3173 ,.

N!,rrONAL SE"URITY COUNCJL

S-: "" I: '/SOONSITIVE I "'YES ONLY
MEMORANDUM F OR,
S UBJECT,
SECRETARy KTSSlNCF;R
w. R.
L .. oono o f Von. ",
A, your 'eque". SOme p&pc" ha ve been lor .he Pr<o; d.ot
aod you ro d / 0 0 .he "l ... un . 01
At T, b I i. 1"0' " you 'o 'he P'e.;den'
.<nne .hought> un t ho I . hon ' of V, d n.m .nd ou gg.",on. regordi ng
public I-''''''' io"' m; j;ht , a '<e .
At Ta b" i [per Irom Mr , Stoum.n >no my.eLf 00
S'M< Depar' mon' p.po< (Tal) AI ' "0 a T,o offe",ng ' Orne of Our own
ideu 'nc l <"on' of You wi . h '0 rcod tnooo.
REeo"" >:NDA T.ONS,
T hot you .ign 'he momorandum to .he P r e .idoo' I) o n
LeSSOn' of Vietnam.
Ori L '{ XGDS

M _lml, iif<,
InC )I,,,,,, "'<'- ",",." ...
, __ l'<11L.- ' D," <1'100
3J73_ x
TUf '''liTE flOl,"
3!'l W E X 'SENSrI! Vr.! F:XF.5 ONLY
MEMORA"InUM FOR, TH>: PR!;SI DENT
HENRY 11. . Kls.5!NGER
SUBJECT, L ... on. of VIOInam
.... , y""r "''1unt. I hove p rep"od omne th""lilI_ on 1 ... "". 01
Vi ...... "' .. '0. Y"'" con.ld.r.don ... d '0, yOu' bo.ck"o""d Inl<>."", -
,IOn in d.aling wl.b [" ... be. pr ... q"ution. on tho <"b)_C'.
II 10 .e>narl<.b! long the ..... l .... d . nd how
In!<n 'y'' wu repo ... od ond 'hot ,hue He
not very ",",ov leOlono hom 01" expc ri enc. In Vle.n.m ,h.t
con b. u.d"ily oppU.d eluwoue d pit h. obvi ou.
'0 y. .. p .... "' . d. "niQue . itu.&<lon. IOO
OI""lcally. politiully. mlil,a rlly a nd d;plorn.' \eal1y. W. 'hou!d
p.oboo bly bo , ,dul fo r ,ho, .nd .hould .ecogniu It fo. ,."", it i
inote.d of I ' Y;'I 10 _WI, ,h. on. of V'.'".m"" .. ""Ive .. ally
.. we ""oc 'tied 'b. "Iu.oo. "f Munlcb".
Th. 'nl f,,,.t.a"on of Vie,,,,,m. in .. ,,. <:>f commentHY aod eva) .... -
tJon. may be .h.t 'be "' .. ""d alm"ot univo,ul efr.",. bu, did not
provido. univ .... l "a'ecM,m .
.... (TOqU'''' ' cmphtlon of mo"y ""mmen"toro ou been '0 d.aw
cond".;on. ro 1\' . din . tho 'onadly of the poopl. and 'he
ultJm.te failu.e of OUT will. nu' ! qu """ wb hoT .... c an aept
."", coo<1"a''''' . U wa looIU' ...... i n .... m .. lun bl.,or ,b.
moo' dl.,.m. tho lu,' .deY.'" 10 ou' no,I"",.
c""c.,n and,o<.he ,"ntulcan po<>ple .uppo .... d ou. 'nvolvemeo
nd ;,. ,eneral objec,\ve< until .he ve.y <nd. Tho po<>ple mod"
.nO.mou. ncrdie... I am COn vine"" ,hat, ovo" at the e nd, Ibey
.. ould """e b en p"'pa,.d.o ,uI'I"''' 0 Ih .. , would hove .,,,,,d
Sou'b Vie'na<n if .""b a" opl. l"" llad be.n a vo.Llab!. '0
!i!';,"F. Il T!SENSIIIYEIn;S ONLY - XGDS
DI.C\.lIlImO
1.0. l""'. Sot. U
1ffC_ 'III .... - ..... ftiL;
., It! II . IIJ,. .... "'" '"
ONLY
,
1> nou " not be that t ne dod. ion. of Amer;c. n a om;n; . tra_
t ion. thot involve d .h;. nahon ;0 'he wu we'e &ene,ally .uppn<!eu
a , ' he , ;me they weTO , . 1<eo , ,hat thoy woro .upport od no' onl y
amo" the people at lar"e hut a m ong the polihoa l , I emeo," and
. mong t n, JQUTnaE.,. who I. te< eame ' 0 op;x>s< .he war. The
A m erica" people ,uppor<ed .ppl .. ucled Pre.'dent
E ioenhower lo r a d.ci, i on to p""it ion Vietnam .nd '0 '''ppoTt.n
anti - Communi" governm ent in tno South. The Am.rican people. and
p> r Hoularly t ne Am e r ;o. n m ed;a, '''pporl eo "'e"oMt Ke""edy ',
de ci .'on '0 &0 beyo"rl the "eo' " ictio", 0" Americ.n involvc",ent that
Pre.iden' E i .enhowe r h.d '0' . no 'hey . 100 .uppor<ed hi ' deci"o"
'0 p ermi t Ameri co n i nvolvement in tn. ,"monl of "ro.io<"t Diem
.lthougn ,h. oxton' oft hot invol vem on, W H not c l ,u.t 'he t im, .
who wue to be La b <led .. ' rloveo" On Viotnam then
in. ;.o .0... Soutll Vie'"&m had '0 be '&veu . nd th>t P;coidon'
Die", ' . r emov. l wu o .. ont ia l ' 0 n vo it. You yon r . elf ","I 'em<m -
be< the .upport ,hat 'Ile T o<>1<in Gull .. ool u,iDn won on tho
H, l) .nd the . u pport for P;c, idon' J ohn.on ' . d<c, . iou '0
nd t r oop . ""e.ide"t Ni xon won '" o ... of 'U"p ort forthe
deci. ion. o w>t bdraw f'Hc co at a a. well
M for tho P . ri , Agreo",ont .
I f one could offer a" y i "ideli"e' fo < ' h< fu'u,e about 'he l e ..
'0 1)e " <awn dOme ",c 'upport for foro i gn polioy. it would
he tnat Am o ri c.n politico! gr oup. w,1l not long TOm .;n eom(or,abl <
in po. it i on, ,h. , ol$Oin.' their tradi tlon.l . "",,du . 'rh< "benl
Domocr'" could not long .uppoTt. war rovoL"ti on"y
m o, .ment. no matt er how "actio","y t oe domeotic t a ch ". 01 to...
mOve ment. They had accepted the e"",,,,it,,,on' to Victna",
bec a u'e of p ... ident whom .hey rogud. d H ,h. i r ' ud.
hut tn} withdTOw fr om " uo dor P ,e . iden' John. on.
Goe <Ie," l eooon t""t CM be Maw" . i , th< importaoc, o (
ab.ol ut< I,"ne"y and obj ectivity in all withi n .nd from
tho Govornment well u fr om the p r .... U. S. offici. l ropo '"
,ended f or . long time t o be ex ;v.ly opt imi otic. wit h ' ne r .. " I,
, hat ota ' e ", <n,. dirl oot make <l<a< 'Q tho A m<" ic' O
how to" i ,nd how 'he conflict mi i ht ' u<n out '0 1)e. Alte r a
whi le tho pe"' m i " 'c roport. h orn t o grca'or
booa., .. ouch pooiHve 'und o di d omergo oamo "" . lowl y
' 0 ju.<ify ophmistic W.,binj(lon ao,e"U'len". In Vie",am. ' n<
.it uation wu worse , h'n . orne repo"ed anol better tl"'"
oIno" "port,d. But tn, pe .. 'mi .ho " port . von if they were
,; rs"'"'fIsEh"S!TIV"": YS ONLX - XGDS
-
Sli iT" 1" I SlCNSITIV>: I ;en,S ONI. y
;"' CC" "," , begu ' 0 l ook do , to the muk until . Lm o ot .oy
cool d be "ejected as no. only by
,h. oppo. i tion b", by an incr< .. i ni1y .k'p,icd pubE c .
;
Anothor 1 ... 00 woul d b. the a b . o lut. impo".noo 0/ loona' nll OUT
own Te m&, k " d the p"bl ;c 0" e"en".l eVe" if 'ho'e
u.en", l . are not d<uly vi,ib l o evory nignt On .be tolevl.ion
o oroon. The Viotnun deb.,. often 'urned into , f .. e'notion with
i .. that . t he.t . !,,<i phen' , ne "liie' callOO" weTe
oymbol of South Vie'Mme.e GOvernment opp,.uion,
although !not Govern".,<"! w.' facing.n enomy who h. d .... .. , _
nated, torturod ond j.Uod infinit . Ly grutu num be "
"Pho enix" progam a .uhjod o f .tt.ck .ltoong" No rth
and Viet Cong ,ao"<. wore infin,,,'y more b""" ' .
The ,n<,den' ,uni .hed 'he of an Army
had .. not a lway .. heen oomp" .. 'Qn.,. i n
doaHng with the civlHan popula"on. Even a t the <nd. m u<h of
publio d'o<u"ion fo< ... on Thi .u.' fail","
to ga;n polit ica l s upport. but i' w" .he CO .. wi." <ej ecd
f<eo el<o. ion' .nd who brousht lo .heir rc. orvc divi .ioo.
tnoy d;d not hov< popular .uppo rt. And ., home. it w .. ngu.d tho,
you r munt Amoricon ... hen no,hi ng
from yo"r mi nd .
Of <q"" l import.nce ho a to oono;ot.ocy. When ,h.
United State. entered 'he ",ar durlog tho 1960 '. , it di d .0 ... ;th
.. e< thM "ot only ended 'he Md the hfe of an a llied l oauer
but ,h3, m .y h3v< done 'or;ous to .he Ame rkan eoonumy
tI .... ;>"u, e d ovo< hdf 0 milli on . oldie .. i nto 0 ooootry ",her. ""0
th.n 100. 000 were A, .be ond, the
e",e"e. i n 'he otner dir ecHon maJe it impo .. ;bl e to hom the
Congr only a ho," 1 0< 3 per<ent ao "".<h .. " had
ever,. yep. Whee we eo.ed. many did '0 i" the name
of HOoraWy. Bolo," .he w"' w ov", . ""'"'f uppo.ed it ;0 ,h. of
mQrality. But nobody .poh of 'n" of ooo. i .t.nc.y, 0< o( toe
v;rt". of 'hrO"8h once I, . <0" " a rl b" '0
mao'ge, b l e p<opo>hon .
In o ( m Hituy , a<t ic' . <. nnot <on<,,,.,on that
ou" 'med force. a not .ui'ed t o, hi . kinJ of wa <. EVe" the apeoia 1
Forces who nad been de.;gned fo r it coul d not prevail. T hi . "'U partly
becaUSe of the .... 'uro of 'he confl k t . It ... , .. both rcvoiuHon.ry wa '
" I>SHS:r!Sf:NSIIlVF.!F;Yf:S ONLY -

!.,. ep.T I SENS!T!V>: ("YES ON LY ,
fought a, Iulile" point Juring tno n;llht " .. ' he villag . j t wu
a ls o fo r oe wu i n whi ch coul d make a ienuine
difference. Both .ide, had tr ouble devi. 'ng t actic hat would be
'u;'abl " f u, t ype of WU 'He. Rut we .nd the South Vi .,"a",e.e
n. d mo," d;me,."y wi,b ,tl., 'han the other . id . We also llad
U o"hle w;,h <"co"" hero, w hen made it "ou" war" we woul d
"0' let tbe South Vi .tnam f;l\h ;t; ","en it ag.in bocam. "t he;r
we "."'uld not help th.", f i gh' ". ',o"ically, we prcp,,,.d
'he Sout h .. e 10" maio fMce wa d.,< a ft er
anMhe" a,uck), .. nd thoy I . cod a pohticd w",: they
had prcl"'zcd .hem J" fo r poLi' i cal af'e r 1973 onL y to h.
faced with a rn a;" !Qne i"""ion W it
Our di plo"",, cy , 1.0 .uHed i n tno proe ...... nd ; , may take u'
.ome tirrw to b rin g tni n80 b.<k t o b.'.nce. We Often found that
tho Un i'ed COl'1" no, .u otain a po.ilion fo r
tnan a f ew week, Or nlOn.h. bdoro it undor ( rom ' he
un .. political element> thot had oft en aciv,",",e" vetv po.ition.
We c nd.J up negot;ahng wi th o" Hel ve o. con"antiy offoring 000000_
.ion a ft" conce .. ion while 'he ""or, h Vi dname.e chan8ed nOlh'n g
i n ,h. i , d i plomMic objecti ve . and ve ry Htt!. i n ' he i ' dipl oma, ic
"". ilion It w .. onl y i" OecTet di p lomacy .ha t we eQuId hold . ny-
thi n g 8e""i" e and even then .h. North
V'"namut could keep u' unde r eon.Un' pub li< p,..o",e. a I"
Qip lom.cv degene nt od int o f nnti e '0'" to fo<mul M
tht would evok e momeota<y ,upport and WQu ld glo ove r Qbvi ou.
between ouuclve nd tho c<orth Vi etn. ",e ... T he
of ,hi. TO",.;n. to hunt U' . m''' ' og it dif ficult f or uS t o
., .. ta;" a po. i tion (or any o f time. no m.ttor how
obdurate the onny ... dthout bec.omin8 oubj.ct ' 0 dome otic
I n . he end. m,, " uk ounelv., whethe, it was all wortn it. o r
M what bene!;" we d;d I b elie ve the bo ndit. were
many, though t hey ha ve lon8 i 8norod . and I f,Ar t hat we will
only now bogi n to re.Ii". how "' "ch ,.e "oed ' 0 . ho'e up OU' po.; -
tion lot....,he'e onc. our po.ition ' " V;etn .. n i . 10.' . We rr>oy b.
co= pd l od '0 oupport other .itUA,; ono much mo " e ",oogl y in order
'0 '<pai , t he and '0 "and. ;n o rder to
o,he<s believe in u'
I h. ve a lw.y. believe" 1><I,e rn.nv ob.erve,", .hat our dod. ion
'0 .. ve South Vic' n.m in 1965 preven.ed I ndone.i. fro,,", falling t o
C"",,,",uni.m a nd p robably p .. . . ".d tn. Americ. n A"a.
ONLY - XGDS
S" ETIStiSlTlV>: I O:YFS ONLY
ThL. no< _L, me ... ",., '*. kepi our troop . It ,,100 moao. ,,,...
we kepi "", pronnco U ",.1L .. .
ud 'M' our fr;end. - - J"po.o _. dLd no< foel ,"", 'bey
bad '0 p' ''''ido f'" lhelr ".0 dcl.nu. Wh.n w. ".",olde h
Lmpaet of w .... t I. n .......... 1< I. _rlh rememb.or!nK h .....
" .. tn <ho ''''p.o.et ... "..,L<I have 1>< .. '.n r .... "10 .. ben 'be
CommW'lh, "'Ovemen' " ..... tiLl wIdeLy ,ard.d .. " monoLyth
deotlned to engulf uo dL. TI>Heforo. tn 0"'
L believe wo can ho,,,,,ably a voi d .dl-fl",ellatlon and ,hat wo
. h""ld "0< c ..... u"'Hi .. our role tn ,h. co,,!!let .. " di . gncolul
dL .. "... j " a Hovo 0<" olforto. m ULtllrlly. dlplom., i calLy .nd
polltlco lly. w ... not ;" "in. W. pal<l " hLgh prl ee but wo g,,;n, "
' . n y .... 01 tim" and we wh '0." app.", .d '0 b. an
overwhoLmini ",omentmn. 1 do no< bo llevo Our ooLdlo .. ,,, our
peoplo no od to be
I
)
KCPTISE,.SIT,VIEYES ONLY_ XGDS