Americans on the War Divided, Glum, Unwilling to Quit

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Embroiled in a war they cannot win under the rules of engagement and do not wish to lose, Americans find themselves confused as they look to the future. Although most have abandoned hope for a military victory, only a minority expect the Paris negotiations to produce an "honorable settlement."

This contradiction confronts Nixon with riddles as he looks toward 1972. Ninety-four percent of the public and 91% of the leaders say they would support Nixon if he ends the war this year on honorable terms, a condition that seems impossible to meet. Sixty percent of the public and leaders are willing to support him whether he ends the war or not as long as he gets American troops out of Viet Nam. A surprising 52% of the public would be willing to support him in one last-ditch attempt to gain a military victory; 53% of the leaders would oppose such a move. Sixty percent of the leaders and 67% of the public said that they would oppose him if the Communists took over the South Vietnamese government. The fact that a plurality of both public and leaders believe that South Viet Nam will ultimately go Communist anyway only underscores the U.S.'s dilemma —and Nixon's.