On 28 Jun 2004 22:08:28 GMT, (BUFDRVR) wrote:

We were sitting at the peace table in Paris with SVN, NVN and the VC.

Minor correction Ed, but I'm 99.9% sure there were no SVN or VC representatives
in Paris. But your point was well made.

The "shape of the table" was a huge issue in '70, '71--the idea being
that a four-sided table would give equal voice to the SVN and VC in
the negotiations. By 1972, the table was most assuredly round and all
four parties were involved in the negotiation.

As has been earlier mentioned here, one of the stumbling blocks was
the unwillingness of Diem regime to concede some of the points agreed
to beween the US and NVN. This led to the suspension of talks in
April, then Linebacker, then more talks, then agreement in principle
(light at the end of the tunnel), suspension of ops in October of '72,
then Linebacker II, conclusion, POWs home by mid-March '73.

Ohh, that's right. Linebacker II was a failure. Forgot for a moment.
Sorry, bout that.


Ed Rasimus
Fighter Pilot (USAF-Ret)
"When Thunder Rolled"
Smithsonian Institution Press
ISBN #1-58834-103-8