750512 Kissinger Lesson Learned Vietnam

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M E " O R A ~ ' n 3173 · , .

N!, r rONAL SE"URITY COUNCJL

S-: " " I: ' / SOONSITIVE I "'YES ONLY

MEMORANDUM FOR,

S UBJECT,

SECRETAR y KTSSlNCF;R

w. R. S M Y S f : ,L . . ono o f Vo«n . " ,

A, you r 'equ e " . SOme p& pc " ha ve been p < c ~ r o J lo r .he Pr<o ; d .o t

ao d you ro d / 0 0 .he " l . . . n . 01 l o t n ~ = " .

At T , b I i. 1"0 '" you 'o 'h e P 'e . ;den ' o f l e " n ~ .<nne .hought> un t ho I . hon ' o f V ,d n.m .n d o u gg . " ,on . regord ing

public I-''''' ' ' io" ' m ; j;ht , a '<e .

At Ta b" i •• [»per Irom Mr , S t oum .n >no m y.eLf o m m e t ; n ~ 00• S'M < Depar ' mon ' p.po< (Ta l) AI ' "0a T,o offe",ng ' Orne of Our own

ideu 'n c l<"on ' o f o ~ m . You m ~ y w i . h '0 rcod tn ooo.

REeo " " >:NDAT.ONS ,

T hot you . ign 'he momoran dum to .he P r e . idoo ' I) o nLeSSOn' of Vietnam.

~ V E I E Ori L '{ • XGDS

~ _lm l, iif<,

InC )I, ,,,,, 1 1 n ' ~ "'<'- ",",." ..•, __'<11L.- ' " ' ~ " D," <1'°100



3J73_ x

TU f ' ' 'liTE flOl,"

3!'l W E X 'SENSrI !Vr.! F:XF.5 ONLY

MEMORA"InUM FOR, TH>: PR!;S IDENT

HENRY 11. . Kls.5!NGER

SUBJECT , L...on. of VIOInam

.... , y"" r " ' ' 1un t . I hove p rep"od omne th""lilI_ on t ~ . ··1.. . " . 01

Vi......" ' . '0 . Y"'" con. ld . r .don . . . '0 , yOu' bo.ck"o""d Inl<>."",

,IOn in d.al ing wl.b [" .. . be . p r... q"u t i on . on tho <"b)_C' .

II 10 .e>narl<.b! •• ~ " n . l d c long the . . . . . l .... . nd how

In!< n • • y'' w u repo .. . od ond m ~ " , e d . 'hot , h u e H e ~ l l v not very ",",o v leOlono h o m 01" expc ri enc . In Vle.n.m ,h . t

con b . u.d"i ly oppU .d e l u w o u e d • • pit••h. obvi ou. t ~ m p o a t i o n '0 «y. V i " n ~ ' " ..p.... ' . d. "niQue . itu.&<lon. IOO• • a p ~ i c J l y . OI""lcally . poli t iul ly. mlil,a rlly a nd d;plorn. ' \eal1y. W. ' hou!d

p.oboo bly bo , • • du l fo r ,ho, .nd .hould . e cogn iu It fo. , ."", it i • •

inote.d of I ' Y; ' I 10 _WI, ,h . " I ~ • •on. of V'.'".m"" .. ""Ive .. lly

. . w e ""oc ' t i ed ' ' ' _ p p l ~ 'b . " I u . o o . " f Munlcb".

Th. 'nl f , , , . t .a"on of Vie,,,,,m. in . . , . <:>f commentHY aod eva) .... -

tJon. may be .h . t 'be " '. . ""d a lm"ot un ivo ,u l efr . " , . bu, did not

prov ido . univ. ... "a ' ecM,m

.... (TOqU'' ' ' ' cmpht lon of mo"y " "mmen" to ro o u been '0 d.aw

cond" . ; on . ro 1\ ' . din . tho 'o nadly of the ~ . l C O n poopl. and 'he

ultJm.te failu.e of OUT will. nu ' ! qu • •" " " wb •• hoT .... c an a« ept

."" , coo<1"a'' ' ' ' . U wa • • looIU' ...... in .... m .. u n bl . ,or •• ,b .

moo' dl . , .m. tho lu,' o b v I O u . l . deY . ' " 10 ou ' no, I"" , . U n m . d i o l ~ c" "c . , n •• and ,o< .he , "n tu lcan po<>ple .uppo . . . .d ou . 'nvolvemeo•• nd ; , . ,enera l objec,\ve< until .he ve.y <nd. Tho po<>ple mod"

.nO.mou. n c r die . . . I am COn vine"" ,hat, ovo" a t the e nd, Ibey

. .ould """e ben p" ' p a , . d . o ,uI'I" '' ' 0 p o " c ~ Ih . would hove . , , , , ,d

Sou'b Vie'na<n if . " "b a" o pl. l"" llad be.n a vo.Llab!. '0 u . ~ .

!i!';,"F. Il T!SENSII IYEI£n ;S ONLY - XGDS DI.C\.lIlImO

1.0. l""' . Sot. U

1 f fC_ 'III . . . - ..... ftiL;. , I t ! II . IIJ,.. . . . " '" ' "



r £ T I S E N S I T I V £ I V £ S ONLY ,

1> nou " not be r ~ o t l . n tha t t ne dod . ion . of Amer ;c . n a om;n; . t ra _

t ion . thot involve d . h ; . nahon ;0 'h e w u we 'e &ene,ally .uppn<!eu

a , ' he , ;m e they weTO , . 1<eo , ,hat thoy woro .uppo rt od no ' on ly

amo"¥ the people at lar"e hut a m ong the polihoa l , Iemeo," and. mong t n , JQUTnaE .,. who I. te< eame ' 0 op;x>s< .he war. The

A m eric a" people g e o e r ~ l l y ,u ppor<ed ~ n d .pp l.. ucled Pre . 'den t

E io enhower lo r a d .c i , i on to p"" i t ion Vietnam .nd '0 ' ' 'pp oTt .n

ant i - Communi" govern m ent in tno South . The Am.r ican people. and

p> r Hou lar ly t ne A m e r ;o . n m ed;a , ' ' ' ppor l eo " 'e " oM t Ke""edy ',

de ci . 'on '0 &0 beyo"rl the "eo ' " ict io", 0" Americ .n involvc",ent that

Pre . iden ' E i .enh owe r h.d '0' . no 'h ey . 100 .uppor<ed hi ' dec i "o "

'0 p e rm it Amer i co n involvement in tn . , "mo n l of " ro . io<" t Diem

. l thougn ,h . oxton' of t hot invo lvem on, W H not c l,u . t 'h e t im , .

M ~ n y who w ue t e ' to be La b <led .. 'rloveo" On V iotnam then

in . ; . «o.0...

Soutll V ie'"&m had '0 be '&veu . nd th>t P;co idon'

Die" , ' . r em ov. l wu o.. nt ia l '0 n vo i t . You yon r . elf ","I ' e m<m

be< the r o , , ~ .upport ,hat 'Ile T o<>1<in Gull ..oo lu,iDn won on tho

H , l) .n d th e ~ e n e r d . u ppor t for P ; c , idon' J ohn.on ' . d<c, . iou '0

• • nd t r oop • . ""e . ide" t N ixon won '" o .. t p O " < ; " ~ of 'U "p ort for the

dec i . i on . o w>t bdraw A m e r c ~ n f'H c co at a ~ r ~ d u d a . wel l

M for tho P . ri , P e ~ c o Agreo",ont .

I f one cou ld offer a" y i "ide l i"e ' fo < ' h< fu 'u,e about 'he le . .

'0 1)e " <awn r e ~ a r d i n g dOme" ,c ' uppor t for foro i gn polioy . it wou ld

he tna t A m o ri c .n po lit ico! gr oup. w,1l not long TO m . ;n eom(or ,ab l <in po . it i on , ,h. , ol$Oin.' their t rad it lo n.l . "",,du . 'rh< " b e n l

Domoc r ' " cou ld not long . uppoT t . w ar rovo L"tion " y

m o,·.ment . no matt er how "ac t io" , "y t oe domeotic t a ch " . 01 to.. .

mO ve men t . They had accepted the e"",, , , i t , , ,on' to Victna",

bec au 'e of p ... dent K ~ n n e d y . whom .hey ro g u d . d H ,h . i r 'ud«.

hut tn£}· withdTOw fr om " uo dor P ,e . iden' John . on.

Goe < I e , " l eooon t "" t CM be M aw " . h o ~ · < v e r . i , th< impor taoc , o (

ab .o l ut< I, "ne"y and ob j ectivity in all n ~ . w ith in .nd from

tho Govornmen t• • well

u fr om the p r.... U. S.

o ffici . l ropo'"

,ended fo r . long t ime t o be e x « • • ;v . ly opt im i otic . w it h ' ne r. . I,

, ha t o ' t ; c ; ~ ota ' e " ,<n, . dirl oot m ake <l<a< 'Qho A m < " ic ' O p , o p ' ~ how to" i ,nd how t o u ~ ~ 'h e co nflict mi i ht ' u<n out '0 1)e. Alte r a

whi le tho pe" ' m i " 'c ropor t . h orn u r n ~ l i h e g ~ t o g ~ i n g r ca 'o r

o n c ~ booa.,.. ouch pooiHve 'u nd o di d omergo oam o " " . low ly

' 0 ju.<ify o phmis t ic W.,binj(lon a o , e " U'len". In Vie" ,am. ' n<

. i t uation w u ~ c n e r d worse , h 'n . orne r epo"ed anol bet ter tl"'"o Ino" "po r t , d . Bu t tn , pe .. m i .h o " po rt •.• on if they were

,; rs" ' " ' f IsEh"S!TIV " " : Y£S ONLX - XGDS



-li iT" 1" I SlCNSITIV>: I ;en ,S ON I. y

;" ' CC"" ," , be g u ' 0 look d o • • to th e muk un t i l . Lm o ot .o y

~ o v e r " m e n ' " ~ ' < m e " coo l d be "ejected as a s e ~ . no. on ly by

,h . oppo . i t ion b", by an incr< . . n i1y . k ' p , i cd pubE c .

;

Anothor 1. . .0 wou l d b . th e a b . o l u t . im po".noo 0 / l oona 'nll OUT

own Te m &, k•• d the p"b l ;c d ~ h . < e 0" e " e n " . l • •• eVe" if 'ho 'e

u.en" , l . a re not d< u l y vi , ib l o evory nignt On .be to levl . ion

o oroon . Th e Vio tnun deb . , . often 'u rned into , f.. 'n ot io n with

i .. u ~ . tha t w ~ " ~ .• h e . t . ! , ,< i p h e n ' , ne " l i i e ' callOO" weTe

• • • • • oymbol of South Vie 'M me .e GOvernment opp , . u ion,

although !no t Govern".,<"! w. ' fac ing .n enomy who h . d . . . . .. _

nated , to r turod ond j .Uo d in f init . Ly grutu num be " t h ~ "P h o en ix " p rogam b . c ~ m ~ a .u hjo d o f . t t . ck . l to ong" N o r th

" i ~ t n . m " , . and Viet Cong , ao"< . wore inf in , , , 'y more b""" ' .The M y l ~ , ,n<,den' , u n i .hed 'h e m ~ ~ e of an m " , k ~ n A rmy H . ~ . had ~ e n e r a l l y .. o u ~ h not a lway • .. heen oomp" . . Qn. , . in

doaHng with the civlHan popula"on. Even a t the <nd . m u<h of

t n ~ publio d ' o<u " io n fo< . . . on d ~ n t Th i . u . ' •• . g ~ d fa i l " , "to ga;n polit ica l s upport. but i ' w" .he CO.. m n ' ' ' ' w i." <e jec«d

f<eo el<o. ion ' .n d who brousht lo .he ir r c . orvc d ivi . i oo . • •

tnoy d;d not hov< popu la r .uppo rt . And ., home. i t w. . ngu . d tho,

you r r o ~ u . " mun t Amoricon l v e m ~ n t ... h en no,h ing " ' ~ . f " r t h ~ r from yo"r mi nd .

Of <q"" l im por t .nce ho ac l e d k ~ ,

to oono;ot .ocy. When ,h .United State . entered 'h e ",a r durlo g tho 1960 ' . , i t d i d .0 ...;th

e ~ « . . < thM "o t only ended 'h e < ~ r e e r M d the h fe of an a l l ied l oauer

but ,h3 , m .y h3v< done ' o r ;ous d a m a ~ e to .he A m e rk an eoonumy ~ n d t I .. . ;>"u , e d ovo< hd f 0 mill i on . oldie .. in to 0 ooootry " ,her . ""0 " ~ V e

~ r ~ th .n 100 . 000 w h ~ were h ' i " A, .be ond, the

e",e"e. in 'he otner dir ecHon maJe it impo .. b l e to hom the

Congr • • • only a ho ," 1 0< 3 per<ent ao "".< h n ~ y . . " had u h e r ~ p ' o p " i A t e d ever, . y e p . Whee we eo .«ed . many did '0 i" the name

of HOoraWy. Bolo," .h e w " ' w • • ov " , .""'"'f u p po .e d i t ;0 ,h . n ~ m e of

mQrality . But nobody .p oh of 'n " ~ ! l t y o f ooo. i . t .nc.y, 0< o( toe

v ; r t " . of • • ~ i n g . o m ~ i n g 'hrO"8h once I, . <0" " a rl b«" , " d " < ~ d '0mao 'ge , b l e p<opo>hon• .

In . m . o ( m Hi tuy ,a<t i c ' . <. nnot h ~ l p r ~ ' " <on<,,, . ,on that

ou" 'med fo rce . a« not .u i 'e d t o , hi . kin J of wa <. EVe" the apeoia 1

Forces w ho nad been de. ;gne d fo r it cou l d not prevail . T h i . "'U part ly

becaUSe o f the .... u ro o f 'h e con fl k t . It ... .. both rcvoiuHon.ry wa '

" I>SHS:r!Sf:NSIIlVF.!F;Yf:S ONLY - X G J ) ~



!.,. ep.T ISENS!T!V>: ( "YES ON L Y ,fought a , Iulile" point Juring tn o n;llht " . i ' ~ i " ' he villag• • . j t wu

a ls o < n ~ ; " fo r oe w u in w hi ch o ~ y cou l d m a ke a ienuine

d i fference . Both . ide , had t r o uble dev i . 'ng t act ic • • hat wou ld be

' u ; ' ab l " fu , c ~ o h t ype of WU ' H e . Rut we .n d the South Vi . , "a" , e . e

n. d mo, " d ;me ,."y w i,b ,tl.,' han the other . id • . We also llad

U o"hle w;,h <"co"" hero , w hen mad e i t "ou" war" we woul d

"0 ' let tbe South Vi . tnam • • • f;l\h¢ ; t ; ","en it ag. in bocam . " t he;r

' ' ' . we "."'u ld not help th . " , f i gh' " . ' ,o"ical ly , we prcp,,,. d

'he S out h " ; ~ ' n . . 10" m aio fMce wad . ,< a ft e r ' ~ ~ 4 . n t k i p " ' i nanMhe" K o r ~ a n v p c a ,uck) , ..nd thoy I . co d a poh t i c d w" , : they

had prcl" 'zc d .hem • • J" •• fo r po L' i cal w ~ " f - ' " , af 'e r 1973 o nL y to h.

face d with a rn a ;" !Qne i"""ion W y c ~ " i t n ~ d ~ " " ~ c t " d

Our di plo "",, cy , 1. 0 . uHe«d in tno p roe . . . . . d ; , may take u'. ome tirrw to b r in g tn in80 b.<k t o b. '.nce. We Often fou nd tha t

th o Un i 'ed S t a t ~ . COl'1" no , .u otain a l o m ~ t i o po.i l ion fo r n w r ~ tna n a few week, Or nlOn.h . bdo ro it undor ( ro m ' he

un . poli t ical elemen t> thot had oft en aciv,",",e" t ~ M ve tv po . i t ion .

We c nd . J up negot ;ahn g w ith o"H e lve o. con"an t iy offoring 00 000 0_

.ion a f t " conce .. on while 'h e ""or, h V idname . e chan8ed nOlh'n g

in ,h . i , d iplomMic object i ve . and ve ry Ht t ! . in ' he i ' d ip l o m a , ic

" " . il ion •• I t w.. onl y i" OecTe t di p lo m acy .ha t w e eQuId hold . ny-

th in g o . c h • 8e"" i" e d i ~ l o and even then .h . North

V' " n amut could keep u ' unde r eon .U n ' p ub li< p , . . o " , e . a I"

Qip lom.cv o f t ~ degenent od in t o f nn t i e '«0'" to fo<mu l M

tht would ev ok e m omeota<y ,u pport and WQu ld glo• • ove r Qbv i o u.~ H f e < e " between ouuc lve • • nd th o c<orth Vi etn . " ,e ... T he

l e ~ ~ c y of , h i . TO" ,. ; n . to h u n t U' . m' ' ' ' og i t di f ficult fo r uS t o

. , . a ;" a r l i p l o m ~ ' i c po . ition (or any l e n ~ t h o f t ime. no m. t to r how

o bdura te the on«ny . . . thou t bec.om in8 oubj .ct ' 0 dome ot ic A t t 3 C

In . he end. m,, " uk oune l v . , whethe, it was all wortn i t . o r

M what bene!;" we d;d ~ a i n . I b elie ve the bo nd i t . were

many, though t hey ha ve lon8 i 8n orod . and I f ,Ar t hat we w ill

o nly no w bog in to r e . I i " . how " ' "ch ,.·e "oed ' 0 . ho 'e up OU ' po . ;

t ion • • lot....,he'e onc . our po.i t ion ' " V;etn .. i . 10. ' . We rr>oy b .co= pd l od '0 o upport other .itU A, ; ono much m o " e " , o og ly in o rde r

'0 '<pa i , t he I Y t . , ~ e and '0 a ~ e " ' u ~ h e r " an d. ;n o rde r to

o,he <s be l ieve in u ' ~ g a i n .

I h . ve a lw . y . believe" ••• 1><I,e rn.nv ob .e rve , " , .hat our d o d . ion

'0 .. e South Vic ' n .m in 1965 p reven.ed Indone .i. fro,,", falling t o

C"",,,",uni.m a nd p robably p.. . . " · .d tn . Ame r ic . n p < e . ~ n c e ; " A"a .

~ l ' i e R R " F I S E l \ S I T I V E I E Y E S ONLY - XGDS



, . , S" ETIS£tiSlTlV>: I O:YFS ONLY

ThL. no< _L , me. .. " , . , '*. kepi our troop•. I t ,,100 moao. ,,,...

we kepi " " , ~ ~ " " " " ' i c pronnco U ",.1L . . o ~ , " " l l t k . l l n n u ~ c • .

u d 'M ' our fr ;end. - - ; n c l ~ d i n , J"po.o _. dLd no< foel , "" , 'bey

bad '0 p ' ' ' ' ' ido f'" lhelr ".0 dc l . n u . Wh.n w. "." ,olde••

hLmpaet of w .... I. n .......... p p ~ l n l . 1< I. _rlh rememb.or!nK h .....

' n ~ c h " .. n <ho ''''p.o.et ..."..,L<I have 1>< .. ' . n r. . . . "10 . .ben 'b e

CommW'lh, " 'Ovemen' " . . . . . iL l wIdeLy « , a rd .d .. " monoLyth

deotlned to engulf uo dL . TI>Heforo. tn 0" ' p ~ b l l c " " . " ' ~ n " . L believe wo can ho,,,,,ab ly a voi d . d l - f l",ellat lon and ,ha t wo

. h""ld "0< c .....u " ' H i .. our ro le tn ,h. co,,!!let . . " di . gncoluldL .."... j " a Hovo 0< " olforto. m U Ltllrlly. dlplom. , i calLy .nd

polltlc o lly. w. . . not ;" " i n . W. pal<l " hLgh prl ee but wo g,,;n, "

' . n y.... 01 tim" and we c h . n ~ wh •• '0." app." , .d '0 b. an

overwhoLmin i ",ome ntmn. 1 do no< bo llevo Our ooLdlo .. , , , ou r

peoplo no od to be h . > r n ~ d .

I )

KCP£T ISE,.SIT,V£IEYES ONLY_ XGDS

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750512 Kissinger Lesson Learned Vietnam