Kissinger Henry. White House Years

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againstthreeenemysupplybasesjustNo rthoftheDemilitarizedZone.General

AbramshadcalledattentiontothislogisticscomplexinlateApril,consideringit

thehuboftheenemysupplyeffort.



Nixon’sspeechhadhighlightedthepresenceofCOSVNintheFishhookarea

andhadlisteditasoneofthetargetsofourassault.Lairdhadcorrectlycautioned

againstthisspecificreferenceinthespeechbuthedidnotseethedraftuntila

coupleofhoursbeforeitwasdeliveredandNixonwasunwillingtochangeit.The

resultwasoneofthefamous,self‐inflictedcredibilitygapsirrelevanttothe

centralissuebutcorrosiveofpublicconfidence.TheCambodianCommunists

confirmedeightyearslaterwhatsomeAmericanswouldnotbelievewhenNixon

statedit:thatCOSVNwasindeedlocatedintheFishhookarea.

Inmybriefings

tothepressinadvanceofthespeechJadmittedthatCOSVNwashighlymobile

andthatwedidnotexpecttocaptureitintact.Andinfact,theassaultintothe

FishhooksanctuaryseverelydisruptedCOSVN’soperationsandcapturedor

destroyedmanyofitspersonnel,supplies,andinstallations.OnMay18,COSVN

informeditssubordinateunits thatitwasbeingseriouslythreatenedbyallied

attacks;itdirectedallitsattendantradiostationstomonitorcloselysincethe

headquarterswouldresumecommunicationsonly brieflywhenneeded.COSVN

remainedofftheairforconsiderable periodswhilesubordinatestriedrepeatedly

toreestablishradiocontact.Butsincewecouldnotrevealintelligence

information,wewerenakedbeforethemedia’smercilessmockingofourpursuit

oftheelusiveCommunistheadquarters.



COSVNaside,therewasnodoubtaboutthesuccess.Bytheendofthefirst

month,fiveandahalftonsofenemydocumentshadbeencaptured,including

vitaldocumentationoftheenemyorderofbattleinVietnam,itsdetailedplansfor

itscampaigntooverthrowthePhnomPenhgovernment,andbillsofladingfor

shipmentsthroughSihanoukvillethatwentbeyondourhighestestimatesof

Sihanoukville’simportance.OnMay22,theDefenseDepartmentestimatedthat

12,000NorthVietnamesetroopswereheldupintheinfiltrationpipelinebyour

operations.Communistcommunicationslamentedthesetroops’consumptionof

stocks,scheduledforlateruseduringtherainyseason.Thenumberofdefectors

fromtheCommunistsideincreasedsubstantially.Inhisfinalreporttothenation

attheendofJune,Nixonlistedthequantitiesofmaterielcaptured:



‐22,892individualweapons—enoughtoequipabout74full‐strengthNorthVietnamese

infantrybattalionsand2,509bigcrew‐servedweapons—enoughtoequipabout25full‐

strengthNorthVietnameseinfantrybattalions;



‐morethan15millionroundsofammunitionoraboutwhattheenemyhasfiredin

SouthVietnamduringthepastyear;



‐14millionpoundsofrice,enoughtofeedalltheenemycombatbattalionsestimated

tobeinSouthVietnamforabout4months;



‐143,000rockets,mortars,andrecoillessriflerounds,usedagainstcitiesandbases.

Basedonrecentexperience,thenumberofmortars,largerockets,andrecoillessrifleroundsis

equivalenttowhattheenemyshootsinabout14monthsinSouthVietnam;



‐over199,552antiaircraftrounds,5,482mines,62,022grenades,and83,000poundsof

explosives,including1,002satchelcharges;



‐over435vehiclesanddestroyedover11,688bunkersandothermilitarystructures.



Themilitaryimpactmighthavebeenevengreaterhadwenotwithdrawn

ourforcesarbitrarilyintwomonths. Theenormousuproarathomewas

profoundlyunnerving.



SoonafterhisApril30speech,Nixonstartedpressingfortoken,andthen

forsubstantial,withdrawalsfromthesanctuaries.TheJune30deadlinebeganas

animprovisedandveryapproximateNixonprojectionforCongressionalleaders

ofhowlongtheeffortwouldlast;itwassoonmadesacrosanct.Atanother

CongressionalbriefinghesuddenlyintroducedalimitofthirtykilometersforUS

penetrations(whichwastranslatedinexplicablybythePentagontomeantwenty‐

onemiles).ThePresidentwascomingdangerouslyclosetotheperennialerrorof

ourmilitarypolicyinVietnam:actingsufficientlystronglytoevokestormsof

protestbutthenbyhesitationdeprivingouractionsofdecisiveimpact.The

limitationsoftimeandgeographyplacedonourforces’operationshelpedonly

marginallytocalmtheCongressandthemediabutcertainlykeptusfrom

obtainingtheoperations’fullbenefit.Thebaseareasbythenextendedover

hundredsofsquaremiles;hiddencachescouldnotbediscoveredexcept by

systematicsearches;itthentooksometimetoremovewhatwasfound.Thetime

limitdidnotpermitathoroughsearch.Andthegeographicalrestraintssimplified

theenemy’splanning:Hesimplywithdrewhisforcesandso meofhiscachesto

areasdeclaredsafebyus.Idoubtifwewouldhaveattractedmuchmorepublic

hostilitybyextendingourstayforthetwoorthreeadditio nalmonthsthata

carefulsearchneeded.ItmighthavepreventedtheCommunists’maintaining

somebaseareasfromwhichtheyeventuallyprevailedinCambodiaitself.Butthe

inhibitions,thoughregrettableforfullsuccess,didnotpreventusfromachieving

ourmaingoals.TheattackonthesanctuariesmadeourwithdrawalfromVietnam

easier;itsavedlives;evenafterthesanctuarieswerepartlyreoccupiedbythe

Communiststheyhadbeendeprivedofstockpilesforasustainedoffensive.



Systemsanalystsonmyownstaffestimatedthatouroperationsdestroyed

orcapturedupto40percentofthetotalenemystockpileinCambodia.Myown

assessmentwascautious.Inpressbriefingsatthebeginningoftheoperationand

inconversationswiththePresident,Ihadpredictedthatthedisruptionofenemy

suppliesandoperationswould“buyus”betweensixandeightmonths.Aftera

triptoIndochinaonourbehalf,SirRobertThompsonthoughttheCommunists

wouldbeunabletobuilduptheirsuppliesduringtherainyseasonthatyearorto

completetherestockingduringthedryseason.Onlyafterthefollowingrainy

seasoncouldtheyrebuildtheirstockstopreviouslevels.Inotherwords,he

thoughtwehadgainedasmuchastwoyears.



Thompsonprovedto becorrect.After1969thewarinVietnamhadturned

intoaracebetweenourwithdrawals,theimprovementoftheSouthVietnamese

army,andtheabilityofHanoitointerrupttheprocessbylaunchingoffensives.As

theAmericancombatroledwindled,anythingthatweakenedHanoi’scombat

capabilitywascrucialforus.BecauseHanoihadtofightfarfromitshomebase,

interruptionofitslogisticslineanddepletionofitsstockpilesthrewoffits

calculationsaswellasitscapabilities.Whatevertheconclusionsofsystems

analysts,therewasnosignificantcombatfornearlytwoyearsthereafterinthe

areasofSouthVietnamthathadbeenmostexposedtoattacksfromthe

sanctuaries.TheMe kongDeltaandtheheavilypopulatedareaswereeffectively

secured.AndwhenHanoilaunchedanationwideoffensiveinthespringof1972,

itsmajorthrustcameacrosstheDMZ,whereitssupplylineswereshortest;its

attacksfromCambodiaweretheweakestandthemosteasilycontained.



ForAmericans,ofcourse,thekeycriterionwasourcasualties. Duringthe

attackonthesanctuariestheyrosebrieflythoughtheyneverreachedmorethan

aquarterofthe800perweekthatLairdhadfeared.Afterward,thenumberof

menkilledinactiondroppedtobelowonehundredaweekforthefirsttimein

fouryears.Theycont inuedtodropwitheverymonththereafter.Foreachmonth

beginningwithJune1970,thecasualtyfigureaveragedlessthanhalfofthatof

thecorrespondingmonthofthepreviousyear.ByMay1971,ayearlater,ithad

fallentothirty‐fiveaweek;inMay1972,tenaweek.Tobesure,thewithdrawal

ofAmericanforceswasafactor;butwehadseveralhundredthousandAmericans

inVietnamthrough1971,andhadHanoipossessed thecapabilityitcouldhave

inflictedsubstantiallyhighercasualtiesthanitdid.Thatitdidnotdosowas

importantlyduetothebreathingspaceprovidedbytheCambodianoperation.



Andintheinternationalarena,thecomplicationswithothercountries

fiercelypredictedbysomecriticsdidnotmaterialize.TheSovietUnionmade

ambiguousbarbs,stoppingwellshortofanyspecificthreat.OnMay4,Soviet

PremierKosyginheldatoughpressconference,askingwhattrusttheSoviets

couldplaceinAmerica’sinter nationalundertakingsgivenour“violation”of

Cambodianneutrality.ButherefusedtoapplythisgeneralcomplainttotheSALT

talks.HedidnotpledgeSovietsupporttothe“Indoc hinesePeoples’“Summit

Declaration,orevendisavowtheLonNolgovernment.OnMay18,SovietDeputy

ForeignMinisterNikolaiFiryubintoldoneofourEuropeanalliesthattheSoviets

plannedtokeeptheirembassyinPhnomPenhsince“thereisnothingelsetodo.”

FiryubindescribedthesituationinCambodiaasconfusedandSihano ukasa

prisonerofPeking.



TheChinese,thoughwithmorecolorfullanguage,wereequallyprudent.

OnMayagovernme nt statement“sternly”warnedtheUnitedStatesagainstits

“flagrantprovocation.”RemindingeveryoneofChairmanMao’sdictumthatthe

UnitedStateswasa“papertiger,”Chinaassertedthatthe“threeIndochinese

peoples”would“surely”winiftheystayedunited.APeople’sDailyeditorialthe

nextdayreiteratedthesamethemes,comfortingtheIndochineserevolutionaries

withthethoughtthat“thevastexpanseofChina’sterritoryistheirreliablerear

area.”Inotherwords,asItoldthePresident,“theChinesehaveissueda

statement,ineffectsayingthattheywouldn’tdoanything.”OnMay20an

unusualstatementwasissuedinthenameofChairmanMaowiththecalmtitleof

“PeopleoftheWorld,UniteandDefeattheU.S.AggressorsandAllTheirRunning

Dogs!”MaoendorsedSihanouk’snewgovernmentinexileandthe“Summit

DeclarationoftheIndochinesePeo ples,”andpointedoutagainthat“US

imperialism,whichlookslikeahugemonster,isinessenceapapertiger,nowin

thethroesofitsdeathbedstruggle.”Myanalysis,forwardedtothePresidenton

May23,wasthatthisalsoofferedlittletoHanoiexceptverbalencouragement. 



FarfromhurtingourrelationswiththetwoCommunistgiants,the

Cambodiaoperationsimprovedourpositionbyaddinganotherboneof

contentionbetweenMoscowandPeking.WithMoscow recognizingLonNoland

PekingSihanouk,theSino‐SovietsplitwastransplantedintoIndochina.ByJune10

DobryninandIwereagainexploringnegotiationsonSALT,theMiddleEast,and

evenaUS‐Sovietsummit;tensionswithMoscowthatdevelopedlaterinthe

summerresultedfromconflictinginterestsinotherpartsoftheworld.Andbythe

endofJunewehadreceivedunmistakablesignalsfromtheChinesethatthey

werewillingtoreopencontactswithus. 



Thecrisiswasneitheronthebattlefieldnorinourdiplomacybutathome.



<<Contents>>



****



TheDomesticTravail



oneofthesesuccesseshadanyeffectontheer uptionsofthespringof1970,

therebyturningtheperiodoftheCambodianincursionintoatimeof

extraordinarystress.IhadenteredgovernmentwiththehopethatIcouldhelp

healtheschismsinmyadoptedcountrybyworkingtoendthewar.Isympathized

withtheanguishofthestudentseagertolivetheAmericandreamofaworld

whereideasprevailedbytheirpuritywithouttheambiguitiesofrecourseto

power.ThewarinVietnamwasthefirstconflictshownontelevisionandreported

byalargelyhostile press.Thesqualorandsufferingandconfusioninseparable

fromanywarbecamepartofthelivingexperienceofAmericans;toomany

ascribeditsagonytothedefectsoftheirownleaders.



RepellentasIfoundtheself‐righteousnessandbrutalityofsome

protesters,Ihadaspecialfeeling forthestudents.Theyhadbeenbroughtupby

skeptics,relativists,andpsychiatrists;nowtheywererudderlessinaworldfrom

whichtheydemandedcertaintywithoutsacrifice.Mygenerationhadfailedthem

byencouragingself‐indulgenceandneglectingtoprovideroots.Ispenta

disproportionateamountoftimeinthenextmonthswithstudentgroups—tenin

Mayalone.Imetwithprotestersatprivatehomes. Ilistened,explained,argued.

Butmysympathyfortheiranguishcouldnotobscuremyobligationtomycountry

asIsawit.Theywere,inmyview,aswrongastheywerepassionate.Their

pressuresdelayedtheendofthewar,notacceleratedit;theirsimplificationsdid

notbringcloserthepeace,oftheyearningforwhichtheyhadnomonopoly.

Emotionwasnotapolicy.Wehadtoendthewar,butinconditionsthatdidnot

undermineAmerica’spowertohelpbuildthenewinternationalorderuponwhich

thefutureofeventhemostenrageddepended.



NorisitfairtoblametheupheavalprimarilyonNixon’sinflatedrhetoricor

evenontheeventsatKentState.Thedialogueinourdemocracyhadbroken

downpreviously.TheantiwarmovementhadbeendormantsinceNovember,

awaitinganewopportunity.Inmid‐Apriltherewereprotestsinsometwo

hundredcitiesandtowns,andthetemperwassuchthattheApril28newsofthe

purelySouthVietnameseoperationintheParrot’sBeakevokedcondemnationas

amajorescalationofthewar.Thiswastwodaysbeforetheinvolvementof

AmericansoldiersorNixon’sspeech.NorthVietnameseforceshadbeenromping

throughCambodiaforwelloveramonth,withoutawordofcriticismofHanoi.

YettheSouthVietnameseresponsewasdenouncedintheNewYorkTimes(“a

virtualrenunciationofthePresident’spromiseofdisengagementfromSouthEast

Asia”),theWallStreetJournal(“Americanswantanacceptableexitfrom

Indochina,notadeeperentrapment”)andtheSt.LouisPost‐Dispatch(“ashocking

escalation”).TheSouthVietnamesethrustwasintendedtoassistourorderly

retreat.ButinCongressbarrierswerebeingerectedalmostimmediatelyagainst

helpingCambodia, itselfsufferingasavageinvasionbythesameenemiesand

indeedtheidenticalunitsthatwerefightingusinVietnam.SenatorJ.William

Fulbright,ChairmanoftheSenateForeignRelationsCommittee,toldNBCnewson

April27afterthebriefingthathadgivenRogerssomuchanticipatoryanguishthat

theCommitteewasvirtuallyunanimousintheviewthatassistingCambodiainits

resistancetoNorthVietnameseconquest“wouldbeanadditionalextensionof

thewar.”



Allthecriticalthemesofthelaterexplosionwerepresentbeforethe

President’sspeech:Wewereescalatingthewar.Nomilitaryactioncouldpossibly

succeed;hence,claimstothecontrarybythegove rnmentwerefalse.Wewere

allegedtobesolittleincontrolofourdecisionsthatthesmalleststepwasseenas

leadingtoanopen‐endedcommitmentofhundredsofthousandsofAmerican

troops.Acredibilitygaphadbeencreatedoveranyefforttoachieveanhonorable

exitfromthewar.Thus,thepressgreetedtheargumentsinNixon’sspeechon

April30withasimplecounterassertion:Theydidnotbelievehim.Itwas“Military

Hallucination—Again”accordingtotheNewYorkTimes:“Timeandbitter

experiencehaveexhaustedthecredulityoftheAmericanpeopleandCongress.”

TotheWashingtonPostitwasa“self‐renewing war”supportedby“suspect

evidence,speciousargumentandexcessiverhetoric.”TotheMiamiHerald“the

scriptinCambodiashockinglyisthesameasthestoryinVietnaminthedaysof

KennedyandJohnson.Wehavehearditallbefore—endlesstimes.”Debatewas

engulfedinmasspassion.



JustasitwasburgeoningbeforeApril30,thenewincreaseintempohad

begunwithcallsforstrikesandmarchesbythestudentleaders,whohadproved

theirskillinproducingconfrontationinpreviousseasonsofprotest.The

President’sstateme nts,oscillatingbetweenthemaudlinandthestrident, didnot

helpinavolatilesituationwhereeverythingwascapableofmisinterpretation.His

May1off‐the‐cuffreferenceto“bums…blowingupcampuses,”agibeoverheard

byreportersduringavisittothePentagon,wasaneedlesschallenge,althoughit

wasintendedtoreferonlytoatinygroupofstudentswhohadfirebombeda

buildingandburnedthelife’sresearchof aStanfordprofessor.WhenonMay4,

fourstudentsatKentStateUniversitywerekilledbyriflefirefromNational

GuardsmendispatchedbyOhioGovernorJamesRhodestokeeporderduring

severaldaysofviolence,therewasashockwavethatbroughtthenationandits

leadershipclosetopsychologicalexhaus tion.



TheAdministrationrespondedwithastatementofextraordinary

insensitivity.RonZieglerwastoldtosaythatthekillings“shouldremindusall

onceagainthatwhendissentturnstoviolenceitinvitestragedy.”



Themomentumofstudentstrikesandprotestsacceleratedimmediately.

CampusunrestandviolenceovertooktheCambodianoperationitselfasthe

majorissuebeforethepublic.Washingtontookonthecharacterofabesieged

city.ApinnacleofmasspublicprotestwasreachedbyMay9whenacrowd

estimatedatbetween75,000and100,000demonstratedonahotSaturday

afternoonontheEllipse,theparktotheSouthoftheWhiteHouse. Police

surroundedtheWhiteHouse;aringofsixtybuseswasusedtoshieldthegrounds

ofthePresident’shome.



AfterMay9thousandsmorestudents,oftenledbytheirfaculty,descended

onthecapitaltodenounce“escalation”andthe“folly”oftheirgovernment.A

thousandlawyerslobbiedCongresstoendthewar,followedbythirty‐three

headsofuniversities,architects,doctors,healthofficers,nurses,andonehundred

corporateexecutivesfromNewYork.Thepressfedthemood.Editorials

expresseddoubtsabouttheclaimsofsuccessinCambodiaemanatingfromthe

Pentagon.Beyondthesepeacefuldemonstrationsantiwarstudentsprovedadept

atimaginativetacticsofdisruptionmergingwithoutrightviolence.Sometwo

thousandColumbiaUniversitystudentssatdownintheroadintherushhour.

Firesweresetonseveralcollegecampusesasbonfiresforpeac e.AtSyracuse

Universityfiredestroyedanewbuildingastwenty‐fivehundredstudents

demonstratednearby.StudentsdemonstratedinthefinancialdistrictofNewYork

CityonMay7and8.Inretaliation,constructionworkersbuildingtheWorldTrade

CenterdescendedonWallStreetandbea ttheprotesterswithclubsandother

makeshiftweapons.Theincidentshockedsomeintotherealizationthata

breakdownofcivilordercouldbackfiredangerouslyagainstthedemonstrators.

Butitdidnotslowdownthepaceofprotest;itonlyencouragedNixoninthe

beliefthatthemassesoftheAmericanpublicwereonhisside.



Indeed,theGallupPollshowedconsiderablesupportforthePresident’s

action.Whenpeoplewereasked,“DoyouthinktheUSshouldsendarmsand

materialtohelpCambodiaornot?”48percentofthosequestionedresponded

yes,35percentno,11percentexpressednoopinion, while6percentgavea

qualifiedanswer.Whentheywereasked,“Doyouapproveordisapproveofthe

wayPresidentNixonishandlingtheCambodiansituation?”50percentexpressed

approval;35percentexpresseddisapproval;15percentexpressednoopinion.

And53percentofthosequestionedexpressedapprovalofthewayPresident

NixonwashandlingthesituationinVietnam;37percentexpresseddisapproval;

10percenthadnoopinion.



Thetidalwaveofmediaandstudentcrit icismpowerfullyaffectedthe

Congress.FromnotunreasonablecriticismofthePresident’sinadequate

consultationitescalatedtoattemptstolegislateawithdrawalfromCambodiaand

toprohibitthereentryofAmericantroops.OnMay13debatebeganinthe

SenateontheForeignMilitarySalesBill,towhichSenatorsFrankChurchandJohn

ShermanCooperproposedanamendmentprohibitingtheextensionofUS

militaryaidto,andUSmilitaryactivitiesin,Cambodia afterJune30.Ontheother

hand,anamendmentofferedbySenatorRobertByrdwouldhavegrantedthe

PresidentauthoritytotakewhateveractionhedeemednecessarytoprotectUS

troopsinSouthVietnam.Thisamendmentwasnarrowlydefeated,52‐47,onJune

11,inwhatwasseenasatrialheat.Senatedebateandparliamentaryskirmishing

lastedsevenweeks,untilonJune30theSenateapprovedtheCooper‐Church

amendmentina58‐37roll‐callvote.TheSenatehadvotedtogivethe

CommunistsafreehandinCambodiaeventhoughinthejudgmentofthe

ExecutiveBranchthisdoomedSouthVietnam.ThebillthenwenttoaHouse‐

SenateConference.TheentireForeignMilitarySalesBillremainedinconference

fortheremainderof1970,deadlockedovertheHouse’srefusaltoagreetothe

Senate‐passedamendment.Bythenthedamagewassubstantiallydone;inthe

middleofablatantNorthVietnameseinvasion,theenemywasbeingtoldbythe

SenatethatCambodiawasonitsown.



WhereastheCooper‐ChurchamendmentfocusedonCambodia,the

McGovern‐HatfieldamendmenttotheDefenseProcurementBillaimedatending

theIndochinawarbythesimpleexpedientofcuttingoffallfundsbytheendof

1970,laterextendedtoDecember31,1971.Themovewasfinallydefeatedbythe

SenateonSeptember1bya55‐39margin.Butthepatternwasclear.Senate

opponentsofthewarwouldintroduceoneamendmentafteranother,forcingthe

Administrationintounendingrearguardactionstopreserveaminimumof

flexibilityfornegotiations.Hanoicouldonlybeencouragedtostall,waitingto

harvesttheresultsofourdomesticdissent.



Allthisacceleratedtheprocessesofdisenchantment.Conservativeswere

demoralizedbyawarthathadturnedintoa retreatandliberalswereparalyzed

bywhattheythemselveshadwrought—fortheycouldnotcompletelyrepressthe

knowledgethatitwasaliberalAdministrationthathadsenthalfamillion

AmericanstoIndochina.Theywereequallyreluctanttofacetheimplicationsof

theirpastactionsortoexertanyseriousefforttomaintaincalm.Therewasa

headlongretreatfromrespo nsibility.Extraordinarilyenough,allgroups,

dissentersandothers,passedthebucktothePresidency.Itwasagreatjokefor

undergraduateswhenoneseniorprofessorproclaimed“thewaytogetoutof

Vietnamisbyship.”Thepracticalconsequencewasthatintheabsenceofany

seriousalternativethegovernmentwasleftwithonlyitsownpolicyor

capitulation.



Theveryfabricofgovernmentwasfallingapart.TheExecutiveBranchwas

shell‐shocked.Afterall,theirchildrenandtheirfriends’childrentookpartinthe

demonstrations.SometwohundredandfiftyStateDepartmentemployees,

includingfiftyForeignServiceOfficers,signedastatementobjectingto

Administrationpolicy.Theill‐concealeddisagreementofCabinetmembers

showedthattheExecutiveBranchwasnearlyasdividedasthecountry.Interior

SecretaryWalterHickelprotestedinpublic.TheNewYorkTimesonMay9

reportedthattheSecretaryofStatehadprohibitedanyspeculationonhisown

attitude—hardlyaringingendorsementofthePresident.Agroupofemployees

seizedthePeaceCorpsbuildingandflewaVietCongflagfromit.RobertFinch,

SecretaryofHealth,Education,andWelfare,refuse dtodisagreepubliclywithhis

Presidentandoldfriend—asindeedhedidprivately—andalargenumberofhis

officialsoccupiedthedepartment’sauditoriuminprotest.

ThePresidentsaw

himselfasthefirmrockinthisrushingstream,buttheturmoilhaditseffecton

himaswell.Pretendingindifference,hewasdeeplywoundedbythehatredofthe

protesters.Hewould havegivenagreatdealtogainameasureoftheaffectionin

whichthestudentsheldtheenviedandadmiredKennedys.Inhisambiv a lence

Nixonreachedapointofexhaustionthatcausedhisadvisersdeepconcern.His

awkwardvisittotheLincolnMemorialtomeetstudentsat5:00a.m.onMay9

wasonlythetipofthepsychologicaliceberg.



Exhaustionwasthehallmarkofusall.Ihadtomovefrommyapartment

ringedbyprotestersintothebasementoftheWhiteHousetogetsomesleep.

Despitetheneedtocoordinatethemanagementofthecrisis,muchofmyown

timewasspentwithunhappy,nearlypanicky,colleagues;evenmorewithstudent

andcolleaguedemonstrators.ItalkedatsomelengthtoBrianMcDonnelland

ThomasMahoney,twoyoungpacifistswhoannouncedtheywouldfastin

LafayetteParkuntilallAmeric antroopshadbeenwithdrawn. Italkedinthe

SituationRoomwithgroupsofstudentsfromvariouscollegesandgraduate

schoolsabouttherootcauses,asI sawthem,oftheirdespair,whichIthought

deeperthananxietyaboutthewar.



Ifoundthesediscussionswithstudentsrathermorerewardingthanthose

withtheirprotestingteachers.WhenIhadlunchintheSituationRoomwitha