Spending time since last weekend reading about the diplomatic negotiations surrounding the American-North Vietnamese peace deal.
I'm shocked - absolutely stupefied - by the parallels with today.
The first conversations about peace were started already in the times of LBJ, but they didn't become serious until Nixon was elected in November of 1968. By that time, the idea of "Peace through Victory" was no longer in vogue, and instead it was "Peace with Honor". Already on the campaign trail, Nixon had been hinting that he has a "secret" plan to bring about the end of that war.
In the event, peace was not so easy to achieve as Nixon may have thought.
Already in his second term, Kissinger and the President are exasperated with the leader of South Vietnam. The man in Saigon, continues making "insane" demands that the North withdraw all forces from South Vietnam before a ceasefire can be discussed.
Meanwhile, Kissinger's negotiation partner is the North Vietnamese Le Duc Tho - nicknamed "The Hammer" - and he is driving an extremely tough line, knowing that America wants out of this endless war.
Kissinger argues to Nixon that the ruling clique in Saigon is interested in nothing but a continuation of the war. That the war itself has become Saigon's raison d'etre.
Nixon is worried it might make America look weak if it abandons South Vietnam. Kissinger replies that it's a question of timing. If South Vietnam falls in some months, or half a year - then that is bad for America. If it falls in 2-3 years - however - then America can easily argue that the corrupt and compromise-avoidant government in Saigon had brought it all upon themselves.
In 1973 - the Paris Peace Accords are signed. A ceasefire begins, and the US withdraws all American troops from Vietnam.
During the next year the ceasefire is violated numerous times, but the North Vietnamese avoid large offensive actions in accordance with the pledge made before Nixon.
As the Watergate scandal deepens, North Vietnam begins making bolder moves. At a certain point, they make the political calculation that American decision making will be paralyzed as the Nixon administration collapses.
After Nixon resigns in disgrace, the North begins a full scale offensive. By April, South Vietnam ceased to exist and American embassy workers were evacuated from the embassy roof by helicopter.