Foreign Relations of the United States, 1964–1968, Volume VII, Vietnam, September 1968–January 1969

287. Memorandum of Conversation¹

Washington, January 19, 1969.

MEMORANDUM OF CONVERSATION WITH THE PRESIDENT

The President asked me to come to the White House Sunday evening. Dean Rusk showed up as well. I heard afterwards that he was told he could come if he wished.

I told the President that Cy and I were gratified that we could get the new talks on the track before the end of his Administration, not only because of our deep sense of appreciation for him, but we thought it was useful for the new Administration since there were certain forces, particularly from the Saigon Government, that wanted to break up the talks.² Therefore, it might have been more difficult for the new Administration to get things started.

I said Cy had done a yeoman’s job in settling the other administrative matters at one meeting, on Saturday January 18th. The President said he was pleased. He said a polite word or two about Cy and myself.

Rusk mentioned a few matters that were on his mind. Then photographers were called in, and I repeated part of what I said to the President in the hearing of the reporters that came along; namely, that we were gratified that, carrying out President Johnson’s initiative, we had been able to settle all matters which would permit the new talks to begin on substantive questions by the new Administration.³

WAH

1. Source: Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Harriman Papers, Special Files, Public Service, Kennedy-Johnson, Trips and Missions, Paris Peace Talks, 1968-1969, Memoranda of Conversation. No classification marking. Drafted by Harriman. At 3:30 p.m. on January 19, Rusk met the returning Harriman at Andrews Air Force Base outside of Washington. (Johnson Library, Dean Rusk Appointment Books, 1968-69) From 5:55 to 6:04 p.m. that evening, President Johnson met with both Harriman and Rusk at the White House, primarily as a photographing opportunity for the press. The next day the President awarded Medals of Freedom to Harriman, Rusk, Rostow, Clifford, and journalist William S. White. (Ibid., President’s Daily Diary)
2. During separate meetings with Herz on January 15, Thanh expressed several concerns regarding the course of the peace talks. (Telegrams 814 and 845 from Saigon, both January 15; ibid., National Security File, Country File, Vietnam, Peace Talk Material for Ginsburgh—Hold for Ginsburgh) In a personal message to Bunker transmitted in telegram 759 from Paris, January 17, Harriman urged that “it be pointed out to Foreign Minister Thanh in a diplomatic manner that he should stop seeing ghosts and to realize that we are embarking on serious and sober discussions here. Difficulties are created by fertile, devious and terrified imaginations. It is important that the GVN act with the dignity and confidence of a sovereign government. If they Don’t, how can they expect others to treat them as such?” (Ibid.)
3. In a meeting with incoming delegation head Henry Cabot Lodge at his home in Georgetown on November 19, Harriman encouraged Lodge to treat his deputy Lawrence Walsh as a co-equal head of the delegation as Harriman had treated Vance (since it would make an impact on the North Vietnamese). He also urged Lodge to have his negotiating team develop close contacts with their Soviet counterparts in Paris. (Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Harriman Papers, Special Files, Public Service, Kennedy-Johnson, Trips and Missions, Paris Peace Talks, 1968-1969, Memoranda of Conversation) Previously, on January 14, Harriman, Vance, Habib, and Negroponte met with Thuy, Tho, and Lau at the U.S. safe house in Sceaux and discussed the likely policies that the incoming administration would follow, personalities in the new delegation, and specifics on various procedural and substantive issues in the expanded talks. (Telegram 734/Delto 1173 from Paris, January 17; Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Vietnam, Paris-Delto-Todel, Codeword, TDCS and Memos and Misc., etc-BAMBOO)