The War after the War: The Struggle for Credibility during America’s Exit from Vietnam

248 Pages·2016·14 MB·English

by  Johannes Kadura

THE WAR AFTER
THE WAR

THE WAR
AFTER
THE WAR
The Struggle for Credibility during
America’s Exit from Vietnam
Johannes Kadura
CORNELL UNIVERSITY PRESS ITHACA AND LONDON
Copyright © 2016 by Cornell University
All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations in a review, this book, or parts
thereof, must not be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from
the publisher. For information, address Cornell University Press, Sage House, 512
East State Street, Ithaca, New York 14850.
First published 2016 by Cornell University Press
Printed in the United States of America
Library of Congress Cataloging- in- Publication Data
Names: Kadura, Johannes, author.
Title: The war after the war : the struggle for credibility during
America’s exit from Vietnam / Johannes Kadura.
Description: Ithaca ; London : Cornell University Press, 2016. | 2016 |
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2015032524 | ISBN 9780801453960 (cloth : alk. paper)
Subjects: LCSH: Vietnam War, 1961–1975—United States—Public opinion. |
Vietnam War, 1961–1975—United States.
Classification: LCC DS559.62.U6 K33 2016 | DDC 959.704/310973—dc23
LC record available at http://lccn.loc.gov/2015032524
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Cloth printing 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Cover photographs: Top: An Air America helicopter crew member helps evacuees up
a ladder on the roof of 18 Gia Long Street, Saigon, on April 29, 1975 (UPI/Hugh Van
Es /LANDOV). Bottom: Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, President Richard
Nixon, and Deputy Assistant Secretary to the President for National Security Affairs
Alexander Haig in conference, November 13, 1972 (Richard Nixon Library).
To my parents, Dorothee and Bernd, with love

Contents
Ac know ledg ments ix
List of Abbreviations in the Text xi
Introduction: Contingency Planning in Turbulent Times 1
1. The Strategy of the Cease- fire 11
2. The X Plus 60 Period 30
3. The Collapse of the Equilibrium Strategy 53
4. Going Down with Colors Flying 80
5. Ford and the Fall of Saigon 102
6. Beyond Defeat in Indochina 135
Conclusion: A Mixed Record 158
Notes 165
Bibliographic Essay on the Different Interpretations of the
Post– Paris Agreement Period 221
Bibliography of Primary Sources 225
Index 227

Ack nowl edgm ents
In researching and writing this book, I have accumulated numerous debts; it is
my plea sure to acknowledge them properly. First and foremost, I would like to
express my deep appreciation to Andrew Preston of Clare College at the Univer-
sity of Cambridge. Andrew read numerous drafts of the manuscript, and his con-
structive criticism and meticulous corrections w ere tremendously helpful. With-
out his mentorship and encouragement, I would not have been able to write this
book. At Cambridge, Tony Badger and David Reynolds provided critical input
and created an intellectually stimulating atmosphere. David Milne’s comments
and feedback on my work were extremely helpful. I also profited im mensely from
the support of Andreas Etges, and I am very grateful for all his efforts on my
behalf. I would especially like to acknowledge the friendship and support of Tom
Tunstall- Allcock, whose comments on the early versions of the manuscript were
highly beneficial.
At Yale, John Lewis Gaddis was very supportive and introduced me to Mark
Atwood Lawrence. Mark’s input and support at the beginning of the project were
critical: he helped me find the topic of this book and or ga nize my first research
trip to the National Archives and, most important, introduced me to Andrew. In
New Haven, Bryn Savage and David Gafron-S avage repeatedly let me stay at their
home when I was on research trips and helped me through difficult times. Katun
Luc, Benjamin von der Recke, and many other close friends w ere equally sup-
portive. I am especially grateful for the friendship of Richard Horne, who inde-
fatigably proofread many drafts of the manuscript. A former US marine, he has
truly taken to heart the Marine Corps motto, Semper Fidelis. At Cornell Univer-
sity Press, my editor, Michael McGandy, had faith in the project, and his knowl-
edgeable input greatly helped me improve earlier versions of the manuscript.
During the writing of this book, I received financial and moral support from
various institutions. The Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes awarded me a gen-
erous grant for three years. Yale’s International Security Studies center financed
my first research trip. The Cambridge Eur o pean Trust and the Parry Dutton Fund
of Sidney Sussex College provided me with additional funding. While I was con-
ducting research, archivists of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and the
Nixon Presidential Materials Project were extremely helpful.
My deepest gratitude goes to my family. My grandparents, Adelheid and Paul-
Bernhard, who both passed away before this book could be published, encouraged
ix