Book Read Free

Reckless: Henry Kissinger and the Tragedy of Vietnam

Page 32

by Robert K. Brigham


  133. Ibid., 192.

  134. Full transcript of Kissinger’s remarks reprinted in New York Times, January 25, 1973.

  135. As quoted in Dallek, Nixon and Kissinger, 453.

  136. Haldeman Diaries, January 27, 1973, 573.

  137. Richard Nixon, “Address to the Nation Announcing the Conclusion of an Agreement on Ending the War and Restoring Peace in Vietnam,” January 23, 1973,” at www. Presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=3808.

  INDEX

  Abrams, Creighton, 28–30

  in decision to bomb Cambodia, 36

  Easter Offensive response of, 170–173, 178

  in Laos invasion, 138–142

  in 1970 Cambodia military offensive, 112–113

  Nixon’s and Kissinger’s finger-pointing at, 145–146

  in Pruning Knife, 71

  Acheson, Dean, 123

  action, Kissinger as man of, 43–45

  Administration of National Concord (ANC), 216–220

  Albert, Carl, 143

  Alsop, Joe, 188

  ANC. See Administration of National Concord

  Anderson, Jack, 162–163

  antiwar movement

  against bombing of North Vietnam, 174

  against Cambodian invasion, 116–120

  against Laos invasion, 149

  May 1970 march on White House by, 117

  military escalation interactions with, 72–74, 78, 120, 146–147, 149

  against 1972 December military escalations, 183, 187

  peace negotiation effects of, 204

  Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN)

  Easter Offensive response of, 169–180, 186–187

  Kissinger’s frustration with, 88

  Laos attack by, 136–145

  pacification programs of, 18–19, 82, 110

  territory controlled in early 1970, 82

  Aubrac, Raymond, 57–58

  B-52 strikes

  Christmas 1972, 234–238

  North Vietnam, 174–177

  secret Cambodia, 36–42, 116

  back channels

  to DRV, 57–70

  Kissinger’s and Nixon’s use of, 47–49

  a secret peace talks

  Base Area 352, in 1970 military offensive on, 113–114

  Base Area 353

  in 1970 military offensive on, 113–114

  secret bombing of, 36

  Bass, Gary, 162

  Bernstein, Carl, 189

  Big Minh. See Duong Van Minh

  Binh. See Nguyen Thi Binh

  Bo. See Mai Van Bo

  bombings

  Christmas 1972, 234–238

  Linebacker, 182, 184–189

  North Vietnam, 174–177, 179–186, 234–238

  Operation Linebacker II, 234–238

  Operation Menu, 38–39, 116

  Operation Rolling Thunder, 3

  secret Cambodia, 36–42, 116

  BREAKFAST bombings, 36–42

  Brezhnev, Leonid

  Kissinger’s 1972 meeting with, 175–179

  Nixon’s 1972 meeting with, 184

  Bruce, David, 122–125

  Buckley, William F., 175

  budget cuts, Congress threats of, 32, 85, 118, 136, 187

  Bui Diem, 3–4, 223

  in Laos invasion, 140–141

  Bundy, McGeorge, 12, 220

  challenges to Kissinger’s memoirs, 93–94

  Bundy, William, 10, 18

  Bunker, Ellsworth, 201, 207–208

  bureaucracy, Kissinger’s and Nixon’s desire to overturn, 7–10

  Cambodia

  Kissinger’s desire for military operations inside, 34

  map of, xviii (fig.)

  1969 decision to bomb, 34–36

  1970 military offensive in, 109–120

  secret bombings of, 36–42, 116

  Case, Clifford, 187

  cease-fire

  DRV violations of, 241

  in finalized peace agreement, 216, 220, 229, 239, 241

  Kissinger’s 1970 decision on, 121–124

  1970 September meeting on, 124–132

  in 1972 peace talks, 190–199, 202–203

  Nixon’s 1969 rejection of, 121–122

  Nixon’s 1970 April speech proposing, 109–111

  Nixon’s 1970 October speech on, 133–136

  press response to, 133–134

  Rogers’s 1969 October efforts to negotiate, 79–80

  Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), 6, 15, 18, 185, 223

  Central Office South Vietnam (COSVN), 36, 39, 113

  Chennault, Anna, 3–4

  Chennault, Claire, 4

  chief executive. See Nixon, Richard

  chief of staff, White House. See Haldeman, H. R.

  China

  Dong’s 1970 meeting with, 130–131

  map of, xviii (fig.)

  1971 diplomatic breakthroughs with, 151

  Nixon’s 1972 visit to, 168

  reframing Vietnam problem to include, 17–18

  Soviet Union rift with, 53–54

  Choisy-le-Roi meetings

  Kissinger’s description of, 91

  1970 April, 107–109

  1970 February, 91, 93, 95–100

  1970 March, 100–107

  1970 September, 124–132

  1971, 148–159

  Nixon’s 1972 exposure of, 164–168

  Christmas bombings, 234–238

  Church, Frank, 118, 187

  CIA. See Central Intelligence Agency

  Coa Van Vien, 140

  coercive diplomacy, Kissinger’s use of, 47, 66–67, 83–85, 104, 120, 244

  Colby, William, 18

  Colson, Charles, 129, 226

  Committee of National Reconciliation, 196

  Congress

  Cooper-Church Amendment passed by, 118–120, 141, 146

  defense budget cuts by, 32, 85, 118, 136, 187

  Laird’s knowledge of, 9

  Mansfield Amendment passed by, 157

  Nixon’s first major foreign policy report to, 89

  opposition control of, 85

  opposition to Linebacker bombings, 187–189

  reaction to Christmas bombings, 234–238

  reaction to Nixon’s 1972 January speech, 167

  response to 1970 Cambodia invasion, 118–120

  September 1969 resolution for troop withdrawal, 72

  consequential diplomacy, 2

  Cooper, John Sherman, 118

  Cooper-Church Amendment, 118–120, 141, 146

  COSVN. See Central Office South Vietnam

  Daily Mirror, Christmas bombing criticisms in, 237

  Dallek, Robert, 7, 15

  defense budget, Congress cuts to, 32, 85, 118, 136, 187

  Defense Department

  inclusion in The Senior Review Group, 68

  Kissinger’s shutting out of, 65, 67, 76, 114, 139–140, 144, 201, 244

  See also Laird, Melvin

  Demilitarized Zone (DMZ)

  DRV 1969 February attacks on, 34–35

  DRV 1972 March attacks on, 169

  in finalized peace agreement, 230–233, 239

  democracy, Kissinger’s views on, 92

  Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV, North Vietnam)

  Easter Offensive of, 168–179

  Johnson’s call to cease bombing of, 2

  Kissinger’s back channel to, 57–70

  Kissinger’s desire for military strikes on, 33–34

  Kissinger’s false claims about, 93, 97–100, 107–108, 128, 153, 194–195

  map of, xviii (fig.)

  1969 February attacks on DMZ by, 34–35

  1969 March willingness to resume peace talks, 40–42

  1970 willingness to negotiate, 86–88

  1972 bombing of, 174–177, 179–186, 234–238

  1972 December military escalation in, 231–238

  1972 port mining of, 183–186

  peace agreement negotiated with. See peace agreement

  peace talks
with. See peace talks

  rejection of 1970 cease-fire by, 125, 132

  rejection of Nixon’s 1969 peace proposals by, 51–52

  response to Nixon’s 1970 October speech, 135–136

  Soviet support of, 55–57, 182–184

  troop withdrawal negotiations with. See troop withdrawal

  Deng Xiaoping, 54

  Diem. See Bui Diem; Ngo Dinh Diem

  DMZ. See Demilitarized Zone

  Dobrynin, Anatoly

  explanation of 1972 Soviet threat, 184

  Kissinger’s meetings with, 45–46, 49–51, 53, 55–56

  Kissinger’s orchestrated call with, 71–72

  Nixon’s 1969 November meeting with, 80–81

  Roger’s 1969 meeting with, 48

  domestic politics

  military escalation interactions with, 72–74, 78, 120, 146–147, 149, 175, 237–238

  negotiations affected by, 30–32, 41–42, 85–86, 204

  See also Congress

  Dong. See Pham Van Dong

  DRV. See Democratic Republic of Vietnam

  Duan. See Le Duan

  Duck Hook, 70–78, 112

  Dunn, John “Mike,” 15–16

  Duong Van Minh, 154–155

  Eagleburger, Lawrence, 10

  Easter Offensive of 1972, 168–175

  Kissinger’s meeting with Brezhnev during, 175–179

  Kissinger’s Paris peace talks during, 179–187

  Ehrlichman, John, 76

  Eighth Plenum of the Vietnamese Communist Party, 86

  Eisenhower, Dwight, 123

  Ellsberg, Daniel

  Pentagon Papers leaked by, 157–158

  Vietnam contingency options analysis by, 26–27

  Ending the Vietnam War (Kissinger), 40, 93

  evil, Kissinger’s views on, 92–93

  Fairbank, John King, 17–18

  Fallaci, Oriana, 43

  Ferguson, Niall, 14, 21, 45

  fighting while talking, 157

  finger-pointing, Nixon’s and Kissinger’s, 145–146

  Fisher, Roger, 11–12

  Fishhook, 1970 military offensive in, 113–116

  Fonda, Henry, 43

  Fonda, Jane, 192

  Foreign Affairs, Kissinger’s 1969 article in, 21–26

  foreign policy, Kissinger’s and Nixon’s shared views on, 1–2, 5–6, 10–11, 41, 46–47

  Fulbright, J. William, 167

  funding cuts, Congress threats of, 32, 85, 118, 136, 187

  Germany, Kissinger’s childhood experiences in, 92–93

  Giap. See Vo Nguyen Giap

  GNC. See Provisional Government of National Concord

  Goldwater, Barry, 13–14

  Goodell, Charles, 72

  Goodpaster, Andrew, 28

  Grandin, Greg, 39

  Gromyko, Andrei, 57

  Guardian, Christmas bombing criticisms in, 238

  guerrilla warfare, Kissinger’s views on, 22

  GVN. See Republic of Vietnam

  Haig, Alexander, 36

  Abrams replacement by, 145–146

  in Laos invasion, 138–139, 142

  1972 December meetings with Thieu, 236–237

  1972 October meetings with Thieu, 211–214

  in 1972 September peace talks, 206

  1973 January meetings with Thieu, 240

  in peace agreement finalization, 217, 221, 225, 228, 231–233

  Haiphong, 1972 mining of, 183–186

  Haldeman, H. R.

  on Henry-Handling Committee, 76

  on Kissinger’s and Nixon’s secrecy, 103

  in Kissinger’s exclusion of Rogers, 48–49

  Kissinger’s 1972 New Year’s Day call to, 160–163

  on Kissinger’s reaction to Mansfield Amendment, 157

  on Nixon’s anger over Kissinger’s failure to recognize his character, 242

  Nixon’s confiding in about Kissinger’s bluffing, 130

  on Nixon’s depressed moods, 89–90

  Hanoi. See Democratic Republic of Vietnam

  Harriman, Averell, 53

  Harvard

  Kissinger’s Defense Policy Seminar at, 11–12

  Kissinger’s 1965 meeting on Vietnam negotiations at, 16–18

  Hatfield, Mark, 118

  Hatfield-McGovern Amendment, 118–119

  Henry-Handling Committee, 76

  Herring, George, 10

  Hersh, Seymour, 2–3, 38

  history, Kissinger’s views on, 44–45

  Ho Chi Minh, Nixon’s letter to, 57–62

  Hoang Xuan Lam, 142, 170

  Hoffmann, Stanley, 93–95

  Hongqi (Red Flag), 55

  honor, peace with. See peace with honor

  Humphrey, Hubert H., 1, 3

  Huntington, Samuel, 17

  In the Jaws of History (Diem), 3

  Indochina area, map of, xviii (fig.)

  Isaacson, Walter, 102, 116–117

  Jackson State, protestors killed at, 117

  Javits, Jacob, 72

  JCS. See Joint Chiefs of Staff

  Johnson, Lyndon

  Kissinger’s critiques on Vietnam policy of, 13–14, 18, 20–23

  1968 October peace talks of, 2–5

  Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS)

  in Easter Offensive response, 171–173

  inclusion in The Senior Review Group, 68

  Johnson’s ignoring of, 6

  Nixon’s anger with, 182

  Nixon’s December 1972 warning to, 235

  Nixon’s desire to mend fences with, 9

  orders to Radford to gather information, 163

  in Pruning Knife, 71

  recommendations in 1969 January NSC session, 27

  See also Moorer, Thomas; Wheeler, Earle

  Kant, Immanuel, 44

  Kennan, George F., 44

  Kennedy, John F., 13, 123

  Kennedy, Ted, 237

  Kent State University, protestors killed at, 117

  Khan, Yahya, 161–162

  Khiem. See Thieu-Ky-Khiem

  Khrushchev, Nikita, 53–54

  Kiel, Fred, 26

  Kimball, Jeffrey, 101

  Kissinger, Henry

  ARVN frustrations of, 88

  Brezhnev meeting of, 175–179

  bureaucracy dislikes of, 7–10

  coercive diplomacy of, 47, 66–67, 83–85, 104, 120, 244

  on Congress as enemy in Vietnam, 188

  decent interval of, 150

  in decision to bomb Cambodia, 34–36

  on democracy, 92

  desire to act alone, 43–49, 66, 201, 244

  Dobrynin meetings with, 45–46, 49–51, 53, 55–56

  Duck Hook planning by, 70–78, 112

  early influences shaping Vietnam policy of, 11–21

  Easter Offensive response of, 168–175

  Ending the Vietnam War, 40, 93

  on evil, 92–93

  false claims made by, 93, 97–100, 107–108, 128, 153, 194–195

  finger-pointing by, 145–148

  Foreign Affairs article of, 21–26

  frustrations felt by, 75–76

  on guerrilla warfare, 22

  on history, 44–45

  Johnson administration critiques made by, 13–14, 18, 20–23

  Laird shutting out by, 65, 67, 76, 114, 139–140, 144, 201, 244

  Laird’s troop withdrawal confrontation with, 28–33

  Laos invasion by, 136–145

  linkages used by, 45–57

  as lone cowboy that takes action, 43–44

  Mansfield Amendment response of, 157

  Mao’s criticism of, 131

  memoirs of, 93–95

  military escalations championed by, 33–34, 41–42, 70–77, 85, 109, 137–138, 182, 233–235, 244

  misrepresentation by, 91–95

  Nazi Germany experiences shaping, 92–93

  as new national security adviser, 7–10

  in 1965 negotiations meeting with Harvard colleague
s, 16–18

  1968 October peace talks of, 2–5

  1969 peace talks of, 57–70

  1969 Vietnam policy of, 80–81

  1970 April peace talks of, 107–109

  in 1970 Cambodia military offensive, 109–120

  1970 March peace talks of, 100–107

  1970 September peace talks of, 124–132

  1971 peace talks of, 148–159

  1972 anxiety over Nixon, 160–161

  1972 China visit of, 168

  in 1972 December military escalation in North Vietnam, 231–238

  1972 December peace talks of, 229–233

  1972 May peace talks of, 179–187

  1972 November peace talks of, 227–229

  in 1972 October meeting with Thieu, 221–231

  1972 October peace talks of, 214–221

  1972 October press conference of, 225–226

  1972 September peace talks of, 200–212

  1972 summer peace talks of, 189–199

  1973 January peace talks of, 239–241

  Nixon comments made by, 2

  Nixon’s doubts about, 88–89, 129–130, 157, 161–164, 195

  Nixon’s emotional state worries of, 90, 129

  in Nixon’s 1968 presidential campaign, 2–5

  on Nixon’s 1970 October standstill cease-fire speech, 134

  as “Nixon’s Secret Agent,” 164–167

  Nobel Peace Prize awarded to, 91, 242

  Pakistan war response of, 161–163

  peace agreement announcement by, 220–221, 240–241

  peace agreement finalization by, 209–221, 227–233, 239–241

  peace talks of. See peace talks

  in Pierre Hotel meeting with Nixon, 1–2, 6–7

  on reality, 44–45

  resignation threats of, 76

  revisionism by, 91–95

  Rogers shutting out by, 47–49, 65, 67, 76, 139, 201, 244

  secrecy love of, 8, 10, 47, 102–103

  secret back-channel of, 57–70

  secret Cambodia bombings by, 36–42, 116

  secretary of state appointment of, 68

  Soviet cooperation plan of, 45–57

  strategy for ending Vietnam War on acceptable terms, 21–36

  victory declarations of, 241–244

  White House Years, 5, 94

  on world role of US, 44–45, 92

  Kosygin, Alexei, 55–56

  Kraemer, Sven, 207–208

  Kraft, Joe, 75

  Ky. See Nguyen Cao Ky

  Laird, Melvin, 9

  Easter Offensive response of, 169–174, 179–180

  Kissinger’s memos against, 79–80

  Kissinger’s shutting out of, 65, 67, 76, 114, 139–140, 144, 201, 244

  Kissinger’s troop withdrawal confrontation with, 28–33

  in Laos invasion, 139–144

  military escalation opposed by, 34, 74, 76

  in 1970 Cambodia military offensive, 113–116

  in 1972 North Vietnam bombing, 182

  1972 testimony before Congress, 187–188

 

‹ Prev