Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume VII, Vietnam, July 1970–January 1972
Editors: David Goldman, Erin Mahan
General Editor: Edward C. Keefer
United States Government Printing Office
Washington
Office of the Historian
Bureau of Public Affairs
Press Release
Overview
During the period covered by this volume, July 1970–January 1972, the Nixon administration expanded the Vietnam war into Cambodia and Laos as part of its strategy. This volume covers South Vietnam in the context of this larger war in Southeast Asia; therefore, the volume begins in July 1970 in the aftermath of the Cambodian incursion. At the time, a variety of topics dominated the policy discussions of President Nixon and his principal advisers. Among these topics were U.S. troop withdrawals, Vietnamization, negotiations in Paris (both the public plenary sessions and the secret talks between Kissinger and North Vietnamese Politburo member Le Duc Tho), and possible South Vietnamese operations in Cambodia, Laos, and North Vietnam. Throughout the rest of 1970 these themes moved forward on separate paths that occasionally intersected with one another. South Vietnamese operations, first in Cambodia and then in Laos, were seen in policy terms as providing South Vietnam additional time to develop a more effective military, to generate economic growth, and to achieve some degree of political stability. The operations were also to demonstrate the success of Vietnamization and justify the continuing withdrawal of U.S. troops.
In late 1970 and early 1971, the focus shifted to decision making regarding plans to implement a major South Vietnamese out-of-country operation called Lam Son 719, launched in early February 1971. The strategic purpose of the operation was to halt or slow the flow of military supplies to Communist forces in South Vietnam via the panhandle of Laos. At the same time, it would demonstrate the growing military prowess of the South Vietnamese Army. On the negotiating front, Kissinger continued in 1970 and throughout1971 to meet periodically in Paris with Le Duc Tho and other senior Vietnamese Communist functionaries, but made no progress. At the same time, representatives of both sides also met publicly in the plenary meetings. Each side used the public Paris meetings to exchange carefully calibrated propaganda, making the meetings, if possible, less productive than the secret talks. The volume focuses on the Kissinger–Le Duc Tho talks with only occasional documentary coverage of the public talks.
This volume also documents President Nixon’s penchant for secret operations and covert warfare: his continued support for secret bombing campaigns in Cambodia and Laos and his approval of the November 1971 Son Tay raid into North Vietnam to rescue American prisoners of war. Nixon also signed off on new and continuing information gathering initiatives and propaganda that supported intelligence operations against Communist forces, organizations, and governments in South Vietnam, North Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. Additionally, he approved clandestine support for South Vietnamese political entities friendly to the United States. These operations are documented in some detail to demonstrate the role of covert actions in support of overt political and military operations.
In the waning months of the period covered by this volume, deadlock had set in. Neither side appeared able to win militarily, or even to weaken his adversary sufficiently to make him negotiate in good faith. There were signs, however, that Hanoi might be preparing to mount a major military effort in 1972. Its purpose would be to break through this impasse without having to travel a diplomatic path. The volume concludes at this point.
Editors: David Goldman, Erin Mahan
General Editor: Edward C. Keefer
United States Government Printing Office
Washington
Office of the Historian
Bureau of Public Affairs
Press Release
Overview
During the period covered by this volume, July 1970–January 1972, the Nixon administration expanded the Vietnam war into Cambodia and Laos as part of its strategy. This volume covers South Vietnam in the context of this larger war in Southeast Asia; therefore, the volume begins in July 1970 in the aftermath of the Cambodian incursion. At the time, a variety of topics dominated the policy discussions of President Nixon and his principal advisers. Among these topics were U.S. troop withdrawals, Vietnamization, negotiations in Paris (both the public plenary sessions and the secret talks between Kissinger and North Vietnamese Politburo member Le Duc Tho), and possible South Vietnamese operations in Cambodia, Laos, and North Vietnam. Throughout the rest of 1970 these themes moved forward on separate paths that occasionally intersected with one another. South Vietnamese operations, first in Cambodia and then in Laos, were seen in policy terms as providing South Vietnam additional time to develop a more effective military, to generate economic growth, and to achieve some degree of political stability. The operations were also to demonstrate the success of Vietnamization and justify the continuing withdrawal of U.S. troops.
In late 1970 and early 1971, the focus shifted to decision making regarding plans to implement a major South Vietnamese out-of-country operation called Lam Son 719, launched in early February 1971. The strategic purpose of the operation was to halt or slow the flow of military supplies to Communist forces in South Vietnam via the panhandle of Laos. At the same time, it would demonstrate the growing military prowess of the South Vietnamese Army. On the negotiating front, Kissinger continued in 1970 and throughout1971 to meet periodically in Paris with Le Duc Tho and other senior Vietnamese Communist functionaries, but made no progress. At the same time, representatives of both sides also met publicly in the plenary meetings. Each side used the public Paris meetings to exchange carefully calibrated propaganda, making the meetings, if possible, less productive than the secret talks. The volume focuses on the Kissinger–Le Duc Tho talks with only occasional documentary coverage of the public talks.
This volume also documents President Nixon’s penchant for secret operations and covert warfare: his continued support for secret bombing campaigns in Cambodia and Laos and his approval of the November 1971 Son Tay raid into North Vietnam to rescue American prisoners of war. Nixon also signed off on new and continuing information gathering initiatives and propaganda that supported intelligence operations against Communist forces, organizations, and governments in South Vietnam, North Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. Additionally, he approved clandestine support for South Vietnamese political entities friendly to the United States. These operations are documented in some detail to demonstrate the role of covert actions in support of overt political and military operations.
In the waning months of the period covered by this volume, deadlock had set in. Neither side appeared able to win militarily, or even to weaken his adversary sufficiently to make him negotiate in good faith. There were signs, however, that Hanoi might be preparing to mount a major military effort in 1972. Its purpose would be to break through this impasse without having to travel a diplomatic path. The volume concludes at this point.
33 comments:
The bombs cost for the US is around $350 millions which Cambodia could not make the payment yet. Uncle Sam will continue to make the claim in the new engagement policy in Asia.
War history should never be remembered, now Khmer biggest problems are Yuon take over Cambodia and killing Khmer people.
This is one of US cruelest foreign policies - kill countless innocent Cambodians with those bombs dropped from B52, and make the survivals or relatives of the victims pay for those bombs.
How can US demand the current Cambodia government pay for those bombs (in the form of debts). US should be sued for causing all the destructions in Cambodia. Well done uncle Sam!
I heard say that Nixon should have been impeached for illegally bombing on Cambodia and not on Water Gate Scandal. I don't really know what Water Gate Scandal is about. Must tried to drown the White House or something.
I pity those who got decimated by the tons of bombs exploding on their heads. When I first saw the documentary of the illegal bombings I was overcame with emotion. My heart grieved for those who perished in the show. Yes, this was a Side Show for the Nixon Admin.
Two asteroids to pass close to Earth on Wednesday!. President Nixon and his support for secret bombing campaigns in Cambodia was in the past.Now the White House has new Admin for new generation!
May God bless the Kingdom of Cambodia and United States of America!
War history should always be remembered!...or we go on repeating the mistakes of the past.
The White House might have a new administration, but nothing has changed - except they are now bombing different countries.
Yes, it is a great insult for the war criminals in the USA to demand that the Cambodian government and people must pay back the costs of the US war against Cambodia!
But they did the same with Viet Nam!
The USA should be prosecuted for its past and present war crimes.
The USA should be the one paying the countries it attacked and bombed, NOT the other way around.
Outrageous!
But at least, we should understand who our real friends are, and are not!
5:57AM
Your fucking idiot should stop blaming America for the bombing.The reason for the bombing is your idiot king Sihanouk allowed the vietcong to stay in your soil and launch an attack against the American and the South vietname.Why don't you blame your people ,the khmer rouge, who had killed millions of your damned race huh.
11:30am, BULLSHIT!
5:57AM
and anyone else who thinks like that
should try reading history from reputable sources.
The US bombing of Cambodia was a consequence of the American War against all of Indochina.
The US had NO right to be waging war in Indochina at all.
It was an illegal, undeclared aggression starting in 1945 to help the return of the French colonialists to power in Indochina, and secure US national interests.
Sihanouk had every right to try to keep Cambodia out of the US war against Viet Nam by a fine balancing act of "neutrality".
He agreed with Vietnamese allies using Cambodian territory for supply lines, etc., but the agreement was that local people were to be respected.
It was the US government's decision to widen the war into Cambodia in a desperate and futile attempt to delay their inevitable defeat in Viet Nam.
So, illegal, secret bombing from 1965....CIA-assisted coup to overthrow Sihanouk and install their man Lon Nol in 1970....then South Vietnam / US military incursion....civil war with Sihanouk urging people to join him and the Khmer Rouge in resistance to Lon Nol....massive US bombing of most of the countryside.....which inevitably helped bring Khmer Rouge to power....and the shattered society they inherited fueled the extremist policies of Pol Pot.
So, most of Cambodia's pain can be directly or indirectly blamed on the imperialist war policies of the USA governments.
Get it?
10.43
I love you. You´ve understood more than most.
Scandi
7:34PM - Wow, did you read 5:57AM post from start to end?
8:05 PM
Thank you!
Check out much more here:
http://lemonjuicebruce.blogspot.com/
Oooops sorry 8:14 PM and 5:57 AM ......of course I meant to direct my comment to 11:30 AM.
(7:34 PM)
7:34pm that doesn't mean the Khmer Rouge should have any right to empty every city in Cambodia and displace millions of Cambodian with no food, no medicine no proper shelter and no return to their former homes. They died. They got killed because of this horrible acts of the Khmer Rouge's crazy and nasty-sickly mind.
American may have made a mistake by doing so, but they voted to remove their president out and changed their foreign policy. It's the KR problem that didn't see or slow in catching with the news and continue to grill our own innocent people for Lon Nolian or CIA and KGB. It's their f* blind and grave mistake. Admit it and make whomever their bosses paid the price of our own 2 millions death people stupid. Remember also there were 2 Khmer Rouges fighting each other between 1975 and 1979. One for Vietnam and one for China. You also should know damm well by now.
and the American was out of Asia and none left in Cambodia. None and Zero. Have the American chose to stay thing might not got that ugly.
Bombing the Jugle north of our country were mostly the vietcong that'd gotten killed. Not really our people. That's just too bad for hidding like rat inside somebody else's land.
Starting on April 17th 1975, the 2 KRs ( the vietcong and the chinese KR )were cleaning up the NL and the CIA only and they were very very satiffied with the result. By 1977, they did all the remaining LN the CIA plus the KGB. This was a nasty year and horrified news to everybody inside Cambodia. Their goal is to expand Cambodia's territory on both sides, but first with Vietnam. The Khmer Rouge could only produce rice from our poor and near death staving of our Cambodian people. How in the hell are they going to be able to do it? Go and ask the KR's God -Hidden and killer face the Chinese. You will find it. The Chinese then wasn't as smart as they are today or taking other counties by the economic and good relation. They were so barbaric and wanted to kill anyone in their way and take everything. That was the Chinese and the strongest KR's boss in the 70's. You should know damm well by now stupid.
Americans dropped bombs in Cambodia,
boms cost $350 000 000,
Cambodians pays back the bombs and cleans up itself the unexploded bombs ?
Americans are smart !
US President did something wrong to Cambodia, that's OK, forget it, the President is replaced and USA owes nothing to Cambodia.
Lon Nol owed something to USA, that's NOT OK, DON'T forget it, the new Cambodian Prime Minister MUST rembourse.
Americans are smart !
The Republican Lon Nol does't fight hard enough against the Viet cong and KR.If I knew that KR kill Khmer inocent like this,I drop more bombs until I kill all KR.Fighting during the war is not fight with emotional.
did you know the b-52 bombardment of cambodia led to the KR take over then! the west was partly responsible for what happened in cambodia, i think!
If some Khmers are to be blamed about years 1960 and 1970 events, Yuons and Americans must be blamed 1000 times more because Cambodians had nothing to do with them and they import the wars into Cambodia and imposed those wars to Cambodians.
As Khmers, you are stupid to blame Khmers and clear Yuons and Americans from their bad doing.
Gee, I can’t remain indifferent to your comment, 9:10PM. I like American democracy and capitalism, but I can’t stand some of their foreign policies. What happened to Cambodia was a tragic result of their policies. They supported Lon Nol to overthrow Sihanouk. They dropped tons of bombs in our country sides killing a lot of innocents. Cambodian. My grand parents houses were burned to ashes …etc. Not sure if any Vietcong got killed by those bombs. Those B52’s mistakenly took Cambodian town (Nak Loeung) for Vietcong hide-out and killed innocent civilians. And perhaps the most tragic mistake was they (Americans) abandoned us to the communists, and over two million Khmers who believed in them and who fought along side with them perished! Now they (current American government) has the audacity to demand we pay back the cost of the war. Come on, where is their moral high ground?
Fight on your fucking idiot.Some day yuon will finish your race once and for all.In fact they are now by millions,in your fucking country . And you still blaming American who tried their best to curb the communist from spreading into SouthEast Asia, and in Cambodia in particular.You are a bunch of shit.
it's history already, can't we all make up and become friends again like before the war game? why hold grudges? how can america help cambodia for what cambodia went through? let bygone be bygone. let's be friends, american/ khmer friendship to eternality. i want america in cambodia. i want rich people in cambodia. why not?
cambodia now had experienced communism because america decided to let us experience it first hand. now, i can say i really hate communism. all khmer people knew was pain and suffering, hardship, starvation, death and ill from diseases, helpless, hopeless, etc; now cambodia is starting new beginning again, this is a lot experienced and learned and wiser, smarter, more educated, etc... my beloved america can help to make a real difference in cambodia. please trust and embrace america. i love america and cambodia. god bless us all.
8:28am, did you ever accomplish your goal? You fucking looser. You killed millions of innocent people in the process of your failure. Get the fuck out of here! scum!
2:00am. American didn't abandone us. American lost the Vietnam war and they had to leave. Ask Khmer Communist why did they have to send the entire country our their homes and sending everybody down to hell on April 17th 1975? That is what I'll never get and never accept their f* excuse. Don't you think that their f* communist bosses should take full responsibility and pay the price? Why not? 2 millions death didn't really mean anything? Nothing? Just say, o.k what's a big deal? So what! Just like that? You and them must be out of the f* god damm mind.
US abandoned Cambodia (by April 17th, 1975) BEFORE they lost the "Vietnam war" (April 30, 1975).
Yes, the "emptying" of the cities by KR was an extreme and ruthless policy, and in hindsight it could have been managed better.
However, do consider the terrible situation inherited by the KR on April 17.
Millions of people had fled the countryside and become refugees in the cities to escape the civil war and US bombing all over Cambodia. These cities were overcrowded and unsustainable, living on handouts from US aid.
The countryside had been bombed back to the Stone Age, rice fields, irrigation works, and social infrastructure mostly destroyed.
American financial aid which had sustained the Lon Nol government had now suddenly stopped. But there was the feared possibility of renewed US bombing, and subversion by spies or military intervention.
The KR believed that millions of Cambodians had been 'corrupted' by decades of French cultural domination, and western imperialism, filling their heads with "wrong" ideas.
The most urgent priority was to get people out of the cities, to rebuild the bombed rice fields, plant the rice crop, and harvest it before millions faced starvation.
The people in the cities could not feed themselves or stay there. Much work had to be done, urgently, but most of them had lost the connection with the land and hard work, and did not want to go.
No time to waste arguing about it with people who did not agree! The KR believed they were right, so anyone else was an "enemy", standing in the way.
So the KR saw a country so broken that it could not be easily fixed, except by 'starting again', "Year Zero", a revolution to do away with all that was 'bad'.
Inevitably, such harsh and cruel times are not going to be easy to manage. Many terrible mistakes were made. Opposition led to more repression, and many good people perished.
This is certainly not to justify what the KR did, but to try to understand something of the extraordinary context they faced in April 1975.
One lesson for today might be to solve problems in a better, more balanced, constructive way - and hopefully avoid the disastrous consequences of war, which can get hopelessly out of hand.
Just some quick thoughts to reflect on, but there are many good books available that discuss all this in more detail.
What about communication system? Why none? Not all Cambodian are helpless like the Pol Pot Thought. They had friends and relatives that were out side of the country that can help. Why no freedom? Zero Cambodian can escape the country. Worse Ing Sary went to Europe and America to get our people back for slaughtering or why trick all the LonNol soldiers to go and receive Sihanouk in April of 1975 ? When what their real intension was to finish them off. You need to stop believing that mf* head, because they lie. Communist are nothing, but lie lie and lie.
By the way, I believe that bombing was part of the war. The $353m debt was part of the Lon Nol Admis. which they had that borrowed the American to run the country.
Picture this:
You go to college, you borrow money from the bank or obtaining a federal loan. Those aren't giving it to you, unless you are a good student and you will have determination to work it, earn good drade and when you're done or graduate, you will have the ability to find work , earn good money and pay them back. American system don't just hand out free money. You have to have a pretty dawn good reason for them to do so.
In our country case, the Lon Nol borrowed the American money to run the country and he failed.
This means crap to the bank or the federal loan. The money borrowing has to be paid. Regardless. Go do something. There are jobs, cleaning working in bar or garden or whatever. It's just so sad too bad and tough shit for making it thru college. the Lon nol should have known better and busting his helping the American win the war, but he didn't.
Just like you were a student. You borrowed the bank or the government money to go to college or university. You have to pay back regardless. Money borrowed. Money must be paid.
Bombing is a completely different subject. There could be another court. Who knows?
In the case of $350 M. oweing to the American, please see that it gives our gov. The Hun Sen or anyone an opportunity to start govern the country in the right way. Meaning with rule of law and police, court and taxes system ect...that the country can properly collecting wealth to really run the country better and forward. Our government of today, seeing nothing of that. Instead they look to Communist Vietcong or Communist China to be their bosses. So that they can get some payment like aids money and bow their heads to them. I don't agree with it. Head is up. Nose is up and walk straight forward, is what I believe in.
Cambodia has wealth in gold and other expensive materials under the ground, oil in the sea and millions can be generate from an ancient monuments like Prasat Angkor ect..., the hun sen seeing none of that as a way of getting all of us out of a deep sh.t hole. They continue to act like a stupid monkey forever.
What they need to do, is hiring an expert from America to help running the country and pay back those debt and move on. We owe their money , we have to pay them back and the hun sen or king's better start thinking that Lon Nol is Khmer and not some kind of alien or so and so,, and they too are Khmer. This debt must be pay in full. Everything else will have to discus another day.
Also plesae keep in mind that the UN hands out the KRT under the hybrid court just to find out who kill who? and find justice for the 2 million victims between 1975 - 1979. Take it or leave it.
I don't care who runs the country, as long as he or she is able to get us all out of this shit hole one and for all. I'm fine with it.
It is not that I don't like US. As I said before I admired US democracy and capitalism. The real question is - does US like Cambodia? or more precisely is US willing to commit to our cause? I'm sure everyone know the answer.
From the past and present experiences, US has a tendency to give false hope to people around the world. They encourage people to stand up and promise to provide assistance, but once the real troubles start they (US) just pack and go home home, leaving behind their friends at the merci of the enemies. Look around and tell me I am wrong!
America did not lose the war in Indochina; It has the logistic and technology to win the war, but it simply did not have strategic interest to save indochina. and who pay the price - the civilians and local soldiers who believe in US.
uncle sam wasted american tax payers money more than a trillion dollars during the vietnam war!
Here is the reason, they don't want to save Indochina or mainly South Vietnam.
Majority of the people of
SV care less about being free than they care about the Vietnam Unification. So they screw the American every corner they can. Most SV people that The American had put their trust in them were actually working the North Vietnamese and from every level possible. After 20 years and $1 trillion dollars lost, it's about time that The American should look other way. Then there were protests in Europe and in America's own country that was pressuring their president Richard Nixon to resign. Also, it was Nixon's own water gate scandle, was the ultimate decision that the American made that enough was enough.
We Cambodian at the time just did not see it. The ship was sinking. Getting off or die.
Even today, some Vietnamese care for the democracy, but you don't see any Viet people stands up for it. Oh my brother the vietcong or North Vietnam is better. Just be quiet or shut up. That is true. Stay with the vietcong, they get more. Loas and Cambodian are about to be them, because of their fine brother north Vietnamese and may be more expanding to the south by taking over Thailand thru Thackin.
When the country is full of poor people. Communist system is very attractive at first until you actually live in. Then you're screwed for life. Communist Vietnam may be a little different, but with Communist China, North Korea and Cuba, your ass is being screw 20 times more and over. It will take 4 or six and perhaps more generation to get to where a normal society would be able to do it within one or two. Is that what you want or hesitate in joining a free world anyone?
Please think again. President Bush spent $10 B a month to keep America from harm by the not Coomunist, but a very nasty and dreadful new enermy, the Al Quei- Ta, the muslim extremist.
Communist and those Extremist people are about the same.
The reason the American didn' t want to be too hard on them, because it's harder fighting two enemy at the same time. Who needs it?
Today, the world is really ruling by the economy and business corporation. If the Al Quai-Ta is in the way. Al Quai- Ta will go. Soon or later.
That doesn't mean, crime committed by the Communist shoul dbe forgiven either. That is why, there is a Khmer Rouge's
trail. You were being bad, you need to be punished or locking up and pay the price in full.
$ 100 millions a year for 2 centuries must be paid for by the Communist Chinese and Vietnamese to the surviving Cambodian people everywhere. Then Justice will be served and the world will be fair and safe to live for all.
This day will come when the Vietcong realizes what they have done wrong in order to achieve their greater unification the greater Vietnam or Vietnam Federation and the Chinese realizes what they have done wrong in order to achieve their support from a little country like ours.
Letting it goes, could mean another destruction brought by them. This time, the nuke from both China and her friend Iran. Note China and Russia, both want to screw the Iran of today. Don't pay the price for them.
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