The Records on Promises to Saigon

Excerpts from the most relevant portions of documents and official statements on U.S. promises to aid the Thieu government after the U.S. withdrawal from Viet Nam, as well as key passages from two of the acts of Congress that now limit what President Ford can do:

The United States will not continue its military involvement or intervene in the internal affairs of South Viet Nam.

The two South Vietnamese parties shall be permitted to make periodic replacement of armaments, munitions and war material which have been destroyed, damaged, worn out or used up after the ceasefire, on the basis of piece-for-piece, of the same characteristics and properties.

The Paris peace accords, initialed for the U.S. by Henry Kissinger on Jan. 23,1973.

"We shall continue to aid South Viet Nam within the terms of the agreement."

President Richard Nixon, Jan. 23, 1973.

Q. Were there any secret protocols agreed to?

Kissinger: There are no secret understandings.

Q. If a peace treaty is violated . . . will the U.S. ever again send troops into Viet Nam?

Kissinger: I don't want to speculate on hypothetical situations that we don't expect to arise.

Q. What is now the extent and the nature of the American commitment to South Viet Nam?

Kissinger: The U.S., as the President said, will continue economic aid to South Viet Nam. It will continue that military aid which is permitted by the agreement. The U.S. is prepared to gear that military aid to the actions of other countries and not to treat it as an end in itself . . . If for any reason the war should start at any level, it would be an unfair restriction on our South Vietnamese allies to prohibit them from replacing their weapons if their enemies are able to do so... This is what will govern our actions.

Henry Kissinger press conference, Jan. 24, 1973.

Both Presidents [Nixon and Thieu] viewed with great concern infiltrations of men and weapons in sizable numbers from North Viet Nam and . . . considered that actions which would threaten [the peace agreement] would call for appropriately vigorous reactions . . . (President Nixon affirmed that the U.S. for its part expected to continue, in accordance with its constitutional processes, to supply the Republic of Viet Nam with the material means for its defense consistent with the Agreement on Ending the War.

Communique issued by Presidents Nixon and Thieu at San Clemente, Calif., April 3,1973.

None of the funds herein appropriated . . . may be expended to support directly or indirectly combat activities in or over Cambodia, Laos, North Viet Nam and South Viet Nam or off the shores of Cambodia, Laos, North Viet Nam and South Viet Nam by U.S. forces, and after Aug. 15, 1973, no other funds heretofore appropriated under any other Act may be expended for such purpose.

An amendment to an appropriations bill reluctantly signed into law by President Nixon on July 1,1973. It is the purpose of this joint resolution to fulfill the intent of the framers of the Constitution of the U.S. and insure that the collective judgment of both the Congress and the President will apply to the introduction of U.S. Armed Forces into hostilities, or into situations where imminent involvement in hostilities is clearly indicated by the circumstances, and to the continued use of such forces in hostilities or in such situations.

The War Powers Resolution, passed by Congress over the veto of President Nixon, Nov. 7,1973.

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