwouldseek

toconcludetheagreementinonemoresession.In fairnesstoNixon,hewasnot

awarethatIwouldusethewords“peaceisathand.”Itwasapithymessage—too

optimistic,asitturnedout—tothepartiesofourdeterminationtopersevere;a

signaltoHanoithatwewerenotrenegingandtoSaigonthatwewouldnotbe

derailed.



Anddespitealltheopprobriumheapedonitlater,thestatementwas

essentiallytrue—thoughclearlyifIhadtodoitoverIwouldchoosealess

dramaticphrase.NegotiationsresumedonNovember20(Hanoidelayednearly

fourweeksbeforeallowingresumption).Thebreakthroughthatsettledallissues

ofprincipleoccurredonJanuary9,1973;theagreementwasinitialedonJanuary

23.Semanticistsmayarguewhetherasix‐weeknegotiationstretchesthe

meaningof“athand.”Thefactisthatabitterwarthathadlastedtenyearsand

costuntoldliveswas settledwithinweeksofthatstatement.



ThemajorproblemwastogetHanoibacktothenegotiatingtable.Just

beforemypressconferenceIhadcabledBunkertomakesureThieuwouldnot

blasttheentireagreement;Thieuhadtokeephiscommentscompatiblewith

mine.IinformedDobryninofmyintentions.Heseemedtothink—without

instructions—thatafteracooling‐offperiodnegotiationsmightresume.Wenow

launchedintoseveraldaysoffranticexchanges,complicatedbyNixon’sfrequent

absenceoncampaigntrips.Isolvedthisbysendingsomemessagesonmyown

andcheckingthebroadcontentoflettersinhisnamebytelephone.Wecould

thenproceed,andhewouldsignthetextonhisreturnafterithadalreadybeen

communicatedelectronically.



ArathermystifyingnotelateronOctober26fromtheNorthVietnamese 

soughttoexplainwhytheyhadgonepublic.Itseemedtorefuseanothermeeting

withme,thoughwithouttheusualcombativerhetoric.Itproposedthatthe

“best”(butnot,note,the“only”)procedurewastosignthetextoftheagreement

asitstood.Butitconclude d withtwoparagraphsthatstronglysuggestedthat

Hanoimightafterallbepreparedtocontinuednegotiations:



WhilegivinginformationabouttheprivatemeetingsbetweentheDemocraticRepublic

ofVietnamandtheUnitedStates,thegovernmentoftheDemocraticRepublicofVietnamstill

affirmsthatthebestwaytorapidlyendthewar,restorepeaceinVietnamistonegotiate

seriously…



TheDRVNsidewillcontinuethenegotiationswithitsconsistentgoodwillandserious

attitude,withaviewtobringinganearlyendtothewar,restoringpeaceinVietnam,in

accordancewiththeaspirationsoftheVietnamesepeople,theAmericanpeopleandtheworld

people.Thiswillcreatefavourableconditionsforestablishinganewrelationshipbasedon

equalityandmutualinterestbetweentheDemocraticRepublicofVietnamandtheUnited

States.



Butthenextday,October27,theNorthVietnamesespokesmaninParis,

NguyenThanhLe,seemedtopullback.HetoldnewsmenthatLeDucThoand

XuanThuywouldreceivemeagainonlyiftheUnitedStateswaspreparedtosign

theOctoberagreement:“Ifthedateofsignatureisthe31st,thenifonthe30th

KissingerwantstomeetLeDucThoorXuanThuy todrinkchampagnewhile

awaitingthesignature,Ithinktheresponsewouldbepositive.” Insteadof“peace

isathand,”Leoffered“peaceisattheendofapen.”Werespondedinsteadto

Hanoi’snoteofthepreviousday,reiteratingourproposalforafinalnegotiation

andpromisingafullbombinghaltforty‐eighthoursafterasettlement.Isenta

copytotheChinese.



Next,aSovietnotearrived,mildlyaccusingtheUnitedStatesofdeviating

fromtheagreedscheduleandimplyingthatthedifferenceswithThieumightbe

manufactured(Moscow,ofcourse,hadnoexperienceofseriousdisagreements

withgovernmentswheretheRedArmywasstationed).Wedraftedareplyin

Nixon’sname(hewascampaigninginKentucky)reiteratingourbasicproposal

andaskingMoscow’shelpinresumingnegotiations.MystaffandIdemonstrated

thatwehadlearnedmorefelicitousphrasinginthetwenty‐fourhourssincemy

pressconference:Nixon’slettertoldBrezhnevthatthegoalofpeacewas

certainly“withinreach.”



NowThieuwasheardfrom.OnOctober28alengthyandquerulous

memorandumbyNhapointedoutallegeddiscrepanciesbetweenHanoi’s

broadcastandmypressconferenceontheonehand,andontheother,what

Saigonhadbeentold.Thememorandumclaimed“surprise”atthevarious

schedulesdisclosedbyHanoi.(Infact,Thieuknewverywellofmyintentiontofly

fromSaigontoHanoi,aplancanceledwhenherejectedtheagreement.)While

Nhawasatit,herepeatedSaigon’sobjectionstothephrase“administrative

structure,”whichheclaimedprovedthattheNationalCouncilofNational

ReconciliationandConcordwasa“disguisedcoalitiongovernment.”Welearned

thatThieuhadsentemissariestoourotherAsianalliestosetouthisobjectionsto

theagreement.ThisproducedanotherNixonlettertoThieu,inthedraftingof

whichthePresidenttookapersonalhand.Nixongallantlypointedoutthatmy

pressconferenceofOctober26reflectedhisownviews.Heemphasizedthathe

wouldnotchangecourseaftertheelection:



Justasourunityhasbeentheessentialaspectofthesuccesswehaveenjoyedthusfar

intheconductofhostilities,itwillalsobethebestguaranteeoffuturesuccessinasituation

wherethestrugglecontinueswithinamorepoliticalframework.Iftheevidentdrifttowards

disagreementbetweenthetwoofuscontinues,however,theessentialbaseforU.S.support

foryouandyourGovernmentwillbedestroyed.InthisrespectthecommentsofyourForeign

MinisterthattheU.S.isnegotiatingasurrenderareasdamagingastheyareunfairand

improper.



Youcanbeassuredthatmydecisionsastothefinalcharacterofapeacesettlementare

innowayinfluencedbytheelectionintheUnitedStates,andyoushouldharbornoillusions

thatmypolicywithrespecttothedesirabilityofachievinganearlypeacewillchangeafterthe

election.



ThatsamedayImadesurethatBillSullivanatStatewouldcontinueto

workonthepreparationofthetechnicalprotocolstoimplementthebasic

agreements.IalsohadHaigsendadirectivetothePentagontoprepareshipment

ofcrucialmilitaryitemsifOperationEnhancePlus(thebuildingupofSaigon’s

inventories)wereresumed.(IhadsloweddowntheseshipmentstoSaigonafter

Thieurejectedtheagreement.)



OnOctober30itwasHanoi’sturnagain:Ourproposalwasbeingstudied

verycarefullyandwouldreceiveareplylater,weweretold.Iconsideredthison

thewholeahopefulsign:Hanoiclearlydidnotwanttoagreetoanewnegotiation

beforeitsownpubliclyproposeddeadlineofOctober31hadpassed.Itwouldlose

faceifitdid;itwouldprobablydevoteOctober31toabigpropagandaattackon

us.ItoldHaldeman,whowastravelingwiththePresident,thattherewerethree

possibilities:Hanoiwouldcanceltheagreementandbreakoffalltalks;itwould

standontheagreementbutrefuseanyrenegotiation;oritwouldresumetalks.I

consideredthelastmostlikely,givenasuitableintervalaftertheproposedsigning

date.



Nextday—October 31—Pekingweighedinagain,thoughwiththeusual

nuanceofdifferencefromitsNorthVietnameseallies.WhereasHanoihadputthe

blamesquarelyontheUnitedStates,theChineseagainreservedtheirangriest

rhetoricforSaigon,demandingthatwe“putafirmstop”toSaigon’sbehavior.

MorechallengingwasareferenceapparentlylinkingourVietnamconductand

ourrelationswithChina.Ifweprolongedthewarandprotractedthe

negotiations,thenoteread,“thenhowarepeopletoviewtheU.S.statements

aboutitspreparednessto makeeffortsfortherelaxationoftensionintheFar

East?”



Whenoneiscommitted,ademonstrationofimplacabilityistheonlysafe

course.Hesitationsimplyinvitesfurtherpressure.Therewasnopolicy—beyond

peaceinVietnam—towhichIwasmorecommittedthanbetterrelationswith

Peking.Butwecouldnotpermitthistobeusedagainstus.Wethereforesenta

firmnote(asalwayswiththeChinese,onunsignedpaperwithnoletterheador

watermark):



TheChineseside,consideringalltheconversationsithashadwiththeU.S.sideabout

respectingbasicprinciples,mustsurelyunderstandthattheU.S.cannottreatanallyasa

puppet.Thiswouldaccordneitherwithrealitynorprinciple.Theconstantassumptionand

publicreiterationbytheDRVthattheU.S.hascompletemasteryoveritsfriendshasbeenone

oftherootcausesofpresentdifficulties.TheU.S.side would liketoremindtheChinesesideof

themanyconversationsbetweenDr.KissingerandthePrimeMinisterinwhichDr.Kissinger

expressedunderstandingandrespectfortheChinesemeticuloustreatmentofPrinceSihanouk,

afriendlyleaderwhowasaguestonChinesesoil.TheU.S.sidepointsoutthatitsproblems

withitsfriendsarenoeasieranditsprinciplesnodifferent.



Whilewestruggledtoholdtheagreementtogether,ourpublicdebateon

Vietnamheateduponceagain.Weseemedfatedtoendthewarasdivisivelyasit

hadbeenconducted.ThedisclosuresofOctober26,afteramomentofstunned

surprise,producedjubilationnationally;thevastmajorityofourpublicfelt

enormousrelief.Atthesametimethebitternessofadecadewasnottobestilled

evenbytheendofhostilities.Toclaimpe ace withhonorseemedaninsultto

manyofourcritics.Twomainlinesofattackdeveloped:thatthewholethingwas

afraudtohelpNixonwintheelection,whichallpollsshowedwasnonsense;that

thesametermshadbeenattainablefouryearsearlier,whichwastotallyuntrue.

SomeantiwarcriticswithbreathtakinghypocrisyparrotedThieu’scriticismofthe

inadequacyoftheaccords,especiallyregardingthedispositionofNorth

Vietnamesetroops.Theyhadpressedusforaunilateraldeadlinefortotal

withdrawal.Theyhadlongsincegivenuponcease‐fire;onNorthVietnamese

withdrawalfromLaosandCambodia;onabanoninfiltrationintoSouthVietnam;

oncontinuedaidtoSaigon.Theyhadcastigatedthesetermsasexamplesof

bellicosityandworse.Nowthatmuchmorehadbeenachievedtheycouldnot

bringthemselvestoadmitthatpossiblytheirgovernmenthadnotbeenso

immoralandstupidastheirfolklorehadit;perhapsithadhadarationalstrategy

afterall.



GeorgeMcGoverntookthefirstline.OnOctober29heallegedon“Meet

thePress”thathewas“puzzledastowhythesettlementcomesintheclosing

hoursofthiscampaign…Itisreallynotcleartomewhatfundamentalchangehas

takenplaceinthelastfew dayswhichenablesMr.Nixontoannounce,now,that

wehaveasettlementjustbeforewegotothepolls.”McGovernignoredthat

Hanoihadmadetheannouncement.HewassternerwithThieuthanhewaswith

Hanoi;hewouldreservetherighttorenegotiateanyagreementthatcommitted

theUnitedStatestoaidThieuafterthewarended.[

Thedraftagreementindeed,as

Nixonargued,includedtermsinmanyrespectsfarbetterfortheUnitedStatesthan

McGovern’sstatedposition:McGoverninsistedonaunilateralendofUSmilitaryaction;the

agreementincludedamutualcease‐fireforallsides.McGoverninsistedonUSwithdrawalfrom

Thailandandoffshore;theagreementincludednosuchlimitsonUSforcesoutsideof

Indochina.McGovernexpressedonlythe“expectation”ofareleaseofPOWsandaccounting

forthemissinginactionifwewithdrew;theagreementrequiredbothwithinsixtydays.

McGoverninsistedonthedisavowalofThieu;theagreementlefttheSouthVietnamese

governmentintact.McGoverninsistedonanendofUSmilitaryandeconomicaidtotheSouth

Vietnamese;theagreementallowedittocontinue.McGovernwouldnotinsistonHanoi’s

withdrawalfromLaosandCambodia;theagreementpledgedit.McGoverndidnotmention

internationalsupervisionofacease‐fire;theagreementincludedit.

]ByNovember5

McGovern’ssuspicionhadhardenedinhismindintocertainty.Hetoldanairport

crowdinMoline,Illinois:



WhenDr.Kissingercameoutandsaidthatpeacewas“athand,”hewasmisleadingthe

peopleofthiscountry.Heknewwhathesaidwasfalse.HeandMr.Nixonknowthatitwasa

deliberatedeceptiondesignedtofooltheAmericanpeopleforthesakeofRepublicanvotes.



Peaceisnotathand,itisnoteveninsight…



TheWashingtonPostinitsfirstreactiononOctober27impliedthatsimilar

termsmighthavebeenavailablein1969inthelightofHanoi’s“post‐Tetmilitary

prostration.”Aweeklater,onNovember3,thePostarguedthatinanycasethe

termsoftheagreementdidnotjustifyfouryearsofwarafter1969.Clearly,the

editorialistdidnot intendtodrawtheconclusionthatweshouldfightonfor

betterterms;nordidheme ntionthatthetermsweresubstantiallywhatwehad

putforwardfortwoyears—totheeditorialist’sdispleasurebecausewewere

askingfortoomuch.Otherpapers,suchastheSt.LouisPost‐DispatchonOctober

27,combinedthethemethatthesametermswereavailableearlier—forwhich

therewasnottheslightestevidence—withtheargumentthatwhatevercredit

therewasshouldgotoMcGovernforhaving keptthepeaceissuealive.



BythefirstweekofNovemberthephrase“peaceisathand”wasbeing

usedtoaskwhyitshouldtakesolongtoarrangeacease‐fire;thefactthatHanoi

wasrefusingtotalkwasnotknown,butshouldhavebeenapparentfromHanoi’s

publicstatements.OnNovember6theNewYorkTimesgaveeditorialexpression

toitsimpatienceandimpliedthatthepromisedpeacemightbeacoverfornew

escalation.ByNovember9MurreyMarderintheWashingtonPosthad

discoveredunnamedAdministrationofficialswillingtopretendtosupposed

knowledgethatNixonhadneverintendedtoconsummatetheagreementbefore

theelection;itwouldhavebeentoo“messy”;Nixonhadthereforedecidedtorisk

Hanoi’srebukedespitefirmpromisesandhadrefusedtosignonOctober31.On

November10thePostwroteaneditorialcastigatingtheNixonAdministrationfor

misleadingtheAmericanpeople.



Thenationalmoodwasfarlesscynical;therewasnowidespreadhopethat

thewarwouldsoonend.Myownattitudewasoneofdeterminationtoovercome

theremainingobstacles;Nixonwasseizedbytheuneasethatalwaysbesethimin

thelaststagesofanyeffort,especiallyofelectoralcampaigns,asifitwerethe

premonitionofsomeunspecifiabledisaster.Onecouldseethebeginnings ofthe

withdrawalthatmarkedhisreactiontohisoverwhelmingelectoralvictory.On

November4,threedaysbeforethevoting,IaccompaniedhimtoSanClemente,

stoppingoffinAlbuquerqueforthelaststageofhiscampaign.Thatdayweatlast

receivedHanoi’sacceptanceofouroffertoresumenegotiations—onNovember

14or“anotherdatewhichmaybeproposedbytheU.S.side.”Hanoigratuitously

reaffirmedthatitwouldabidebythetextoftheagreement—inotherwords,that

itwouldseeknochangesofitsown.NoNorthVietnamesemessagecouldbe

completewithoutareferencetoitslegendary“consistentgoodwilland

seriousness,”totheexportofwhichthepeoplesofIndochinahadbeen

unremittinglyexposedforoveradecadeandwouldbeagaininsubse quent years.



Becausewehadbeenkeptwaitingforoveraweek,andtoavoidfurther

exchangesbeforetheelection,wereplie donNovember7proposingNovember

15.WewantedtogiveourselvesaslightcushiontoenableHaigtogotoSaigonto

concertourapproachwithThieu’s.WealsowarnedHanoithatweexpecteditto

desistfrom“tendentiouspubliccommentorselectivereleasesfromearlier

documentsofthenegotiationswhichcanonlycomplicatethetaskofarrivingata 

finalagreement.”OnNovember8,Hanoireplied,suggestingapostponementto

November20becauseLeDucThowas“ill.”(Therecanbelittledoubtthatitmust

havebeenaroughtimeforhim.AlltheCommunistforcesthathadgearedupfor

land‐grabbingoperationsinthepre‐cease‐fireperiodwerenowbeingdecimated.)

BecauseitwouldtakeLeDucThoaweektoreachParis,Hanoiaskedforareply

“asquicklyaspossible.”



WeacceptedtheproposeddateonNovember9.Negotiationswereonce

againintrain.



<<Contents>>



****



ElectionInterlude



T

hestrangestperiodinNixon’sPresidencyfollowedhisoverwhelmingvictory

onNovember7,1972.Hehadachievedaseriesofspectacularsuccessesin

1971and1972:theBerlinagreement,thePekingsummit,theMoscowsummit

andtheSALTagreement,theimminentendofthewarinVietnam.Theoutcome

oftheelectionpromisedtobethebiggestlandsideinourhistory.Andyetashis

houroftriumphapproached,Nixonwithdrewevermore,evenfromsomeofhis

closeadvisers.Hisresentments,usuallysowellcontrolled,cameincreasinglyto

thesurface.Itwasasifvictorywasnotanoccasionforreconciliationbutan

opportunitytosettlethescoresofalifetime.



Nixon’smoodcametoexpressionthemorningaftertheelection,on

November8.TheWhiteHousestaffhadbeenawakemuchofthepreviousnight

celebratinghisvictory,thougheventhenthefestivitiesIattendedseemedtome

tolacktheboisterousspontaneitythatusuallymarkedsuchevents.ThePresident

wastoowithdrawnandshadowyafigureformostofhisfollowers;fewofthe

celebrantshadactuallymethim.Hisachievementswereassociatedmorewith

solitarydisciplineandremotecouragethanwithpersonalinspiration;they

followedhimmoreoutofadmirationforsterncompetencethanpersonal

affection.AndyettherewasgreatprideinanAdministrationthathadsteeredthe

countrythroughcrisisintoaperiodofhopefultranquillity,perhapsevenof

nationalunity.



Thegoodfeelingwasshatteredwithintwelvehours.TheWhiteHousestaff

hadbeenaskedtoassembleat11:00a.m.intheRooseveltRoom.Atthedot

NixonstrodeinthroughthedoorclosesttotheOvalOffice.Heseemednotatall

elated.Rather,hewasgrimandremoteasifthemorefatefulperiodofhislifestill

layahead.Nothinginhisdemeanorbetrayedthathewasmeetingassociatesfrom

perilousandtryingtimes;heactedasiftheywerefromapastnowirrevocably

finished.Withoutsittingdown,hethankedtheassembledgroupinaperfunctory 

manner.AfteraboutfiveminutesheturnedthemeetingovertoHaldemanand

left.



Haldemanwastednotimegettingtothepoint.EverymemberoftheWhite

Housestaffwastosubmithisresignationimmediately;weweretofilloutaform

listingthedocumentsinourpossession.ThePresidentwouldannouncehis

personneldecisionsforthenewtermwithinamonth.Theaudiencewasstunned.

Itwasthemorningafteratriumphandtheywerebeing,ineffect,fired.Victory

seemedtohavereleasedapent‐uphostilitysooverwhelmingthatitwouldnot

waitevenaweektosurface;itengulfedcolleaguesandassociatesaswellas

opponents.Asweleftthemeeting,BillSafire,whohadbeenplanningtoleaveat

thistimeanyway,saidtome:“Youknow,ifMcGovernhadwontheycouldhave

stayedanothertwomonths;theywouldnothavebeenfireduntilJanuary20.”

ThesameappallingperformancewasrepeatedwiththeCabinetanhourlater.



WhatpropelledNixonintoacoursesodegradingtohisclosestassociates

hasneverbeensatisfactorilyexplained.Ihadknown,ofcourse,thathehad

alwaysfeltcheatedbecausethenarrownessofhis1968victoryandthepressures

ofVietnamhadpreventedhimfromaccomplishinga thoroughhousecleaningof

thebureaucracy,whichhehadattackedandmistrustedaspackedwithholdover

Democrats.Hecertainlydidnotreceivethewholeheartedsupportextendedby

thepermanentcivilservicetomorecharismaticleaders.Still,itdoesnotexplain

thefrenzied,almostmaniacalsenseofurgencyaboutthispoliticalbutchery.Had

NixonwaitedafewweeksitiscertainthatallAssistantsandCabinetmembers

wouldoftheirownaccordhavefollowedcustomandsubmittedtheir

resignations.Nixoncouldthenhaveproceededathisleisure,retainingor

removingassuitedhisplans.Buttoaskforresignationsenmassewithinhoursof

beingelected,todistributeformsobviouslymimeographedduringacampaignin

whichmanyofthevictimshadbeenworkingthemselvestoafrazzle,was

woundingandhumiliating.Itmaderemovalfromofficeappeartobenotthe

resultofPresidentialreflectionaboutthefuturebutagrudgefromthepast.

Nixon’slatertroubleshadotherimmediatecauses,ofcourse;yethesurely

deprivedhimselfofmuchsympathythenbyconveyinginhishouroftriumphan

impressionofsuchtotalvindictivenessandinsensitivitytothosewhowere

basicallywell‐disposedtohim.(Iwasnotdirectlyaffected,havingbeentoldby

HaldemanrightaftertheRooseveltRoommeetingthatmyletterofresignation

wouldbeamereformality.)



WhetherwisercounselcouldhavekeptNixonfromthiscourse,orwhether

hewasadamantlydeterminedtoconsummateatlastthevendettasofalifetime

mustawaitthememoirsofthosewhowereconsultedatthetime.Theymustalso

explainwhyNixonbeganthehousecleaningnotwithhisoldadversaries—the

regularbureaucracy—butwithhisownassociatesandstaff.



TheafternoonofNovember8IflewwithNixon,Haldeman,andEhrlichman

toKeyBiscayne.Again,Iwasstruckthattriumphseemedtobringnosurceaseto

thistorturedman.Hefrettedthathispopularmarginhadbeenashadelessthan

Johnson’soverGoldwater.Aboveall,heoccupiedhimselfwithplanningthe

removalorreshufflingofmost ofhisCabinet, withtheexceptionofGeorgeShultz,

whohadrecentlyreplacedConnallyattheTreasury.Rogerswasslatedtogoin

thesummer,tentativelytobereplacedbyKennethRush.Iwasstruckbyhow

restlessNixonwas,nowthathehadachievedtheoverwhelmingelectoral

approvalwhichhadbeentheambitionofalifetime.Itwasalmostasifithadbeen

soughtforitsownsake;asif,standingonthepinnacle,Nixonnolongerhadany

purposeleftto hislife.



AssoonaswearrivedinKeyBiscayne,Nixonwithdrewintohiscompound.

FromtherehewenttoCampDavidwithHaldemanandEhrlichmantoplanhis

newAdministration.Isawhimonlytwiceinthenextninedays,including a

sessiononNovember17,whenImetwithhimbrieflyatCampDavidbefore

leavingforParis.Hewasdifficulttoreach.Wespokeoccasionallyonthe

telephone.Toothershewastotallyinaccessible.Theleaderwhohadjustwon61

percentofthepopularvotecuthimselfofffromhisownpeople.Atamoment

when,byreachingout,hemighthaveengravedhimselfinAmerica’sheart,ashe

alreadyhadlefthismarkonitsmind,hewithdrewintoaseclusionevendeeper

andmoreimpenetrablethaninhisyearsofstruggle.Isolationhadbecomealmost

aspiritualnecessitytothiswithdrawn,lonely,andtormentedmanwhoinsisted

soonhislonelinessandcreatedsomuchofhisowntorment.Itwashardtoavoid

theimpressionthatNixon,whothrivedoncrisis,alsocraveddisasters.



EversincethesecrettriptoChina,myownrelat ionshipwithhimhadgrown

complicated.UntilthenIhadbeenanessentiallyanonymousWhiteHouse

Assistant.Therewassomeresentmentoftheindependenceofmystaff,some

suspicionthattheprincipalcriterionoftheirselectionhadnotbeenrigid

conformity.Butthiswascounterbalancedbyrealizationthattheirskillsenabled

foreignpolicytobeconductedfromtheWhiteHouse.Theinterdepartmental

machinerygaveNixoncontrolofdecision‐makingwhileshielding himfromthe

needtoissuedirectorders.Andmybackgroundershadconveyedthepictureofa

PresidentinchargeofeventsthatflatteredNixon’sconceptionofhimselfand

correspondedessentiallytoreality.Hemightberestlessovermyfriendshipwith

whathecalledtheGeorgetowncrowd;hisassociateswereunhappy,andnot

withoutreason,thatsomejournalistsweregivingmeperhapsexcessivecreditfor

themoreappealingaspectsofourforeignpolicywhileblamingNixonforthe

unpopularmoves.Butthiswas treatedasthenecessarypriceforindispensable

services.



AfterthesecrettriptoChinaIbecamemuchmorevisible,andthishitthe

WhiteHouseonitsrawestnerve:publicrelations.Ofcourse,everyPresident