Kissinger Hits ‘Celebration’ of U.S. Defeat

Calling it “demeaning,” former Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger today criticized television networks for their extensive coverage of the 10th anniversary of the communist capture of Saigon.

Kissinger, appearing on ABC’s “Good Morning America,” said it has been “extremely painful” for him to view television coverage of the events marking the end of the Vietnam War.

“I think it is rather demeaning that every television network is over in Vietnam celebrating or helping the Vietnamese celebrate an American defeat,” Kissinger said.

“I have no objections to going over the Vietnam War in our time, in our manner, but to keep repeating as I’ve been hearing on television all these Vietnamese slogans and (give) so little time to the American side. . . . “

Former U.S. Ambassador Graham Martin, who also appeared on the program, objected to an ABC characterization of Vietnam’s former president, Nguyen Van Thieu, as a shadowy exile living in England. Martin called the report “almost grossly obscene” but his time ran out and he was cut off by interviewer David Hartman before he was able to fully explain his criticism.