Kissinger Henry. White House Years

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drawer.Youcan’tramitdowntheirthroatswithouttheirhavingachancetogive

theirviews.”ThemeetingwassetforSundayafternoon,April26.



BynowNixonwasdeterminedtoproceed;hischiefproblemwastoreduce

theinevitableconfrontationwithRogersandLairdtoaminimum.Whenhewas

pressedtothewall,hisromanticstreaksurfacedandhewouldseehimselfasa

beleagueredmilitarycommanderinthetraditionofPatton.Butpersonal

idiosyncrasiesaside,Nixonwasputtingthefundamentalquestion:Couldwein

goodconsciencecontinueagradualwithdrawlfromVietnamwithSihanoukville

reopenedandallofCambodiaturnedintoonebigcontiguousbasearea?Those

withintheAdministrationwhobalkedweremostlyconcernedaboutthedomestic

reaction.Noonecameupwithananswertothedilemmaofhowwecould

proceedwithVietnamizationiftheentireCambodian frontieropenedupto

massiveinfiltration.Norwouldinactionavoidourdomesticdilemma.Ifwe

resisted,wewouldbechargedwithescalation;butifweacquiescedinthe

CommunisttakeoverofCambodia,ourcasualtiesstartedrising,andVietnam

begantodisintegrate,wewouldbeaccusedofpursuingahopelessstrategy.



OnSaturdayApril25NixoncalledmetoCampDavidtoreviewthe

planning.Iwalkedalongattheedgeoftheswimmingpoolwhilehepaddledin

thewater.Wediscussed theNSCmeetingscheduledforthenextafternoon.

NixonwasdeterminedtoproceedwiththeFishhookoperation;indeed,hebegan

totoywiththeideaofgoingforbroke:Perhapsweshouldcombineanattackon

theCambodiansanctuarieswithresumptionofthebombingofNorthVietnamas

wellasminingHaiphong.Theoppos itionwouldbeequallyhystericaleitherway.I

thoughtthatthiswasoneofthemusingsNixontendedtoputforwardto

demonstratehistoughnessbutwhichhereallyhadnointentionofcarryingout,

althoughhecoulduseitlatertodemonstratetotrustedcroniesthathehadbeen

letdownbyhisstaff.NordidIconceivethatthePresidentcouldriseoutacrisisof

suchmagnitudewithadividedteam.ForallthesereasonsIrepliedthatwehad

enoughonourplate;wecouldnotabandonastrategyanno uncedsorecentlyand

emphatically.



Nixondroppedthesubjectaftertenminutesandneverreturnedtoit.Ido

notbelievethathewasseriouslyconsideringtheoption.Butinret rospectI

believethatweshouldhavetakenitmoreseriously.Thebaneofourmilitary

actionsinVietnamwastheirhesitancy;wewerealwaystryingtocalculatewith

fineprecisiontheabsoluteminimumofforceoroftime,leavingnomarginfor

errororconfusion,encouragingouradversarytoholdonuntilourdoubts

overrodeoureffo rts.



Perhapsthemostdifficultlessonforanationalleadertolearnisthatwith

respecttotheuseofmilitaryforce,hisbasicchoiceistoactortorefrainfrom

acting.Hewillnotbeabletotakeawaythemoralcurseofusingforceby

employingithalfheartedlyorincompetently.Therearenorewardsforexhibiting 

one’sdoubtsinvacillation;statesmengetnoprizesforfailingwithrestraint.Once

committedtheymustprevail.Iftheyarenotpreparedtoprevail,theyshouldnot

committheirnation’spower.Neitherthesuccessiveadministrationsnorthe

criticseverfullyunderstoodthisduringtheVietnamwar.Andthereinlaythe

seedsofmanyofitstragedies.



Inallevents,thepoolsidestrategysessionatCampDavidwasnottheend

ofthedeliberatingfortheday.Weflewbacktothecapitalandinthelate

afternoonNixoninvitedJohnMitchelltojoinBebeRebozoandmeforacruiseon

thePresidentialyachtSequoiadownthePotomac.Thetensionsofthegrim

militaryplanningweretransformedintoexaltationbytheliquidrefreshments,to

thepointofsomepatrioticawkwardnesswhenitwasdecidedthateveryone

shouldstandatattentionwhiletheSequoia passedMountVernon—afeatnot

managedbyeverybodywithequalsuccess.OnthereturntotheWhiteHouse,

NixoninvitedhisconvivialcolleaguestoseethemoviePatton.Itwasthesecond

timehehadsohonoredme.Inspiringasthefilmnodoubtwas,Imanagedto

escapeforanhourinthemiddleofittoprepareforthenextday’sNSCmeeting.



OnSunday,April26,NorthVietnameseandVietCongtroopsgaveurgency

toourdeliberationsbyattackingcommercialshippingontheMekongRiverroute

toPhnomPenh.CommunistforcestookthetownofAngtassom(seemap).The

raillineleadingSouthfromPhnomPenhwascutatseveralpointsinTakeo

province.PressstatementsfromHanoiandPekingrejectedtheproposal,

advancedbyIndonesia, ofanAsianconferencetorestoretheneutralityof

Cambodia—aproposalwewouldhavefavored.



ThePresidentmetthateveningwithhisprincipalNSCadvisers—Rogers,

Laird,Wheeler,Helms,andme—inhisworkingofficeintheExecutiveOffice

Building.Agnewwasnotincluded.EventhoughhewasnowtakinghisVice

President’sadvice,NixonwasstillsmartingfromAgnew’sunexpectedsallyand

wasdeterminedtobethestrongmanofthismeeting.Fromtheoutset,the

meetingtookanoddturn.HelmsgaveanintelligenceassessmentthatHanoiwas

expandingitsbaseareas,linkingthemtogetherandtryingtocreatesomuch

insecurityinPhnomPenhthatthegovernmentwouldcollapse.Wheeler

describedtheproposedUSoperationagainsttheFishhookcomplexand a

possibilityofexpandingittoincludeotherbaseareas.Nixontriedtoavoida

confrontationwithhisSecretariesofStateandDefensebypretendingthatwe

weremerelylisteningtoabriefing.Hewouldfollowwithawrittendirectivelater.

Tomyastonishment,bothRogersandLaird—whoafterallwerefamiliarwith

theirelusivechief’smethodsbynow—fellinwiththecharadethatitwasalla

planningexerciseanddidnottakeaposition.Theyavoidedthequestionofwhy

NixonwouldcallhissenioradviserstogetheronaSundaynighttoheara

contingencybriefing.



Nixonwasimmenselyrelieved.Heconstruedsilenceasassent;atanyrate,

hehadmanagedtoavoidcontroversy. Assoonasthemeetingwasoverhecalled

meovertothefamilyquartersandinstructedmetoissueadirectiveauthorizing

anattackbyAmericanforcesintotheFishhookarea.Ihaditdrafted,andhe

signedit.Justtobesure,thePresidentfirstinitialedthedirectiveandthen,

beneathhisinitials,alsosignedhisfullname:



Thisdouble‐barrele dPresidentialimprimaturbynomeansguaranteed

compliance.IwaschairingameetingoftheWSAGintheSituationRoomthenext

morningtodiscussimplementationofthedirectivewhenIwascalledouttoa

phonecallfromRogers.Hewantedtoknowwhetherthedirectivewhichhadjust

reachedhimmeantthatthePresidenthadorderedanAmericanattackononeof

theCambodiansanctuaries.Iallowedthattherewashardlyanyotherwayto

interpretit.Rogerssaidthiswouldputhimintoaverydifficultpositionwiththe

SenateForeignRelationsCommittee,sincethatveryafternoonhewasplanning

totestifythattherewasnoAmericaninvolvementinCambodia.Isuggestedthat

hecallthePresident.



IhadnosoonerreturnedtotheSituationRoomwhentheothersenior

Cabinetofficercalled.Withhisinvariabletacticofraisingtheextraneousissueon

whichonewasmostvulnerable,Lairdobjectedtoaphraseinthedirectivethat

designatedWSAGasthe“implementingauthority.”Lairdarguedthatthisviolated

thechainofcommandwhichhadtogothroughhisoffice.Itoldhimto substitute

theword“coordinating”oranyothersuitablephrasehepreferred.Lairdthen

turnedtowhatreallybotheredhim.HeclaimedthatthecombinedParrot’sBeak

andFishhookoperationscouldcost800menkilledinactioninaweek.Heargued

thatAbramsandWheelerdidnotthinkbothoperationsfeasible.WhenWheeler

hadspokenonSundayafternoonoftwosanctuaryoperations,hewas,Laird

insisted,referringtoParrot’sBeakplusBaseArea704,asanctuaryfartothe

South(which,asitturnedout,servedLaird’spurposesverywellbybeing

completelywaterloggedatthistimeoftheyear).IsuggestedthatLaird,too,

shouldcallthePresident.



TheWSAGmeetinghadbarelyresumedwhenIwascalledoutagain,this

timebyHaldeman,whotoldmethatRogersandLairdwerebothontheirwayto

seethePresident.Heinvitedmetoattend,butremindedmeto“letthePresident

carrytheball.”



ThePresident’smeetingwithhisseniorCabinetofficersdidnotlacka

surrealisticquality.Rogerswasaboveallconcernedwithhisappearancebefore

theSenateForeignRelationsCommitteethatafternoon.Hewantedtobeableto

testifythatnoAmericanswereinvolvedinCambodia;hethereforerequestedthat

thePresidentwithdrawhisdirective.Lairdwasmorecomplicated.Herepeated

hisfearofhighcasualties;heimpliedtherehadbeenaterriblemisunderstanding

aboutAbrams’srecommendation,whichreallywasforthewaterloggedSouthern

basearea.Lairdreiteratedyetagainhisobjectionstothephrasingofthe

directive,apointwhich(ashewellknew)Ihadalreadyconceded.



Nixonsaidlittle,andwhathesaidwasambiguous—asuresigntoanyone

familiarwithhismethodsthathemeanttostickwithhisdecision.Headjourned

themeeting,tellinghisCabinetofficersthattheywouldhearfromhimshortly.No

soonerhadRogersandLairdleftthanNixonshoweredallhisfrustrationsonme.

Hecouldnotunderstandwhyhissenioradvisersnevergavehimastrategic

argumentandwastedhistimeontheirpersonalpoliticalproblems.Hewouldnot

bedeflectedbythiskindofbehavior.Irecommendedthathedelayexecutionof

hisdirectivefortwenty‐fourhours;hemightevenwithdrawittemporarilyifthis

easedRogers’sproblems.Inthemeantime,IwouldqueryBunkerandAbramsin

hisnametoverifytheirviews;wehadtomakesurethattherewasno

misunderstandingabouteithertheirrecommendationsorthecasualtiesthey

wereexpecting.IwouldalsoaskLairdtosendoverthecablesonwhichhebased

hisjudgmentthatthefieldcommandersdidnotfavorthesimultaneous

operationsagainstFishhookandParrot’sBeak.Nixonacceptedmysuggestions.

Hewithdrewthedirective,andIinformedhisCabinetmembersthatafinal

decisionwouldbeforthcomingwithintwenty‐fourhours.



InthemeantimeIsentabackchannelcabletoAmbassadorBunkerasking

hisandGeneralAbrams’sviewsonanumberofquestionsonamost urgentbasis:

thedesirabilityofacombinedUS‐SouthVietnameseattackonFishhook;whether

thisshouldcoincidewiththeParrot’sBeakoperationorfollowit;whether

comparableeffortswithinSouthVietnamwouldbringbetterreturns;whether

otherbaseareas—likeBaseArea704—wouldbemorerewarding;whatcasualties

wouldbeexpected.Thecableconcluded(inthePresident’sname):



IamconcernedwhetherGeneralAbramsreallywantstoconductthisoperationonits

meritsorwhetherhefavorsitonlybecauseheassumesitrepresentsmywishes.Therefore,

pleasegivemeyoursandGeneralAbrams’unvarnishedviewsontheforegoingquestionsandI

willbeheavilyguidedbythem.PleaseshowthismessagetoGeneralAbrams.



ByearlyeveningthememorandumfromLairdandthereplyfromBunker

andAbramshadarrived.Lairdrestatedhisearlierposition:Heopposedtheuseof

UScombattroopsinCambodia;hencehefavoredtheSouthVietnamese

operationagainsttheParrot’sBeak,supplementedifnecessarybyanattackon

BaseArea704,alsotobecarriedoutbySouthVietnameseforces.ItistoLaird’s

enormouscreditthatonceNixondecidedontheAmericanoperationhedidnot

participateinthefashionableefforttodissociatehimself;nordidthismaster‐

leakeroftrivialitieseverpubliclyrevealthathehad,inwriting,opposedthe

massivelyimportantactioninCambodia.



AsforAbramsandBunker,theystronglyrecommendedthecombined

alliedattackonFishhook asthe“mostdesirable,”preferablyinparallelwiththe

attackonParrot’sBeak,whichwasthesecondmostimportanttarget.BaseArea

704,Abramsconfirmed,“doesnotrankinimportance”withtheothertwo.

BunkerandAbramsdidnotbelievethatanyoperationwithinSouthVietnam

wouldproducecomparableresults.Abramscagilygavenoestimateofprobable

casualtiesbutpledgedtodoallhecouldtokeepcasualtiesto“anabsolute

minimum.”



NothingwasheardfromRogersexceptnewsreportsofhistestimonytothe

SenateForeignRelationsCommitteethatnodecisiontouseAmericanforcesin

Cambodiahadyetbeenmade.



Asinmostdecisionswithmajorpoliticalconsequences,Nixondecidedto

callinJohnMitchell.Thethreeofusspentuntilnea rlymidnightgoingoverthe

memorandaandtheprosandconsoftheavailableoptions.Intheend,Nixon

decidedtoreaffirmhisoriginaldecisionandtotellLairdandRogersinthe

morning,inMitchell’spresence.Nixonaskedmetoprepareanewdirective

changingthesentencetowhichLairdhadobjectedsothatWSAGwouldhave

“coordinating”insteadof“implementing”authority.Otherwisethedirectivewas

toremainunchanged.



Thenextmorning,Tuesday,April28,NixonmetwithMitchellandmefrom

9:30to10:20toreviewtheoperationsonceagain. Nixonaskedmetoleavebya

sidedoorbeforehismeetingwithRogersandLaird;hethoughtitdesirablethatI

notbecomethebuttofdepartmentalcriticism.Inatwenty‐minutemeetingwith

Rogers,Laird,andMitchell,thePresidentthenreaffirmedhisdecisiontoproceed

withthecombinedUS‐SouthVietnameseoperationagainsttheFishhook.He

notedthattheSecretariesofStateandDefensehadopposedtheuseofAmerican

forcesandthatDr.Kissingerwas“leaningagainst”it.(Thiswasnolongertrue;I

hadchangedmyviewatleastaweekearlier.InmyopinionNixonlumpedme

withhistwoCabinetmembersforhisusualamalgamofcomplexreasons.He

genuinelyandgenerouslywantedtoshieldmeagainstdepartmentalretaliation;

nodoubthealsowantedtoliveuptohisimageofhimselfasthelonelyembattled

leaderproppingupfalteringassociates.)Nixonassuredthemhewoulddictatea

summaryofeventsleadinguptothedecisionthatwouldmakeclearthecontrary

recommendationsofhissenioradvisers;theywouldbeonrecordinopposition;

hewouldassumefullresponsibility.(Mitchell’srecordofthemeetingisinthe

notes.)



Thefinaldecisiontoproceedwasthusnotamaniacaleruptionof

irrationalityastheuproarafterwardsoughttoimply.Itwastakencarefully,with

muchhesitation,byamanwhohadtodisciplinehisnervesalmost dailytoface

hisassociatesandtoovercomethepartiallysubconscious,partiallydeliberate

procrastinationofhisexecutivedepartments.Itwasademonstrationofacertain

nobilitywhenheassumedfullresponsibility.Thedecisionwasnotmadebehind

thebacksofhisse nioradvisers,ashasbeenalleged—thoughlateronothers

were.NixonoverruledhisCabinetmembers;hedidnotkeeptheminthedark.

ThisistheessenceofthePresidency,theinescapablelonelinessoftheoffice,

compoundedinNixon’scasebythetendencyofhisseniorCabinetcolleaguesto

leavehimwiththeburdenandtodistancethemselvespubliclyfromhim.His

secretiveanddeviousmethodsofdecision‐makingundoubtedlyreinforcedtheir

proclivitytowardselfwill.Buthisviewswerewellknown;theagencieshadhad

manyopportunitiestoarguetheircase.Thefactremainsthatonthesubstanceof

Cambodia,Nixonwasright.AndhewasPresident.Thereisnodoubtthatthe

procrastinationincarryingoutdirectPresident ialdirectives,theexegesisofclear

Presidentialwishesinordertothwartthem,helpedconfirmNixon’salready

strongpredilectionforsecretiveandisolateddecision‐makingfromthenon.



Aconfrontationwithpeoplewhodisagreedwithhimtookalotoutof

Nixon.AfterthemeetingintheOvalOfficehewithdrewtohishideawayinthe

ExecutiveOfficeBuilding,nottoemergeuntilhedeliveredhisspeechofApril30

announcingtheCambodianincursion.Ispenthourswithhimeveryday,bringing

himuptodateontheplanning.PatBuchanandraftedthebasicspeechfroma

roughoutlinesuppliedbymystaff.ButitsmajorthrustwasNixon’s.Hesupplied

therhetoricandthetone;heworkedforhourseachdayonsuccessivedrafts.



Onemorningheshowedmearuledpaperfromayellowpadonwhichhe

hadjotteddownthevariousprosandcons;Ipulleda similaryellowsheetfrom

mypocket.Wehadreachedpracticallytheidenticalconclusions,perhapsbecause

wehadrehearsedthemsooftenorallytoeachother.Butinthedaysbefore

announcingthismo stfatefuldecisionofhisearlyPresidencyRichardNixonwas

virtuallyalone,sittinginadarkenedroomintheExecutiveOfficeBuilding,the

stereosoftlyplayingneoclassicalmusic—reflecting,resenting,collectinghis

thoughtsandhisanger.TheChurchillianrhetoricthatemergedreflectedlessthe

actualimportanceofthedecisionthanhisundoubtedsenseofdefianceatwhat

heknewwouldbeacolossalcontroversyoveradecisionhedeeplybelievedtobe

right,andinthemak ingofwhichhereceivedlittlesuccorfromhisassociates.



IwasbusybetweenhelpingthePresidentandcoordinatingthe

implementationofthedecision.OnceaCabinetdepartmentrecognizesthata

decisionisirrevocableandcannotbealteredbyartfulexegesisorleaks,itcan

becomeasplendidinstrument,competent,efficient,thoughtful.TheWSAG

meetings,whichinpreviousweekshadbeennightmaresofevasionandfoot‐

dragging,nowturnedcrispandprecise.U.AlexisJohnson,theseasonedUnder

SecretaryofStateforPoliticalAffairs,producedoneofthosemasterfuloverall

plans(called“scenarios”inbureaucratese)thatwerehisspecialty,anhourly

scheduleoftasksforeverykeyindividualanddepartmentdowntoandthenafter

zerohour.



“OperationRockCrusher,”asitwaslabeled,orToanThang42(“Total

Victory”)fortheSouthVietnamese,was launchedagainsttheParrot’sBeak

duringthenightofApril28.AboutfiftyAmericanadvisersaccompaniedtheinitial

wave,joinedbytwenty‐twomoreinthefirstfourdays.



OnthefatefuldayofApril30thePresidentdeliveredhisspeechat9:00

p.m.,explainingtoananxiouspublicthat“theactionsoftheenemyinthelastten

daysclearlyendangerthelivesofAmericanswhoareinVietnamnowandwould

constituteanunacceptablerisktothosewhowillbethereafterwithdrawalof

another150,000.”Heopenedbyexplaining,withamap,thattheNorth

VietnamesehadbeguntothreatenPhnomPenhandexpandtheirpreviously

separatedbaseareasinto“avastenemystagingareaandaspringboardfor

attacksonSouthVietnamalong600milesoffrontier.”Wehadthreeoptions:to

donothing;to“providemassivemilitaryassistancetoCambodiaitself”;toclean

outthesanctuaries.ThedecisionhenowannouncedwasacombinedUS‐South

Vietnameseassaulton“theheadquartersfortheentireCommunistmilitary

operationinSouthVietnam.”Theactionwaslimited,temporary,notdirected

againstanyoutsidecountry,indispensableforVietnamizationandforkeeping

casualtiestoaminimum.



Addingrhetoricoutofproportiontothesubjectthoughnottothestresses

oftheweeksprecedingit,thePresidentemphasizedthatAmericawouldnotbe

“humiliated”;wewouldnotsuccumbto“anarchy”;wewouldnotactlikea

“pitiful,helplessgiant.”Norwouldhetake“theeasypoliticalpath”ofblamingit

allonthepreviousadministrations.ItwasvintageNixon.Hehad“rejectedall

politicalconsideratio ns”:



WhethermypartygainsinNovemberisnothingcomparedtothelivesof400,000brave

AmericansfightingforourcountryandforthecauseofpeaceandfreedominVietnam.

WhetherImaybeaone‐termPresidentisinsignificantcomparedtowhetherbyourfailureto

actinthiscrisistheUnitedStatesprovesitselftobeunworthytoleadtheforcesoffreedomin

thiscriticalperiodinworldhistory.Iwouldratherbeaone‐termPresidentanddowhatI

believeisrightthantobeatwo‐termPresidentatthecostofseeingAmericabecomeasecond‐

ratepowerandtoseethisNationacceptthefirstdefeatinitsproud190‐yearhistory.



Afterward,thecriticismwasmadethatthiswasadivisivespeech,

apocalypticinitsclaims,excessiveinitspretensions.Hewouldnothavetoface

anotherelectionforovertwoyears;nodoubthepersonalizedtheissue

excessively.Certainlythespeechwasunsatisfactorytothoseforwhomending

thewarinVietnamwastheonlyaimandwhoidentifiedthisgoalwithendingall

combatoperationsasrapidlyaspossibleregardlessofconsequences.Without

doubtNixonshouldhavebeenmorecompassionatetowardtheanguishofthose

genuinelytornbytheambiguitiesofaninconclusivewarsoforeigntoour

nationalexperience.Heplayedintothehandsofhiscriticsbypresentingan

essentiallydefensiveoperation,limitedinbothtimeandspace,asan

earthshaking,conscience‐testingevent,lendingcolortotheirclaimthathehad

exceededPresidentialauthorityby“expanding”thewar.Andheaddeda

sentencethatwasasirrelevanttohiscentralthesisasitwasuntrue,thatwehad

heretoforenotmovedagainstthesanctuaries—overlookingthesecretbombing.



Yetinallfairnessthecriticsmadelittleefforttogobeyondrhetorictothe

realitiesofthedecision.Forbehindthewords,atonceself‐pityingand

vainglorious,themeritsofthecasewereoverwhelming.Wehadnotencouraged

thecoupinCambodiaorevenknownaboutit.Wehaddonenexttonothingto

exploititforfourweeks.WeweretriggeredintoactionwhenLeDucTholinked

thewarsinVietnamandCambodia;whenSihanoukthrewinhislotwiththe

Communists;whenNorthVietnameseforcesbrokeoutofthesanctuarie sand

beganplungingdeepintoCambodiawiththeobviouspurposeofoverthrowing

thegovernmentandestablishingacontiguousareafromwhichthewarinthe

SouthernhalfofSouthVietnamcouldbepursuedfromavastlyimprovedlogistics

base.Inthesecircumstances,eitherwewouldhavetostopwithdrawalsor

Vietnamizationwouldbecomeasubterfugeforthedismantlingofanallied

country.ThatNixon’srhetoricwasexcessivedidnotchangetherealitythatwe

hadonlythethreechoicesheoutlined.Doingnothingwasthesameasallowing

thecollapseofbothCambodiaandSouthVietnam.Ifwewereseriousabout

reducingourinvolvementinVietnamandnotleavingthosewhohadreliedonus

totheirfate,wehadtothwartHanoi’sdesignsonCambodia.Theincursionsinto

thesanctuaries,inshort,weretheonlycoursecomp atiblewithacontrolled

retreatfromIndochinaandanyprospect ofpreventingHanoi’sdominationofthe

region.



<<Contents>>



****



TheElusiveCommunistHeadquartersandOtherBattles



mericanandSouthVietnameseforcespushedforwardintotheFishhookarea

at7:30a.m.SaigontimeonMay1.ThesamedayNixonvisitedtheNational

MilitaryCommandCenteratthePentagonand—onthespurofthemoment—

orderedwhathehadlongbeenconsidering,anincursionintoallotherbaseareas.

Asaresult,twelveenemybaseareaswereattackedinthefirstthreeweeks.Some

werecombinedalliedoperations;somewereconductedbytheSouthVietnamese

alonewithUSairandlogisticsupport.Somewerebrief(aweektotendays);

somewereforthedurationofthecampaign.



TwoUSnavalshipsandnavalpatrolaircrafttookupstationsofftheportof

Sihanoukville(bythenrenamedKompongSom)outsidethetwelve‐milelimit.

Theyweretowatchtheportandtoeffectablockadeifnecessary.This

terminatedonJune13.OnMay26,thesecretMenuserieswasformallyended;B‐

52strikescontinuedasopenoperationsinsupportoftheUSgroundforcesin

Cambodia.Inaddition,twodaysofairstrikeswereconductedinNorthVietnam