Pierre Asselin

In public, what they're saying is that they just want peace. They just want to be left alone. They want independence and freedom, right? But then privately, what they really want is to not commit to any sort of an agreement that could eventually create challenges for their goal, which will always remain the reunification of Vietnam under communist authority.

I mean, that's why they don't want a negotiated solution. And then when they decide that, you know, we're likely to have to sign something, then the goal becomes to not sign anything or not agree to anything that could derail That fundamental objective, which is, again, not the independence of Vietnam, but its reunification, its independence under communist rule.

I mean, that's why they don't want a negotiated solution. And then when they decide that, you know, we're likely to have to sign something, then the goal becomes to not sign anything or not agree to anything that could derail That fundamental objective, which is, again, not the independence of Vietnam, but its reunification, its independence under communist rule.

I mean, that's why they don't want a negotiated solution. And then when they decide that, you know, we're likely to have to sign something, then the goal becomes to not sign anything or not agree to anything that could derail That fundamental objective, which is, again, not the independence of Vietnam, but its reunification, its independence under communist rule.

Yeah. I mean, 72 is a really, really hard year for both sides. I mean, for all parties, right? You have this, you know, we always make a big deal of the Tet Offensive, right? But arguably, the 72 Offensive is even bigger than the Tet Offensive. On the communist side, it produces even more casualties. And it's a dismal military failure for the communists.

Yeah. I mean, 72 is a really, really hard year for both sides. I mean, for all parties, right? You have this, you know, we always make a big deal of the Tet Offensive, right? But arguably, the 72 Offensive is even bigger than the Tet Offensive. On the communist side, it produces even more casualties. And it's a dismal military failure for the communists.

Yeah. I mean, 72 is a really, really hard year for both sides. I mean, for all parties, right? You have this, you know, we always make a big deal of the Tet Offensive, right? But arguably, the 72 Offensive is even bigger than the Tet Offensive. On the communist side, it produces even more casualties. And it's a dismal military failure for the communists.

At the same time, though, I mean, Nixon is up for reelection. He's been in office for four years. It doesn't look like the U.S. is anywhere close to peace. So the pressure is also mounting on the Americans to end this. And then for the South Vietnamese, I mean, this war has been going on for a really long time. People are tired. So 72, it's really, really, for everyone, it's a challenging year.

At the same time, though, I mean, Nixon is up for reelection. He's been in office for four years. It doesn't look like the U.S. is anywhere close to peace. So the pressure is also mounting on the Americans to end this. And then for the South Vietnamese, I mean, this war has been going on for a really long time. People are tired. So 72, it's really, really, for everyone, it's a challenging year.

At the same time, though, I mean, Nixon is up for reelection. He's been in office for four years. It doesn't look like the U.S. is anywhere close to peace. So the pressure is also mounting on the Americans to end this. And then for the South Vietnamese, I mean, this war has been going on for a really long time. People are tired. So 72, it's really, really, for everyone, it's a challenging year.

And essentially in 73, all sides will agree to end this because it has to end, at least for the moment.

And essentially in 73, all sides will agree to end this because it has to end, at least for the moment.

And essentially in 73, all sides will agree to end this because it has to end, at least for the moment.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

That's pretty much it. Yeah. I mean, and this is really what the only thing that this agreement will achieve, right? It will formalize the departure of the Americans, right? The withdrawal of the last American troops from Vietnam. They leave in March of 1973. It compels the Americans to basically seize all military operations in Vietnam and across the rest of Indochina.

That's pretty much it. Yeah. I mean, and this is really what the only thing that this agreement will achieve, right? It will formalize the departure of the Americans, right? The withdrawal of the last American troops from Vietnam. They leave in March of 1973. It compels the Americans to basically seize all military operations in Vietnam and across the rest of Indochina.

That's pretty much it. Yeah. I mean, and this is really what the only thing that this agreement will achieve, right? It will formalize the departure of the Americans, right? The withdrawal of the last American troops from Vietnam. They leave in March of 1973. It compels the Americans to basically seize all military operations in Vietnam and across the rest of Indochina.

And in exchange for this, Hanoi gives the Americans their prisoners back. And that's pretty much all that... And a ceasefire, I suppose. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So there's a ceasefire. And then essentially all of this long enough to allow the Americans to get their prisoners back to disengage before the Vietnamese resume their civil war. And that's all that agreement is.