William F. Buckley on the Fall of South Vietnam: Critiquing U.S. Foreign Policy Failures

Over the course of this year, the centenary of William F. Buckley’s birth, we will republish an article by him weekly. This week’s piece excoriates the left’s foreign policy establishment during the fall of South Vietnam.

The cliche of the day is, “stop the recriminations:” That is one of several inflections, another being, “stop the breast-beating:” — which is the title of a sermon by George W. Ball in the current issue of Newsweek, wherein he gives us a lesson on how to stop the breast-beating. You begin by ignoring treaties made by the United States, ignoring any responsibility by the United States for living up to the terms of the treaties. You add a long list of complaints against the sloth and mismanagement of any Oriental who was ever dumb enough to be on our side in opposing Communism in Asia, and before you know it, you not only have stopped breast-beating, you are looking around the hall expecting the adulation of all the peoples of the world.

About the Author

William F. Buckley Jr.

William F. Buckley Jr. founded National Review magazine in 1955.

Over the course of this year, the centenary of William F. Buckley’s birth, we will republish an article by him weekly. This week’s piece excoriates the left’s foreign policy establishment during the fall of South Vietnam.

The cliche of the day is, “stop the recriminations:” That is one of several inflections, another being, “stop the breast-beating:” — which is the title of a sermon by George W. Ball in the current issue of Newsweek, wherein he gives us a lesson on how to stop the breast-beating. You begin by ignoring treaties made by the United States, ignoring any responsibility by the United States for living up to the terms of the treaties. You add a long list of complaints against the sloth and mismanagement of any Oriental who was ever dumb enough to be on our side in opposing Communism in Asia, and before you know it, you not only have stopped breast-beating, you are looking around the hall expecting the adulation of all the peoples of the world.