Kissinger Henry. White House Years

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OriginallytheattackonBaseArea353wasconceivedasasingleraid.Nixon

orderedanotherstrikeinApril1969partlybecausetherehadbeennoreaction

fromeitherHanoiorPhnomPenhtothefirst,partlybecausetheresultsexceeded

ourexpectations,butaboveallbecauseofaneventfarawayinNorthKorea.

NixonhadwantedtoreacttotheshootingdownofanunarmedAmerican

reconnaissanceplane bybombingNorthKorea.(Hehadseverelycriticiz ed

Johnsonforhisfailuretotakeforcefulmeasuresinresponsetothecaptureby

NorthKoreaoftheelectronicshipPueblo.)Nixonhadrefrained,primarilybecause

ofthestrongoppositionofRogersandLaird.Butasalwayswhensuppressinghis

instinctforajugularresponse,Nixonlookedforsomeotherplacetodemonstrate

hismettle.Therewasnothinghefearedmorethantobethoughtweak;hehad

goodforeignpolicyreasonsaswellfornotlettingHanoibelievethathewas

paralyzed.



InMayNixonorderedattacksonastringofotherCambodianbaseareas,all

unpopulatedandwithinfivemilesoftheborder.ThestrikeonBaseArea350was

giventhecodenameof“Dessert”;BaseArea351was“Snack,”BaseArea740was

“Supper,”BaseArea609was“Lunch,”andBaseArea352was“Dinner.”Onthe

theorythatanythingworthdoingisworthoverdoingthewholeserieswasgiven

thecodenameof“Menu.”FromAprilthroughearlyAugust1969attackswere

intermittent;eachwasapprovedspecificallybytheWhiteHouse.Afterward,

generalauthoritywasgiven;raidswereconductedregularly.Themap,defining

thenarrowstripofbaseareaswithinafewmilesoftheborder,refutesthe

chargesof“massivebombingofneutralCambodia”thatimpelledtwelve

membersoftheHouseJudiciaryCommitteein1974 toproposeanarticleof

impeachmentonthetheorythatNixonhadconcealedfromCongressthis

“presidentialconductmoreshockingand moreunbelievablethantheconductof

anypresidentinanywarinallofAmericanhistory,”asRepresentativeRobert

Drinanimaginedit.

NeitherCambodianorNorthVietnameverclaimedthat

therewereCambodianorciviliancasualties.Thestatisticsoftonnagedropped

duringtheseraids,soofteninvokedasanexampleofAdministrationbarbarity,

convenientlyomitthissalientfactorthatitwasconfinedtoastriponlyafew

mileswidealongtheborder.TheseriescontinueduntilMay1970,whenstrikes

beganopenlyinsupportofUSandSouthVietnamesegroundoperationsagainst

theNorthVietnamesebases.

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PeriodicreportsontheMenustrikesweresenttothePresident.In

November1969,hewroteonone,“continuethem.”InDecember1969and

February1970,heaskedforanevaluationoftheirusefulness.Eachtime,Laird

reportedthatGeneralAbramsandAmbassadorBunkerwereconvinced(ashe

reportedononeoccasion)that“Menuhasbeenoneofthemosttelling

operationsintheentirewar.”GeneralAbramscreditedtheMenuoperationswith

disruptingenemylogistics,abortingseveralenemyoffensives,andreducingthe

enemythreattothewholeSaigonregion.LairdendorsedtheJointChiefs’and

GeneralAbrams’sviewthattheMenustrikes“havebeeneffectiveandcan

continuetobesowithacceptablerisks.”

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TheoriginalintentionhadbeentoacknowledgetheBreakfaststrikein

responsetoaCambodianorNorthVietnamesereaction,whichwefirmly

anticipated.Forexample,theCIApredictedinmemorandaofFebruary20and

March6thatHanoiwould“certainly”or“almostcertainly”seektoderive

propagandaadvantagesfromcharginganAmericanexpansionoftheconflict.The

DefenseDepartmentdoubtedthattheattackscouldbekeptsecret;myownview

onthatsubjectwasagnostic.InaconversationwithNixononMarch8,Isaid:

“PackardandIboththinkthatifwedoit,andifsilenceaboutitdoesn’thelp,we

havetostepupandsaywhatwedid.”ThePresidentagreed.Aformal

acknowledgmentwaspreparedforthecontingencyofaCambodian protest.It

offeredtopaydamagesandaskedforinternationalinspection.



OurinitialreticencewastoavoidforcingtheNorthVietnamese,Prince

SihanoukofCambodia,andtheSovietsandChineseintopublicreactionsthey

mightnotbeeagertomake.AvolunteeredAmericanstatementwouldhave

obligedHanoitomakeapublicresponse,perhapsmilitaryretaliationor

interruptionofthepeacetalks.ItwouldhaverequiredSihanouktotakeapublic

stand,tiltingtowardHanoiashetriedtowalkatightropeofneutrality.Itcould

havepromptedreactionsfromtheSovietUnionandChinainthemidstofour

seriouspursuitoftriangulardiplomacy.

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ButHanoididnotprotest.Infact,itsdelegationinParisacceptedLodge’s

proposalforprivatetalksonMarch22withinseventy‐twohoursofourrequest.

AndSihanouknotonlydidnotobject;hetreatedthebombingassomethingthat

didnotconcernhimsinceitoccurredinareastotallyoccupiedbyNorth

VietnamesetroopsandaffectednoCambodians;henceitwasoutsidehiscontrol

andevenknowledge.

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Infact,ourrelationswithCambodiaimproveddramaticallythroughoutthe

periodofthebombing.Sihanouk’ssubtleandskillfulbalancingactbetween

domesticandforeignpressure shadbeenacauseofwondermentforadecade.

Anhereditaryprince,NorodomSihanoukhadmanagedtoobtainamasssupport

amongthepopulatio nthatappearedtomakehimunassailable.Hehad

establishedhiscountry’sindependenceandacquiredtheauraofindispensability.

Hehadmaneuveredtokeephiscountryneutral.AftertheLaossettlementof

1962,hehadconcludedthattheCommunists,whomhehated, wouldprobably

prevailinIndochina.HeadjustedtothatrealitybyacquiescingintheNorth

Vietnameseestablishmentofbaseareasinhiscountry.In1965hefoundapretext

tobreakdiplomaticrelationswithus.YethiscollaborationwiththeCommunists

wasreluctant;HanoiwasencouragingtheKhmerRouge(Cambodian

Communists),whobeganguerrillaactivitylongbeforetherewasanyAmerican

actioninCambodia;SihanouksentencedtheCommunistleaderstodeathin

absentia.ForallthesereasonsIstronglysupportedaRogersrecommendationto

thePresidentinFebruary1969thatweapproachSihanoukwithaviewto

improvingrelations.[

Interestinglyenough,thesediplomaticoverturestoCambodiawere

opposedbytheDepartmentofDefenseandtheJointChiefsofStaff,whofearedthatthey

mightinterferewithpossibilitiesofbombingtheCambodiansanctuaries.Ireceiveda

memorandumfromDefensewarningagainstsuch“diplomaticactionwhichimpliesarestraint

orinhibitioninanyexpansionofcurrentoperatingauthoritiesdesignedtoprotectourforcesin

SouthVietnam.”ThiswassignedbyPaulWarnke,thenstillAssistantSecretaryofDefensefor

InternationalSecurityAffairs.

]Theseovertureswereeagerlyreceived.OurEmbassyin

PhnomPenhreopened,headedbyachargéd’affaires.



Sihanouk’sacquiescenceinthebombingshouldhavecomeasnosurprise. 

AsearlyasJanuary10,1968,duringthepreviousAdministration,hehadtold

PresidentialemissaryChesterBowles:



Wedon’twantanyVietnameseinCambodia…Wewillbeverygladifyousolveour

problem.Wearenotopposedtohotpursuitinuninhabitedareas.Youwouldbeliberatingus

fromtheVietCong.FormeonlyCambodiacounts.IwantyoutoforcetheVietCongtoleave

Cambodia.Inunpopulatedareas,wheretherearenotCambodians,—suchprecisecasesIwould

shutmyeyes.



OnMay13,1969,nearlytwomonthsafterthebombinghadbegun,

Sihanoukgaveapressconferencewhichallbutconfirmedthebombings,

emphaticallydeniedanylossofcivilianlife,andtoallpracticalpurposesinvitedus

tocontinue:



IhavenotprotestedthebombingsofVietCongcampsbecauseIhavenotheardofthe

bombings.Iwasnotintheknow,becauseincertainareasofCambodiathereareno

Cambodians.



****



Cambodiaonlyprotestsagainstthedestructionofthepropertyandlivesof

Cambodians.AllIcansayisthatIcannotmakeaprotestaslongasIamnotinformed.ButIwill

protestifthereisanydestructionofKhmer[Cambodian]lifeandproperty.



Hereitis—thefirstreportaboutseveralB‐52bombings.YetIhavenotbeeninformed

aboutthatatall,becauseIhavenotlostanyhouses,anycountrymen,nothing,nothing.

Nobodywascaughtinthosebarrages—nobody,noCambodians.



****



ThatiswhatIwanttotellyou,gentlemen.IfthereisabuffalooranyCambodiankilled,I

willbeinformedimmediately.ButthisisanaffairbetweentheAmericansandtheVietCong‐

VietMinhwithoutanyKhmerwitnesses.TherehavebeennoKhmerwitnesses,sohowcanI

protest?Butthisdoesnotmean—andIemphasizethis—thatIwillpermittheviolationby

eitherside.Pleasenotethat.



OnAugust22,1969,SihanouksaidthesametoSenatorMansfield[

Senator

MansfielddidnotknowoftheMenuprogramandundoubtedlyassumedSihanoukwas

speakingofaccidentalbombings.](according tothereportingcable):



therewerenoCambodianprotestsofbombingsinhiscountrywhenthesehitonlyVC’s

andnotCambodianvillagesorpopulation.Hedeclaredthatmuchofhisinformationregarding

USbombingsofuninhabitedregionsofCambodiacamefromUSpressandmagazine

statements.HestronglyrequestedtheavoidanceofincidentsinvolvingCambodianlives.



AndonJuly31,1969,afterfourandahalfmonthsofbombingofNorth

VietnamesesanctuariesinsideCambodia,SihanoukwarmlyinvitedPresident

NixontovisitCambodiatomarktheimprovementofUS‐Cambodianrelations.

RelationscontinuedtoimproveuntilSihanouk wasunexpectedlyoverthrown.



Noonedoubtedthelegalityofattackingbaseareasbeingusedtokill

Americanandfriendlyforces,fromwhichallCambo dianauthorityhadbeen

expelledandinwhich,accordingtoSihanoukhimself,notevenaCambodian

buffalohadbeenkilled.WesawnosenseinannouncingwhatCambodia

encouragedandNorthVietnamaccepted.Thereasonforsecrecywastoprevent

theissuefrombecominganinternationalcrisis,whichwouldalmostcertainly

havecomplicatedourdiplomacyorwareffort.Thewarhadbeenexpandedinto

CambodiafouryearsearlierbytheNorthVietnamese,whooccupieditsterritory.

ThewarhadbeenescalatedwithinVietnamfromFebruary22on,withNorth

Vietnameseattacksoncitiesinviolationofthe1968understandings.Tobomb

baseareasfromwhichNorthVietnamesesoldiershadexpelledallCambodiansso

thattheycouldmoreeffectivelykillAmericans—attherateoffourhundreda

week—wasaminimumdefensivereactionfullycompatiblewithinternationallaw.

ItwouldsurelyhavebeensupportedbytheAmericanpublic.Itwaskeptsecret

becauseapublicannounceme n twasagratuitousblowtotheCambodian

government,whichmighthaveforcedittodemandthatwestop;itmighthave

encouragedaNorthVietnameseretaliation(sincehowcouldtheyfailtoreactif

wehadannouncedweweredoingit?).TheNorthVietnamesekeptsilentbecause

theywerenoteagertoadvertisetheirillegalpresenceonCambodiansoil.Our

bombingsavedAmericanandSouthVietnameselives. 



ThisiswhythepressleaksthatcamefromAmericansourcesstruckNixon

andmeassooutrageous.AccountsofB‐52orotherairstrikesagainstsanctuaries

inCambodiaappearedintheNewYorkTimes(March26,April27)and

WashingtonPost(April27);adetailedstorybyWilliamBeecherappearedinthe

NewYorkTimesonMay9;therewasanotherintheWallStreetJournalonMay

16;awidelydisseminatedUPIstoryappearedintheWashingtonPostonMay18;

NewsweekreporteditonJune2.



Theconvictionthatpressleaksofmilitaryoperationswereneedlessly

jeopardizingAmericanlives,whichIshared,causedthePresidenttoconsultthe

AttorneyGeneralandtheDirectoroftheFBIaboutremedialmeasures . J.Edgar

Hooverrecommendedwiretaps,whichhepointedouthadbeenwidelyusedfor

these(andothermuchlessjustified)purposesbyprecedingadministrations.The

AttorneyGeneralaffirmedtheirlegality.Nixonorderedthemcarriedout,inthree

categoriesofcases:officialswhohadadverseinformationintheirsecurityfiles;

officialswhohadaccesstotheclassifiedinformationthathadbeenleaked;and

individualswhosenamescameupaspossibilitiesinthecourseofthe

investigationaccordingtothefirsttwocriteria.Onthebasisofthesecriteria,

seventeenwiretapswereestablished bytheFBIonthirteenofficialsandalsofour

newsmen,lastinginsomecasesonlyafewweeksandinothercasesseveral

months.(Myofficewasnotawareofallofthem.)Contrarytomaliciouslore,

seniorofficialsdidnotspendtimeprurientlyreadingoverlengthytranscriptsof

personalconversations.Whatwasreceivedwerebriefsummaries(usuallyabouta

pageinlength)ofwhattheFBIconsidereddiscussionsofsensitivemilitaryor

foreignpolicymatters.TheFBI’sthresholdofsuspiciontendedtobemuchlower

thantheWhiteHouse’s.InMay1971Nixoncutoffthereportssenttomyoffice;

thereafter,theywentonlytoHaldeman,whohadbeenreceivingthemallalong.



Ishalldealinanothervolumewiththemoralissuesraisedbynational

securitywiretappingandthepoliticalstyleoftheNixonAdministrationingeneral.

HereIsimplywishtorecordthatIwentalongwithwhatIhadnoreasontodoubt

waslegalandestablishedpracticeinthesecircumstances,pursued,sowewere

told,withgreaterenergyandfewersafeguardsinpreviousadministrations.The

motive,whichIstronglyshared,wastopreventthejeopardizingofAmericanand

SouthVietnameselivesbyindividuals(neverdiscovered)whodisclosedmilitary

informationentrustedtotheminordertoundermine policiesdecideduponafter

prayerfulconsiderationandinourviewjustifiedbothinlawandinthenational

interest.Ibelievenowthatthemorestringentsafeguardsappliedtonational

securitywiretappingsincethattimereflectanevenmorefundamentalnational

interest—butthisinnowayaltersmyviewoftheimmoralityofthosewho,in

theircontemptfortheirtrust,attemptedtosabotagenationa lpoliciesandrisked

Americanlives.



Atthesametime,wewerewrong,Inowbelieve,nottobemorefrankwith

Congressionalleaders.Tobesure,PresidentNixonandIgaveafullbriefinginthe

OvalOfficeonJune11,1969,toSenatorsJohnStennisandRichardRussell,

ChairmenoftheSenateArmedServicesandAppropriationscommittees.Senate

MinorityLeaderEverettDirksenwasalsoinformed.IntheHouse,Representatives

MendelRiversandLeslieArends,theChairmanandarankingminoritymemberof

theHouseArmedServicesCommittee,aswellasMinorityLeaderGeraldFord,

werebriefed.LairdbriefedkeymembersoftheArmedServicesand

Appropriationscommitteesofbothhouses.Notoneraisedtheissuethatthefull 

Congressshouldbeconsulted.Thiswasatthattimetheacceptedpracticefor

briefingtheCongressofclassifiedmilitaryoperations.StandardsforCongressional

consultation,too,havesincechanged,andthisisundoubtedly forthebetter.[

The

Pentagon’sdouble‐bookkeepinghadamotivationmuchlesssinisterthanthatdescribedin

revisionistfolklore.Topreservethesecrecyoftheinitial(originallyintendedastheonly)raid,

Pentagoninstructionswerekeptoutofnormalchannels.Thepurposewasnottodeceive

Congress(wherekeyleaderswereinformed)buttokeeptheattackfrombeingroutinely

briefedtotheSaigonpress.Theprocedurewascontinuedbyrotewhenbombingbecamemore

frequenttwomonthslater.WhenCongressionalcommitteesaskedfordatafouryearslater,

newPentagonofficials,unawareofthetworeportingchannels,unwittinglyfurnisheddatafrom

theregularfiles.Thiswasabureaucraticblunder,notdeliberatedesign.]



NorisittruethatthebombingdrovetheNorthVietnameseoutofthe

sanctuariesandthusspreadthewardeepintoCambodia.Totheextentthat

NorthVietnameseforcesleftthesanctuariesitwastomovebackintoVietnam,

notdeeperintoCambodia—untilafterSihanoukwasunexpectedlyoverthrowna

yearlater.Then,NorthVietnameseforcesdeliberatelystartedtooverrun

CambodiantownsandmilitarypositionsinordertoisolatePhnomPenhand

toppleSihanouk’ssuccessors,asIwilldescribeinalaterchapter.[

Sihanoukina

conversationwithmeonApril25,1979,infrontofwitnessesdeniedthatourbombinghadhad

anyeffectinpushingtheNorthVietnamesetomoveWestward.Ourbombing“didnotimpress

them,”hesaidjovially.SeeChapterXII.]Andthewidenedwarcausedbythatnewact

ofNorthVietnameseaggression,whilesearingandtragic,wasnotsecret.Itwas

fullyknownbyourpublic,debatedintheCongress,andwidelyreportedinthe

press.Ourairoperationsthenwereconductedunderstrictrulesofengagement,

supervisedbyourAmbassadorinPhnomPenhandaidedbyaerialphotography,

designedtoavoidareaspopulatedbyCambodiancivilianstothemaximumextent

possible.The“secret”bombingconcernedsmall,largelyuninhabitedterritories

totallyoccupiedbytheNorthVietnamese.Thepictureofawarlike,bloodthirsty

governmentschemingtodeceiveisacaricatureoftherealityofharassed

individuals,afraidalikeofcapitulationonthebattlefieldandmoreviolent

escalation,choosingwhattheyconsideredamiddlecoursebetweenbombing

NorthVietnamandmeeklyacceptingtheoutrageofa dishonorableandbloody

offensive.TheattacksontheenemysanctuariesinCambodiawereundertaken

reluctantly,asalastresort,asaminimumresponse,whenwewerefacedwithan

unprovokedoffensivekillingfourhundredAmericansaweek.Weattacked

militarybasesunpopulate dbyciviliansandatmostonlyfivemilesfromthe

border.Wewouldhavebeenwillingtoacknowledgethebombinganddefendit

hadtherebeenadiplomaticprotest.Therewasnoprotest;Cambodiadidnot

object,nordidtheNorthVietnamese,northeSovietsortheChinese.Proceeding

secretlybecame,therefore,ameansofmaintainingpressureontheenemy

withoutcomplicatingCambodia’sdelicateposition,withoutincreasing

internationaltensions ingeneral,andwithoutprecipitatingtheabandonmentof

alllimits.



<<Contents>>



****



DiplomacyforaPeaceSettlement



notherofthemanyparadoxesoftheVietnamexperiencewashowrapidly

thepublicdebateescalated.Negotiatingtermswereurgeduponthe

governmentbytheantiwarcritics;specificconcessionswereadvocatedas

essentialforpeace—untiltheywereacceptedbythegovernment,atwhichpoint

theyweredenouncedasinadequate.Theprogramofthe“doves”wasconstantly

influx.(Hanoiwasusuallynotinterestedinanyofthedoves’proposalsfor

compromise;itexploitedthemtoundermineourdomesticsupportbutalmost

nevernegotiatedonthem;butthatwasaseparateproblem,tobediscussed

later.)



Agoodbenchmarkisthedovepositionduringthe1968Presidential

campaign.TheNixonAdministration(oratleastI)hadgreathopesofbringingthe

countrytogetherbecausewewerepreparedinpursuitofnegotiationsto

incorporatemanyoftheideasofthedovesof1968.Thisturnedouttobeanaive

illusion.



SenatorRobertKennedy,forexample,inearly1968hadofferedaproposal

foran“honorablenegotiatedsettlement”compatiblewithourownconceptions:



•ahalttothebombingofNorthVietnam;



•internationalsupervision(bytheUnitedNations,theInternationalControl

Commission,oranotherinternationalorganization)of“large”trooporsupplybuildups; 



•reductionofAmerican“search‐and‐destroy”missionsandashiftingtodefenseofthe

denselypopulatedareas;



•negotiationsincludingallpartiestotheconflict,specificallytheNLF;



•internationallyguaranteedfreeelectionstoenabletheSouthVietnamesetochoose

theirowngovernment;



•anunderstandingwithouradversariesthatneithersidewouldsubstantiallyincrease

therateofinfiltrationorreinforcementsduringnegotiations.



AfterRobertKennedy’sassassination,thethreeleadingantiwar

Democrats—GeorgeMcGovern,EugeneMcCarthy,andEdwardKennedy—joined

forcesatthe1968DemocraticConventionbehindthefollowingplatform:



•anunconditionalhalttoallbombingofNorthVietnam;



•negotiationofaphased,mutualwithdrawalofUnitedStatesandNorthVietnamese

forcesfromSouthVietnam;



•encouragementofSouthVietnam“tonegotiateapoliticalreconciliationwiththe

NationalLiberationFrontlookingtowarda…broadlyrepresentative”governmentfor

SouthVietnam;and



•reductionofUSoffensiveoperationsinSouthVietnam,“thusenablinganearly

withdrawalofasignificantnumberofourtroops.”



ThisproposalwasdefeatedattheDemocraticConventionbecauseitwas

consideredtoodovish.



ThemajorityDemocraticplatformwasmorehawkish,callingformutual

withdrawalofallexternalforces,includingthoseofNorthVietnam,abombing

halt“whenthisactionwouldnotendangerthelivesofourtroopsinthefield,”

andinternationallysupervisedfreeelections.TheRepublicanplatform,whichI

hadaroleinshaping,

explicitlyrejected“peaceatanyprice”or“camouflaged

surrender.”Butitpledged“apositiveprogramthatwillofferafairandequitable

settlementtoall.”ItcriticizedtheDemocratsforhavingnopeaceplan,and

pledgedthataRepublicanAdministrationwould“sincerelyandvigorouslypursue

peacenegotiations.”Itpledgedalsoa“progressivede‐Americanizat ionofthe

war,”fullsupportforourservic emen,andastrategythatwouldconcentrateon

thesecurityofthepopulationandonstrengtheningtheSouthVietnamese.

