Kissinger Henry. White House Years

Подождите немного. Документ загружается.

Readerswhoholdthisweightyvolumeintheirhandsmayfindithardtobelieve

thatanythingwasleftout,butwillperhapsbegratefulthatsomematterswere

indeeddeferredtoasecondvolume.



InwritingthisaccountIhavetriedtokeeprelianceonmemorytoa

minimum;Ihavebeenabletorefertomuchdocumentaryevidenceand,forpart

ofthisperiod,toadiaryIkept.Iintendtoleaveanannotatedcopyofthisvolume

withmypapersfortheuseofscholarswhomaysomedaypursuetheperiodin

greaterdetail.



OneoftheparadoxesoftheageofthememorandumandtheXerox

machine,ofproliferatingbureaucraciesandcompulsiverecord‐keeping,isthat

thewritingofhistorymayhavebecomenearlyimpossible.



Whenanhistoriandealswithpreviouscenturies,theproblemistofind

sufficientcontemporarymaterial;whenhewritesofmoderndiplomacy,the

problemistoavoidbeinginundatedbyit.Ifascholarofimpeccablecredentials

andunassailableobjectivityweregivenfreerunofthemillionsofdocumentsof

anymodernfour‐yearperiod,hewouldhavethegreatestdifficultyknowing

wheretobegin.The writtenrecordwouldbyitsveryvolumeobscureasmuchas

itilluminated;itwouldprovidenocriteriafordeterminingwhichdocumentswere

producedtoprovideanalibiandwhichgenuinelyguideddecisions,which

reflectedactualparticipationandwhichwerepreparedinignoranceofcrucial

events.Beforetheeraofinstantaneouscommunication,instructionstoa

negotiatorhadtobeconceptualandthereforetheygaveaninsightintothe

thinkingofstatesmen;intheageoftheteletypetheyareusuallytactica lor

technicalandthereforearesilentaboutlargerpurposesandpremises.Official

filesofourperiodwouldnotnecessarilydisclose whatdecisionsweretakenby

“backchannels”bypassingformalproceduresorwhatwassettledorallywithout

everbecomingpartoftheformalrecord.Aparticipant’saccountofconversations

caneasilybeexpostfactoself‐justification.(DeanAchesononcesaidthathe

neverreadareportofaconversationinwhichtheauthorcameoutsecondbest

intheargument.)Byaselectivepresentationofdocumentsonecanprovealmost

anything.Contemporarypracticesofunauthorizedorliberalizeddisclosurecome

closetoensuringthateverydocumentiswrittenwithaneyetoself‐protection.

Thejournalist’sgainisthehistorian’sloss.



Theparticipantingreateventsisofcoursenotimmuneto thesetendencies

whenhewriteshisaccount.Obviously,hisperspectivewillbeaffectedbyhisown

involvement;theimpulsetoexplainmergeswiththeimpulsetodefend.Butthe

participanthasatleastonevitalcontributiontoma ketothewritingofhistory:He

willknowwhichofthemyriadofpossibleconsiderationsinfactinfluencedthe

decisionsinwhichhewasinvolved;hewillbeawareofwhichdocumentsreflect

therealityasheperceivedit;hewillbeabletorecallwhatviewsweretaken

seriously,whichwererejected,andthereasoningbehindthechoicesmade.None

ofthisprovesthathisjudgmentwasright—onlywhatitwasbasedupon.Ifdone

withdetachment,aparticipant’smemoirmayhelpfuturehistoriansjudgehow

thingsreallyappeared,even(andperhapsespecially)wheninthefullnessoftime

moreevidencebecomesavailableaboutalldimensionsoftheevents.



Ioweadeepdebtofgratitudetothosewhohelpedmeinthepreparation

ofthisbook.PeterW.Rodman,friend,confidant,andinvaluableassociatefora

decadeandahalf,supervisedtheresearch,undertookmajorresearchhimself,

andhelpedwithediting,checking,andmanyotherchores.Withouthimthiswork

couldneverhavebeencompleted.WilliamG.Hyland,anothertrustedassociate

andlongtimefriend,contributedenormouslytotheresearch,especiallyon

Europe,East‐Westrelations,andSALT.RosemaryNeaherNiehussandMaryE.

Brownell,alsocolleaguesofmineingovernment,wereexceptionallyskilled,ded‐

icated,andhelpfulintheirresearchandreviewofthemanuscript.



WinstonLordandWilliamD.Rogerspermittedmetoimposeontheir

friendshiptoreadtheentirebook.Theymadeinnumerablewisesuggestionsand

aninvaluableeditorialcontribution.Otherswhoreadportionsofthemanuscript

wereBrentScowcroft,LawrenceS.Eagleburger,DavidGinsburg,RichardHelms,

JohnFreeman,SamuelHalpern,JessicaCatto,andJohnKennethGalbraith.Iwill

notpretendthatItookallthesuggestions ofsuchadiversegroup.ButIthank

themwarmlyfortheirefforts.



HaroldEvans,assistedbyOscarTurnill,readthroughtheentirevolume

withabrillianteditorialeye;theytaughtmewhatskilledandintelligentediting

cancontributetoorganizationandtolighteningprose.BetsyPithaandthelate

NedBradfordofLittle,Brownweremeticulousandhelpfulingoingoverthe

manuscript.TheindexwasexpertlypreparedbyMelissaClemence.CatherineDe

Sibour,KathleenTroia,andJeffreyYackerassistedwiththeresearch.



IoweappreciationtoDanielJ.Boorstin,theLibrarianofCongress,andthe

menandwomenoftheManuscriptDivision:JohnC.Broderick,PaulT.Heffron,

JohnKnowlton,andtheirdedicatedstaff.Theyhavemygratitudefortheir

courtesyandassistancewithmypapers,ofwhichtheyarenowthecustodians.

Theworkingarrangementstheyprovidedwereagreatboontomeandmystaff.

Treatmentofclassifiedmaterialsinthisbookhasbeenworkedoutwiththeoffice

ofthenationalsecurityadviser,Dr.ZbigniewBrzezinski,towhomIexpressmy

appreciation.PresidentNixonhaskindlygivenhispermissio ntocitesome

materialsfromhisPresidentialfiles.



Iamespeciallygratefultomypersonalassistant,M.ChristineVick,who

tookchargeoforganizingthehandlingofthemanuscript,andtypeditthrough

severaldrafts,evenwhilemanagingtokeepmyday‐to‐daybusinessinorder.

CherylWombleandMaryBethBalutaassistedinthetypingwithdedication.All

workedmanyextrahours.



MywifeNancyencouragedmewithheradviceandlove;asalwaysshe

servedasmyconscience.



IhavededicatedthisvolumetoNelsonA.Rockefeller.Hewasmyfriendfor

twenty‐fiveyearsuntilhisuntimelydeathinJanuaryofthisyear.



Ialoneamresponsibleforthecontentsofthisbook,asindeedIamformy

actionsasdescribedherein.



Washington,D.C.

June1979



<<Contents>>



****



PARTONE



Beginnings



I



AnInvitation



heInaugurationtookplaceonabright,cold,andwindyday.Isatonthe

platformjustbehindthenewCabinetandwatchedLyndonJohnsonstride

downtheaisleforthelasttimetothetuneof“HailtotheChief.”I

wonderedwhatthispowerfulandtragicfigurethoughtasheendedatermof

officethathadbegunwithsoaringaspirationandfinishedinpainfuldivision.How

hadthismanofconsensusendedupwithatorncountry?Johnsonstoodlikea

cagedeagle,proud,dignified,nevertobetrifledwith,hiseyesfixedondistant

heightsthatnowhewouldneverreach.

T



TherewasanotherfanfareandPresident‐electRichardNixonappearedat

thetopoftheCapitolstairs.Hewasdressedinamorningcoat,hispantlegsas

alwaysatrifleshort.Hisjawjutteddefiantlyandyetheseemeduncertain,asif

unsurethathewasreallythere.Heexudedatoncereliefanddisbelief.Hehad

arrivedatlastafterthemostimprobableofcareersandoneofthemost

extraordinaryfeatsofself‐disciplineinAmericanpoliticalhistory.Heseemed

exultant,asifhecouldhardlywaitfortheceremonytobeoversothathecould

begintoimplementthedreamofalifetime.Yethealsoappearedsomehow

spent,evenfragile,likeamarathonrunnerwhohasexhaustedhimselfinagreat

race.Asever,itwasdifficulttotellwhetheritwastheoccasionorhisprevious

imageofitthatNixonactuallyenjoyed.Hewalkeddownthestepsandtookthe

oathofofficeinhisfirmdeepvoice.



<<Contents>>



****



NelsonRockefeller



yownfeelingofsurpriseatbeingtherewaspalpable.Onlyeightweeks

earlierthesuggestionthatImightparticipateintheInaugurationasoneof

thenewPresident’sclosestadviserswouldhaveseemedpreposterous. Until

then,allmypoliticalexperiencehadbeeninthecompanyofthosewho

consideredthemselvesinmortaloppositiontoRichardNixon.Ihadtaughtfor

overtenyearsatHarvardUniversity,whereamongthefacultydisdainforRichard

Nixonwasestablishedorthodoxy.Andthesinglemost influentialpersoninmylife

hadbeenamanwhomNixonhadtwicedefeatedinfutilequestsforthe

Presidentialnomination,NelsonRockefeller.



ItwasNelsonRockefellerwhohadintroducedmetohigh‐level

policymakingin1955whenhewasSpecialAssistantforNationalSecurityAffairs

toPresidentEisenhower.Hehadcalledtogethera groupofacademics,among

whomIwasincluded,todraftapaperforthePresidentonafundamental

diplomaticproblem:howtheUnitedStatescouldseizetheinitiative in

internationalaffairsandarticulateitslong‐rangeobjectives.



Itwasarevealingencounter.Rockefellerenteredtheroomslappingthe

backsoftheassembledacademics,grinningandcallingeachbytheclosest

approximationofhisfirstnamethathecouldremember.Yetthisandhisauraof

all‐Americancharmservedatthesametimetoestablishhisremoteness:when

everybodyiscalledbyhisfirstnameandwithequalfriendliness,relationships

losepersonalsignificance.Rockefellersatdowntolistenaseachofus,intoxicated

byourproximitytopower—andIdaresaywealth—didhisbestto impresshim

withourpracticalacumen.Oneprofessorafteranothervolunteeredclever

tacticaladviceonhowtomanipulate nations—oratleastthebureaucracy;howto

dealwithaPresidentwedidnotknow;or(theperennialproblemofnational

securityadvisers)howtoprevailoveranequallyunfamiliarSecretaryofState.As

wefinished,thesmileleftRockefeller’sfa ceandhiseyesassumedahoodedlook

whichIlatercametoknowsowellandwhichsignaledthatthetimeforserious

businesshadarrived.Hesaid:“Ididnotbringyougentlemendownheretotell

mehowtomaneuverinWashington—thatismyjob.Yourjobistotellmewhatis

right.IfyoucanconvincemeIwilltakeittothePresident.AndifIcan’tsellitto

himIwillresign.”



Rockefellerprovedtobetruetohisword.Wewroteareport;oneofits

ideas,the“openskies”proposal,wasaccepted.Thesectionsspellingoutlong‐

rangeobjectiveswerestillborn,partlybecauseoftheprevailingmoodofself‐

satisfactioninthecountry,butlargelybecauseoftheoppositionofapowerful

SecretaryofStatepressinghisownconvictions.Attheendof1955Rockefeller

resigned.



IhadbeenpartofatypicalRockefellerventure.OfallthepublicfiguresI

haveknownheretainedthemostabsolute,almosttouching,faithinthepowerof

ideas.Hespentenormousresourcestotrytolear nwhatwas“therightthing”to

do.Hisnationalcampaignswerebasedontheillusionthatthewaytowin

delegatesatnationalpoliticalconventionswastopresentsuperiorsubstantive

programs.Hespentanexcruciatingamountoftimeonhisspeeches.Untypicalas

hemightseemtobe,hewasinawayquintessentiallyAmericaninhisboundless

energy,hispragmaticgenius,andhisunquenchableoptimism.Obstacle swere

theretobeovercome;problemswereopportunities.Hecouldneverimaginethat

awrongcouldnotberightedorthatanhonorableaspirationwasbeyondreach.

ForothernationsUtopiaisablessedpastnevertoberecovered;forAmericansit

isnofartherthantheintensityoftheircommitment.



NelsonRockefeller,Iamcertain,wouldhavemadeagreatPresident.He

possessedinabundancethequalitiesofcourageandvisionthatarethe

touchstonesofleadership.Butatthemomentswhenhisgoalmighthavebeen

realized,in1960andagainin1968,heuncharacteristicallyhesitated.Inthe

serviceofhisbeliefshecouldbecold‐bloodedandruthless;hewasincredibly

persistent.Yettherewasinhimaprofoundambivalence.Akindofaristocratic

scruplerestrainedhimfrompursuingtheprizewiththesingle‐mindedness

requiredandledhimtoexhausthimselfineffortstomakehimselfworthyofthe

office.Hisentireupbringingmadehimrecoilfromappearingbeforethepeoplehe

wantedtoserveasifhewerepursuingapersonalgoal;beingalreadyso

privileged,hefelthehadnorighttoaskanythingmoreforhimselfasan

individual.Sohesoughttheofficebytryingtopresenttothenationthemost

sweepingvisionofitspossibilitiesandthebestblueprintonhowtoattainthem.



InadeepsenseNelsonRockefellersufferedfromthehereditarydisability

ofverywealthymeninanegalitariansociety.Hewantedassurancethathehad

transcendedwhatwasinherentlyambiguous:thathiscareerwasDuetomerit

andnotwealth,thathehadearneditbyachievementandnotacquireditby

inheritance.Incountrieswitharistocratictraditions—inGreatBritain,for

example,untilwellafterWorldWarII—anupperclassmovedinandoutofhigh

officeconvincedthatpublicresponsibilitywastheirsbyright.Meritwasassumed.

ButintheUnitedStates,thescionsofgreatfamiliesareextremelysensitivetothe

chargeofacquiringpowerthroughthevisibleexerciseofinfluenceorwealth;

theybelievethattheymustearntheirofficeintheirownright.Butnomorethan

abeautifulwomancanbesureofbeingdesired“forherownsake”—indeed,her

ownsakeisinseparablefromherbeauty—canarichmaninAmericabecertain

whatbroughthimtohisstationinpubliclife.Ifheisluckyhelearnsintimethatit

makeslittledifference.Inhighpoliticalofficehewillbemeasuredbythe

challengeshemetandtheaccomplishmentshewrought,notbyhismoneyorthe

motivesofthosewhohelpedhimgetthere.Historywilljudgenottheheadstart

buttheachievement.



NelsonRockefellerneverfullyresolvedthisdilemma.Afterhisuntimely

deathitwassaidthathefailedtowinthePresidencydespitethefactthathewas

aRockefeller.Theoppositewasmorenearlytrue.Hefailedlargelybecausehe

wasaRockefeller.Hewasnotabovespendingvastsumsforhispolitical

campaigns,butatthesametimehefeltaninordinateobligat iontojustifyhis

ambitionbyhisprogramsandanextraordinaryreluctancetorealizehisdreamsby

whatheconsideredthede meaningwooingofdelegatestonationalconventions.

Itisnotquitethewayourpolit i calprocessworks,gearedasitismoreto

personalitiesthantoprograms.



ThroughthreeconventionsRockefellerfoughtforwhatheconsidered

respectablepartyplatformsindefianceofoneofthesurestlessonsofAmerican

politicalhistory:thatpartyplatformsservethefleetingmomentwhendelegates

cometogethertochooseaparty’scandidateandthenquietlyfadefrompublic

memory.In1960,headvancedamajorandcomprehensiveprogramabarethree

weeksbeforetheRepublicanNationalConvention,whenhisrejectionwasalready

foreordainedandtherewasnopracticalhopeofalteringtheoutcome.Bythis

deviceheforcedNixonintothefamous“CompactofFifthAvenue”—adocument 

draftedinRockefeller’sapartment—tiltingtheRepublicanplatforminadirection

compatiblewithhisviews.Buthepaidagrievouspriceintermsofhisstandingin

theparty.In1964,heopposedBarryGoldwaterbe yondallthedictatesof

prudencebecausehewasgenuinelyconvincedthatGoldwaterinthosedayswas

astalkinghorseforadangerousformofconservativeextremism(thoughhecame

toadmirehimlater).AndGoldwater’slesstemperateadherentsreciproc atedby

seekingtojeerRockefelleroffthestageattheRepublicanconvention.In1968,he

withdrewfromtheraceinMarchwhenhestillhadanoutsidechanceandthen,

whenNixonhadassuredhimselfofamathematicalmajority,reentereditby

publishingaseriesofdetailedandthoughtfulpolicypositions.



ThecontrastwiththestyleofRichardNixoncouldnothavebeengreater.In

contemporaryAmerica,powerincreasinglygravitatestothosewithanalmost

obsessivedesiretowinit.Whoeverdoesnotdevotehimselfmonomaniacallyto

thenominatingprocess,whoeverisafraidofitordisdainsit,willalwaysbe

pursuingamirage,howeverre markablehisotherqualifications.Withcandidates

forthehighestoffice,aswithathletes,everythingdependsupontiming,uponan

intuitiveabilit ytoseizetheopportunity.Conventiondelegateslivethe

compressedexistenceofbutterflies.Forabriefperiodtheyareadmired,wooed,

pressured,flattered,cajoled,endlesslypursued.Thedayaftertheyhavechosen,

theyreturntooblivion.Theyarethereforeuniquelysensitivetoanycandidate’s

self‐doubt.



ThequalitiesrequiredtograspthenominationfortheAmericanPresidency

fromsuchatransientbodymayhavelittle incommonwiththequalitiesneeded

togovern;indeed,asthedemandsofthenominatingprocessbecomemore

intensivewitheachelectionthetwomaygrowincreasinglyincompatible. The

nominatingprocedureputsapremiumonacandidateskilledatorganization,who

canmatchpoliticalexpressiontotheneedofthemoment,amasterofambiguity

andconsensus,abletosubordinateprogramstotherequirementofamassinga

broadcoalition.Amanwhounderstandsthecomplexessenceofthenominating

process,asNixondidsosupremely,willinevitablydefeatacandidatewhoseeks

thegoalbyemphasizingsubstance.



****



Asapersonality,NelsonRockefellerwasasdifferentfromAdlaiStevensonasit

waspossiblefortwomentobe.Rockefellerwasmadeofsternerstuff;hewasfar

moredecisive.Andyettheirdestinieswereoddlyparallel.Inthefaceof

opportunitytheyhesitated,orrathertheydisdainedtofashiontheir

opportunitiesbythemeansrequiredbythenewpolitics.Ifthiswasdangerousfor

aDemocrat,itwasfatalforaRepublican,whoseparty,havingbeenoutofpower

forageneration,hadturnedinwardtoanorthodoxyanddisciplinethatmadeit

highlysuspiciousofboldnewprograms.Allthefrustrationsofthetwomen

flowedfromthisflaw.JustasStevensonwasdefeatedbytheKennedy

organizationin1960,soRockefellerwasdefeatedbytheNixonmachinein1960

andagainin1968.Rockefeller’sintensedislikeofNixoncamefrommanyfactors,

butcrucialwastheintuitiverebellionagainstthepoliticsofmanipulationthat

mayyetbetheessenceofmodernAmericanPresidentialpolitics.



Inaddition,therivalrybetweenRockefellerandNixonwasnotwithoutan

ingredientofpersonalantipathythattranscendedeventhatautomatically

generatedbycompetitionforauniqueprize.NixonthoughtofRockefellerasa

selfishamateurwhowouldwreckwhathecouldnotcontrol,arepresentativeof

theEstablishmentthathadtreatedhimwithcondescensionthroughouthis

politicallife.RockefellerconsideredNixonanopportunistwithoutthevisionand

idealismneededtoshapethedestinyofournation.



In1968IsharedmanyoftheseattitudestowardNixon,althoughIhadlittle 

directevidenceonwhichtobaseajudgment.Iattendedthegallantpress

conferenceinwhichRockefellerconcededtoNixonandIwassickatheart.My

feelingswereverysimilartothoseofajournalistwhohadcoveredtheRockefeller

campaignandwhobrokedowninthebaroftheAmericanaHotelwhenitcameto

anend.“ThisisthelastpoliticiantowhomIwillbecomeemotionallyattached,”

hesaid.“Politiciansarelikedogs.Theirlifeexpectancyistooshortfora

commitmenttobebearable.”Amanwhocouldhavebeenone ofourgreat

Presidentswouldneverachievehisgoal.Thisknowledgewasalltheharderforhis

friendsbecauseweknewdeepdownthatbutfortacticalerrorsandhesitations,it

shouldhavebeenotherwise.



<<Contents>>



****



ThePhoneCall



omemonthsafterthatdepressingday—withRichardNixonnowPresident‐

elect—IwashavinglunchwithGovernorRockefellerandagroupofhis

advisersinNewYorkCityinhissmallapartmentonthefourthfloorofthe

MuseumofPrimitiveArt.ItwasFriday,November22,1968.Themuseum,which

hehadendowed,wasconnectedwithRockefeller’sguber natorialofficeonWest

Fifty‐fifthStreetbyacoveredwalkwaytraversingabackalley.Theapartmenthad