President Richard M. Nixon, shown with then-House Minority Leader Gerald R. Ford in 1973, spoke to Sen. John Stennis (D) five days before the incursion. (United Press International)Nixon Papers Cite 1970 Conversation
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
By Walter Pincus
Washington Post Staff Writer
Five days before U.S. and South Vietnamese troops made their surprise move into Cambodia on April 29, 1970, then-President Richard M. Nixon got the approval of the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee for that action, according for documents released yesterday by the Nixon library.
The unexpected U.S. incursion into Cambodia came as a surprise to the American public, most members of Congress and the new Cambodian government. What followed were a series of public demonstrations in Washington and later Kent State University in Ohio, which, in turn, expanded opposition to the war.
In an April 24, 1970, telephone conversation with Sen. John C. Stennis (D-Miss.), who was then chairman of the Armed Services Committee, Nixon said the administration was going to provide arms to the Cambodian government to prevent its overthrow by a pro-communist element, and continue secret B-52 bombing raids, "which only you and Senator Russell know about." Richard Russell (D-Ga.) was the former committee chairman.
"We are not going to get involved in a war in Cambodia," Nixon reassured Stennis. "We are going to do what is necessary to help save our men in South Vietnam. They can't have those sanctuaries there" that North Vietnam maintained.
Stennis replied, "I will be with you. . . . I commend you for what you are doing."
Several days earlier, in a memo to then-National Security Adviser Henry Kissinger, CIA Director Richard Helms proposed a plan to covertly deliver thousands of AK-47s and other military equipment to the Cambodian government with help from Indonesia.
Yesterday, about 30,000 pages of documents were opened to the public at the National Archives facility in College Park and the Nixon library in Yorba Linda, Calif., part of a staggered declassification of papers and tapes from the Nixon years.
The memos and tapes shed light on fateful moments of Nixon's second term, the Associated Press reported, among them a peace deal with North Vietnam, sea changes in domestic and foreign policy, and management of the Cold War.
They also give insights into a well-known characteristic of Nixon and his aides -- a hair-trigger sensitivity to political rivals and quick resort to machinations against them.
A 1972 meeting between Nixon and his chief of staff produced an informal directive to "destroy" Democratic vice presidential candidate Thomas Eagleton, according to scribbled notes among the documents released yesterday that referred to Eagleton as a "pip-squeak."
In a 1969 memo, Nixon's staff assistant describes placing the movements of the Kennedys under observation in Massachusetts after Sen. Edward M. Kennedy drove off a bridge in an accident that drowned his female companion.
The materials show Nixon as sharp-witted, crude, manipulative and sometimes surprisingly liberal in comparison with mainstream Republicans today. In one letter, he solidly endorses the Equal Rights Amendment, saying that for 20 years "I have not altered my belief that equal rights for women warrant a constitutional guarantee." The amendment failed.
The library posted online more than 150 hours of tape recordings. The tapes cover January and February 1973, spanning Nixon's second inauguration, the peace deal with Hanoi, and the trial and conviction of burglars whose break-in at the Democratic headquarters at the Watergate complex precipitated the coverup that wrecked Nixon's presidency. He resigned in August 1974 under threat of being forced out by Congress.
The unexpected U.S. incursion into Cambodia came as a surprise to the American public, most members of Congress and the new Cambodian government. What followed were a series of public demonstrations in Washington and later Kent State University in Ohio, which, in turn, expanded opposition to the war.
In an April 24, 1970, telephone conversation with Sen. John C. Stennis (D-Miss.), who was then chairman of the Armed Services Committee, Nixon said the administration was going to provide arms to the Cambodian government to prevent its overthrow by a pro-communist element, and continue secret B-52 bombing raids, "which only you and Senator Russell know about." Richard Russell (D-Ga.) was the former committee chairman.
"We are not going to get involved in a war in Cambodia," Nixon reassured Stennis. "We are going to do what is necessary to help save our men in South Vietnam. They can't have those sanctuaries there" that North Vietnam maintained.
Stennis replied, "I will be with you. . . . I commend you for what you are doing."
Several days earlier, in a memo to then-National Security Adviser Henry Kissinger, CIA Director Richard Helms proposed a plan to covertly deliver thousands of AK-47s and other military equipment to the Cambodian government with help from Indonesia.
Yesterday, about 30,000 pages of documents were opened to the public at the National Archives facility in College Park and the Nixon library in Yorba Linda, Calif., part of a staggered declassification of papers and tapes from the Nixon years.
The memos and tapes shed light on fateful moments of Nixon's second term, the Associated Press reported, among them a peace deal with North Vietnam, sea changes in domestic and foreign policy, and management of the Cold War.
They also give insights into a well-known characteristic of Nixon and his aides -- a hair-trigger sensitivity to political rivals and quick resort to machinations against them.
A 1972 meeting between Nixon and his chief of staff produced an informal directive to "destroy" Democratic vice presidential candidate Thomas Eagleton, according to scribbled notes among the documents released yesterday that referred to Eagleton as a "pip-squeak."
In a 1969 memo, Nixon's staff assistant describes placing the movements of the Kennedys under observation in Massachusetts after Sen. Edward M. Kennedy drove off a bridge in an accident that drowned his female companion.
The materials show Nixon as sharp-witted, crude, manipulative and sometimes surprisingly liberal in comparison with mainstream Republicans today. In one letter, he solidly endorses the Equal Rights Amendment, saying that for 20 years "I have not altered my belief that equal rights for women warrant a constitutional guarantee." The amendment failed.
The library posted online more than 150 hours of tape recordings. The tapes cover January and February 1973, spanning Nixon's second inauguration, the peace deal with Hanoi, and the trial and conviction of burglars whose break-in at the Democratic headquarters at the Watergate complex precipitated the coverup that wrecked Nixon's presidency. He resigned in August 1974 under threat of being forced out by Congress.
33 comments:
Sihanouk must come and tell the truth to the world.
" Three things cannot be long hidden: The Sun, The Moon and The Truth." -Buddha
You Cambodians need to read the article before you post a reply.
Can you read 12:30PM?
Yes King Sihanouk should come to tell the world after the killers of President Kennedy come first.
"Sélo-yacha Êka-khanor reaténak naksamey räti-êvaing nintear-pasaing sasunak sami-chhaonti bon-ditha"
"Even as a solid rock is unshaken by the wind,so do the wise remaind unmoved by praise or blame."
L` Ignorance est la source de la souffrance.
http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=sVLTFmWX4VE
http://ki-media.blogspot.com/2009/04/9-lives-of-norodom-sihanouk-part-1-in.html
http://ki-media.blogspot.com/2009/04/9-lives-of-norodom-sihanouk-part-2-in.html
The same Youn and Siam propaganda to divide Khmers by this Fourn Yeuk (Fuck Youn) 1:07pm.
Leave Khmer Kings alone Mi.Ah Fourn Yeuk (Fuck Youn), Fiem Suck (Fuck Siam) 1;07pm.
Don't try to distract Khmer attentions from Preah Vihear.
The bloody republicans, including some current opposing people have always blamed and still badly blidnly blaming the movement, which was backed by the Vietnamese troop, to topple the Pol Pot genocide regime in 1979. But why did they never ever blame America, who dropped hundreds thousands of B52 and killed lots of Khmer; and using his puppet General Lon Nol to toppled SRN of Sihanouk in 1970 ? More than that, these so called republicans, by calling themselves democrats, never accepted the truth that without America's Bombing and 1970 Coup D'etat, Cambodia would had never fallen into a ghost country for three decades. Why did they never recognise the history??
1;07pm is Youn speaks KHmers. This person try to divert our attention from fighting Siam. The two Youn and Siam fight us from all sides.
I can bet ah Cho Youn spy Ngoc Dinh Yiep and ah Cho kbot chiet Hin Sithan whose wife is Siam try to divide us.
1:18 PM,
You watched too many Hollywood movies, seeing Democrat like John Kerry is Republican. He kissed Yiek Cong while his fellow Americans were captured by the notoriously killer Ho Chi Minh.
John Kerry is Communist but embraces Capitalism.
He loves Viet Cong and spoke highly about Viet Cong, but he married to a billionnaire Republican widowed.
You americans were the perpetrators of the horror in Indochina. Without French and American agression, there would be no vietnam war and the propagation of the KR in Cambodia. America should be tried for genocide for nuking Japan and killing more than 5 million people in indochina.
Wait a minute 139pm.
If any country, group, religions sect or individual threatens America like Japan did to Pearl Harbor, we must kill them.
John Kerry could not carry the C-rations of a real warrior, he kissed Viet Cong.
When the enemy stalks us, the time for talk is over. Do you understand?
This poster Rabbit is too extreme. When people are to extreme to one side, don't ask why we are in a big shit as is today.
If we have more and more Bi-partisan or INdependant or Libetarian instead of being Liberal Extremist like Rabbit 1:18PM or being Conservative extremists like some the world may be a little safer.
The headache I have is that the Liberal extremist like Rabbit never sees his wrong doing. Now when he sees Democrat as Republican, we are in a big shit.
2:18 PM
U absolutely have rights to criticise my opinions. But I here would like to respond to your comment about my earlier comments.
1. I am not too left or too right to any side. My concern was only direct to the history.
2. I just raised a question why those republicans who support Lon Nol and they are now still alive never blamed America for dropping bombs in Cambodia and killing Khmer? Nothing just a question.
3. When I said "replicans, who called themselves democrats", I mean those who republicans supported the 1970 coup and now they are still alive, (some of them are alive from 1979, called themselve democrats in the present second Kingdom of Cambodia, and trying very hard to blame the 1979 invasion as a Communist invasion.
If someone is clever enough or have some education would understand what I mean and whom I refered to.
However, everyone has rights to express his/her own opinion.
Love is Blind. But don't worry about it. You will see more and more Black becoming Republican after they learnt the facts the true meaning of Democrat and Republican. I am not one of them, because I am sick to the stomach to read the extremists like Rabbit made such a stupid comment.
Many Black now know that the White Liberal extremists use OBM as a race baiting, but then they control him.
You are right if we all change from being too extreme to bi-partisan we may survive, or otherwise we will eat shit.
People like Rabbit 1:18pm born to hate not to think but one WORD is HATE.
1;57
No one threatened america. Was america ever invaded? Did the vietcong bombe, napalmed, kill and rape innocent civilians in america?
How about Irak?
Wake up you idiot!
Rabbit, we are educated enough to understand your anger and hate toward Republican. The bottom line is Americans supported Lon Nol. As Khmers we cannot survive if we are not go for bi-partisan or independent. Your call was too extreme and everyone can see you have too much hatred toward Republican. If you refused to believe that Robert Byrd was not a member of Ku Klux Klan, then nothing we can do about it.
There are bad and good Democrat and bad and good Repu. And don't try to study why people don't understand you, while you showed too much hatred toward one side.
2:38 PM,
Japan invaded American Island and attacked Pearl Harbor in WWII. Many thousand Americans died.
Let me guess. Rabbit blamed Khmer Republican not American (Republican Party), and some thought Rabbit blamed the Republican party of America.
2:52PM
Too bad that's bcos the US emperialist manipulated the Japanese 1905 peace treaty to suit the West, thats why Viet Cong taught them a lesson in 1975. The emperialist won't last in indochina in the future regardless whos in power.
3:01 PM
U got the points I made.
Rabbit
Monash University, Melbourne
3:01 PM
What is more, u know why i said "Some (Khmer) replicans, called themselves Democrats" in Cambodia?
Because, they can not get popular in Cambodia. The truth is under constituion, Cambodia has parliamentary monarchy and people still respect monarchy eventhough they do not want the monarch solely control the power.
Eariler critisism about my comments by someone did not make any sense and he did not even get the points I raised.
Rabbit
Monash University, Melbourne
Rabbit,
Let me tell you I knew few old folks from The Lon Nol regime who called themselves former Republican army of Lon Nol; listen to this, these old folks are not what we call Republican of the United States they in facts are US Democrat. Is it surprised you then listen to this. When asked what the difference between the Republican and Democrat? Their answer: Democrat loves the poor and Republican for the rich. Not only their stupid answers without understanding the real concepts of each party, these old folks are also opportunists, and arrogant dulls, although they may have some education.
You can find the answer why they keep calling themselves Democrats.
They are seriously stupid and arrogant.
Regardless of R or D, Khmer people living in the united states love America. Eat your heart out shit head!
Yeah you shit head 11:46pm. shut the F up.
This president was the worst and egregious leader of all time and was an affront and an embarrassment to the international community and democratic countries around the globe.
PPU
I blamed fucken US president for the falling cambodia, US is responsibled for the death of my people...
chantrea...victims
Yep! i blamed fucken NIXON for the falling of my cambodian people! my people were dying every where! my village were destroyed....
This son-of-animal was the most egregiously ignorant, imbecilic, and featherbrained political leader who lied, cheated, and prevaricated his people in an effort to ascend to his
presidency--Ah Nixon, that is.
Ah fucking Thai government even allowed the US used its Air Force Base for B-52s deployment for carpet bombing during the US-Vietnam conflict.
Brief info: the current bombing in Pakistan has a striking and alarming -- yet disturbing -- similarity of what had transpired in Cambodia, that was when those innocent peasants were radicalized and morphed into a black uniforms after scores of Cambodians were MURDERED by a man named "Nixon," by the same token, the resurgence of Pakistani Insurgents is evidence of an incessant bombing. Perhaps these radical insurgents might wear black uniforms in the future to symbolize (and sympathize)how Khmer Rouge soldiers came to power.
PPU
PPU, stop using American dollars would be a start for you..
6:54 PM
Why don't you tell the Federal Reserve to stop printing money? If these clowns can stop printing money, I will immediately stop using your dollars.
Pi Anh: PPU
Miss PPU,
You have been acting so idiot on line. Sure your crazy husband will be so proud of your insanity running like an old ugly witch.
Good that Thai Gov't let the US use her as a based so it can drop bombs into your black hole each time you start acting crazy.
Pi Anh, Ah Kvack Hun Sen your PM.
12.31 p.m.
What's your problem?
What are you bitching about?
Now, get the fuck out my face.
Pi Anh: your superior
Miss PPU,
Mi prokach eign neung chhbass chea period heuy ban chea prouss doch chhkae chhkourt.
Pi Anh, Ah Kvack Hun Sen your PM.
Not sure what Iraqi people think. They seem so on the other side of track. Are they as dumb as Khmer Rouge? The country of Iraq is like gate to hell. Please watch that threshold. You're getting there buddy.
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