Vietnam: Truce Without Peace

On October 26, 1972, Henry Kissinger informed the American people that after four years of negotiations and several months of secret talks, peace finally was “at hand.” “We believe that an agreement is in sight, which is just to all parties.” Kissinger added that something still had to be settled before the agreement could be signed, but these were “basically linguistic and technical details.” Referring to a summary of the agreement broadcast by Radio Hanoi, Kissinger added that, on October 8, the North Vietnamese had for the first time made a proposal that broke the deadlock. “This proposal has been correctly summarized in the statements from Hanoi.” In a speech delivered in Saginaw, Michigan, on October 28, President Nixon said: “Vietnam being over, we are proud of the fact that our trips to Peking and to Moscow have paved the way not just for ending this war but for a generation of peace.”

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