Marigold: The Lost Chance for Peace in Vietnam

Cold War International History Project

by James G. Hershberg

Marigold presents the first rigorously documented, in-depth story of one of the Vietnam War's last great mysteries: the secret Polish-Italian peace initiative, codenamed "Marigold," that sought to end the war, or at least to open direct talks between Washington and Hanoi, in 1966. The initiative failed, the war dragged on for another seven years, and this episode sank into history as an unresolved controversy. Antiwar critics claimed Johnson had bungled (or, worse, deliberately sabotaged) a breakthrough by bombing Hanoi on the eve of a planned historic secret US-North Vietnamese encounter in Warsaw. Conversely, LBJ and top aides angrily insisted there was no "missed opportunity," Poland never had authority to arrange direct talks, and Hanoi was not ready to negotiate. Conventional wisdom echoes the view that Washington and Hanoi were so dug in that no real opportunity existed. This book uses new evidence from long hidden communist sources to show that Warsaw was authorized by Hanoi to open direct contacts and that Hanoi had committed to entering talks with Washington. It reveals LBJ's personal role in bombing Hanoi at a pivotal moment, disregarding the pleas of both the Poles and his own senior advisors. The historical implications of missing this opportunity are immense: Washington did not enter negotiations with Hanoi until more than two years and many thousands of lives later, and then in far less auspicious circumstances.

Part of the Cold War International History Project Series from Woodrow Wilson Center Press

Genres: History

936 pages, Hardcover

First published January 11, 2012

Reviews

[Washington Post · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Marigold” is a staggering exercise in historical scholarship, the definitive study of a subject of intense speculation over the years — proposed U.S.-Hanoi negotiations in 1966. The meetings, like others before and after, never came to pass, the reasons were unexplained, and the war churned on. "Marigold" was one of Book World's 10 best books of 2012.

Gordon M. Goldstein reviewed it for The Post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/marigol...

[Claire Binkley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was rad. Rock out, man.

On a not-as-drugged note...
When I studied International Relations a few years back I was cramming far too much information into my head to really understand this on top of all I had been learning about everything else, but now that I have a bit of breathing room, I can actually understand how the Viet Cong &c factored in to all the other crazy things going on worldwide in the 60's.

I appreciated Hershberg's clear-headed analysis.

[Ted Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Important history of a crucial moment in recent history.

[Sean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having earned a doctorate in guerrilla warfare, I was in awe, and somewhat shocked at all the possibilities for ending the Vietnam war which had not come to pass. The roles of the Canadian, Indian and Polish governments had been unknown to me. Dr. Hershberg writes with Objectivity, humor and sheer dedication. At the end of this book, the reader has been taken inside within the spirits of great and infamous rulers alike. This is a rare treat, A book of depth in a world of sound bites.

[Zeb Larson · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a very interesting read. That said, it involves a nearly dizzying amount of information, and because the Vietnamese side of the story is somewhat incomplete, it's not a perfect picture. Not a layperson's account, but if you can get through it, you'll definitely understand it.