Although Nixon did not specifically order the draw-down, his support of the concept was a relief to Laird, who encouraged his colleagues to use the term “Vietnamization” as a positive way to describe this new policy. For the moment, Kissinger was quietly furious, regarding the change as a dangerous mistake. In his view, the American military presence was his most powerful lever for obtaining North Vietnamese concessions once serious negotiations were underway. If it became clear that American troops were on their way out, Hanoi would lose its incentive to compromise.
