Kissinger Henry. White House Years

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“logicalandreasonable”offerbefore,therewasnopoint,Hanoisaid,inanew

secretmeetingunlesswehadsomethingnewto say.



ExactlyonemonthafterHanoi’srebuffIpersuadedNixon—withmuch

effort—toauthorizeanotherapproach.Accordingly,GeneralWalterssawXuan

ThuyonJanuary14andsuggestedameetinganyweekendafterFebruary8,

“providedbothsideswerewillingtogobeyondtheexistingframework.”Nixon

wasstillskeptical.“Idon’tknowwhattheseclownswanttotalkabout,” hesaidto

me,“butthelinewetakeiseithertheytalkorwearegoingtosititout.Idon’t

feelthisisanytimeforconcession.”



Hanoididnotrespondforseveralweeks.ButonJanuary26wereceivedthe

firstindicationthatanegotiationmightsoongetunderway.Itwasannounced

thatLeDucTho,amemberoftheNorthVietnamesePolitburo(infact,thefifth

maninthehierarchy)andHanoi’sprincipalnegotiatorwithAverellHarriman,

wouldattendtheforthcomingFrenchCommunistPartyCongress.Then,on

February16WalterswascalledtotheNorthVietnamesecompoundandinformed

thatourinsolentinterlocutorsacceptedameetingforFebruary20orFebruary21

andafterkeepinguswaitingforoveramonththeyrequestedouranswerwithin

twelvehours.IhaveregrettedeversincethatweacceptedthedateofFebruary

21,withinthedeadline.Inretrospect,thereislittlequestioninmymindthatto

honorthisunreasonabledemandgaveanunnecessaryimpressionofeagerness;it

enabledHanoitoscoreoneofthepsychologicalpointssodeartoitsheart.Itdid

nolastingdamagebutitgotusoffonthewrongfoot.



Thusbeganthesecretnegotiationsbetw eenLeDucThoandme.Three

meetingswereheldbetweenFebruary20andApril4,1970.



TheindefatigableWalterswasinhiselement.Iftherewasanythinghe

enjoyedmorethanimitatingthemenforwhomhewasinterpreting,itwas

arrangingclandestinemeetings.Onaweekendorholiday,toprovidebetter

cover,IwouldleaveAndrewsAirForceBasenearWashingtonononeofthe

PresidentialfleetofBoeing707s,accompaniedbyasecretaryandtwoorthree

membersofmystaff.Theplane’smanifestindicatedthatitwasoneofthe

periodictrainingflightstocheckoutitinerariesforPresidentialtravel.It would

landatAvord,aFrenchAirForcebasenearBourgesincentralFrance,wherethe

FrenchbasedbothMiragefightersandKC‐135tankers,roughlysimilarin

appearancetothePresidentialBoeing.Myplanewouldtouchdownjustlong

enoughtoletmeoff;itsdisappearancefromradartrackingwouldnotexceed

twenty‐fiveminutes;itwouldthenproceedtoFrankfurt’sRhein‐MainAirport

withmysecretary.MyassociatesandIwouldhavemeanwhiletransferredtoa

Mystère‐20executivejetbelongingtoPresidentPompidoufortheflightto

VillacoublayAirport,afieldforprivateairplanesnearParis.



ThereGeneralWalterswouldcomeaboardtogreetme,justifiablybeaming

withprideathisarrangements.

Hewouldleadmeandmycolleaguestoan

unmarkedrentedCitroen,asensitivesubjectforWalterssinceatfirstnoofficial

fundswereavailabletoreimbursehimfortheexpenseofatripthatcouldnotbe

acknowledgedtotheParisEmbassytowhichhewasformallydetailed.Walters

wouldusuallyremindmeofthisashedroveustohisapartmentbuildinginthe

NeuillysectionofParis,wherehesmuggledusbyelevatorfromtheunderground

garagetohisapartment.AsfarashishousekeeperwasconcernedIwasavisiting

AmericangeneralnamedHaroldA.Kirschman.Wewouldspendthenightthere

(helentmehisbedroom)andproceedthenextdaywithWaltersatthewheelto

ahouseat11rueDarthéinChoisy‐le‐Roi,alowermiddle‐classneig hborhood

thirtyminutesawayontheoutskirtsofPariswherethesecretmeetingstook

placeforayearandahalf.



Thisroutinewentsmoothlyfortwoofthethreetrips,buttheMarch16

meetingwasnearlyabortedbyatechnicalmalfunctiononmyflighttoParis.The

pilotssuddenlynoticedthatthehydraulicsystemforthelandinggearwasnot

working;itwouldhavetobeloweredmanually.This,however,wouldmakeit

impossibletoraiseitagainuntil thehydraulicfluidwasreplenished.Alandingin

AvordwasoutofthequestionbecausethepilotsdidnotknowwhetheraFrench

militarybasehadtheequipmentforthisessential,ifminor,repair;evenwerethe

equipmentavailable,questionswouldberaisedaboutthedisappearanceofa

Presidentialtrainingflightforsuchanextendedperiodfromallradarstracking it.



TheplanewouldhavetogotoRhein‐MainAirportinGermany,where,

however,nooneknewofourimpendingarrival,muchlessofourmissionor

predicament.SincetheStateDepartmentbureaucracyhadnotbeeninformedof

mytrip,therewasnowaytoalerttheGermanauthoritiesthataFrenchplanewas

comingtopickmeup.



Fortunately,Presidentialairplaneshavesuperbcommunications.Tony

Lake,thenmyspecialassistant,establishedcontactfromtheairplanewith

GeneralWaltersinParis—inaradiohookupthroughWashington.Walterswent

totheElyséePalace—theresi denceoftheFrenchPresident—whereMichel

Jobert,thenDirectorGeneraloftheFrenchPre sidency,andPresidentPompidou

himselfauthorizedtheFrenchPresidentialjetto meetmyplane,thistimein

Frankfurt.



IlandedinadarkcorneroftheRhein‐Mainairfield;Pompidou’sjetwas

alreadywaiting.IdonotknowtothisdayunderwhatpretextWaltershad

obtainedarampforaBoeing707insuchanunlikelyplace.MystaffandI

transferredrapidlyandwereairborneagainwithintenminutesoflanding.

WaltersclaimedthatWestGermancooperationwasspeededupbytheirbelief,

encouragedbyhim,thatthepassengerwasasecretgirlfriendofPompidou’s.



Walters’sflairforthedramaticmademanyextraordinarythingspossible,butI

haveoftenwonderedwhyhethoughtthewaitinggroundpe rsonnelcouldhave

beenfooledaboutthesexofthepassenger.



Inanyevent,WalterssavedourMarch16tripwiththeimaginationand

tenacitythatmarkedallhissuperbeffortsandonceagainwewerealsoindebtto

JobertandPompidou.WhenJobertwasForeignMinisterlater,heandIoften

crossedswords,butduringtheVietnamnegotiationshewasunfailinglyhelpful

anddiscreet.AsforPompidou,heneverviolatedourconfidenceorsoughtto

deriveanyspecialbenefitfromhisknowledge;nordidheaskforanyreturnfor

themanyactsoffriendship.



ThehouseinChoisy‐le‐RoiwherewemetwiththeNorthVietnamesemight

havebelongedto aforemaninoneofthefactoriesinthedistrict.Ontheground

floortherewasasmalllivingroomconnectedtoanevensmallerdiningroom,

whichopenedintoagarden.Inthelivingroomtworowsofeasychairs,heavily

upholsteredinred,facedeachother.TheAmericangroup—I,RichardSmyser(my

Vietnamexpert),TonyLake,andGeneralWalters—wouldsitalongsidethewallto

theleftofthedoor;theNorthVietnamesedelegation,numberingsix,satalong

theotherwall.Therewerefourorfivefeetoffloorspaceandeonsofperception

separatingus.



AtthefirstmeetingonFebruary21,1970,XuanThuygreetedmeandled

meintothelivingroomtomeetthemanwhoseconceititwastousethetitleof

SpecialAdvisertoXuanThuy,althoughasamemberofthegoverningPolitburohe

outrankedhimbyse verallevels.



<<Contents>>

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

SpecialAdviserLeDucThoandtheFirstRoundofTalks



EDucTho,gray‐haired,dignified,invariably woreablackorbrownMaosuit. 

Hislargeluminouseyesonlyrarelyrevealedthefanaticismthathadinduced

himasaboyofsixteentojointheanti‐FrenchCommunistguerrillas.Hewas

alwayscomposed;hismanners,exceptononeortwooccasions,were

impeccable.Healwaysknewwhathewasaboutandservedhiscausewith

dedicationandskill.

L



Itwasourmisfortunethathiscauseshouldbetobreakthewillofthe

UnitedStatesandtoestablishHanoi’sruleoveracountrythatwesoughtto

defend.Ourprivatebantergrewlongerasourmeetingsprogressedandsome

limitedhumancontactdeveloped;itrevealedthatLeDucTho’sprofessionwas

revolution,hisvocationguerrillawarfare.Hecouldspeakeloquentlyofpeacebut

itwasanabstractionalientoanypersonalexperienc e.Hehadspenttenyearsof

hislifeinprisonsundertheFrench.In1973heshowedmearoundanhistorical

museuminHanoi,whichheadmittedsheepishlyhehadnevervisitedpreviously.

TheartifactsofVietnamesehistory—assembled,ironicallyenough,bytheFrench

colonialadministration—remindedLeDucThonotofthegloriesofVietnamese

culturebutofprisonsinthecitiesortownswheretheyhadbeenexcavated.As

wewalkedthroughthehallsIlearnedagreatdealabouttherelativemeritsof

solitaryconfinementinvariousprisons,thewaydisguisesasapeasantcanbe

discoveredbythepolice,andothertipsthatwillproveinvaluableshouldIever

decidetoleadaguerrillastruggleinIndochina.



LeDucThohadbeensustainedthroughhismonumentallycourageous

exertionsbyapassionatebeliefinLeninistdisciplineandfaithintheVietnamese

nation.Thistransformedsupremepersonalself‐assuranceintoaconvictionthatit

wasVietnam’sdestinytodominatenotonlyIndochinabutallofSouthEastAsia.

HissenseofnationalsuperioritymadepersonalhatredoftheUnitedStates

irrelevant;weweresimplyoneofthehordesofforeignerswhosecongenital

ignoranceoverthecenturieshadtemptedthemintoIndochina,whenceitwas

Vietnam’smissiontoexpelthem(not,Ioftenthought,withoutdrivingthemmad

first).



LeDucTho’sLeninismconvincedhimthatheunderstoodmymotivations

betterthanIunderstoodmyself.HisVietnameseheritageexpresseditselfinan

obsessivesuspicionthathemightsomehowbetricked;Isometimessuspected

thattheappearanceofbeingoutmaneuveredwouldbotherhimmorethanits

reality.Whenthenegotiationfinallygrewseriousafterfouryearsitwouldsethim

offlookingfortrapsinthemostinnocentofourproposals.Attheoutsetitledhim

intolectures,whichintimegrewtiresome,ofhisimperviousnesstocapitalist

tricks.



IgrewtounderstandthatLeDucThoconsiderednegotiationsasanother

battle.AnysettlementthatdeprivedHanoioffinalvictorywasbydefinitioninhis

eyesaruse.Hewastheretowearmedown.Astherepresentativeofthetruthhe

hadnocategoryforcompro mise.Hanoi’sproposalswereputforwardasthesole

“logicalandreasonable”frameworkfornegotiations.TheNorthVietnamesewere

“anoppressedpeople”;inspiteofmuchhistoricalevidencetothecontraryhe

consideredthembydefinitionincapableofoppressingothers.Americaborethe

entireresponsibilityforthewar.Ourproposalstoreducehostilities,byde‐

escalationorceasefire—sofashionableamongourcritics—wereseenbyLeDuc

Thoeitherastricksoropportunitiestosowconfusion.Inhisview,thesole

“reasonable”waytoendthefightingwasAmericanacceptanceofHanoi’sterms,

whichwereunconditionalwithdrawalonafixeddeadlineandtheoverthrowof

theSouthVietnamesegovernment.Asaspokesmanforthe“truth,”LeDucTho

hadnocategoryforourmethodofnegotiating;tradingconcessionsseemedto

himimmoralunlessasuperiornecessitysupervened,anduntilthathappenedhe

waspreparedtowaitusoutindefinitely.Heseemedconcernedtorankfavorably

intheepicpantheonofVietnamesestruggles;hecouldnotconsiderasanequal

thisbarbarianfromacrosstheseawhothoughtthateloquentwordswerea

meanstodeflecttheinexorablemarchofhistory.LeDucThoundoubtedlywasof

thestuffofwhichheroesaremade.Whatwegraspedonlywithreluctance—and

manyathomeneverunderstood—isthatheroesaresuchbecauseof

monomaniacaldetermination.Theyarerarelypleasantmen;theirrigidity

approachesthefanatic;theydonotspecializeinthequalitiesrequiredfora

negotiatedpeace.



Luckilyformysanitythefullimplications ofwhatIwasupagainstdidnot

hitmeatthatfirstmeetinginthedingylivingroominRueDarthé,orImighthave

forgonetheexercise.AttheveryleastIwouldhavecurbedmysenseof

anticipation—almostofelation—atwhatIhopedwouldbetheopeningmoveina

dialogueofpeace.



LeDucThogreetedmeinthealooflypolitemannerofsomeonewhose

superiorityissoself‐evidentthathecannotderogatefromitbyashowof

politenessapproachingcondescension.Helaughedatmyjokes,sometimes

uproariously,sometimeswiththeimpatienceofonewhohadimportantbusiness

thatwasbeingdelayedbytrivia.Heknewwhathewanted;hehadnotsufferedin

prisonfortenyearsandfoughtwarsfortwentyyearstobeseducednowbywhat

acapitalistfanciedtobecharm.ThemeetingonFebruary21tookplaceintwo

sessions.Wetalkedforthreehoursinthemorning;weinterruptedtopermit

GeneralWaltersandmetolunchwithPresidentPompidouathisapartmentin

theHeSt.Louistodiscuss,asIhavementioned,hisimminenttriptotheUnited

States.Weresumedinthelateafternoon.Characteristicallymyinterlocutorsfrom

Hanoididnotbelieveingivingawayeventhemostminuteproceduralpoint;they

didnotagreetotheafternoonmeetinguntiljustasIwasleavingtosee

Pompidou.



Stillhalfbelievingwhatwasanarticleoffaithamongmyformeracademic

colleagues,thatHanoi’slackoftrustinourintentionswastheprincipalobstacle

toacompromisepeace,Iopenedthemorningsessionwithapreparedstatement

ofourcommitmenttoseriousnegotiations.Istressedthatwesoughttoachievea

settlementwhichresolvedtheissuesonceandforall;wehadnowishtorepeat

theexperienceofallpreviousagreementsthathadbeenarmisticesinanendless

war.IpointedoutthatHanoi’spositionhadnotimprovedsincemymeetingwith

XuanThuyinAugust.PresidentNixonhaddemonstratedhispublicsupport;the

balanceofforcesonthegrounddidnotwarrantHanoi’sinsistenceonpolitical

predominance.Finally,itwasourjudgment“thattheinternationalsituationhas

complicationswhichmaymakeVietnamnolongertheundividedconcernofother

countriesandmaymeanthatVietnamwillnotenjoytheundividedsupportof

countrieswhichnowsupportit”—anunsubtlereferencetotheSino‐Soviet

dispute.



Ithenmadetwonewpoints:thattheUnitedStateswaspreparedto 

withdrawallitsforcesandretainnobasesinVietnam;andthatinarrangingfor

mutualwithdrawalwedidnotinsistthatNorthVietnamesetroopsbeplacedon

thesamelegalbasisasAmericanforces. Wesoughtapractical,notatheoretical,

endtothewar,Isaid.WedidnotinsistthatHanoiformallyannounceits

withdrawalsolongasitinfacttookplace.OnthisbasisIproposedthatweset

asidepropagandaandworkoutsomeagreedprinciples.Thesecouldthenbe

fleshedoutintheplenarysessionsatAvenueKléber;wewerepreparedtosenda

newseniornegotiatortoParistocompleteanagreement.



SinceLeDucThowastechnicallyonly“SpecialAdviser”toHanoi’sParis

delegation,XuanThuyasformalheadofthedelegationmadethefirstresponse.

Hecouldnotbringhimselftoforgosuchanopportunitytoimpresshissuperior

withhisrhetoricalskill(thecontenthadobviouslybeenworkedoutinadvance).

HeinsistedthatbeforeanynegotiationstheUnitedStateswouldhavetoseta

deadlineforunilateralwithdrawal.Thenegotiationswouldthenconcernthe

modalitiesofourretreat;theycouldnotaffectitstiming.NorthVietnam’ssole

reciprocalobligationwouldbenottoshootatourmenastheyboardedtheir

shipsandaircrafttodepart.ThefightingagainstSouthVietnamwouldcontinue

untiltheSaigongovernmentwasoverthrown;therewasnomentionofthe

releaseofourprisonersofwar.Continuing itsinsistenceondenyingthe

significanceofanyAmericangesture,XuanThuydismissedtheannounced

departureofover100,000troopsas“withdrawalbydriblets.”OurreductionofB‐

52sortiesby25percentandthechangeinmilitaryordersthatseverelycurtailed

offensiveoperationsbyAmericanforcesdidnotpreventanabsurdallegationthat

wewereescalatingthewar.



IntheafternoonitwasLeDucTho’sturn.Hebegan bychallengingmy

assessmentthateventshadmovedinourfavorsinceAugust.“Onlywhenwe

haveacorrectassessmentofthebalanceofforces,”saidLeDucThoinhisroleas

Leninistschoolmaster,“canwehaveacorrectsolution.”Herevealedthe

importanceHanoiattachedtoourpublicopinionbygivingitprideofplaceinhis

presentation.HedeniedthatNixon’spublicstandinghadimproved,citinga

GallupPollwhichshowedthatthenumberofAmericansfavoringimmediate

withdrawalhadrisenfrom21to35percent.This,however,was“only”public

opinion.“Inaddition,IhaveseenmanystatementsbytheSenateForeign

RelationsCommittee,bytheDemocraticParty,byMr.Clifford,whichhave

demandedthetotalwithdrawalofAmericanforces,thechangeofThieu‐Ky‐

Khiem,[

TranThienKhiem,whohadreplacedTranVanHuongasPrimeMinisterofSouth

Vietnam.]andtheappointmentofasuccessortoAmbassador Lodge.”Ireplied

sharplythatIwouldlistentonofurtherpropositionsfromHanoiregarding

Americanpublicopinion;LeDucThowastheretonegotiatetheVietnamese

position.PainfulasIfoundourdomesticdissent,Ididnotthinkitcompatiblewith

ourdignitytodebateitwithanadversary.Ittookseveralmeetingstogetthat

pointacrossandIneversucceededtotally.



LeDucThonextattackedourmilitaryassessment.Hecuttotheheartof

thedilemmaofVietnamization.Alltooacutely,hepointedoutthatourstrategy

wastowithdrawenoughforcestomakethewarbearablefortheAmerican

peoplewhilesimultaneouslystrengtheningtheSaigonforcessothattheycould

standontheirown.Hethenaskedthequestionthatwasalsotormentingme:

“Before,therewereoveramillionU.S.andpuppettroops,andyoufailed.How

canyousucceedwhenyouletthepuppettroopsdothefighting?Now,withonly

U.S.support,howcanyouwin?”



Fromthisanalysis,LeDucTho’sconclusionsfollowedinexorably.He

insistedthatmilitaryandpoliticalproblemsbedealtwithsimultaneously—a

positionfromwhichheneverdeviateduntilOctober1972.AccordingtoLeDuc

Tho,theonlymilitarysubjectfordiscussionwastheunconditionalliquidation of

ourinvolvement.Thesix‐monthdeadlineforwithdrawalproposedbytheNLFwas

fixedandwouldrunregardlessofotheragreements.However,evenifwe

withdrew,Hanoiwouldstopfightingonlyiftherewereapoliticalsettlement.This,

inLeDucTho’sview,presuppo sedtheremovalofthe“warlike”PresidentThieu,

VicePresidentKy,andPrimeMinisterKhiemandthecreationofacoalition

governmentcomposedofthreegroups:thosemembersofthe“Saigon

Administration”(withoutThieu,Ky,andKhiem)whogenuinelystoodfor“peace,

independenceandneutrality”;neutralforceswhometthesamecriteria;andthe

CommunistNLF.TheNLFwoulddeterminewhostoodfor“peace,independence

andneutrality.”Thiscoalitiongovernment,loadedasitwasinHanoi’sfavor,was

not,however,thefinalword.Withone‐thirdofitcomposedofCommunists,with

theremainderapprovedbytheCommunists,withallanti‐Communistleaders

barred,itwasthentonegotiat ewiththefullyarmedNLFforadefinitivesolution.

Thocomfortedmethatthisgenerousschemewouldopenhopefulprospects:“If

youshowgoodwillandseriousintent,asettlementwillcomequickly.”



AtthemeetingonMarch16Itriedanotherapproach.IproposedtoLeDuc

ThothatneithersideexertmilitarypressureinVietnamorin“related”countries

duringthenegotiatio ns—inotherwordsamutualde‐escalationofmilitary

operationsthroughoutIndochina.Thiswascontemptuouslyrejectedwitha

pedanticlecturethateverywarhaditshighpointswithwhichitwasimpossibleto

interfere.AttheApril4meetingIrepeatedtheproposal.OnceagaintheNorth

Vietnamesespurneditwithoutanyexplorationwhatsoever.OnMarch16Ialso

putonthetableaprecisemonthlyscheduleoftotalAmericanwithdrawalovera

sixteen‐monthperiod.TheNorthVietnamesesaiditwasunacceptablebecauseit

differedfromtheproposaloftwelvemonthsinthePresident’sNovember3

speech.(Ihadusedsixteenmonthsbecauseitwastheonlypreciseschedulethat

existedinthePentagonandreflectedthetechnicalassessmentofhowlongit

wouldtakeustowithdrawour400,000remainingmenandtheirequipment.)

WhenIexplainedthattheschedulewasillustrativeonlyandthatthedeadline

wouldofcoursebemadeto coincidewithPresidentialpronouncements,itwas

rejectedbecauseHanoisupportedthe“correctandlogical”deadlineofsix

monthsputforwardbytheNLF.Ourschedulewasdefective,inLeDucTho’sview,

becauseitwouldstarttorunonlyaftertheagreementwascompleted,while

Hanoiwantedustowithdrawunconditio nallyonascheduleunrelatedtoany

otherissue.Furthermore,LeDucThorefusedtodiscussanypoliticalsolutionthat

preservedanyleadingmemberoftheSouthVietnamesegovernment;hederided

ourproposalformixedelectoralcommissions,includingmembersoftheViet

Cong,whichweproposedasafairmeanstosupervisefreeelections.Wewere

beingofferedtermsforsurrender,notanegotiationinanynormalsense.



AttheApril4meetingXuanThuysummedupHanoi’sobjectionstoour

position.Thedeadlinewas“wrong”becauseitwaslongerthantheirdemandof

sixmonthsanddependedonthesettlementofotherissues;mutualwithdrawal

wasunacceptable;nosettlementwaspossibleaslongasThieu,Ky,andKhiem

andotherleaders“opposedto peace,independenceandneutrality”remainedin

office;ourdelegationinParisstilllackedaseniorreplacementforLodge.My

suggestionsthatweexplorewaystoorga nizeafairpoliticalcontestwere

answeredwiththeunyieldingresponsethatonlytheoverthrowoftheSaigon

governmentcouldsolvethepoliticalquestion.



Themostvitrioliccommentswere,however,reservedforLaos,wherea

NorthVietnameseoffensivehadjustbeenlaunched,andCambodia.LeDucTho

accusedusofescalatingthewarinLaos.WhenIrepliedthatonegoodtestofwho

wasdoingwhattowhomwastoseewhichsidewasadvancing,LeDucTho

arguedthatwehad“provoked”theNorthVietnameseoffensiveandthatthe

fightingwasbeingconductedbyLaotianforcesinanyevent.(Thiscausedmeto

commentthatitwasremarkablehowwellthePathetLaospokeVietnamese.)As

forCambodia,LeDucThowasarousedandimplacable,ridiculingmyofferforits

neutralization.ThewarinIndochinahadbecomeone,heinsisted,andwouldbe

foughttothefinishonthatbasis.Iwilldiscuss LaosandCambodialaterinthis

chapter.



Inshort,Hanoi’spositionasitemergedinthethreemeetingswithLeDuc

Thowasperemptoryandunyielding.TheNorthVietnameserejectedaschedule

ofmutualwithdrawal,de‐escalation,theneutralizationofCambodia,oramixed

electoralcommissionforSouthVie tnam.LeDucTho’sideaofanegotiationwasto

putforwardhisunilateraldemands.TheiressencewasfortheUnitedStatesto

withdrawonadeadlinesoshortthatthecollapseofSaigonwouldbeinevitable.

Onthewayoutwewerebeingaskedtodismantleanalliedgovernmentand

establishanalternativewhosecompositionwouldbeprescribedbyHanoiand

whoseonlyroleeventhenwouldbetonegotiatefinaltermswithHanoi’sfront.

WhenIaskedLeDucThowhetherhispoliticalprogramexpressedapreferenceor 

acondition,hesaidflatly:“Thisisacondition.”Itwasacondit iontowhichHanoi

stuckresolutelyuntilthefallof1972.



ThefirstseriesofsecretnegotiationswithLeDucThoendedwithhis

statementthatunlesswechangedourposition,therewasnothingmoreto

discuss.[

Typicalofthenever‐neverlandofthepublicdebatewasanarticlethatappearedthe

dayaftermyfirstmeetingwithLeDucThointhePhiladelphiaBulletin.Itsauthor,Roger

Hilsman,hadbeenAssistantSecretaryofStateforFarEasternAffairsduringtheperiodofour

initialinvolvementinVietnam.HeclaimedthatthePresidentwas“rebuffingacommunistoffer

ofamore‐or‐lessimmediateVietnampeaceontermsthatmanyAmericansmightfindperfectly

acceptable.”Hilsmanclaimedtobesupportedinhisviewbyanumberofexperts,including

AverellHarriman.OnthebasisofanexegesisofHanoi’sDelphicdeclarations,Hilsmanandhis

associatesprofessedtohavediscoveredthefollowingpeaceoffer: