Kissinger Henry. White House Years

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andreferredinseveralplacestothe“sovereigntyofSouthVietnam.”Wegave

theseassurances.



Ibelievedthen,andIbelievenow,thattheagreementcouldhaveworked.

Itreflectedatrueequilibrium offorcesontheground.Iftheequilibriumwere

maintained,theagreementcouldhavebeenmaintained.WebelievedthatSaigon

wasstrongenoughtodealwithguerrillawarandlow‐levelviolations.Theimplicit

threatofourretaliationwouldbelikelytodetermassiveviolations.Wehoped

thatwiththeprogramofassistanceforallofIndochina,includingNorthVietnam,

promisedbytwoPresidentsofbothparties,wemightpossiblyeventurnHanoi’s

attention(andmanpower)totasksofconstruction ifthenewrealitiestookhold

forasufficientperiodoftime.HanoiwasindeedinstructingitscadresintheSouth

toprepareforalongperiodofpoliticalcompetition.Wewoulduseournew

relationshipswithMoscowandPekingtofosterrestraint.



Wehadnoillusionsabout Hanoi’slong‐termgoals.Nordidwegothrough

theagonyoffouryearsofwarandsearingnegotiationssimplytoachievea

“decentinterval”forourwithdrawal.Weweredeterminedtodoourutmostto

enableSaigontogrowinsecurityandprosperitysothatitcouldprevailinany

politicalstruggle.Wesoughtnotanintervalbeforecollapse,butlastingpeace

withhonor.ButforthecollapseofexecutiveauthorityasaresultofWatergate,I

believewewouldhavesucceeded. 



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XXXIV



PeaceatLast



ichardNixon’ssecondInauguraltookplaceonadaymuchlikehisfirst,cold

andclearandblustery.IsatontheplatformbehindtheCabinetwithmy

eighty‐six‐year‐oldfather.Iwasnolongersurprisedatbeingthere,butI

wassomewhatstunnedbytheemotionaleventsofthepastmonths.Thewar

wouldnowsoonbeoverandhopewaspervasive.SenatorsandCongressmen

cameovertochatandtocongratulate;myfather,whoselife’seffortshadbeen

destroyedwhenNazismtookoverhisnativeland,wasbeaming.Hecouldnot

reallybelievewhathadhappened;inastrangewayalltheanguishofhislife

seemedvindicated.

R



TherewasablareoftrumpetsandNixonappearedtothetuneof“Hailto

theChief.”Hetooseemedasifhecouldnotreallybelieveithadallhappened;a

terminofficehadnotabatedhissenseofwonderatbeingthere.Andheseemed,

ifnotreallyhappy,indeedquitedetache d.



TriumphseemedtofillNixonwithapremonitionofephemerality.Hewas,

ashenevertiredofrepeating,athisbestunderpressure.Indeed,itwas 

sometimesdifficulttoavoidtheimpress ionthatheneededcrisesasamotivating

force—andthatsuccessbecamenotagoalbutanobsessionsothatonce

achievedhewouldnotknowwhattodowithit.Thefestivitiessurroundingthe

Inaugurationwerelargebutnotbuoyant.Participantsactedasiftheyhadearned

theirpresenceratherthanasiftheysharedinanewcommonpurpose.Throughit

allRichardNixonmovedasifhewerehimselfaspectator,nottheprincipal.He

hadbroughtoffspectacularsuccesses.Hehadachievedtheinternationalgoalshe

hadsetforthefirstterm.Hehadbeforehimablankcanvas,oneoftheraretimes

inhistorythataPresidentcoulddevotehimselfsubstantiallyto newandcreative

tasksofdiplomacy.Thelegaciesofthepastwerebeingovercome,the

internationalenvironmentwasfluid,ashappensatmostonceinageneration—

waitingtobeshaped.Andyettherewasabouthimthisdayaqualityof

remoteness,asifhecouldneverquitebringhimselftoleavetheinhospitableand

hostileworldthatheinhabited,thathemayhavehatedbutatleasthadcometo

termswith.Perhapsitwassimpleshynessorfatalism;perhapsitwasthe

consciousnessofaloomingcatastrophe. 



Twodayslater,January22,IleftforParisforthefinalmeetingwithLeDuc

Tho.Itwastotakeplaceforthefirsttimeonneutralandceremonialgroundina

smallconferenceroomatAvenueKléber,thesceneof174futileplenarysessions

since1968.Evennowitwouldbeusedforonlyasymbolicevent.Sullivanand

Thachhadspentseveraldayscheckingallthetexts.Inafinalparanoiacgesture

theNorthVietnameseinsistedthatoncompletioneachtextbeboundbystring

andthestringsealed—Isupposetopreventusfromdeviouslyslippinginnew

pagesovernight.



WhenIarrivedinParis,IlearnedthatLyndonJohnsonhaddiedthatday.

HewashimselfacasualtyoftheVietnamwar,whichhehadinheritedandthen

expandedinstrivingtofulfillhisconceptionofournation’s dutyandofhis

obligationtohisfallenpredecessor.Therewasnothinghehadwantedlessthan

tobeawarPresident,andthisnodoubtcontributedtohisinconclusiveconduct

ofthestruggle.Inretirementhehadbehavedwithdignitynotuntingedby

melancholy,burdenedwiththeterribletruththattheonlypursuithereallycared

about,thatofpublicservice,wasnowclosedtohim—likeasurgeonwhoatthe

heightofhisprowessisbarredforeverfromenteringahospital.Haldemanhad

phonedhimonJanuary15totellhimthatthebombingwouldstop.(Ihadbriefed

himonNixon’sbehalfmanytimesinthepast,but,nowreducedtoa“lower

profile,”IhadbeenrequestedbyHaldemannottodoso.)ButI hadsenthima

copyofthepeaceagreement,withawarmnote.Itwassymbolicthatthishulking,

imperious,vulnerable,expansive,aspiringman,sofulloflife,shoulddiewiththe

warthathadbrokenhisheart.



Themeetingstartedat9:35a.m.,Tuesday,January23.LeDucTho

managedevenonthissolemnoccasionto makehimselfobnoxiousbyinsistingon

ironcladassurancesofAmericaneconomicaidtoNorthVietnam.Itoldhimthat

thiscouldnotbediscussedfurtheruntilaftertheagreementwassigned;italso

dependedonCongressionalapprovalandonobservanceoftheagreement.

Finally,ataquartertoone,weinitialedthevarioustextsandimprovisedbrief

closingstatements.LeDucThosaid:



Mr.Adviser,wehavebeennegotiatingforalmostfiveyearsnow.Icansaythisisnow

thebeginningofanewatmospherebetweenus.Itisalsothefirststone[sic]whichmarksour

newrelationshipbetweenourtwocountries,althoughtheofficialsigningceremonywilltake

placeinafewdaystime.TherestorationofpeaceistheaspirationoftheVietnamesepeople,

theAmericanpeopleandalsothepeopleoftheworld.



Sotodaywehaveaccomplishedourwork.ItalkedtoyourGovernmentthroughyouand

youtalkedtomyGovernmentthroughme.We,bothofus,shouldnotforgetthishistoricalday.

Becauseitisalongdistanceanddifficultwaybeforewecometothis,butnowwehave

overcomeallthesedifficulties.ItisasubjectforsatisfactionbetweenUs,foryouandforme.

AndtheAgreementwillbeofficiallysignedinafewdays.Isolemnlyrespect[sic]heretoyou

thatwewillstrictlyimplementtheAgreement.Ithinkthatbothofusshoulddothesame,if

lastingpeaceistobemaintainedinVietnamandinSoutheastAsia.



AndIreplied:



Mr.SpecialAdviser,ourtwopeopleshavesufferedagreatdeal.Therehavebeenmany

painfulmomentsandmuchdestruction.YouandIhavehadthegreathonorofputtinganend

tothis.Itissomethingwecanneverforget.



Butourworkwillnotbecompleteunlesswebringalastingpeacetothepeopleof

Indochina,andanatmosphereofreconciliationbetweenthepeopleofNorthVietnamandthe

peopleoftheUnitedStates.Iwouldlikealsosolemnlytopromiseyouthatwewillstrictly

implementtheAgreement.Beyondthat,weshalldedicateourselvestotheimprovementofthe

relationshipbetweenourtwocountries.IthinkyouandIhaveaspecialrelationshipanda

specialobligationinthisrespect.Soourworktodaycompletesournegotiations.AndIhope

thatwewillbeabletolookbacktothisdayasthepointwhichmarkedthebeginningof

friendshipbetweenthepeopleofNorthVietnamandtheUnitedStates.



AfterthisLeDucThoandIsteppedoutonthestreetinacoldmistyrain,

andshookhandsforthebenefitofphotographers.IlunchedwithForeign

MinisterLamofSouthVietnam.Hebehavedwithdignityandcourage, givingno

hintofthebitterdisputeofrecentmonths.



America’sVietnamwarwasover.



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

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

Postlude



NJanuary23,Washingtonwas,asalwaysbeforegreatevents,consumedin

technicalities.Iarrivedbackinmyofficearound6:35p.m.thesameday,a

fewhoursbeforeNixonwastoannouncetheagreementandthecease‐fire.For

onceIwasnotaskedtobriefthepressuntilthenextday.Itwasfelt,correctly,

thatthePresident’sspeechwouldrequirenoelaboration.ThePresidentbriefed

theCongressionalleadersintheCabinetRoom,doingmostof theexplaining

himself.

O



Isataloneinmyoffice,waitingforNixon’sspeechtothenation.Itwasthe

culminationofallwehadenduredandendeavoredforfouryears.Overtwo

millionAmericanshadgivenpartsoftheirlivestothatdistantland.Overforty‐five

thousandhadlaiddowntheirlivesforit;severalhundredthousandhadbeen

wounded.Theyandtheirfamiliescouldnowtakesomepridethatithadnotall

beeninvain.ThosewhohadopposedtheeffortinIndochinawould,wecould

hope,closeranksnowthattheirgoalofpeacehadfinallybeenachieved.Andthe

peoplesofSouthVietnam,Laos,andCambodiawouldperhapsattainatlonglasta

futureoftranquillity,security,andprogress,afutureworthyoftheirsacrifices.



Westood,Iferventlyhoped,atthethresholdofaperiodofnational

reconciliationthatwouldbegivenimpetusbytheuniqueopportunityfor

creativityIsawahead.PerhapsAmericahadfoundthewaytomergetheidealism

oftheearlySixtieswiththesternerpragmatismoftherecentpast.Chinawasnow

animportantfriend;wehadbuiltanewbasisforstablerelations withtheSoviet

UnionthroughaBerlinagreement,thefirststrategicarmslimitationtreaty,and

anagreedcodeofinternationalconduct.Thediplomaticrevolutionthathadbeen

broughtaboutopenedupanextraordinaryopportunityforAmericandiplomacy.

This,inadditiontothedispellingofourVietnamtrauma,wasareasonfor

enormoushope.Wehadeasedrelationswithadversaries;itwasnowtimetoturn

toreinvigoratingrelationswithfriends,andtoresolvingunsolvedproblems.We

haddecidedtomake1973theYearofEurope,toreaffirmourAlliancetieswith

theAtlanticCommunity—andalsoJapan.Wewouldshowthatthesetieswere

strongeranddeeperthanthetentativenewrelationswithCommunistcountries.

OnthebasisofAlliancecohesionandvitalitywewouldtesttherealopportunities

fordetente.Wewereata momentofextraordinaryopportunityintheMiddle

East;IwassettomeetwithPresidentSadat’snationalsecurityadviser,Hafiz

Ismail,inFebruary— myfirststepasaMiddleEastnegotiator.Nixonenteredhis

secondtermwithanoverwhelmingpublicmandate,astrongexecutiveatthe

heightofhisprestige.



Onlyrarelyinhistorydostatesmenfindanenvironmentinwhichallfactors

aresomalleable;beforeus,Ithought,wasthechancetoshapeevents,tobuilda

newworld,harnessingtheenergyanddreamsoftheAmericanpeople,and

mankind’shopes.AlmostcertainlyIwouldnotbeabletotakepartinthewhole

enterpriseoverfouryears;afterthepeacewaswellestablishedIwouldleave—

perhapstowardtheendoftheyear.IwasgratefulfortheopportunityIhad

enjoyedtohelppreparetheground.



Nixonspokeat10:00p.m.brieflyandwithconciliation.Hepaidtributeto

LyndonJohnson,whohadyear nedforthatday,andheaskedAmericansto

consecratethemselvesto“makethepeacewehave achievedapeacethatwould

last.”



IcalledNixonimmediatelyafterward,asIhaddoneaftereverymajor

speech,tocongratulatehim.Heseemedincapableofrestingonanyachievement.

HewasalreadyworryingabouttheCongressionalbriefingsthatwouldstartnext

day.



PeaceatLast



Mrs.Nixontookthephonetocongratulateme.Ittookstoutheartstoseeit

through,shesaid.Whatagallantladyshehadbeen.Withpainandstoicism,she

hadsufferedthecalumnyandhatredthatseemedtofollowherhusband.Unlike

thePresident,shewasnotcapableofthefantasylifeinwhichromantic

imaginingsembellishedtheoftenself‐inflicteddailydisappointments.Shewas

totallywithoutillusionsandtotallyinsistentonfacinghertrialsinsolitude.Her

dignityneverwavered.Andifsheseemedremote,whocouldknowwhatfireshad

hadtobebanke dinhersternexistence.Shemadenoclaimsonanyone;her

fortitudehadbeenawesomeandnotalittleinspiringbecauseonesensedthatit

hadbeenwrestedfromanessentialgentleness.



AfewminuteslaterNelsonRockefellercalled.Hehadintroducedmeto

publiclifeandsustainedmethrougho ut.Inastrangewayhewasbothinarticulate

andabitshy,andyetenvelopinginhiswarmth.Onehadtoknowhimwellto

understandthetactilemannerinwhichhecommunicated—themeaningsofthe

littlewinks,nudges,andmumblesbywhichheconveyedthathecared,and

conferredcomfortandinwardsecurity.AndhewasquintessentiallyAmericanin

hisunquenchableoptimism.Hecouldneverimaginethatawrongcouldnotbe

rightedorthateffortcouldnotconquerobstaclesinthewayofhonorablegoals.

Hewasalwaysencouraging,supportive.Hehadbeentherematter‐of‐factly,

unasked,througheverycrisisofthoseyears.Andinthisspirithespoketomewith

prideofwhathiscountryhadaccomplished.HesawinAmerica’sstrengtha

blessingconferringaduty—todefendthefree,togivehopetothedisadvantaged,

andtowalktrulyinthepathsofjusticeandmercy.



Aroundmidnight,whenIwasathome,NixoncalledfromtheLincolnSitting

Room,wherehewasbroodingalone.Hewaswonderingwhetherthepresswould

appreciatewhathadbeendone;probablynot.Butthatwasnotwhathereally

hadonhismind.Heknewthateverysuccessbringsaterrificletdown,hesaid.I

shouldnotletitgettome.Ishouldnotbediscouraged.Thereweremanybattles

yettofight;Ishouldnotweaken.Infact,IwasneitherdiscouragednordidIfeel

letdown.Listeningtohim,Icouldpicturethescene:Nixonwouldbesitting

solitaryandwithdrawn,deepinhisbrownstuffedchairwithhislegsonasetteein

frontofhim,asmallreadinglightbreakingthedarkness,andawoodfirethrowing

shadowsonthewalloftheroom.Theloudspeakerswouldbeplayingromantic

classicalmusic,probablyTchaikovsky.Hewastalkingtome,buthewasreally

addressinghimself.



Whatextraordinaryvehiclesdestinyselectstoaccomplishitsdesign.This

man,solonelyinhishouroftriumph,soungenerousinsomeofhismotivations,

hadnavigatedournationthroughoneofthemostanguishingperiodsinits

history.Notbynaturecourageous,hehadsteeledhimselftoconspicuousactsof

rarecourage.Notnormallyoutgoing,hehadforcedhimselftorallyhispeopleto

itschallenge.HehadstrivenforarevolutioninAmericanforeignpolicysothatit

wouldovercomethedisastrousoscillat ionsbetweenovercommitmentand

isolation.DespisedbytheEstablishment,ambiguousinhishumanperceptions,he

hadyetheldfasttoasenseofnationalhonorandresponsibility, determinedto

provethatthestrongestfreecountryhadnorighttoabdicate.Whatwouldhave

happenedhadtheEstablishmentaboutwhichhewassoambivalentshownhim

somelove?Wouldhehavewithdrawndeeperintothewildernessofhis

resentments,orwouldanactofgracehaveliberatedhim?Bynowitnolonger

mattered.Envelopedinanintractablesolitude,attheendofaperiodofbitter

division,heneverthelesssawbeforehimavistaofpromisetowhichfew

statesmenhavebee nblessedtoaspire.Hecouldenvisageanewinternational

orderthatwouldreducelingeringenmities,strengthenfriendships,andgivenew

hopetoemergingnations.ItwasaworthygoalforAmericaandmankind.Hewas

aloneinhismomentoftriumphonapinnacle,thatwassoontoturnintoa

precipice.Andyetwithallhisinsecuritiesandflawshehadbroughtusbya

tremendousactofwilltoanextraordinarymomentwhendreamsandpossibilities

conjoined.



ThesethingspassedthroughmymindthateveningafteratlonglastIhad

placedmyinitialsontheParisAgreementonEndingtheWarandRestoringPeace

inVietnam.AndIwasatpeacewithmyself,neitherelatednorsad.



<<Contents>>



****



ChapterNotes



II

PeriodofInnocence:TheTransition



MichelCrozier,TheBureaucraticPhenomenon(Chicago:UniversityofChicagoPress,1964),pp‐44‐55.187‐198.

MelvinR.Laird,intra..TheConservativePapers(GardenCity,N.Y.:AnchorBooks,Doubleday&Co.,1964).

See,e.g.,RogerMorris,UncertainGreatness(NewYork:HarperandRow,1977),chapterII,“Coupd’étatatthe

HotelPierre.”

TherelevantpassageinNixon’sfirstInauguraladdressreads:

Afteraperiodofconfrontation,weareenteringaneraofnegotiation.

LetallnationsknowthatduringthisAdministrationourlinesofcommunicationwillbeopen.

Weseekanopenworld—opentoideas,opentotheexchangeofgoodsandpeople—aworldinwhichno

people,greatorsmall,willliveinangryisolation.

Wecannotexpecttomakeeveryoneourfriend,butwecantrytomakenooneourenemy.

Thosewhowouldbeouradversaries,weinvitetoapeacefulcompetition—notinconqueringterritoryor

extendingdominion,butinenrichingthelifeofman.

Asweexplorethereachesofspace,letusgotothenewworldstogether—notasnewworldstobe

conquered,butasanewadventuretobeshared.

Withthosewhoarewillingtojoin,letuscooperatetoreducetheburdenofarms,tostrengthenthe

structureofpeace,toliftupthepoorandthehungry.



Buttoallthosewhowouldbetemptedbyweakness,letusleavenodoubtthatwewillbeasstrongasweneed

tobeforaslongasweneedtobe.

III

TheConvictionsofanApprenticeStatesman

Ihavediscussedtheconceptof“containment”inNuclearWeaponsandForeignPolicy(NewYork:Harperand

Bros.,1957),chapter2.AnexcellentanalysismaybefoundinCoralBell,NegotiationfromStrength(NewYork:

AlfredA.Knopf,Inc.,1963).

USCongress,Senate,CommitteeonArmedServicesandCommitteeonForeignRelations,Hearingsonthe

MilitarySituationintheFarEast,82dCong.,1stsess.,1951,p.2083.

SpeechatLlandudno,Wales,Oct.9,1948,quotedinNewYorkTimes,Oct.10,1948.

“CentralIssuesofAmericanForeignPolicy,”inKermitGordon,ed.,AgendafortheNation(Washington:The

BrookingsInstitution,1968),p.614.

IV

EuropeanJourney

“CentralIssuesofAmericanForeignPolicy,”inKermitGordon,ed.,AgendafortheNation(Washington:The

BrookingsInstitution,1968),p.595.

The TroubledPartnership:ARe‐appraisaloftheAtlanticAlliance(NewYork:McGraw‐Hill,1965),p.40.

SeeWaltW.Rostow,“LimitsandResponsibilitiesofAmericanPower,”speechatTexasA&MUniversity,Dec.4,

1968(inDepartmentofStateBulletin,vol.LX,no.1541,Jan.6,1969).

SeeFrancisM.Bator,“ThePoliticsofAlliance:TheUnitedStatesandWesternEurope,”inGordon,ed.,Agenda

fortheNation,p.339.

AlastairBuchan,Europe’sFutures,Europe’sChoices(NewYork:ColumbiaUniversityPress,1969),p.vii.

SeeAndreMalraux,FelledOaks:ConversationwithdeGaulle(NewYork:Holt,RinehartandWinston,1971),p.

30.

“CentralIssuesofAmericanForeignPolicy,”inGordon,ed.,AgendafortheNation,p.599.

AddressbyPresidentdeGaulleonMay31,1960,inMajorAddresses,StatementsandPressConferencesof

GeneralCharlesdeGaulle,May19,1958‐January31,1964(NewYork:FrenchEmbassy,PressandInformation

Division,1964),p.75.

Ibid.,p.78.

PressconferenceofMay15,1962,MajorAddresses,p.176.

PressconferenceofSept.5,1960.MajorAddresses,pp.92‐93.

V

OpeningMoveswithMoscow

V.I.Lenin,SelectedWorks(NewYork:InternationalPublishers,1943),vol.9,pp.242and267,quotedbyNathan

Leites,AStudyofBolshevism(Glencoe,III.:TheFreePress,1953),p.347.

NikitaKhrushchev,ReporttotheTwentiethPartyCongressoftheCPSU,February1956,CurrentDigestofthe

SovietPress,vol.8(March7,1956),pp.11‐12.

NikolaiPodgorny,inPravda,November20,1973.

Lenin,SelectedWorks,vol.10,p.119,quotedbyLeites,p.495.

MichaelT.Florinsky,WorldRevolutionandtheUSSR(NewYork:TheMacmillanCo.,1933),p.216.

NewYorkTimes,May23,1943.

SumnerWelles,TheTimeforDecision(ClevelandandNewYork:TheWorldPublishingCo.,1944),p.406.

AverellHarriman,PeacewithRussia(NewYork,1959),p.168.

“WhyWeTreatDifferentCommunistCountriesDifferently,”addressbySecretaryRusk,Washington,D.C.,Feb.

25,1964(inDepartmentofStateBulletin,vol.L,no.1290,March16,1964,p.393).

RobertE.Sherwood,RooseveltandHopkins:AnIntimateHistory(NewYork:HarperandBros.,1948),p.870.

SeeMaxFrankel,“WhereDoWeGoFromVictory?”TheReporter,Nov.22,1962,p.24.

Macmillan’sclosingstatementatGenevaForeignMinisters’Conference,Nov.16,1955,quotedinDocumentson

InternationalAffairs1955(Oxford:RoyalInstituteofInternationalAffairs,1958),pp.73‐77.

“CentralIssuesofAmericanForeignPolicy,”inKermitGordon,ed.,AgendafortheNation(Washington:The

BrookingsInstitution,1968),p.609.

TheNecessityforChoice(NewYork:HarperandBros.,1961),pp.195‐196.

ZbigniewBrzezinski,“PeaceandPower,”Encounter,vol.XXXI,no.5(November1968),p.13.

MarshallD.Shulman,“TheFutureoftheSoviet‐AmericanCompetition,”inSoviet‐AmericanRelationsandWorld

Order:TheTwoandtheMany,AdelphiPaperNo.66(London:InstituteforStrategicStudies,March1970),p.10.

CliffordspeechquotedbySenatorAlbertGoreinUSCongress,Senate,CommitteeonForeignRelations,

StrategicandForeignPolicyImplicationsofABMSystems,HearingsbeforetheSubcommitteeonInternational

OrganizationandDisarmamentAffairs,91stCong.,1stsess.,March21,1969,p.165.

See,e.g.,StephenS.Rosenfeld,“Nixon’sTripPlansMayAffectTalks,”WashingtonPost,July6,1969;James

Reston,“PresidentNixon’sAvoidableBlunders,”NewYorkTimes,June29,1969;andeditorialinNewYork

Times,June30,1969.

VI

FirstStepstowardChina