Kissinger Henry. White House Years

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carefullynurtureshisownimage;theobsessive pursuitofit,afterall,broughthim

towhereheis.NoChiefExecutivewouldtakekindlytoanappointeewhoiscast

bythemediaasthesourceofallconstructive actions.InNixon’scasethiswas

compoundedbyhisconvictionthathefacedalifelongconspiracyoftheold

Establishmentdeterminedto destroyhimandthatallmediaattentionwas

ultimatelyduetopublicrelat ions,inwhich,inexplicably,hisstaffwassadly

deficient.Hence,hegrewincreasinglyconvincedthatIwasneedlesslytrafficking

withhisenemiesinthe“Georgetownset” andatthesametimewasusingmy

publicrelationsskillstofurbishmyimageandnothis.Hehadapoint,though

mattersweremuchlessinmycontrolthanhebelieved.Inanyevent,theproblem

wasinsolubleforthemoment.SinceNixondidnothaveconfidenceintheState

Departmentasaninstitution,hefeltcompelledtoentrusttheconductof

negotiationstome.ButstartingwiththeIndia‐Pakistancrisisin1971,theWhite

Housepublicrelationsmachineryavoidedfewopportunitiestocutmedownto

size.AndNixonhimselfgrewtesty.Hiscablestomesometimesseemedwritten

moreforarecordofdissociationthanforconveyinginstructions,evenwhile(or

perhapsbecause)hewasgivingmeever‐growingauthority.



DuringthelastphaseoftheVietnamnegotiations,NixonandInever

differedonthesubstanceofournegotiatingposition.Storiesleakedbythepublic

relationssideoftheWhiteHousethatNixon’slegaltraininghadenabledhimto

spotflawsinthedraftingaresupportedbynodocumentsorotherevidence.

(Nixonmayormaynothaveknownofindividualleaks;butthestorieswould

neverhavesurfacedwithoutconfidencethattheywouldreceivePresidential

favor.)Ouronlydifference,ifany,washisdesiretoavoidashowdownbefore

electiondayandmyconvictionthat,howeverdesirable,Hanoiwouldnotpermit

ustoavoidit.Privately,hisviewsabouttheSouthVietnamesePresidentwereno

morecharitablethanmine;hewasdeterminedtoprevailbutnotuntilafter

electionday.ThepublicityIreceivedcausedhimto lookforwaysofshowingthat

hewasincharge,evenwhileusuallyendorsingthestrategyIdevised.Onehadto

deducetheselatenttensionsfromvagueclues;theywerenevermadeexplicitin

ourpersonalcontacts,whichwereunfailinglycourteousandinwhichno

disagreementsurfaced.(Ofcourse,IhadseenenoughofNixonwithothersto

realizethatthiswasnoproofofPresidentialfavor.)ButIwasbeginningtosense

anemergingcompetitivenessthatwascertainsoonerorlatertodestroymy

effectivenessasaPresidentialAssistantandthatwasacceleratedbytheemotions

oftheconcludingphaseoftheVietnamwar.



ThesetendenciesweregivenimpetusbyaninterviewIgrantedtothe

ItalianjournalistOrianaFallaci,whichwaswithoutdoubtthesinglemost

disastrousconversationIeverhadwithanymemberofthepress.Isawherbriefly

onNovember2and4inmyoffice,constantlyinterruptedbythefrenziesof

stitchingthenegotiationstogetheragain.Ididsolargelyoutofvanity.Shehad

interviewedleadingpersonalitiesallovertheworld.Famewassufficientlynovel

formetobeflatteredbythecompanyIwouldbekeepinginherjour nalistic

pantheon.Ihadnotbotheredtoreadherwritings;hereviscerationofother

victimswasthusunknowntome.HerarticleappearedinanItalianmagazinelater

inNovember.



Ipaidthepriceformynaiveté.Withoutdoubtthequotesascribedtome,

statementsofmarginaltastegatheredtogetherinwhatshepresentedasa

conversation,werethemostself‐servingutterancesofmyentirepubliccareer.It

shouldbenotedthatIsaidsomeverycomplimentarythingsaboutNixon.

AccordingtothepublishedtextIpraisedhimforhiscourageinselectingachief

adviserwhomhedidnotknowandinsendinghimtoPeking;IlaudedNixon’s

expertiseinforeignaffairs,andhisstrength:“WhatI’vedonehasbeenpossible 

becausehemadeitpossibleforme.”Buteventhatwasrathertoomuchfor

Nixon,andwhatdrovehimupthewallwasaquotationFallaciputinmymouth:

“Americanslikethecowboy…whoridesallaloneintothetown,thevillage,with

hishorseandnothingelse…Thisamazing,romanticcharactersuitsmeprecisely

becausetobealonehasalwaysbeenpartofmystyleor,ifyoulike,my

technique.”IdonotbelievethatIsaidthisinthatcontextorthatitwasabout

myself.IamconvincedthatImayhavebeenthesubjectofsomeskillfulediting;

andMs.Fallacihasc onsistentlyrefusedtomakethetapesavailabletoother

journalists.Andyetshewasontosomething.WhileNixonwasconcernedbythe

rumblingsoftherightandhiscongenitalpremonitionsofdisaster,Iwascarried

awaybythereliefandjoythatspreadacrossthecountryamongthevastmajority

eagertobelievethatanearlyandhonorableendofthewarwasindeed

imminent.Whatever thenigglingintheeditorialpages,the“peaceisathand”

pressconferencehadhadanelectriceffect.Comingontopofayearofsuccessful

negotiationsonawidearrayofsubjectswithdifferentcountries,itwasformea

momentofunusualpridenotleavenedbyhumility.Fallacicaughtthatmoodeven

ifshetooklibertieswithmypronouncements(whichIcannotprove).Shewrote

historyintheRomanstyle;shesoughtpsychological,notfactual,truth.



Theimpliedclaimthatminewasthecentralrolewasboundtobean

affronttoanyPresident.ItwasespeciallyhurtfultoNixon,whowasconvinced,

andnotwithoutreason,thathisopponentsgavemeadisproportionateamount

ofcreditinordertodiminishhim.Therewerenoimmediate consequences.The

interviewappearedinAmericajustasIwasleavingformyNovember20meeting

withLeDucTho;thusNixoncouldgivemenodirectsignofhisdispleasure.He

wouldnotseemeonNovember18,thedaybeforeItookoff,eventhoughhewas

intheWhiteHouse;weonlyspokebrieflyonthetelephone.Theastutepolitical

commentatoroftheNewRepublic,JohnOsborne,pickedupthewarningsignals,

however,fromhisacutetextualexegesis.

AndasNixonandIheadedintothe

turbulentwatersofanewnegotiation,asteadycoursewasnotaidedbythe

latentdisaffectionbetweenthehelmsmanandhisprincipalnavigator.



<<Contents>>

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

HaigVisitsSaigonAgain



ithnegotiationsabouttoresume,ouroverridingproblemwasinSaigon.

WehadcommittedourselvestoHanoi,Moscow,andPeking,aswellasto

theAmericanpublic,tosettletheagreementinonemoresession.Ofcourse,

Thieufeltnosuchcompulsion.Thelongerhecouldkeepourforcesinthewar,the

furtherheputoffthenightmareofbeingleftalone. Moreover,asnoted,the

collapseofthe“shedyule”hadledtheCommuniststoexposetheircadres

prematurelyinland‐grabbingoperationsbeforeOctober31;theirforceswere

beingcutdownandThieuwantedthepr ocesstocontinue.Theinsolenceofhis

pronouncementswasunabated.DespiteNixon’sletters,inapublicspeechon

November1hecalledthedraftagreementa“surrender”document.Andyetour

informationwasthat hewaspreparingforacease‐fireandprivatelyspeaking

abouttheagreementtohisassociatesinmuchmoregenerousterms.



OnNovember10XuanThuygaveaninterviewthatforachangewas

helpful:HeconfirmedthattheNationalCouncilofNationalReconciliationand

Concordwasnotacoalitiongovernmentindisguise.TheNationalCo uncil“will

notyetbeagovernment,”hetoldAgenceFrancePresse;thetwoexisting

governmentswouldcontinuetoexistuntilnewelections.Thieuwasnotvisibly

appeased.Inaneffortto enlisthissupport,wesentHaigtoSaigoncarryinga

letterfromNixon,datedNovembe r8,thatcommittedustocontinueonour

course.TheletterexpresseddisappointmentwithThieu’spublicstatements;it

affirmedthatweconsideredthedraftagreementsound.Wepromisedtoimprove

onsomeprovisions.Forexample,wewouldensurethattheVietnamese

translationofthephrase“administrativestructure”waschangedtoremoveany

implicationthattheNationalCouncilwasagovernmentalbody.Wewouldalso

makeexplicitwhatwasnowimplied,thatequalnumbersoftheCouncilwouldbe

appointedfromeachside.Wewouldattempttostrengthentheprovisionsto

respecttheDemilitarizedZoneinordertoemphasizethedistinctivecharacterof

SouthVietnam.TherewasaprovisionthatVietnameseforceswouldbe

demobilized;wewouldseektoturnthisintoaformulaforwithdrawalofatleast

someNorthVietnamesetroops.“Wewilluseourmaximumefforts,”wroteNixon,

“toeffectthesechangesintheagreement.Iwishtoleaveyouundernoillusion,

however,thatwecanorwillgobeyondthesechangesinseekingtoimprovean

agreementthatwealreadyconsidertobeexcellent.”NixonurgedThieuto“take

thepoliticalandpsychologicalinitiativebyhailingthesettlementandcarryingout

itsprovisionsinapositivefashion.”Heaskedforanunam biguousanswer.



ButlackofambiguitywasprecludedbyVietnamesecultureandThieu’s

personality.Thieufollowedtheprocedurethathadbynowbecomestereotyped.

HemetwithHaigonNovember10,listenedthoughtfullytohisexplanationofthe

President’sletter,askedintelligentquestions,andpromisedtothink aboutit

overnight.ThenonNovember11heconfrontedHaigandAmbassadorBunker

withhisentireNationalSecurityCouncilandflatlyturneddownoursuggestionto

establishprioritiesamongthetextualchangeshesought.Heinsistedonallof

them;hedemandedthewithdrawalofNorthVietnameseforces,which,asIhave

repeatedlymentioned,hadnotbeenpartofanyofourjointproposalssince1970.

Hetoughenedeventhisunattainabledemandbyspellingouthowthewithdrawal

shouldtakeplaceandwhatweaponshadtobetakenalong.HegaveHaigaletter

toNixonrestatingthesedemands,aswellasrequiringchangesintheproposed

compositionoftheinternationalsupervisorymachinery. 



BetweenthetwomeetingsIhadsentHaigacable:“Youshouldpointout

compositionofournewSenatetoThieu.Nomatterwhathappens,therewillbe

fundcutoffifwedonotmoveinthis direction.”Haigmadethepoint,butThieu

waseitherplayingchickenorwasonadeliberatecollisioncourse.



HaigstoppedinPhnomPenhtovisittheorphanofourIndochinaeffort,

LonNol.Hewhohad everyreasontofeelabandonedonceagainsupportedour

strategy.Heagreedtoannouncea unilateralcease‐fireassoonastheagreement

wentintoeffect.(Thiswouldatleastseizethediplomaticinitiative,sincethe

KhmerRougehadrejectedacease‐fire.)



OnNovember14NixonansweredThieu’sletter(using,asalways,adraft

preparedbymystaffandme).Itexplained howweproposedtodealinthepeace

documentwiththeproblemofNorthVietnameseforcesintheSouth.Wewould

doourbesttoobtainchanges,butitwouldbe“unrealistic”toexpecttoobtain

whatThieuwanted.Nixoncontinued:



Butfarmoreimportantthanwhatwesayintheagreementonthisissueiswhatwedo

intheeventtheenemyrenewsitsaggression.YouhavemyabsoluteassurancethatifHanoi

failstoabidebythetermsofthisagreementitismyintentiontotakeswiftandsevere

retaliatoryaction.



ThiswasanotheroftheletterslaterreleasedbySouthVietnameseofficials

inApril1975inadesperateattempttoobtainAmericanaidtopreventthefallof

SouthVietnam.Theyhadarighttoconsiderthattheyhadreliedonthese

assuranceswhentheysignedtheagreement.Unfortunately,releaseoftheletters

inthespringof1975onlyplayedintothehandsofthosewhofoundinthem

anotherexcuseforabandoningSouthVietnam,notareasonforsavingit.In1972

wehadeveryintentionofcarryingouttheseassurances.Webelievedthatan

honorableagreementearnedatthecostof45,000Americanliveswasnotsigned

inordertobefloutedbytheNorthVietnamese.Wedidnotintendtosigna

surrender.Weconsideredthatwehadarighttoenforceasolemnagreement

signedbyHanoiandconfirmedataninternationalconferencebytwelvenations

inMarch1973.NixonsaidsowhenmeetingwithThieuonApril3,1973.Secretary

ofDefenseRichardsonsaidsotothepressandtestifiedtothateffectbeforethe

Congress.Iemphasizeditatvariouspressconferences.

Sixmonthslaterthe

Congress,undertheimpactofWatergate ,passedalawprohibitingusfrom

exercisingwhatinternationallawrecognizes(andwhattheUnitedStatesformally

confirmedinconjunctionwiththeIsraeli‐Egyptianpeacetreaty):therightto

enforceapeaceagreement.Thatdestroyedthebalanceofrisksonwhich

observersoftheagreementrestedandmockedthesacrificeswhichhadbeen

made.



Toavoidanymisunderstandingandtoshowourgoodfaith,IsentBunker

onNovember17anothersummaryofthechangeswewouldseekthattookinto

accountThieu’scommentstoHaig.Aswasbecominghabitual,Bunkercouldnot

getanappointmenttopresentthemfortwenty‐fourhours.Finally,onNovember

18,thedaybeforeI wastoleaveforParis,ThieuhadtheobnoxiousNhasubmit

anothermemorandum.ItshowedthatthreestrongPresidentiallettersandthe

visitoftwoPres identialemissarieshadmadenoimpressionwhatever.Insteadof

establishingprioritiesamongitsdemands,Saigonnowproposedsixty‐nine

modifications,leavingalmostnoparagraphofthedraftdocumentuntouched.

ThieuofferedtosendarepresentativetoWashingtontoexplaintheproposed

changestoNixon—aslapatmeandanotherblatantstallingtacticbecausethere

wasnowayanemissarycouldarrivebeforeIhadtoleave.Wereturnedanicy

Presidentialletterwarningagainthatthesechangescouldnotpossiblyallbe

achieved,andrefusingtoreceiveanemissaryuntilthenextroundofnegotiations

withHanoihadbeencompleted.Nearlyfourweeksofexchangeshadfailedto

narrowthegapbetweenWashingtonandSaigon.Thieuknewthathewouldhav e

toyieldbutwoulddosoonlyatthelastmoment.Hewouldforceustoput

maximumpressureonHanoi,inthemeantimeexploitingourreluctancetohavea

publicrupture.



TherewasanothermeetingtoprepareformyencounterwithLeDucTho.

OnNovember13IhaddinnerwithChineseDeputyForeignMinisterCh’iaoKuan‐

huaattheCenturyClubinNewYork.HewasheadingtheChinesedelegationto 

theUNGeneralAssembly.IbroughthimuptodateonourintentionsinParis.IfLe

DucThostoppedinPekingonthewaytoParis,IhopedthattheChineseleaders

wouldusetheirinfluenceinthedirectionofmoderation.Ch’iaogavenosuch

promise.ButneitherdidhesupportHanoi’spointofview.Heurgedustomake

concessionsbecausegreatpowerscouldaffordagenerousattitude:“Oneshould

notlosethewholeworldjusttogainSouthVietnam.”Ontheotherhand,noone

shouldbehumiliated.Ch’iao’slinewasanevensofterversionofwhatwehad

cometorecognizeasthestandardChineseposition:sympathyforHanoi,butno

expenditureofChinesecapitalonitsally’sbehalf.(Exceptforslightlycruder

tactics,thiswasexactlyMoscow’sattitude.)



WhatelicitedCh’iao’sparticularinterestwasCambodia.Inappealingagain

foracease‐fireinCambodia,IemphasizedthatAmericanandChineseinterestsin

Cambodiawerecongruentbecausewebothwantedaneutral,independent

Cambodiafreeofthedominationofanyonecountry. Hedidnotdisputethis.

Instead,heaskedwhetherIwouldbepreparedto meetSihanoukonmynextvisit

toChina(thensc heduledforJanuary1973).Ievadedthespecificquestionbut

repliedingeneraltermsthatwewerenotopposedtoSihanoukprovidedhewas

abletoestablishanindependentcountry:



Icantellyounowonaconfidentialbasisitwouldbepossibletoarriveatan

understandingwiththePrimeMinisterthatdoesjusticetotheconcernsofPrinceSihanouk.If

thewarcontinuesinCambodia,thenwehavetomaintainourpresentposition.Butwhatwe

wantinCambodia,tobeveryblunt,is…topreserveitfrombecominganappendageofHanoi.

Whoevercanbestpreserveitasanindependentneutralcountry,isconsistentwithourpolicy,

andwebelieveconsistentwithyours.



Thenextday,whenIreportedtheconversationtoNixon,Irepeatedmy

viewthataftertherewasacease‐fireinCambodia,Sihanoukwouldbecomea

factoragainand“couldcomebackattherightmoment.”



ThefailureoftheVietnamagreementtoincludeacease‐fireinCambodia

wasclearlyoneofitstragedies.Butthereshouldbenodoubtwherethefaultlies.

IconstantlypressedLeDucThoforacease‐fireinCambodia;hepleadedhislack

ofinfluencewiththeKhmerRouge.AndtheattitudeoftheKhmerRougewas

summedupbestbynoneotherthanSihanoukhimself:“In1973the[North]

VietnamesetriedtomakethemnegotiatewithLonNolbutitwastoo dangerous

forthem.Theywouldthenhavehadtosharepowerandtheywanteditallalone.

Theygotitin1975.”

IwouldhavebeeninterestedinameetingwithSihanoukto

arrangeacease‐fire,butnegotiationswithhimcouldnotsucceedsolongashe

wastitularheadoftheCommunistforcesinsistingontotalvictory.Mynexttripto

Peking,whicheventuallytookplaceinFebruary1973,wastheearliestoccasion

forsuchameeting.(Asitturnedout,Sihanoukwasnotthereatthattime.)Asan

indicationofourattitudeandtheChineseperceptionofit,ChouEn‐laiaskedusto

lookafterSihanouk’ssecurityinviewofrumoredplotsagainstthePrinceonhis

foreigntravels.Wereadilyagreed.(Wealsoarrangedlaterforthesafedeparture

ofSihanouk’smotherfromPhnomPenhforPeking.)



AgenuinesolutioninvolvingSihanouk’sreturnrequiredabalanceofforces

andtheprospectofacease‐fire—asithadinVietnamandLaos.Therewasno

waySihanoukcouldresumehispre‐1970balancingroleunlessthereweretwo

partiesleftto balance.Paradoxically,Sihanoukneededsomenon‐Communist

forcestosurviveinPhnomPenh.WithtotalvictoryinsightthemurderousKhmer

Rougewouldhavenoneedforhim.Startinginthespringof1973,wesoughtto

bringaboutSihanouk’sreturnbasedonacease‐fire.Wewerewilling;theKhmer

Rougerefused.Therecordshows(asIshallmakeclearinasecondvolume)that

wewereprepared,indeedeager,forSihanouk’ sreturnundersuchconditionsand

thatanegotiationwasbeginning.Whatendedthe1973negotiationwasa

Congressionallymandatedhalttoourbombinginthemiddleoftheyear;atthat

point,certainofvictory,theKhmerRougelostallinterestinnegotiations—and

Sihanouk’sroleasbalancerwasdoomed.



<<Contents>>



****



TheMeetingswithLeDucThoResume



YmeetingwithLeDucThoonthemorningofMonday,Novem ber20,was

thefirstsincethesixteen‐hourmarathonofOctober12anditsemotional

conclusion.Theintervalhadnotbeenkindtoeitherofus.Toa groupofmenso

morbidlysuspiciousashiscolleaguesintheHanoiPolitburo,LeDucThomust

haveappearedguiltyoftheunforgivablesinofhavingbeentrickedbyawily

capitalist.Relyingonouracceptanceofthedraftpeacetreaty,theNorth

Vietnamesehadstartedland‐grabbingoperations.SohadtheSouth.TheNorth

hadsufferedfearfulpunishmentandperhapsirreplaceablelosseswhenit

surfaceditscadres.WehadusedHanoi’sownOctober31deadlinetoextract

concessionsthat,hadHanoifolloweditsusualnegotiatingstyle,wouldnothave

beenmadeformanymonths,ifever,andwehaddonethisonlytoconfrontthe

NorthVietnameseattheendoftheprocesswithyetanotherseriesofdemands

ofunspecifiedmagnitude.IbelievedDobryninwhenhetoldmethattheNorth

Vietnamesewereangry.



Ontheotherhand,oursituationwasnotexactlybrillianteither.AsIhad

foreseen,whentheoutlineoftheagreementbecameknown,whatwasleftof

Congressionalsupportforcontinuingthewarevaporated.Ihadalwaysbelieved

thatthiswasinherentinHanoi’sOctober8proposal.Onceitwasappare ntthatit

improvedthetermswehadputforwardonJanuary25andMay8,1972,we

wouldloseallpublicandCongressionalsupportifwedidnotsign.Oneofthe

CongressionalresolutionscuttingofffundsprovidedHanoireleasedourprisoners

wouldsurelyhavepassed,asnearlyhadhappenedearlierin1972.



My“peaceisathand”pressconferencehadpreventedourbeing

stampeded.Butthedecisionpubliclytoacknowledgethenearagreementrather

thandisavowitputusunderpressureoncenegotiationsresumed.Nixonbelieved

thatouroptionshadbeensubstantiallyreducedbymypressconference;Iwasof

theviewthatLeDucTho’sOct o berproposalwastheturningpoint,andthatonce

itwasmadeouronlychoicewasbetweendominatingeventsbygoingthrough

withourownprogramorbeingpushedinexorablytowardaCongressionalcutoff

offunds.ProbablytherewasanelementoftruthinbothNixon’sperceptionand

mine;thefactthatwebothbelievedwewererunningoutofoptions—iffor

differentreasons—weighedheavilyonus.



ThefearsofCongressionalattitudeswerenotbasedonintuitionbut

evidence.OnNovember27Lairdtoldmethatitwasimpossibleto“keepthat

thinggoingrightnow.”HebasedhisjudgmentonmeetingswithSenatorsand

Housemembersduringtheprecedingweekend.Lairdrepeatedthisconclusionin

ameetingwhichNixonconvenedwiththeJointChiefsofStaff onNovember30.It

wasnotcontestedbyanyoftheChiefs;itwasconfirmedbyNixon,whoestimated

thattheaidcutoffwouldtakeplacewithintwoweeksofthereturnofCongress.

JohnLehman,responsibleforCongressionalliaisononmystaff,estimatedthat

thenewSenateelectedinNovemberrepresentedanetlossofthreevotestous,

whichwouldgrowinsignificancebecauseofthedeclininginfluenceofSouthern

chairmenofkeycommittees.Forwhateverreason,wewerefacingthenightmare

Ihaddreadedsincethesummer:ofnegotiatingagainstthedeadlineofthereturn

ofCongresswithnoadditionalleverageonHanoitoholdtheprocesstogether.



Inthis(forus)unpromisingcontextLeDucThogreetedmeonNovember

20atthedooroftheresidenceatGif‐sur‐Yvette.Sinceourmeetinghadbeen

announcedonNovember17,thepresswasfullyalerted.Theyhadstakedout

boththeUSEmbassyresidenceandtheNorthVietnamesecompound.Imanaged

toshakeoffthepursuitwiththeaidofadeath‐defyingFrenchmotorcycleescort.

(WhyIwaswillingtohazardoursafetyinthehigh‐speedmaneuversthisrequired

Icannotnowrecall;pro bablytheritualofthesecretmeetingshadbecomeahabit

eventhoughtheywerenowbeingannouncedinadvance.)Itwasallinvain.Le

DucThohadmadenoefforttoavoidpursuit,sowhenIarrivedI foundjournalists

andphotographersofmanynationalitiescampedacrossthestreet.Theywereto

remainfortheentiresixhoursofthemeetingandtoreturnforallsubsequent

meetings—fivemoredaysinNovember,thirteendaysinDecember,andfourdays

inearlyJanuary.Leger’shousestoodalone;itwassurroundedbyalargegarden

boundedbyahighwall.Thejournalistssetupasc affoldingacrosstheroadfrom

thehousesothephotographerscouldpeerdownoverthewallintothegarden

and—hopefullybutinvain—intotheho useitself.Throughthecold,rain,and

snowoftheParisianwinter,bearingwitnesstotheintensityofhopearoundthe

worldinourstruggletoendabitterwar,theykeptalonelyvigil,nevergivenany

concreteinformation,neverabletoseemuchmorethanmyarrivalsand

departures,oroccasionallyLeDucThoormewalkinginthegardenduringa

break.Therewerenobriefings,andfewpicturesofLeDucThoandmetogether

becausewewereusuallygreetedatthedoorbyalowerrankingmemberofthe

delegationandthetwoteamsarrivedanddepartedseparately.



ToeasetheatmosphereIhadbroughtsomegiftsforLeDucThoandXuan

Thuy.LeDucThoreceivedsomepicturebooksofHarvard,topreparehimifhe

evertookupmysuggestiontoteachaseminarinMarxism‐Leninismthere,anda

penandpencilsettosigntheagreement.ToXuanThuyIgaveapicturebookof

AmericaandaSteubenglasshorse’sheadinhonorofhisreputedloveof

horseracing.Thegesturefailedtotakethestingoutoftheencounter.LeDucTho

ledoffwithalongrecitationofHanoi’sgoodwillandUSduplicityinfailingto keep

the“shedyule.”Readingfroma preparedstatement,hewarnedusagainst

attemptstocoerceNorthVietnam;hecomplainedthatwhileNorthVietnamhad

beendeceivedmanytimesbytheFrenchandJapaneseandAmericans,neverhad

itbeendeceivedasithadthistime.(Thiswassaidalmostwithadmiration!)



IrepliedtruthfullythatHanoi’spreviousfouryearsofstonewallinghadnot

preparedusforthesuddennessofHanoi’swillingnesstosettleinOctober.Iread

toLeDucThomymanypreviouscaveatsthattheagreementrequiredthe

concurrenceofbothWashingtonandSaigon.Icitedthedifficultiescausedbythe

deBorchgraveinterview (speaking,asIsaid,“assomebodywhohasrecentlybeen