Southeast Asia: Apprehensive Allies

Since the U.S. completed its withdrawal from Cambodia in late June, the fighting in Indochina has fallen off drastically. The U.S. death toll for the week ending July 4, for example, was 61, the lowest in 31 years. The comparative battlefield lull was overshadowed, however, by intense diplomatic activity. As Secretary of State William P. Rogers wound up his 15-day, five-nation Asian tour, he spoke of "further political initiatives that might be taken for peace." These words, combined with other comments by U.S. officials, led the government of President Nguyen Van Thieu to wonder if Washington was thinking of...