271. Memorandum of Conversation1 Moscow, May 24, 1972, 7:50 ...

May 13–May 31, 1972 1059
in some ways be helpful and conducive to finding a solution at the
Paris talks.
Now I don’t want to repeat what my colleagues said. It is certainly
true that Pham Van Dong and Le Duan, the present leaders of North
Vietnam, are men of common sense. They lay no claims, and said so
to me, to unification with South Vietnam. They only want the freedom
and the independence of South Vietnam, the freedom of the Vietnamese
people themselves, to settle all their own problems. As they put it, they
felt it would be good to set up a three-element government there and
prepare conditions for free elections in South Vietnam.
There is certainly no need for me to say that although it is a small
nation the Vietnamese are a heroic people, and I trust that you also recognize
that they are a freedom-loving and heroic people. Regardless of
the number of your planes and naval forces which have been brought
to their shores, they will never give up their fight for independence.
They have in fact been fighting throughout their lifetime and throughout
history for freedom and independence. For a long time they fought
China. For many years they fought France. At long last in 1954 after
the Geneva Accords the dream appeared that they could enjoy freedom
and independence and decide how to live by themselves and what
form of government to choose. It is sad that their dream did not come
true.
The most recent measures taken by the United States against Vietnam,
of course, are as Comrades Brezhnev and Kosygin have already
said—they are unlawful. They constitute nothing but aggression, as
they are considered everywhere. It’s hard to find any country in the
world which supports these measures. What’s more, these measures
are not only against Vietnam but also against other countries which
have friendly relations with Vietnam and these countries cannot react
calmly to what goes on. The new escalation of the United States cannot
resolve the issue, the bringing in of new air and naval forces. So
surely some other methods must be sought to end the war, methods
based on negotiations aimed at solving the problem and ending the
war going on.
I don’t think anyone could really believe that these new drastic
measures in North Vietnam can be aimed at protecting 60,000 Americans
in Vietnam or to secure the freedom of prisoners of war in Vietnam.
I don’t think many people are convinced that these are indeed
the true reasons for these measures.
Mr. President, you explained your position and motives for taking
these measures in Vietnam. We have set out our own position and
attitudes on this question. I am afraid we have not convinced you we
are right. You may rest assured you have not convinced us you were
right in taking those measures. But since your visit is taking place in