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A Settlement of Sorts: Henry Kissinger's Negotiations and America's Extrication from Vietnam
Author(s) -
Donnelly Dorothy C.
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
peace and change
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1468-0130
pISSN - 0149-0508
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-0130.1983.tb00495.x
Subject(s) - settlement (finance) , vietnamese , negotiation , political science , politics , sanctions , prestige , credibility , law , vietnam war , government (linguistics) , political economy , sociology , economics , linguistics , philosophy , finance , payment
The negotiated settlement of the Vietnam war was, in essence, a way of re‐adjusting the role of the United States in Vietnam. Stated in its baldest terms, the settlement was an agreement by both sides to suspend hostilities until the U.S. could extricate itself, allowing a “decent interval” wherein its “commitment” to the Saigon government would wither away, while concern for prestige and credibility would not compel it to re‐intervene. Thus the core of the agreement was a tradeoff of concessions; the North Vietnamese agreed to a provisional settlement of military matters, while the United States dropped its insistence that North Vietnamese troops withdraw from the South. Provisions for a subsequent political settlement between the parties were purposely left vague, as were sanctions for non‐compliance with the spirit and letter of the agreements. The clear implication is that the possibility of renewed warfare after the U.S. withdrawal, and in the event of a breakdown of any progress toward a political settlement, was tacitly accepted by all sides.