Kissinger Henry. White House Years

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announcedaprogramsubstantiallyatvariancewithwhathehadtoldme

privately.HisAssista ntforNationalSecuritywouldhaveprimarilyplanning

functions,hesaid.HeintendedtonameastrongSecretaryofState;thesecurity

adviserwouldnotcomebetweenthePresidentandtheSecretaryofState.The

securityadviserwoulddealwithlong‐rangematters,notwithtacticalissues.I 

confirmedthatthisreflectedmyownthinkingandaddedthatIdidnotproposeto

speakoutpubliclyonforeignpolicyissues.



ButthepledgesofeachnewAdministrationarelikeleavesonaturbulent

sea.NoPresident‐electorhisadviserscanpossiblyknowuponwhatshorethey

mayfinallybewashedbythatstormofdeadlines,ambiguousinformation,

complexchoices,andmanifoldpressureswhichdescendsuponallleadersofa

greatnation.



<<Contents>>



****



II



PeriodofInnocence:TheTransition



GettingAcquainted



heperiodimmediate lyafteranelectoralvictoryisamomentofcharmed

innocence.ThePresident‐electisliberatedfromtheharrowinguncertainty,

thephysicalandpsychologicalbattering,ofhisstruggleforthegreatprize.

Forthefirsttimeinmonthsandperhapsinyears,hecanturntoissuesof

substance.Heandhisentouragesharetheexhilarationofimminentauthoritybut

arenotyetbuffetedbyitsambiguitiesandpressures.Hisadvisersaresuddenly

catapultedfromobscurityintothelimelight.Theireverywordandactionarenow

analyzedbyjournalists,diplomats,andforeignintelligenceservicesasaclueto

futurepolicy.Usuallysuchscrutinyisvain;theentourageofacandidatehaveno

timetoaddresstheproblemofgovernance;norhavetheybeenselectedfortheir

masteryofissues.Andaftertheelectionisovertheyaresoonconsumedbythe

practicalproblemsoforganizinganew administration.

T



Soitwaswithme.Oneofthemostdelicatetasksofanewappointeeis

howtohandlethetransitionwithone’spredecessors.IstayedoutofWashington

asmuchaspossible.WaltRostow,PresidentJohnson’ssecurityadviser,gaveme

anofficeintheExecutiveOfficeBuildingnextdoortotheWhiteHouseand

suggestedgenerouslythatIbeginfollowingthedailycables.Ithoughtthisunwise

sinceIhadnostafftohelpmeassesstheinformationtheycontained.



MyfeelingstowardJohnsonandRostowwerewarmandfriendly;soon 

aftermyappointmentIcalledonthemtopaymyrespects.IhadmetPresident

Johnsonafewtimesbuthadneverworkedforhimdirectly.In1967,Ihad

conductedanegotiationforhimwiththeNorthVietnamesethroughtwoFrench

intermediaries.Inthatconnection,Ihadattendedameetingheheldinthe

CabinetRoomwithhissenioradvisers.Iwasimpressedandoddlytouchedbythis

hulking,powerfulman,sodomineeringandyetsoinsecure,sooverwhelmingand

yetsovulnerable.ItwasPresidentJohnson’stragedythathebecameidentified

withanationalmisadventurethatwasalreadylonginthemakingbythetimehe

tookofficeandinthefieldofforeignpolicyforwhichhisfinelytunedpolitical

antennaeprovedworthless.PresidentJohnsondidnottakenaturallyto 

internationalrelations.Oneneverhadtheimpressionthathewouldthinkabout

thetopicspontaneously—whileshaving,forexample. Hedidnottrusthisown

judgment;hethereforereliedonadvisers,mostofwhomhehadnotappointed

andwhosewayofthinkingwasnotreallycongenialtohim.Manyofthese

adviserswerethemselveswithoutbearingsamidsttheupheavalsofthe1960s.

Someofthemweregrowingrestlesswiththeconsequencesoftheirown

recommendationsandbegantoworkagainstpolicieswhichtheythemselveshad

designed.



NoPresidenthadstrivensodesperatelyforapprobation,andnonesince

AndréwJohnsonhadbeenmoreviciouslyattacked.LBJhadlaboredforaspecial

placeinhistory;hislegislativeaccomplishmentsandauthentichumanitarianism

willintimeearnitforhim.Buttheveryqualitiesofcompromiseandconsultation

onwhichhisdomesticpoliticalsuccesseswerebasedproveddisastrousinforeign

policy.Tootoughfortheliberalwingofhisparty,toohesitantforitsmore

conservativeelements,LyndonJohnsoncouldnevermountaninternational

enterprisethatcommandedthewholeheartedsupportofeitherhispartyorthe

nation.Hetookadvicethathethoughtbetterinformedthanhismoreelemental

instincts,finallycuttinghimse lfofffromallconstituenciesaswellasfromhis

emotionalroots.



WhenIcalledonhimintheOvalOffice,PresidentJohnsonwasina

melancholymood.Fortheoutgoing,thetransition(asIlaterlearned)isasomber

time.Thesurfaceappurtenancesofpowerstillexist;thebureaucracycontinuesto

producethepaperworkforexecutivedecision.Butauthorityisslippingaway.

Decisionsofwhichofficialsdisapprovewillbede layedinimplementation;foreign

governmentsgothroughthemotionsofdiplomacybutreservetheirbestefforts

andtheirrealattentionforthenewteam.Andyetsofamiliarhastheexerciseof

powerbecomethatitslossissensedonlydimlyandintermittently.Daysgobyin

whichonecarriesoutone’sdutiesasifone’sactionsstillmatter.



SoitwaswithPresidentJohnson.ThewallsoftheOvalOfficeinhisday

werelinedwithtelevisionsetsandnewstickersnoisilydisgorgingtheircopy.It

wasstrangetoseethemostpowerfulleaderintheworld,withinstantaccessto

alltheinformationofourintelligenceservices,jumpingupperiodicallytosee

whatthenewstickerwasrevealing.



HelaunchedintoalongsoliloquyaboutthewarinVietnam.Heurgedthat

weapplymilitarypressureandatthesametimepursueseriousnegotiations;he

didnotdescribepreciselywhathehadinmindforeithercourse.Headvisedme

toensurethatthebureaucracywasloyal;hehadbeendes troyed,inpart,he

thought,bysystematicleaking.“Ihaveonepieceofadvicetogiveyou,

Professor,”hesaid,andIleanedforwardtoprofitfromthedistilledwisdomof

decadesofpublicservice.“Readthecolumnists,”headded,“andiftheycalla

memberofyourstaffthoughtful,dedicated,oranyotherfriendlyadjective,fire

himimmediately.Heisyourleaker.”IlefttheOvalOfficedeterminedtodomy

utmosttosparethenewAdministrationtheheartacheandisolationofJohnson’s

waningdays.



Thetransitionperiodleaveslittletimeforsuchreflections,however.My

immediateproblemwasmoremundane:toestablishmyrelationship withthe

adviserswhohadbeenwithNixonduringthecampaignandtorecruitastaff.



Itwouldhaverequiredsuperhumanqualitiesoftoleranceforsomeinthe

Nixonteamnottoresentanoutsiderwhoseemedtohavethebestofallworlds:

whattheyconsideredtheglamorousauraofaHarvardprofessorandRockefeller

associate,andassociationwiththePresident‐electafterhisvictory.Ihad,after

all,notbeenmerelyabsentfromtheelectionstruggle;Ihadbeeninthe

mainstreamofthosewhohadeitherbeenhostiletoNixonordisdainedhim.One

ofthemostpainfultasksofanewPresidentistocullfromtheentouragethat

helpedhimintoofficethemenandwomenwhocanassisthiminrunningit.This

leadstoalmostunavoidablerivalrybetweenthosewhohaveborneupthe

President‐electduringhisjourneytoelectionandthenewcomerswhoappearto

theoldguardasinterlopersreapingthefruitsoftheirlabors.Newcomersthere

mustbebecausethequalitiesofacampaignaidearedifferentfromthoseofa

policymaker.Ittakesaveryspecialpersonalitytojoina Presidentialaspirantearly

inacampaignwhentheoddsagainstsuccessareusuallyoverwhelming.

Campaignchoresarehighlytechnicalandsomearedemeaning:thepreparation

ofschedules,the“advancing”ofralliesandmeetings,theendlesswooingof

delegatesormediarepresentatives.Acandidate’sstaffersareselected—or

volunteer—onthebasisofloyaltyandendurance;theyprovideemotional

supportinaninherentlyanxioussituation.Withthefirmestresolveorbest

intentionsfewcanpredictwhattheywilldoorstandforwhentheelusivegoalof

highofficeisfinallyreached;theirperformanceinthecampaignoffersnoclueto

theircapabilitiesintheExecutiveBranch.



ThiswasaparticularproblemfortheNixonstaff.Theloyalfewwhohad

remainedwithNixonafterhisdefeatforthegovernorshipofCaliforniain1962

exemplifiedanalmostperversededicationandfaith.Accordingtoall

conventionalwisdom,Nixon’spoliticalcareerwasfinished.Hisdoggedpursuitof

thePresidencywasturningintoanationaljoke(LBJridicule dhimasa“chronic

campaigner”).Therewerenoearlyorobviousrewards—eventheattentionof

thosewhobetonlongodds—instickingwithsounlikelyanaspirant.Only

congenitaloutsiderswouldhazardeverythingonsoimprobableanenterprise.

Suchmenandwomenwerealmostcertaintofee lbeleaguered;theyinherently

lackedtheabilitytoreachout.



Nordidthisattitudelackabasisinfact;paranoianeednotbeunjustifiedto

bereal.WhenNixonmovedtoNewYorkin1962,hewasshunnedbythepeople

whoserespecthemighthaveexpectedasaformerVicePresidentoftheUnited

StateswhohadcomewithinaneyelashofelectionasPresident.Hewasnever

invitedbywhatheconsideredthe“best”families.Thisrankledandcompounded

hisalreadystrongtendencytoseehimselfbesetbyenemies.Hisassociates

sharedhissenseofisolationandresentment.TheNixonteamdrewthewagons

arounditselffromthebeginning;itwasbesiegedinmindlongbeforeitwas

besiegedinfact.



Thisfortressmenta lity,whichwastohavesuchacorrosiveeffectonthe

entireAdministration,showeditselfinmanyways.Theteamwas

temperamentallyunable,forinstance,toexploittheopportunities of

Washington’ssociallifeforoilingthewheelsofnationalpolitics.Washingtonisa

one‐industrytownwheretheworkisawayoflife.Everyoneatthehigherlevels

ofgovernmentmeetsconstantlyintheinterminableconferencesbywhich

governmentrunsitself;theythenencounterthesamepeopleintheevening

togetherwithasprinklingofseniorjournalists,sociallyadeptandpowerful

membersofCongress,andthefewmembersofthepermanentWashington

Establishment.Toallpracticalpurposes thereisnoothertopicofconversation

exceptgovernment,andthatgenerallyinWashingtonmeansnotthenational

purposebuttherelationshiptooneanotherofthekeypersonalitiesinthe

Administrationoftheday:who,atanygivenpoint,is“up”andwhois“down.”



Thecriteriaofthissociallifearebrutal.Theyaregearedsubstantiallyto

power,itsexerciseanditsdecline.Apersonisacceptedassoonasheentersthe

charmedcirclesoftheholdersofpower.Withtherarestexceptions,heis

droppedwhenhispositionends,hiscolumnisdiscontinued,orheisretiredfrom

Congress.Thereisnoneedtoexpendefforttocrashthischarmedcircle;

membership—oratleastitsavailability—isnearlyautomatic;butsoisthe

ultimateexclusion.InWashingtontheappearanceofpoweristhereforealmostas

importantastherealityofit;infact,theappearanceisfrequentlyitsessential

reality.Sincethetopic ofwhois“up”andwhois“down”isall‐consuming,

strugglesresultsometimesaboutnothingmorethanabstractbureaucratic

designations.



Preciselybecausetheofficiallifeissoformal,sociallifeprovidesa

mechanismformeasuringintangiblesandunderstandingnuances.Moodscanbe

gaugedbynewspapermenandambassadorsandseniorcivilservants thatarenot

discernibleatformalmeetings.Itisattheirdinnerpartiesandreceptionsthatthe

relationshipsarecreatedwithoutwhichthemachineryofgovernmentwould

soonstalemateitself.ThedisdainoftheNixonentourageforthissideof

Washingtoncomplicateditsactionsanddepriveditofthesensitivitytorespond

tobrewingdomesticanxieties.



I,too,itmustbesaid,wasignorantofthewaysofWashingtonor

governmentwhenIproclaimedatthepressconferenceannouncingmynew

positionthatIwouldhave nodealingswiththepress.Assoonasmyappointment

wasannouncedseniormembersofthepressbegancallingtolookmeover.Iwas

nolittleawedbythefamousmenwhomIhadreadorliste nedtoforyearsand

whomInowwasmeetingatfirsthand.IsawWalterLippmann,James(“Scotty”) 

Reston,andJosephAlsop—ofwhomRestonandAlsopweretobecomepersonal

friends.(Lippmannfellillsoonafterward.)Lippmannurgeduponmethenecessity

ofbringingAmericancommitmentsintolinewithourresources,especiallyin

IndochinaandtheMiddleEast.Restontalkedtomewithavunculargoodwill

tingedwithCalvinistskepticism,thenandafter,abouttheimperfectabilityof

man.JoeAlsopinterviewedmewiththeattitudethathiscriteriaformysuitability

forhighofficewouldbemoreseverethanNixon’s.Hegavemetounderstand

thathisknowledgeoftheIndochinaproblemfarexceededthatofanyneophyte

PresidentialAssistant.Ihadtheimpressionthathehadsuspendedjudgment

aboutthewisdomofthePresident’schoiceandthatIwouldremainonprobation

forsometimetocome.



TheeditorsofNewsweekinvitedmetomeetwiththem.PedanticallyI

explainedonceagaintheincompatibilitybetweenmypositionandany

worthwhilebriefingofthepress.Theygreetedthisinformationwiththeamused

tolerancereservedforamateursorvictims.



Isoonfoundhownaivemyattitudewas.Oneofthemostimportant

functionsofthePresidentialAssistantistoexplainthePresident’spoliciesand

purposes.IlearnedthatIcouldnotignorethemediaandIbegantosee

journalists,thoughatfirstalmostalwaysattheirinitiative.Iexperiencedthe

symbioticrelationshipinWashingtonbetweenmediaandgovernment.Muchas

thejournalistmayresentit,heperformsapartlygovernmentalfunction.Heisthe

onepersonintownwhocanbereasonablysurethateveryonewhomatters

listenstohimorhearshim.Officialsseekhimouttobringtheirpetprojectsto

generalattention,tosettlescores,ortoreverseadecisionthatwentagainst

them.Whatevertheofficial’smotive,itcannotbedisinterested.Ataminimumhe

seekstoputhimselfinhisbestlight.FortheexperiencedWashingtonobserver

carefulreadingofthepressorlisteningtothekeycommentatorsprovides

invaluableintelligenceconcerningthecross‐currentsofbureaucracy,orthe

subterraneangatheringofpent‐uppoliticalforces.



Thejournalisthascomparablyinterestedmotivesinhiscontactswiththe

official.Hemustwooandflattertheofficialbecausewithouthisgoodwillhewill

bedeprivedofinformation.Buthecannotlethimselfbeseduced—thesecret

dreamofmostofficials—orhewilllosehisobjectivity.Alove‐haterelationshipis

almostinevitable.Officialsaretemptedtobelievethatsocialrelatio nshipslaythe

groundworkforcompassionatetreatment;journalistsoftenprovetheir

“objectivity”byattackingpreciselythosewhoshowerthemwithattention.Ifboth

sidesarerealisticandmaturetheywillestablishamutualrespect.Theofficialwill

recognizethatnotseductionbutthejournalist’spersonalintegrityistheultimate

guaranteeoffairness.Thejournalistwillacceptthattotheofficialdutyis

paramount,andthatitsrequirementsarenotalwaysidenticalwithproviding

scoops.Ifboththemakersofpolicyanditsinterpreterscanrespecteachother’s

vitalfunction,theresultingworkingrelationshipcanbeoneofthestrongest

guaranteesofafreesociety.



Isoondiscoveredalsothatanotherofmyoriginalideascouldnotsurvive.I

hadthoughtIcouldcontinue teachingatHarvarduntiljustbeforeInauguration. It

wasimpossible.Ihadtoeducatemyselfonmyduties;Ihadtosetupthe

machineryofanalysisandplanningpromisedbythePresident‐electduringhis

campaign.Someofmyeducationwassuppliedbyconsultingmanymenand

womenwhohadbeenpro minentintheEisenhower,Kennedy,andJohnson

administrations.Fortheentirepostwarperiodforeignpolicyhadbeenennobled

byagroupofdistinguishedmenwho,havingestablished theireminenceinother

fields,devotedthemselvestopublicservice.DeanAcheson,DavidK.E.Bruce,

EllsworthBunker,AverellHarriman,JohnMcCloy,RobertLovett,DouglasDillon, 

amongothers,representedauniquepooloftalent—anaristocracydedicatedto

theserviceofthisnationonbehalfofprinciplesbeyondpartisanship.Free

peoplesowethemgratitudefortheirachievements;PresidentsandSecretariesof

Statehavebeensustainedbytheirmatter‐of‐factpatriotismandfreelytendered

wisdom.WhileIwasinofficetheywerealwaysavailableforcounselwithout

preconditions;norwasthereeverfearthattheywouldusegovernmental

informationforpersonalorpoliticaladvantage.Unfortunately,whenI cameinto

officetheywereallintheirseventies.Mygenerationhadmenequaltothemin

intelligence;butnonehadyetbeensufficientlytestedtodeveloptheselflessness

andintegritythatcharacterizedtheirpredecessors.Astheoldergroupleaves

publicoffice,theytakewiththemoneofthesteadyingandguidingfactorsinour

foreignpolicy.



ThememberofthisgroupwhomIsawmostfrequentlyinthetransition

periodwasJohnMcCloy;later,whenImovedtoWashington,DeanAchesonand

DavidBrucebecameclosefriendsandadvisers.Withthebodyofawrestleranda

bullethead,JohnMcCloyseemedmorelikeajovialgnomethanapreeminent

NewYorklawyerandperennialcounse lorofPresidentsandSecretariesofState.

Onthesurface,hisinfluencewashardtoaccountfor.Hehadneverservedatthe

Cabinetlevel;thepositionshehadheldwereimportantbutnotdecisive.Hecould

betime‐consumingwithhispenchantforanecdotes;hisintelligencewasbalanced

ratherthanpenetrating.Buthighofficialsalwaysfaceperplexingchoices.

PresidentsandSecretariesofStatefoundinJohnMcCloyareliablepilotthrough

treacherousshoals.Herarelysuppliedsolutionstodifficult problems,buthe

neverfailedtoprovidethepsychologicalandmoralreassurancethatmade

solutionspossible.Onmyfirstdaybackintheofficefromanunsuccessful

negotiationintheMiddleEastin1975,IaskedJohnMcCloytoseeme.Hecame,

asrequested,withoutamurmur. OnlyweekslaterdidIlearnthatithadbeenhis

eightiethbirthdayandthathehadgivenupafamilycelebration,neverdreaming

ofsuggestingatwenty‐four‐ho urpostponement.Hewasalwaysavailable.Hewas

everwise.



WhenIstartedchoosingstaff,frictionswiththeNixonteamdeveloped

immediately.BycustomtheresponsibilityforselectingtheNationalSecurity

CouncilstafffelltothePresident’snationalsecurityadviser.Asthefirst

PresidentialappointeeintheforeignpolicyareaIhadtheadvantageofbeingable

tobeginrecruitingearly.AsaWhiteHouseassistantIwasnotlimitedby

departmentalorcivilservicepractices.Thus,unrestrainedbybureaucratic

limitationsandwiththePresident‐elect’schartertobuildaneworganizationfrom

thegroundup,IwasdeterminedtorecruittheablestandstrongestindividualsI

couldfind.



WhileIholdstrongopinionsIhavealways feltitessentialtotestthem

againstmenandwomenofintelligenceandcharacter;thosewhostooduptome

earnedmyrespectandoftenbecamemyclosestassociates.Ifmystaffwastobe

ofdecisiveinfluenceinguidinginterdepartmentalplanning,ithadtosubstitutein

qualityforwhatitlackedinnumbers.Indeed,itssmallsizecouldbeanadvantage,

sincewecouldavoidtheendlessinternalnegotiationsthatstultifylarger

organizations.SoIlookedforyoungermenandwomenandpromotedthem

rapidly,reasoningthatsomeonewellalonginhiscareerwouldhavereachedhis

levelofperformanceandwouldbeunlikelytodomuchbetteronmystaffthanin

hispresentposition.IrecruitedprofessionalofficersfromtheForeignService,the

DefenseDepartment, andtheintelligencecommunity,bothtogainthebenefitof

theirexperienceandtohelpguidemethroughthebureaucraticmaze;Ihired

talentedpeoplefromtheacademicworld.Forbalance,Istrovefor

representativesofasmanydifferentpointsofviewaspossible.



ItookthepositionthatIwouldabidebysecurityobjectionsbutwould

acceptnoothercriterionthanquality.PeterFlanigan,aNixonassociate

responsibleforpoliticalappointments (wholaterbecameagoodfriend),sentme

sixnamesofpeoplewhohadbeenpromisedpoliticalappointments.After

interviewingsomeofthem,Irejectedall.InatleasttwocasesHaldeman

challengedmystaffselectionsongroundsofsecurity,whichturnedouttobe

moreamatterofliberalconvictionsorapropensitytotalktojournalists.Inboth

casesIoverruledHaldeman.



Nixoninvariablysupportedme.Hehadhisprivatedoubtsandlater,as

publicpressuresbegantomount,hecametoregardmystaffwithdisquiet.He

suspectedsomeofmycolleaguesofdislikinghim,whichwascorrect,andof

fuelingthedebatewithleaks,forwhichtherewasneveranyevidence.Butduring

thetransitionperiodNixonbackedmychoices.Hedidsobecausehetreated

foreignpolicydifferentlyfromthedomesticarea.Indomesticpolitics,hehad

used—andwoulduseagain—roughtacticsandreliedonsomeoddassociates.To

befair,Nixonremainedconvincedtotheendthatinthedomesticareahewas

followingtraditionalpracticeforwhichahypocritic alEstablishment,followingan

incomprehensibledoublestandard,condemnedonlyhim.Butforeignpolicyhe

regardedassomethingapart.Wherethebasicnationalinterestandthesecurity

andprogressofthefreeworldwereconcernedhistouchstonewastodowhat

wasright,notexpedient,whatevertheconventional practice,andwhen

necessaryagainsttheconventionalwisdom.Onlyintherarestcasesdidhepermit

partisanintereststoinfringeonforeignpolicydecisions.



Thoughsomeofmypersonnelchoicesprovedintheendunwise,the

dedicationandabilityofmystaffcontributedfundamentallytotheforeignpolicy

successesofthefirstNixonAdministration.Thecoremembers—WinstonLord,

LawrenceEagleburger,HelmutSonnenfeldt,WilliamHyland,HaroldSaunders,

PeterRodman,andAlexanderHaig—remainedwithmethroughallvicissitudes

andbecameclosefriendsaswell.Thehighqualityofthisteamwasanimportant

reasonforthegrowinginfluence oftheofficeofthePresident’snationalsecurity

adviser,andtheviabilityofmyofficebecamecrucialsinceRichardNixon

appointedaCabinetofable,astute,andwillfulmenthatwereneverableto

operateeffectivelyasateam.

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<<Contents>>

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TheUneasyTeam