Kissinger Henry. White House Years

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thevictimofaninterviewmyself”).Itwastimetolooktothefutureandto

concludetheagreement.



Itwasastirringspeechwhoseimpactwasimmediatelyvitiatedbymy

puttingforwardallthesixty‐ninechangesrequestedbySaigon.Thisprovedtobe

amajortacticalmistake.Thelistwassopreposterous,itwentsofarbeyondwhat

wehadindicatedbothpubliclyandprivately,thatitmusthavestrengthened

Hanoi’salreadystrongtemptationtodiginitsheelsandpushusagainstour

Congressionaldeadlines.Iputthemforwardinordertoavoidthechargethatwe

werelessthanmeticulousinguardingSaigon’sconcerns—andtoeasethetaskof

obtainingThieu’sapproval.Asoftenhappenswhenoneactsfortherecord,we

achievedneitherobjective.Sincetherewasnopossibilitywhateverofobtaining

thismanychanges—aswehadwarnedThieu—everyoneweabandonedhecould

usetodemonstrateourlackofvigilanceandasanotherpretextforrecalcitrance.

AndoncewestartedtheprocessofretreatwetemptedHanoitodelayinorderto

seewhatotherconcessionsmightbeforthcoming.



LeDucTho’sfirstreactionwaspredictable.Hestatedthatifthesechanges

werepresentedasanultimatumthewarwouldgoonanotherfouryears.Hethen

askedforanovernightrecesstostudyourproposals.Onedayofnegotiationhad

elapsedwithoutanyprogresswhateverandwiththeclocknowrunningagainst

us.



WhenwemetagainintheafternoonofNovember21,LeDucTho 

emphasizedtheobvious:ThechangesIwasdemandingwerenotjust“technical”

butsubstantive,notfewbutmany.Herejectedtheoverwhelmingmajority;he

acceptedafewtechnicalones.Moreworrying,hebegandemandingchangesof

hisown.HewithdrewthevitallyimportantconcessionthatAmericanprisoners

wouldbereleasedwithoutlinkagetoSaigon’sreleaseofVietCongcivilian

prisoners.Pressreportshadappeared,basedonleaksfromthePentagon,that

civiliantechniciansmightbeassistingtheSouthVietnameseafterourmilitaryleft;

LeDucThothereforenowaddedademandthatallAmericanciviliantechnicians

bewithdrawnalongwithourmilitaryforces.HeinsistedontheNorthVietnamese

translationof“administrativestructure.” Allthiswasold‐fashionedhard

bargaining;itwasalsothestuffofwhichdeadlocksaremade.Obviously,thiswas

nottheLeDucThoofthelatesummer,relentlesslydrivingtowardasettlement.

Mercifully,hisconductwasalsonotyettheinsolentpoliticalwarfareofthe

previousthreeyears.AtaminimumLeDucThokepthisoptionsopen.Hecould

settlequickly,buthecouldalsohangusupindefinitely.



Thelatterprospectgavenopainto thethreeSouthVietnamesediplomats

whomThieuhadassignedtokeepaneyeonme:Saigon’sambassadorsto

Washington,London,andtheParistalkswereallinParis.Ibriefedthemevery

eveningatmyresidence.Theirinstructionsweresimple.Theywereauthorizedto

acceptHanoi’ssurrenderonall thesixty‐ninechangesproposedbytheinventive

Nha.Theyhadnoauthoritytoconsiderlessortodiscussanycompromiseorto

entertainanyalternativelanguage.Hanoiwaskeepingopentheoptionof

insistingontheOctobertext,knowingthatwhateveritsmeritThieuwouldnotbe

abletosurvivethehumiliationofobtainingnochangeswhatever.Saigoninsisted

onallofitscounterproposals,manyofwhichweredesignedfornootherpurpose

thantohumiliatethehatedenemyfromtheNorth.Wewerecaughtinthevortex

ofthedecades‐longpassionsoftheVietnamesecivilwarandwefacedan

imminentflare‐upof ourownconflictsathome.



Atthethree‐and‐a‐half‐hoursessionofNovember22,therefore,Ireturned

toessentials,intheprocessseparatingmyselffromSaigon’s position—and

runningtheriskofreinvoking thedilemmawefacedinOctober.Intheguiseof

goingthroughtheagreementparagraphbyparagraph,Idroppedmanyof

Saigon’slessimportantnitpicksandreducedourdemandstothoseNixonhad

declaredessentialinhislettertoThieuofNovember8,whichIhadfleshedoutin

mymemorandumtoSaigonofNovember14.Thesewereclearingupthe

translationofthephrase“administrativestructure”todescribetheNational

Council;strengtheningtheprovisionsonrespectfortheDMZ;finding some

solutiontotheproblemofNorthVietnameseforcesintheSouth;inadditionwe

wantedacease‐fireinLaosclosertothetimeofthecease‐fireinVietnam(itnow

stoodatthirtydayslater),tohavetheinternationalcontrolmachineryinplaceat

thetimethecease‐firewentintoeffect,andtoclarifyfurtherprovisionsfor

introducingweaponsintoSouthVietnam.



LeDucThoplayedcatandmouse.Inresponsetomyrequestsheagreedto

alooserclauseonreplaceme ntofweapons.Ithadreadthatweapons“wornout

ordamaged”couldbereplaced.Henowpermittedustoaddthephrases

“destroyed”and“usedup,”asinthe1954GenevaAgreement.Thepractical

consequencewasinLeDucTho’swords:“Itmeansthatyouwillhaveafreehand

tointroducearmaments.”Buttheflexibilitywasmoreapparentthanreal,forLe

DucThomaintainedhisdemandsthatVietCongprisonersbereleasedatthe

sametimeasAmericanPOWsandthatAmericanciviliantechniciansbe

withdrawnalongwithUSforces.AtthisratewewouldbeinParisallwinter.



Meanwhile,Washingtonwasheardfrom.RelationsbetweenNixonandme

nowwerewaryandstrained.IknewofhisconvictionthatmyOctober26press

conferencehadweakenedourbargainingposition.Thiswastrue—thoughI

believedthatithadsavedthenegotiationsandralliedthepublic.Atanyeventit

wasnowirrelevant;wehadtodealwiththesituationasitwas.Ensconcedat

CampDavid,surroundedonlybypublicrelationsexperts,Nixonwasstilldeepin

thebogoftheresentmentsthathadproducedthedarkestandperhapsmost

malevolentframeofmindofhisPresidency.Nixonnowdispatchedatough‐

soundinginstructionexplicitlymarked“nota directive—forpossibleusewiththe

NorthVietnamese.”Itread:



ThePresidentisverydisappointedatthetoneaswellasthesubstanceofthelast

meetingwithLeDucTho.Underthecircumstances,unlesstheothersideshowsthesame

willingnesstobereasonablethatweareshowing,Iamdirectingyoutodiscontinuethetalks

andweshallthenhavetoresumemilitaryactivityuntiltheothersideisreadytonegotiate.

Theymustbedisabusedoftheideatheyseemtohavethatwehavenootherchoicebutto

settleontheirterms.Youshouldinformthemdirectlywithoutequivocationthatwedohave

anotherchoiceandiftheyweresurprisedthatthePresidentwouldtakethestrongactionhe

didpriortotheMoscowsummitandpriortotheelection,theywillfindnow,withtheelection

behindus,hewilltakewhateveractionheconsidersnecessarytoprotecttheUnitedStates’

interest.



AnothermessagefromHaldemanrecommendedthatIshouldpresenta

sternerappearanceinthetelevisionpictureswithLeDucTho.Inotherwords,

smilesinPariswerefrownedoninCampDavid.Iknewfromexperiencethat

toughrhetoricwasnotaninvariablecluetoPresidentialintention;andthreats

seemedprematureafteronlyforty‐eighthoursofnegotiation.SoItook

advantageofthespecificstatementthatthemessagewasnotadirectiveand

soughttokeepthenegotiationgoing.



OnNovember23inanothersix‐hoursession,Iconcentratedon

strengtheningtheprovisionsregardingtheDMZinordertocreatealegalbarrier

toinfiltrationfromtheNorth.LeDucThoofferedasemi‐concessionontheDMZ

inreturnforalteringotherpartsoftheagreement,especiallythepolitical

sections,prisoners,andAmericanciviliantechnicians.LeDucThosuggestedthat

wesettleforadefactowithdrawalofsomeoftheirforcesfromthe

NorthernmostpartofSouthVietnaminreturnforthereleaseofpolitical

prisoners.Herefusedtotellushowmanywouldwithdraw,rejectedmyproposal

of100,000,andwouldnotputthepromiseinwriting.Ithoughtthispackagea

significantdegradationoftheOctoberdocument,becausetheregressiononthe

prisonersprovisionwasbalancedonlybyanebulousassurance—intheformofan

“understanding”—oftheremovalofanunspecifiednumberofNorthVietnamese

troopsashortdistanceacrosstheDMZ.[

InretrospectIbelievethatthisproposal

perhapsdeservedafullerexaminationthanitreceived.Istilldonotconsideritafairtradefor

SouthVietnam’sfreeingofthousandsofVietCongcadres,afarmoreirrevocableact.]



ItwasThanksgivingDay.Thoughtfully,theNorthVietnameseserveda

lavishlunchofroastbeefandchickeninhonoroftheoccasion.AfterwardIcabled

Nixonthatwhilewehadachievedsomemarginalimprovements,theNorth

Vietnamesehadpulledbacksomewhat,leavingtheoverallagreementslightly

worsethantheonenegotiatedinOctober.IgavethePresidenttwooptions:

breakoffthetalksandresumebombingNorthofthetwentiethparallel(ineffect,

thecoursehehadaskedmetoputtoLeDucThotwenty‐fourhoursbefore);or

elsesettlefortheimprovementsinthedraftagreementalreadyachievedonthe

DMZandweaponsprovisions,plusafewchangesinthepoliticalsectionsasa

face‐saverforSaigon;therestoftheagreementwouldremainasitstoodin

October.Ihad,ofcourse,nowayofknowingwhetherHanoiwouldacceptthis;I

wascertainSaigonwouldrefuse.Itwassymptomaticofthewaryrelationship

growingupbetweenNixonandmethatIofferednorecommendationbetween

thetwooptions.[

NixonclaimsthatIrecommendedthefirstoption.

Theevidencedoesnot

sustainthis;infact,Ihintedatapreferenceforthesecond.]Ratherpettily,Iaddedthat

eventssofarhadconfirmedmyoriginalanalysis:“Itappearsthatourearlier

judgmentswerecorrectthatnowtheNovember7deadlinehaspassedsohasthe

incentiveforHanoitoproceedinthesamepanickyfashionwhichmotivatedthem

inOctober.”



ButNixonwasnoslouchatone‐upmanship.Hecabledbackthat“because

ofexpectationsthathavebeenbuiltupinthiscountry”(translation:my“peaceis

athand”pressconference),thebreak‐offofthetalks,whichhehadputforward

twenty‐fourhoursearlier,wasnolongerpossible.Hechosethesecondoption,

askingmetoplaythehandashardasIcould:



InmyviewtheOctober8agreementwasonewhichcertainlywouldhavebeeninour

interest.YoushouldtrytoimproveittotakeaccountofSaigon’sconditionsasmuchas

possible.Butmostimportantwemustrecognizethefundamentalrealitythatwehaveno

choicebuttoreachagreementalongthelinesoftheOctober8principles.



RatherthanpressureHanoi,Nixonpreferrednowtoputtheheaton

Saigon:



YoushouldinformtheSaigonrepresentativesthatallmilitaryandeconomicaidwillbe

cutoffbytheCongressifanagreementisnotreached.Informthemalsothat,underthese

circumstances,IwillbeunabletogettheCongressionalsupportthatisneeded.



Thenextmorning,Nixonhadsecondthoughts;Idonotknowwhatchanged

hismind.HesentanothercablesuggestingthatIinterruptthetalksafterall,on

thepretextofgivingthenegot i atorsanopportunitytoconsult theirprincipals.In

thatcasehewouldauthorizeamassiveairstrikeagainstNorthVietna mduring

therecess.Thiswasnotmypreference.IfavoredresumptionofbombingNorthof

thetwentiethparallelonlyifthetalksbrokedownaltogether,andwehadnotyet

reachedthatpoint.Inanycase,Nixonwasnowpre paredtobravethedomestic

stormifwestucktoafirmline:



Ouraimwillcontinuetobetoendthewarwithhonor.Andifbecauseofthepursuitof

ourstrategyandtheaccidentofthetimingoftheelectionwearenowinapublicrelations

corner,wemusttakeourlumpsandseeitthrough.



Ingivingthisdirection,weallmustrealizethatthereisnowaywhateverthatwecan

mobilizepublicopinionbehindusasinthecaseofNovember3[1969],Cambodia[1970]and

May8[1972].Butatleastwiththeelectionbehindus,weoweittothesacrificethathasbeen

madetodatebysomanytodowhatisrighteventhoughthecostinourpublicsupportwillbe

massive.



Thenetresultofalltheseinstructionswastoleavethedecisionuptome.

AllthistimetheSaigonconting e ntofambassadorshadtakenanadamantstand,

notbudgingfromtheirdemandforthesixty‐ninechanges.OnNovember23we

learnedthatThieu’saide,NguyenPhuDuc,wascomingtoParistoreinforcethe

team.IfSaigonweretoshowanyflexibility, wewouldhavetoawaithisarrival.I

alsojudgedthatitwouldbeamistakefortheAmericanandNorthVietnamese

delegationstokeepmeetingontheestablishedpattern,formallyworkingourway

throughtheagreement.IntheabsenceofnewinstructionsforLeDucThoor

“give”fromSaigon,wewouldmerelyconfirmthedeadlock.Andwewouldnot

hearfromSaigonforanothertwenty‐fourhours.



IthereforeproposedtoLeDucThothatheandI,eachaccompaniedbyjust

oneadviser,meetatouroldplaceatRueDarthéinChoisy‐le‐Roi.Heagreed.Haig

andImethimandXuanThuyforoneandahalfhoursonNovember24fora

philosophicaldiscussion.I readtomyinterlocutorsthestarchierofNixon’s

telegrams,especiallythoseemphasizinghiswillingnesstorunmilitaryrisks.I

stressedthatwewouldinnocircumstancesacceptprovisionsweakerthanthose

alreadypublished—thusrejectingLeDucTho’srequestforchangesinHanoi’s

favor.LeDucThomaintainedhisposition.Afterthis meetingIcabledNixonthatI

leanedtowardaweek’spostponement.ItwouldshowHanoithatwewerenot

excessivelyanxious.ItwouldgiveusanotherweektoworkonSaigonunlessDuc

broughtafundamen talchange.Asitstood,whateverwasnegotiableinParis

couldnotbesoldinSaigon.IwouldwaitformymeetingwithNguyenPhuDuc

beforemakingafinaldecision.



Ducbroughtnothing.Nixon’scabledescribingCongressionalattitudes

impressedDucbutobviouslycouldnotchangehisinstructions.Idecidedto ask

foraweek’srecessthenextday.Inthesecircumstancesameetingofthetwo

delegationsagainseemedunwise.LeDucThoandXuanThuythusmetHaigand

mefortwohoursonthemorningofNovember25atRueDarthé.LeDucTho

grantedarecessgrudgingly;Ididnothavetheimpressionthathewasprepared

foradditionalserioustalks.WeagreedtoannounceDecember4fora

resumption.



Thisfirstroundoftalksthusendedwithtwelveimprovements—some

marginal—inthetext,balancedagainstthreeorfourdemandsbyHanoiformajor

changesinitsfavor.WewerenotclearaboutHanoi’sultimateintentions.LeDuc 

Tho’stacticsmightbetoughnegotiating ortheycouldreflectagrowing

confidencethatthepsychologicaltidewasrunninginHanoi’sfavor.TheNorth

VietnamesemightcalculatethatwewouldtrytoforceSaigontogobacktothe

Octobertextiftheyheldonlongenough,shatteringthemoraleofThieu’s

government.OrelsetheCongresswouldforceusoutofthewar.Nixon

meanwhilehadchangedhismindagain.HenowthoughtI shouldkeepthetalks

going.Hehadsentmea“suggestion”tothateffectlateonNovember 24afterthe

recesshadalreadybeenagreed.ItwasuncharacteristicofNixonandshowedhow

isolatedhewasatCampDavid.NopoliticalleaderIhave metunderstoodthe

dynamicsofnegotiationsbetterthanNixon.Heknewthattheprocessoftalking

rarelyproducessolutionsbyitself;onlyabalanceofincentivesandpenaltiescan

produceprogress.WeneededtohaveHanoigiveupitsdemandsforre leaseof

VietCongpoliticalprisonersandforthewithdrawalofAmericancivilian

technicians.WehadtohearfromSaigonwhatmodificationsofitssixty‐nine

pointsitcouldlivewith.AlltheevidencewasthatneitherVietnamesepartywas

preparedtobudgeatthismoment.Weneededtherespiteifonlytoavoidhaving

usdugintoanintractable stalemate,andtoseewhatpressurescouldbebrought

tobear.



Ihadbeguntobeseizedwithapremonitionofdisasterindependentofthe

issuesinvolved.Anexperiencednegotiatordevelopsasixthsenseforwhenthe

othersideisreadytosettle.Thesignalsareusuallymattersofnuance:Some

issuesarenotpressedto theabsolutelimit;someclaimsaremarginallymodified;

thedoorstocompromisearealwayskepttangentiallyajar.Noneofthese

indicatorsappearedintheNovemberroundoftalks;indeed,allthesignswere

contrary:Hanoi’sconcessionsweremarginalandinconclusive;theykeptthegoal

ofasettlementalwaystantalizinglyoutofreach.OnetelltalesignwasTho’s

persistentreluctanceto letexpertsfrombothsidesdiscusstheprotocols—

documentsthatweretospelloutindetailthearrangementsforimplementing

generalclausesinthemainagreements,suchasthetimingandsupervisionofthe

cease‐fire,andthecompositionandauthorityoftheinternationalcontrol

machinery.IrepeatedlyaskedforNorthVietnamesedraftsorideasonthese

protocolsandsaidthatourexpertsheadedbyAmbassadorSullivanwerereadyto

negotiateonthem.Thoevadedeachofourrequestswiththelameexcusethat

theNorthVietnamesedraftswerenotready.ThiswasamazinginlightofHanoi’s

insistencethreeweeksearlierthatwesignthebasicagreementbyOctober31.(It

alsoshowshowabsurdthe“shedyule”wasintheabsenceoftheimplementing

documents.)Ifmyinstinctswereright,worsewasyettocome;Hanoiwouldbe

embarkedonacourseofprocrastinationandwehadlittleleveragetojoltthem

outofit.Inthisuneasymood,Iflewhome.



Predictably,Washingtonprovedinhospitabletoincipientfailure.Itisacity

thatthrivesontalesofprominenceanddecline.Therawmaterialofitssociallife

andday‐to‐dayconversationistheriseandfallofthepowerful.Ihadbeen

protectedfornearlyfouryears—exceptforabriefstormduringtheIndia ‐Pakis tan

crisis—bytheunambiguoussupportofthePresident.Ihadbeenassociatedwitha

wholeseriesofsuccessfulnegotiations.Themediahadtreatedmeperhaps

excessivelygently—partlyasacontrast toNixon.Iwasnowtosufferthe

correspondingpenalty.Ihadmademyshareofenemiesamongthoseinthe

bureaucracywhothoughtmeundulydominantandamongmembersoftheWhite

HousestaffjealousofmyaccesstoNixonorwaryofthepublicityIwasreceiving.

Andnotevenmyseverestcriticshaveaccusedmeofexcesse sofhumility,thelack

ofwhichisboundtoinvitechallengeswhenvulnerabilityappears.InWashington,

Nixonwasclearlygettingrestive.Theprospectofimminentdisasteralways

activatesthenetworkofgossip,leak,andinnuendothatmurmurouslydetermines

one’sfatethroughtheattitudeofthespectators,muchasinaRomancircus.One

iscondemnedtothecontestlikeagladiatoranditendsonlywithone’spublic

career.



FailureinWashingtonrequiresasacrificialoffering.Iwasthelogical

candidate.Themediareminde dtheiraudiencesofmy“peaceisathand” 

statement,thoughtheytreatedme,Imustsay,compassionatelyatthisstage.The

samecouldnotbesaidofsomeWhiteHouseaideswhobegantotake

precautionstodissociate thePresidentfromapossiblecollapseofthe

negotiations.Stories begantoappear—incolumnsasdifferentasthoseofJohn

Osborne,EvansandNovak,andJackAnderson—thatIhadexceededmy

instructionsintheOctoberround,thatNixon’slegal‐eagleeyehadspotted

draftingflawsintheoriginalagreement,thatNixonwassidingwithThieuagainst

me.Muchofitwasself‐servingnonsense.I hadhadnoinstructionstoexceedin

October;Nixonhadnotraisedasingleobjectiontoanyprovisionofthe

agreement.HisprivateviewofThieuwasifanythinglesscharitablethanmine,

thoughhewasworriedaboutoffendingtheRepublicanrightwing.Butin

Washingtonthefactofsuchleaksisoftenmoreinterestingthantheirtruth;they

indicate,ifnotPresidentialdispleasure,atleastthatsomeaidesconsideritsafeto

attackacloseassociateofthePresident.Andforeigngovernmentswilldrawtheir

ownconclusionsfromanappearanceofdivisioninhighcouncils.Inthatrespect

WhiteHousepoliticsisnotsodifferentfromlifeatroyalcourts.



Asalwaysinthosematters,personalandpolicyconsideratio nswereclosely

linked.ItisnaturalforaPresidenttowanttoputsomedaylightbetweenhimself

andpossibledisaster;inmycasetherewasthecomplicatingfactorofpent‐up—

andnotunjustified—resentmentoverwhatNixonandhisclosestassociates

consideredthedisproportionatecreditforforeignpolicysuccessesgiventome.

Asforme,injuredpridemergedwitharealconcernthatwecouldseethe

loomingcrisisthroughonlyifwestayedunitedandkeptournerve.Itriedtomake

thispointtoHaldemanandZiegler;Ialsopointedoutthatanattemptto

dissociatethePresidenttoomuchfrommyeffortswouldbackfire;theoddswere,

afterall,quitehighthatwewouldsucceedeventuallyandthePresidentwould

thennotwishtoappeartoofarremovedfromthenegotiation.Asintheprevious

yearoverIndia‐Pakistan,HaldemanandZieglerwerenoncommital.



Allthiswasgoodcleanbureaucraticfun,butithada massivelypernicious

impactinthenegotiations.ItencouragedThieuinhisintransigenceandinhis

seekingtoexploitthepresumedsplitbetweenNixonandme.Anditwasboundto

temptHanoitostonewallinthetalks.ItwouldbeadisasterforusifHanoi

returnedtoitstime‐honoredstrategyofwearingusdown,hopingto lullusinto

imposingtermsonSaigonthatwouldatleastachieveHanoi’slong‐standingaim

ofunderminingthemoraleandsurvivalofourally.Thisweweredeterminedto

avoid.AndinfactonsubstanceNixonandIremainedclose;asalwaysincrisis

Nixonwascalmandanalytical.Buttherewasnodoubtwewerecaughtinavise.

Thieu,ononeside,wasdeterminedtogiveusnoleeway;Hanoi,ontheother

side,allthemoresawthedivisionsloomingbetweenSaigonandWashington—as

wellaswithinourowngovernment—asanopportunitytodelaytoseewhat

benefitsmightbewaitingdowntheroad. Wedecidedtobringmattersto ahead,

firstwithSaigon.



OnNovember26IaskedBunkertotellThieuyetagainthatourminimum

conditionsremainedunchanged.Toreinforceourpositionwe nowaccepted

Thieu’searliersuggestionthatheshouldsendanemissaryandrequestedthe

immediatedispatchofNguyenPhuDuctoWashingtonfromParissothatNixon

couldgooverourfinalpositionwithhim.(ThepointwastodisabuseThieuofany

hopethathecouldplayonaNixon‐Kissingersplit.)Bunkerendorsedthe

approach;hesharedourconvictionthatThieuwoulddonothingtoeaseourtask,

wouldassumenoresponsibilityforthenegotiation,andyetwouldacceptthe

result.



DucarrivedonNovember29tomeetadeterminedNixon.ThePresident,in

fact,thoughtmyproposedtalkingpoint sweresomewhat“toosoft.”Hewanted

toshowmehowtoachieveaclear‐cutresult.Havingnoexperiencewiththe

Vietnamesenegotiatingstyle,hedidnotappreciatethatitavoidsshowdown,that

itspliantobtusenessoftenmak esitimpossibletodeterminetheprecisenatureof

theissueorwhatexactlyhasbeenagreed.Duccarriedanextremelylong,

eloquentletterfromThieutoNixon.Itrecountedalltheconcessionsextracted

fromSaigonovertheyearswiththepromise—broken,italleged—thatnoother

sacrificewouldbedemanded.Thieuhadapoint,ofcourse;thetragedywasthat

whatThieuconsideredintolerablepressurebyushadbeenregardedbyourcritics

ascrassintransigence.Wehadtonavigateinthisgulf;toadoptThieu’sviewat

thislatehourwouldhaveguaranteedthecollapseofallremainingsupportat

home.Fortherest,Thieu’sletterwasoblivioustotheinterveningnegotiationsor

ourdomesticdilemma.ItrestatedallhisargumentsofOctober,asifrepetition

couldforceusonacoursenottroddenatleastsinceOctober1970.Thieu

suggestedanappealtoworldopinionifhis“just”demandswerenotmet.This

wasaforlornhope;worldopinionhadbeenoblivioustoHanoi’stransgressions

whileitstroopsweretramplingthesovereigntyofeveryneighbor;Hanoihad

madestickitsclaimtobethevictimofAmerican“oppression”whenithad

startedeverywarinIndochinasince1954.Worldopinionwaspressuringus,not

Hanoi,andwasboundtoaccelerateitspressures.



NixonsuccinctlyexplainedtoDuctheimpossibilityofsuchacourse.We

couldnotnowabandonpeaceproposalswehadjointlyputforwardfornearly

threeyears.Itwasabsurdtodescribeasacoalitiongovernmentanorganization

operatingbyunanimity,selectedjointly,andwithfewspecifiedfunctions.Our

strategyinanycasewasset.NixonwouldproceedonitwhateverSaigon’s

attitude;thelatterwoulddeterminenottheoutcomeofthenegotiationbutour

abilitytoprovidehelpafterwardandtoenforcetheagreement.Itwasstrongstuff

butnotstrongenoughto elicitaclear‐cutreaction.Ducdeniedanydesirefora

confrontation.Onthecontrary,hisaimwasclosecooperation.Ontheotherhand,

hehadnoauthoritytogobeyondthesettledviewsofhisPresident.Nixongrandly

suggestedthatDucandIsitdowntoworkoutapracticalsolution;hisdecision

hadbeenmade.Inotherwords,wewererightbackwherewehadstarted.Duc

hadnoauthoritytosettleandThieuwouldneveryield tome.



Theresultwasforeordained.ImetDuc twiceinmyoffice,andinbetween

ourtwosessionswas anotherbriefmeetingwithNixon.NixonstressedtoDucyet

againthathisabilitytoenforcetheagreementwasmore importantthanany

changesintheclauses,thoughhewaspreparedtoseeksomefurther